ALBANY, N.Y. -- Jay Greene scored 29 points to lead sixth-seeded UMBC to a 64-58 win over seventh-seeded Albany in the semifinals of the America East Men's Basketball Championship at SEFCU Arena Sunday afternoon. The defending champion Retrievers move on to the title game at either #1 Binghamton or #4 New Hampshire next Saturday at 11 a.m. that will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
UMBC and Vermont in 2006 are the lowest seeded teams to reach the final in the 29 years of the tournament. Both teams also were the defending conference champs.
Greene, who did not have a field goal in eight attempts in Saturday's quarterfinal win over Boston University, would connect on 5-of-9 from three-point range including one with 1:36 left to give the Retrievers a 61-54 lead. He hit three of four from the free throw line in the final 17 seconds to close out the Great Danes.
Albany opened the game with a 12-2 run and went up by 11 9:08 into the contest. UMBC rallied and would tie it at the 4:28 mark on a pair of Greene free throws. The Retrievers held the Great Danes to only two field goals over the last 5:15 of the first half to take a 30-24 lead at the break.
Backed by seven points by Tim Ambrose, Albany rebounded after halftime and twice gained the lead in the first nine minutes of the second stanza. UMBC would take control and it led by eight with 6:04 remaining. The Great Danes again battled back and forced three turnovers in a 40-second span to make it a two-possession game before Greene iced it with his last three-pointer.
Greene also had a game-high six assists and made 10-of-12 from the line while Darryl Proctor added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Retrievers (15-16). UMBC had only seven turnovers in the game, four in the first 39 minutes, and shot 40 percent from the floor.
Albany had a 37-32 edge in rebounds including 11 on the offensive glass leading to 18 second-chance points. Ambrose scored a team-high 21 while Will Harris tallied 14 for the Great Danes who end the season at 15-16.