Vermont Rolls Into Semifinals With Win Over UMBC
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ Maurice Joseph scored 19 points and Marqus Blakely had 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead Vermont to an easy 76-59 victory over Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday night in the first round of the America East Conference tournament.
The win moved the Catamounts (23-9) into Sunday night's semifinal against the winner between Maine and New Hampshire.
Joseph was 4-for-6 from 3-point range and Blakely, the two-time conference Player of the Year who didn't win the award this season, notched his 16th double-double of the season. It was the 43rd of his career. Blakely also chipped in five assists and three blocks.
The win was Vermont's third of the season against the Retrievers (4-26). Evan Fjeld added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the second-seeded Catamounts.
Shawn Grant had 17 points and Adrian Satchell 14 for seventh-seeded UMBC, which had its string of consecutive championship appearances snapped.
New Hampshire Upsets Maine, Will Make Second Straight Semifinal Appearance
West Hartford, Conn. (AP) — Brian Benson had 13 points and nine rebounds and New Hampshire defeated Maine 68-57 on Saturday night in the quarterfinals of the America East Conference tournament.
The sixth-seeded Wildcats (13-16), the only one of the lower four seeds to advance, will face second-seeded Vermont on Sunday. They are the sixth No. 6 seed to beat the No. 3 seed in the last seven years.
New Hampshire lost both its regular season meetings with third-seeded Maine (19-11), and didn't lead in either.
The Wildcats took their first lead over the Black Bears this season, 24-23, on Benson's layup with 3:10 left in the first half.
Trailing 27-26 shortly after halftime, New Hampshire went on a 24-6 run, sparked by all eight of Colbey Santos' points to pull away.
Alvin Abreu also had 13 points for the Wildcats.
Sean McNally had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Maine, which had just 10 field goals after the first 5:53 and went 21-for-34 from the free throw line.