Here's how a tough Vermont team ended Brown's 4-game winning streak
PROVIDENCE --- Friday was the type of game that could have given Brown a significant lift into exam break.
The Bears battled back against Vermont and had a chance to steal one at the Pizzitola Center. The Catamounts ultimately held on to snap a four-game winning streak for the hosts.
Twelve long days dedicated to academics will pass before Brown takes the floor again, and it will do so on the back of a 70-65 defeat against the preseason American East favorite. Vermont scored the last six points over the final 30.8 seconds to erase its only deficit of the night.
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“We should win the game,” Brown coach Mike Martin said. “We expect that we can compete and win an Ivy League championship – we should win that game on our home court. And we didn’t, so it’s disappointing. That’s what I take away.
“These guys, I think, would say the same thing. No disrespect to them, but that’s a game we should win.”
The Bears took their only advantage of the night when Tamenang Choh knocked down a pair of clutch free throws with 51.4 seconds left. That slim 66-65 edge lasted until Ben Shungu connected on both ends of a 1-and-1 just 20.6 seconds later. Choh missed a layup inside and Brown committed a turnover on the left sideline over its final two possessions, a pair of wasted chances to move ahead or force overtime.
The Bears won’t play again here until they host Yale on Jan. 17, their fifth Ivy League game on the schedule. Here’s how they wound up dropping the final nonconference home meeting of 2021-22.
Vermont proved tough down the stretch
The Catamounts never pulled away but always seemed to keep a nose in front until the final minute. Isaiah Powell matched Shungu with two free throws of his own, and the Catamounts held a 68-65 advantage with 15.1 seconds left.
Vermont could have opted to foul and put Brown on the line in a three-point game, but the visitors went for a defensive stop instead. The Bears tried a couple actions out high before a miscommunication nearly resulted in a collision between Kino Lilly Jr. and Kimo Ferrari. Lilly fumbled a loose ball out of bounds and the Catamounts had possession with 2.5 seconds to play.
“It says a ton about (Lilly’s) teammates and their belief and trust in him,” Martin said. “We’re going to continue to improve our execution at the end of games.”
Shungu was fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass and drilled two more free throws with 1.1 seconds left. Brown was suddenly down two possessions and out of time to draw even.
Bears had a second-half surge
The Bears (8-5) found their offensive touch in the second half.
Brown shot an even 64% from the field over the final 20 minutes, including 6-for-11 from 3-point range. Paxson Wojcik’s swoop across the lane for a conventional three-point play with 1:52 to play wound up the final bucket for the Bears.
“I was very pleased with where we got the ball late,” Martin said. “First half, there are going to be a lot of plays we look at. If we had just done a little bit better earlier we probably would have been in a better position.”
Brown was just 9-for-26 from the field before the break – 4-for-13 from 3-point range and 5-for-13 from inside the arc. Vermont enjoyed advantages of 14-3 in points off turnovers and 18-10 on points in the paint to build a 29-23 halftime lead.
Brown bench played big role
The Bears posted a 25-3 gap in bench scoring thanks to two of their young guards.
Lilly finished with 13 points and six assists in 30 minutes. He closed 6-for-11 from the field and was able to find the rim when his 3-point shot went a touch wayward. Lilly's 5-for-6 effort from inside the arc put him into reach double figures for the fourth time in his last five games and ninth time this season.
“Playing against physical guards has been a challenge for me,” Lilly said. “I’m only 160 (pounds). Coach TJ (Sorrentine, Brown’s associate head coach) told me to use my speed and get downhill since they were pressuring me.”
Ferrari connected on all four of his 3-point attempts to finish with 12 points. Brown went just 3-for-17 otherwise from beyond the arc.
Another homecoming for Mazzulla
This marked the second in-state game of the week for Johnston native Justin Mazzulla, and the veteran guard delivered for the Catamounts (7-4).
Mazzulla, the former Bishop Hendricken star, totaled 11 points, four rebounds and three steals in 33 minutes. His 3-pointer with 4:46 left answered a triple at the other end by Ferrari, restoring Vermont’s lead to 58-53.
Mazzulla had a host of family and friends in the crowd, including former Hawks coach Jamal Gomes and assistant Brett Kearns. The fifth-year senior made a third consecutive start and improved on his average of 6.2 points per game. Mazzulla finished with seven rebounds and three assists in a 68-58 defeat at Providence on Tuesday.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
Vermont 70, Brown 65
VERMONT (7-4): Davis 5-8 2-4 16, Powell 5-9 4-4 15, Mazzulla 3-9 3-4 11, Shungu 6-11 6-7 18, Sullivan 3-9 0-0 7, Duncan 1-2 1-2 3, Patella 0-2 0-0 0, Fiorillo 0-0 0-0 0, Deloney 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-50 16-21 70.
BROWN (8-5): Choh 3-8 5-6 11, Gainey 4-4 0-2 8, Friday 3-11 0-0 7, Mitchell 0-1 1-2 1, Wojcik 5-10 2-3 13, Lilly 6-11 0-0 13, Ferrari 4-4 0-0 12, Meren 0-0 0-0 0, Ndur 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-51 8-13 65.
Halftime_Vermont 29-23. 3-Point Goals_Vermont 8-23 (Davis 4-4, Mazzulla 2-4, Sullivan 1-4, Powell 1-5, Duncan 0-1, Patella 0-2, Shungu 0-3), Brown 7-21 (Ferrari 4-4, Friday 1-3, Lilly 1-5, Wojcik 1-5, Mitchell 0-1, Choh 0-3). Fouled Out_Mitchell. Rebounds_Vermont 27 (Powell 8), Brown 27 (Choh 7). Assists_Vermont 10 (Shungu 3), Brown 12 (Lilly 6). Total Fouls_Vermont 13, Brown 20. A_1,226 (2,800).
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Here's how a tough Vermont team ended Brown's 4-game winning streak
