Catamounts versus Cougars went down to the wire and beyond last night in Estero, Florida.
Playing the title game for the Gulf Coast Showcase championship the University of Vermont mens' basketball team went into the final seconds of the contest with a one point lead over the Houston Cougars, with four ticks of the clock left to go. Houston's Devin Davis had the ball, drove to the basket, and put in a lay-up just as the buzzer sounded for a 72-71 win. But the time between shot and buzzer was so close the Houston celebration had to be delayed for an official video review, which confirmed the bad news for Vermont and elation for the Cougars in an epic title game.
The Catamounts may have been able to go to overtime even with Davis' lay-up but Kurt Steidl, who had a strong game with 16 points for UVM, had missed a free throw at the other end of the floor, leaving the lead at a precarious one point margin. Ernie Duncan had 17 points for the Catamounts one night after pouring in 33 in a win over Hofstra. The loss is just the second of the year for UVM, but a bitter one considering the title at stake. UVM will get back to action Saturday with a game against Yale.
In the NBA the Boston Celtics are clearly a much better team when Al Horford and Jae Crowder are in the line-up. Since those two returned after sitting out much of the start of the season due to injury, the Celts have won three in a row, including last night's 111-92 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Isaiah Thomas was freed up to do his thing, pouring in 23 points, while Avery Bradley added 22 and Horford 17. Crowder finished with 15 points. The Celtics are now 9-6 0verall and 5-1 when Horford is in the line-up.
Elsewhere, Cleveland cavaliers forward Kevin Love set a new NBA record last night for most points ever scored by one player in a first quarter, tacking on 34 in the first stanza in Cleveland's 137-125 win over Portland.
With first place in the Metropolitan division in their sights, the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins went into Madison Square Garden last night for a showdown with the NY Rangers, and thumped the Blueshirts in a resounding 6-1 rout. It didn't look early like the Penguins would run away with anything after the Rangers took a 1-0 first period lead into the locker room on a power play goal by Rick Nash, but a dust-up between Sidney Crosby of the Penguins and the Rangers' Ryan McDonagh seemed to light a fire under the Pens and they responded with a 5-goal second period, chasing Rangers netminder Henrik Lundvist from the game with four of the five goals coming in the span of a 17-shot barrage. Crosby had two of the goals plus a helper and the Penguins are now just a game behind the Rangers for the division lead.
The Boston Bruins are in action tonight, spending their Thanksgiving evening north of the border against the Ottawa Senators, and they may be without captain Zdeno Chara, who left Tuesday's loss against the St. Louis Blues with an undisclosed injury. The Montreal Canadiens are coming off a loss as well, and get a chance at redemption tonight when they host the Carolina Hurricanes.
Of course Thanksgiving sports watching tends to focus on football, and there are no fewer than three games on the docket today, with the early game featuring the traditional Turkey Day team the Detroit Lions taking on the Minnesota Vikings. The late afternoon game has the 9-1 Dallas Cowboys ready to feast on Washington, and the late game pits the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Indianapolis Colts.
