CBB Review hands out awards for each conference tournament in 2023. Up next: The America East Tournament.
Vermont and UMass-Lowell met in the America East Tournament championship game, which was half of what I predicted. I’ll admit it now – I didn’t think this was going to be a cakewalk for Vermont and had them out early. They proved me wrong and might do the same by busting brackets in the Big Dance.
CBB Review America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Dylan Penn, Vermont
Finally, Dylan Penn gets to play in March Madness! The fifth-year senior stuck it out during Bellarmine’s transition to Division I basketball. That meant NOT playing in the NCAA Tournament last year, even after his team won the Atlantic Sun conference tournament.
This year, there’s no such rule for Penn, who led Vermont to another America East Tournament title. Penn exploded in the three games, averaging over 24 points per game with incredible efficiency.
CBB Review All-America East Tournament First Team
- G: Dylan Penn, Vermont – 3 games (24.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 60.0 3P%, 67.4 FG%)
- G: Everette Hammond, UMass-Lowell – 3 games (12.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.0 APG, 71.4 3P%)
- G: Jacob Falko, Binghamton – 2 games (17.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 53.8 3P%)
- F: Miles Gibson, Binghamton – 2 games (14.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.0 SPG)
- F: Clarence O. Daniels II, New Hampshire – 2 games (17.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG)
Vermont’s NCAA Tournament Prediction
Round of 64
Vermont is one of those teams that when they make it to March Madness, you always have a feeling they might pull off a first-round upset. This is the program’s 9th appearance all time, and 4th since 2017.
John Becker’s squad is good, but not as good as they’ve been in previous years. But they have been playing hot, and that’s one thing that will help in an elimination tournament. Don’t sharpie Vermont to the round of 32, but pay attention to who they draw, because with the right matchups, UVM might be playing an extra game than expected.