A Look at Vermont
The Vermont Catamounts have a lot of what BYU struggles with: talented big men. However, unlike Utah State, South Florida, and Hawaii, these are not big, strong big men. They are just tall and skilled, but not overpowering. Senior F Evan Fjeld goes 6'8", 215 lbs; Junior F Matt Glass goes 6'8", 210 lbs, and Freshman F Brian Voelkel goes 6'6", 210 lbs. Fjeld is the leader of the pack, averaging 20.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, and 6.3 free throw attempts/game, while shooting 61.3% on the season. He could be a troublesome guard for Hartsock or Davies. He may also have the ability to slow down the Cougars post presence, or at least one of the two. Voelkell leads the team in assists (5.3/game) and steals (1.4/game), while playing 30 minutes/game as a freshman. Joey Accaoui is the team's Senior PG. He has the speed to stay in front of Fredette, but Jimmer has 6 inches and 30 pounds on him. I would not be surprised to see Voelkell drawing the assignment of Jimmer Fredette for long stretches during the game.
Vermont led at Connecticut in the second half before eventually falling by 16. Kemba Walker went for 42 points in that game. The win against Yale is also a "good" win, with most people feeling that Yale is one of the three frontrunners in the Ivy League race (with Harvard and Princeton). They won at Siena, which will not mean as much this season as they have gone through a sizable roster turnover and a new coach this offseason after two very successful seasons. No one else they have beaten is worth writing home about. Beatable team? Yes.
The Venue
Glens Falls Civic Center is the biggest stadium in Glens Falls. It is less than 100 miles from the University of Vermont. It is nearly 3,000 from BYU. It holds 4,806 people (in seats, standing room only tickets are being sold for this game so there will be roughly 5,800 people at the game). There will be Vermont fans there, perhaps several hundred, or even 1,000. The other 4,500+ will be Jimmer fans, and, as a result, BYU fans. Jimmer is familiar with the venue, having played, and won, the State Championship as a senior in high school at the GFCC.
The Game
Tipoff is 7pm Eastern (5pm Mountain), on CBS-College Sports. The pre-game ceremony may be worth watching, as Jimmer (and the Cougars) will certainly receive a royal welcome. I cannot confirm today, but I imagine this game will be available for online streaming at channelsurfing.net for free.
The Prediction
BYU will face a stiff test here. Vermont will be ready to spoil Jimmer's homecoming. This is a chance for a signature win for them. BYU may be distracted and complacent in such a "friendly" environment. The good news is: they can weather a strong start from the Catamounts and still rally the crowd, as long as Jimmer makes some of the plays BYU needs to get back in the game. It is a difficult venue and difficult to gauge the mindsets of the players...but I'll go with BYU to finish strong in the second half and pull away late: BYU 79, Vermont 66.
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