GAME NOTES: In the postseason for the seventh straight year and 11th time in the last 12, the Vermont Catamounts are scheduled to take on the Hofstra Pride in the first round of the CBI Tournament on Wednesday night at the Mack Sports Complex.

Taking part in the CBI for the third time, most recently losing to Santa Clara in the first round of the event in 2013, Vermont is one of the youngest teams in Division I with as many as 10 underclassmen, seven of those being freshman. The team was still able to produce a record of 18-13 overall and a 12-4 mark in American East Conference action.

As the second seed in the AEC Tournament, Vermont took down UMBC in the first game of the event with a 66-39 blowout two weeks ago, but then bowed to Stony Brook by a mere two points, 79-77, on March 8.

For the Pride, who finished the month of February with a mark of 5-3, they split their only two dates in March. The first outing resulted in a 74-57 beating of James Madison in the quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, followed a day later with a 92-91 setback in double- overtime versus William & Mary.

Prior to making the move to the CAA, Hofstra was a member of the America East, so it is no surprise that the all-time series between the programs will now number 20 games. The Pride, which has been estranged from Vermont since the 2000-01 campaign, owns a slight 10-9 advantage in the all-time series.

The winner of this meeting advances to the quarterfinals on Monday to face the survivor of the Radford/Delaware State contest.

With defense being their calling card, particularly in conference play, the Catamounts enter the postseason with just 57.7 ppg allowed to 31 opponents. The squad permitted foes to shoot just 38.3 percent from the field and 31.6 percent behind the 3-point line, all while forcing those programs into more than 13 turnovers per contest.

At the offensive end of the floor Vermont was content with spreading the wealth, en route to 66.2 ppg. Ethan O'Day stands as the lone double-digit performer with 12.0 ppg, stemming from his 57.4 percent accuracy from the field. One of the better rebounders for the group with 4.5 rpg, O'Day sold himself short more than a few times as he fouled out of five contests. Dre Wills accounted for 9.1 ppg and a team-best 4.7 rpg, followed by Trae Bell- Haynes and Hector Harold with 8.5 ppg each.

Unlike the Catamounts, Hofstra relies far more on offense than it does in trying to slow down the competition. The Pride has surrendered close to 70 ppg, but at the same time generated 78.4 ppg at the other end of the floor, thanks to the efforts of four players scoring in double figures. At the top of that list is Juan'ya Green with his 17.1 ppg, resulting from his 200-of-242 (.826) at the free-throw line. While he may be shooting just 38.3 percent from the field, it is imperative to have Green on the floor as much as possible because he has also handed out 6.5 apg.

Recipients of many of Green's passes are Ameen Tanksley (16.3 ppg), Brian Bernardi (11.8 ppg) and Dion Nesmith (10.9 ppg), the latter doing his damage almost exclusively off the bench. Tanksley has done double-duty for the Pride as not only one of the primary rebounders (5.6 rpg) but also a key figure in the perimeter attack where he has made good on 41.5 percent of his chances.

If Vermont can defend beyond the 3-point line and force the Pride to move closer to the rim that should keep the host from running up the score and as long as the points are kept low the Catamounts have a shot at the road victory.