Lyndonville, VT - Northern Vermont University-Lyndon pulled away from Vermont Technical College in the second half of Saturday's non-conference men's college basketball game. The Hornets cruised to a 92-68 victory to improve to 4-11 on the season. Vermont Tech falls to 3-17 with the loss.
Both teams were a bit sluggish on offense in the early going. After Vermont Tech's Ibrahim Nasir scored to tie things at 11-11 with 13:01 to go in the opening half, back to back baskets from Tyrese Harris (Fort Benning, GA) and Gregory Fitzgerald (Brattleboro, VT) gave the Hornets a four point advantage. That ignited a 15-4 Hornet spurt, capped by a Mondwell Bukle (Pyeongtaek, South Korea) three-pointer and steal and layup, giving Lyndon a 26-15 lead with 8:58 to go in the opening half.
Vermont Tech would fight back to within seven points following a Marquise Moore jumper, but the Hornets would respond by outscorin the Knights, 12-6, over the rest of the half to take a 43-30 lead into intermission.
Vermont Tech got tight back into the game at the start of the second half. Daniel Kowalczyk knocked down a three-pointer for the first points after halftime, then Moore scored five quick points, and suddenly the Knights were within five points at 43-38 with 17:49 to go. Following a Hornet timeout, Bukle drained back to back threes to push the Hornet lead back into double figures.
Vermont Tech would get no closer than nine points the rest of the game, as Bukle's hot hand helped Lyndon extend their lead to as much as 31 points before settling in with a 24-point victory. Bukle made six of nine shots after intermission, including five of seven from distance. He scored 19 of his career and game high 29 points in the second half.
The Hornets got contributions up and down the lineup. Zach Falkenburg (Bridgeport, NY) finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Harris also reached double figures with 12 points and added nine boards and five assits. Jaden Phillips (Phoenix, AZ) pulled down 10 rebounds and Fitzgerald came off the bench for a career best nine points.
Kowalczyk was Vermont Tech's leading scorer, finishing with a double double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Dominick Presendieu was the only other Knight in double figures, as he totaled 11 points.
The Hornets made 32 of 73 field goal attempts (43.8%), including 15 of 40 (37.5%) from behind the three-point arc. The Knights were 30 of 74 (40.5%) from the floor, including 5 of 17 (29.4%) from distance. Lyndon held a 47-43 rebounding advantage and forced 21 Vermont Tech turnovers while committing 18 themselves.
Lyndon head coach David Pasiak, Vermont Tech head coach Jamal Hughes, and their respective coaching staffs wore sneakers and specially designed apparel in recognition of Coaches vs Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week, a nationwide partnership between the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the American Cancer Society, and basketball coaches around the country designed to raise awareness and dollars in the fight against cancer. For more information, please go to SuitsAndSneakers.org.
The Hornets will return to North Atlantic Conference play on Monday evening when they host the University of Maine at Farmington. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 pm.
