Vermont men’s basketball at NCAA Tournament: Can the Catamounts win?

As the Vermont Catamounts prepare to make their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the perennial underdogs have been presented with an opportunity to defy the odds and etch their place in the annals of college basketball history.

The Catamounts, who are making their fifth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance, have established themselves as a team to be reckoned with in recent years. Led by their veteran head coach John Becker, Vermont has won three of the past four America East Conference regular season titles and has won four of the past five conference tournament championships.

In their first-round matchup against Florida State, the Catamounts will be facing a formidable opponent. The Seminoles are making their 20th NCAA Tournament appearance and have been to the Sweet 16 six times since 2000. They have also won three of the past five ACC tournament championships.

But the Catamounts have the tools to upset the Seminoles. They have a suffocating defense that ranks in the top-20 in the nation in points allowed and field goal percentage allowed. They also have an offense that has been scoring at a high clip since the start of conference play and has been led by their two All-Conference selections, Anthony Lamb and Everett Duncan.

The Catamounts have also been successful on the road this season, winning 13 of their last 15 away from home. They also have a number of players with tournament experience, including Lamb, Duncan, and Ernie Duncan, who have all played in the NCAA Tournament in previous years.

It won’t be easy for the Catamounts to pull off the upset, but the opportunity is there for the taking. If they can bring their defensive intensity and their offensive firepower to the court, they have a chance to make some noise and bring home Vermont’s first NCAA Tournament win.