New England is typically more of a haven for college hockey than college basketball. But the Vermont Catamounts have become one of the few exceptions to that. After a string of NCAA Tournament appearances, it’s no longer easy to find cheap UVM basketball tickets. The Catamounts have slowly but surely become the pre-eminent program in the America East Conference, turning UVM into a familiar mid-major every March and making last-minute UVM basketball tickets a hot commodity for college basketball fans in New England.

One Magic Shot

For decades, Vermont basketball was a rather unexceptional program. Then along came Tom Brennan, who took over as head coach in 1986. Despite winning just 14 games over his first three seasons, UVM stuck with Brennan and was eventually repaid for their faith in him. By the turn of the century, Brennan had made the Catamounts the best team in the America East. Vermont won the America East regular-season title in 2002, followed by three straight conference tournament crowns that sent the Catamounts to the NCAA Tournament.

The program’s third trip to the NCAA Tournament was the charm. In the first round of the 2005 tournament, point guard T.J. Sorrentine hit a 35-foot jump shot with 1:10 left to play in overtime, helping secure a 60-57 win over Syracuse, a victory that will forever be remembered in UVM sports history. It ended up being the last win in Brennan’s career, as he retired after the season after building the Catamounts into a winner.

Not a Flash in the Pan

While Sorrentine’s shot may have been a fluke, UVM’s success wasn’t an accident. The Catamounts have continued to be a heavyweight in the America East, and regular participants in the NCAA Tournament under head coaches Mike Lonergan and John Becker. Starting with the 2016-17 season, Becker led UVM to four straight America East regular-season titles and counting, showing the college basketball world that the Catamounts will be around for many years to come.