Lyndonville, VT - Northern Vermont University-Lyndon trailed Vermont Technical College by 20 points early in the second half of Sunday's men's college basketball game, before the Hornets were able to stage a furious comeback and escape with an 81-77 victory in the consolation game of the Northern Vermont University Tip-Off Classic. With the win the Hornets even their season record at 1-1, while the Knights are winless in two starts.
Vermont Tech jumped out to a 12-0 lead right out of the gate, and held the lead throughout almost the entire contest. Lyndon was able to stage a rally midway through the first half, and pulled within three points following a Jaden Phillips (Phoenix, AZ) putback basket at the 9:47 mark. VTC responded with a three pointer from Dom Presendieu and a driving layup from Bam Nasir to build their advantage back to eight. The Knights continued to extend their lead, and Bryce Ilsley's driving layup just before the buzzer sent VTC to the locker rooms with a 46-29 advantage.
It looked like Vermont Tech might put the game away in the early stages of the second half. Nasir's three-pointer on the Knights' second possession gave VTC their biggest lead of the afternoon, 51-31. However the Hornets had other ideas and began to chip away. Another Phillips putback brought the deficit back to single digits with 12:18 to go. However the Knights answered the Hornet run, and VTC had the lead back at 13 with 6:50 to go after Ilsley found Nasir for a layup.
Again the Hornets fought back, and when Zach Falkenburg's (Bridgeport, NY) three-pointer found the bottom of the net Lyndon was within three at 75-72 with 1:52 remaining. Following a Hornet timeout, Antonio Carlisle (St. Johnsbury, VT) came up with a steal and basket to cut the Knight lead to one at 75-74. After Presendieu missed the front of a one and one, Falkenburg found Luke Fredsell (Whitesboro, NY) open and Fredsell's three ball with just over a minute to go gave the Hornets their first lead of the game. The Hornets then got a defensive stop, and Tyrese Harris (Fort Benning, GA) was fouled and converted both free throws to extend the Hornet lead to four. An acrobatic jump shot from Marquise Moore with 16 seconds remaining ended a 17-0 Lyndon run, but free throws from Mondwell Bukle (Pyeongtaek, South Korea) and Harris sealed the Hornet win.
Bukle led Lyndon with 14 points. Phillips finished with a double double of 13 points and 11 rebounds while Carlisle and Brett Roy (Newport, VT) added 11 points apiece.
Falkenburg and Moore were Named to the All-Tournament Team. They were joined by Elliot Harris of Bard College and Malik Moore and Romelle Watt of Northern Vermont University-Johnson. Bard defeated Johnson, 78-64, to capture the Classic championship. The Raptors' Stamatis Koulouris was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
The Hornets will go on the road for the first time next weekend when they travel to Westfield State University for the Rick Martin / Hampton Inn Tournament. Lyndon will take on the hosts in the tournament opener on Friday at 5:30 pm.
