ALBANY, N.Y. -- Will Harris scored 18 points including four in overtime to lead seventh-seeded Albany to a 56-52 upset of second-seeded Vermont in the quarterfinals of the America East Men's Basketball Championship in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,538 fans at UAlbany's SEFCU Arena Saturday. Tim Ambrose chipped in with 15 points as the Great Danes became the first seventh-seed in the league's history to knock off the second-seed in the championship's quarterfinal round.
Michael Johnson would score five straight free throws in the final 1:18 of the extra session to cap the win for the Great Danes (15-15) who will face the winner of the #3 Boston University-#6 UMBC game in Sunday's semifinal round at 2 p.m.
Harris scored 11 in the first half as Albany took a 33-19 lead at the break. In the first 20 minutes the Great Danes shot 60 percent from the floor and led by as many as 15.
In the second half Vermont would go on an 11-2 run to tie the game at 44-44 with 3:37 left and after a pair of Evan Fjeld free throws, it took a 47-44 lead with 2:26 to go in regulation. Harris hit a driving lay-up with 1:13 left to tie the game at 48-48 and force overtime.
For the game, Albany shot 44 percent from the floor and out-rebounded Vermont by a wide 47-26 margin. The Catamounts shot 36 percent from the field but were hurt by making only two-of-14 from three-point range and only 49 percent (16-for-33) from the free throw line. Vermont rallied in the second half by shooting 45% and limited Albany to just four field goals in 16 attempts.
UVM's Marqus Blakely, the America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year, led all scorers with 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Colin McIntosh added 13 for Vermont, which had its six game win streak snapped.