VESTAL, N.Y. -- A game-high 29 points from Ray Barbosa and a strong stretch run lifted top-seeded UMBC to a 73-64 victory over fourth-seeded Vermont in the semifinal round of the 2008 America East Men’s Basketball Championship at the Events Center Sunday afternoon. The Retrievers, who captured their first-ever regular season title, move on to the conference title game hosting either No. 2 Hartford or No.6 Boston University at UMBC’s Rac Arena next Saturday at noon. The contest will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
Box Score.The title game appearance will be the first for UMBC in its fifth season in America East and its first-ever in 22 years as a Division I program in four different conferences (America East, Northeast, East Coast and Big South). The UMBC victory also stops Vermont’s bid to become the second team in America East history to advance to the title game in six straight seasons.
The Catamounts shot 56 percent in the first half to lead 34-33 at the break and after overcoming a hot UMBC start to the second stanza, led 60-55 with 4:36 left in the game. The Retrievers took over from there especially from the free throw line hitting 14 of 18 in the last 3:30 to close out UVM. Barbosa scored 21 points in the second half including six free throws in the last 1:14.
Vermont shot 51 percent from the floor in the contest and out-rebounded UMBC, 37-33, but was hurt by committing 23 turnovers, 13 in the second half.
Darryl Proctor added 17 and Cavell Johnson had 12 for UMBC. The Retrievers shot only 33 percent from the floor but turned the ball over only seven times while going 27-for-34 from the charity stripe (79 percent). Barbosa went 15-for-15 from the line to set a new America East Championship record passing Taylor Coppenrath of Vermont, who went 14-for-14 against Maine in the 2004 title game.
Mike Trimboli had a team-high 21 for the Catamounts who were making their seventh straight appearance in the semifinals. Colin McIntosh chipped in with 11 while freshman Evan Fjeld had 10 on a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor. 2008 Kevin Roberson America East Player of the Year Marqus Blakely was held to just nine points but had game-highs of 14 rebounds and four blocked shots.