BURLINGTON, Vt. (Interstat) — TJ Hurley scored a game-high 29 points as the Vermont Catamounts used a dominant second-half surge to pull away from the Bryant Bulldogs 77-57 in an America East Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Roy L. Patrick Gymnasium.

The contest was a rematch of a Feb. 14 meeting that Vermont won by 27 points, and for a half, Bryant showed significant improvement. The Bulldogs, led by Australian center Keegan Harvey’s 15 first-half points, traded baskets with the Catamounts and trailed by just five at halftime, 38-33.

The most important part of the game came early in the second half, when Vermont unleashed a decisive 13-0 run that transformed a competitive game into a comfortable lead. The spurt began with Hurley converting three free throws after a flagrant foul and was capped by his 3-pointer from the wing at the 15:03 mark, pushing the Vermont advantage to 46-33. Bryant never recovered, as its offense stalled against Vermont’s disciplined defense.

Hurley, a guard from Pelham, Canada, was efficient and explosive, hitting 9 of 20 shots from the floor including four 3-pointers. He added four rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes, orchestrating the Vermont offense that scored 38 points in the paint and committed only seven turnovers.

Vermont improved to 21-11 overall and solidified its position near the top of the conference standings. The Catamounts shot 57% from the field and posted an offensive rating of 129.5 points per 100 possessions, a mark of high efficiency. Gus Yalden added 12 points and Sean Blake had 12 for Vermont, which also benefited from eight points and seven rebounds from Noah Barnett.

Bryant, which fell to 9-22, was led by Harvey’s 21 points and five rebounds. Timofei Rudovskii of Moscow, Russia, played all 40 minutes and contributed 15 points and six rebounds. The Bulldogs struggled to generate consistent offense, shooting just 44.7% from the field and managing only six assists against 12 turnovers. Their offensive rating of 97.5 underscored the difficulty of scoring against Vermont’s set defense.

The Catamounts controlled the glass with a 7-2 edge in offensive rebounds, leading to key second-chance opportunities. They also capitalized on Bryant’s mistakes, scoring 13 points off turnovers.

Vermont entered the game as a heavy favorite according to analytics and betting markets, and the second-half run validated that status. The Catamounts have now won three straight and seven of their last eight.

Bryant has lost two in a row following an overtime loss to New Hampshire earlier in the week. The Bulldogs will conclude their regular season on the road next week.

For Vermont, the victory continues a pattern of strong play from Hurley, who averaged 14 points over his previous two games before Saturday’s breakout performance. The Catamounts will look to carry this momentum into the final week of the regular season and the upcoming conference tournament.