Courtesy Vermont Sports Information
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – #23/24 Purdue made a school-record 18 three-pointers and had six players score in double-figures to fend off a determined Vermont squad, 107-79, Sunday at Mackey Arena.
Trese Bell-Haynes and Ernie Duncan combined to score 35 points for the Catamounts. Duncan registered a career and game-high 18 on 4-of-10 shooting including 3-of-6 from downtown while Bell-Haynes finished with 17 to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists. Ethan O’Day chipped in 15 points and five rebounds in the losing effort.
Purdue big man Caleb Swanigan notched a double-double for the second straight game finishing with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Dakota Mathias scored a team-high 17 while shooting 5-of-7 from deep. The Boildermakers had six players make at least one 3-pointer in the contest.
As a team, Vermont shot 48.2-percent from the field and 83-percent from the free throw line (20-of-24). Purdue had 24 assists on 36 field goals and shot 18-of-36 from downtown.
Sunday’s game was the first time a Vermont opponent eclipsed the century mark since November 2009 when the Catamounts gave up 106 points to Providence.
After Purdue stormed out to a 17-4 advantage, Vermont came out of a timeout and went on a 7-0 run to trim the lead to six on buckets from O’Day, Duncan and Darren Payen with just over 12 minutes to go in the first half. The Boilermakers answered right back to push the lead back to 12 before heading into the locker room with a 60-45 advantage. Purdue connected on ten triples in the first 20 minutes.
Vermont would show some fight to start the second half using an O’Day score in the paint and a Bell-Haynes old-fashion 3-point play to trim the lead to ten, 60-50. Vince Edwards (14 points) and Swanigan buried back-to-back 3s immediately following the 5-0 Vermont mini-run. UVM would get as close as 16 the rest of the way as the Boilers continued to make tough shots to seal the win in the first meeting between the two schools.
In a moving ceremony prior to the game, Purdue recognized Catamount recruit Josh Speidel. As Speidel – who suffered brain injuries in an automobile accident last February – was waving to the 12,808 in attendance, the entire Purdue team made its way over to the Vermont bench to greet Josh and his family.
UVM returns to Burlington on Wednesday, Nov. 18 to host Quinnipiac at 7 p.m. in the 2015-16 home opener. Tickets can be purchased online at UVMathletics.com, in person at the Athletic Ticket Office located on the balcony in Patrick Gymnasium (Mon – Fri; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), over the phone during office hours at 802-656-4410, or one hour before game time in the lobby of Patrick Gymnasium.