A rematch of last year's America East championship game highlights Saturday's three men's basketball contests on tap. Albany and Vermont reknew acquaintances while Maine visits UMBC and Binghamton hosts UMass Lowell.
Both Albany (8-7, 2-0 AE) and Vermont (7-8, 1-0 AE) enter the day playing well. The Great Danes beat UMBC Wednesday to improve to 2-0 in league play and will seek their first 3-0 start in league play since the 2005-06 season. The Catamounts beat Yale Wednesday and have won three in a row and four of their last six.
Vermont has won eight of the last nine meetings in the series, but the one Albany win in that span was most important as the Great Danes beat the Cats, 53-49, last March to capture their third-ever America East crown.
UMBC (4-11, 0-2 AE) hosts Maine (3-11, 1-1 AE) at 3:30 p.m. at RAC Arena, where the Retrievers are 4-1 this season. The Retrievers fell at Albany Wednesday while the Black Bears, winners of two of their last four games, are coming off a loss to Hartford. The Retrievers have won four of the last five get togethers between the two teams.
Binghamton (4-11, 1-1 AE) and UMass Lowell (2-11, 1-1 AE) both go for their second-straight wins when they tangle for the first time at the Division I level at 4:30 p.m. The Bearcats, who have already surpassed last season's win total, had their most-impressive effort of the year, a 67-38 win over UNH, Thursday. The River Hawks beat UMBC their last time out, their first-ever win over a Division I program.
The UMBC-Maine and Binghamton-UMass Lowell matchups can be seen on AmericaEast.TV via computers, tablets and smartphones through the viewer's browser.
Upcoming Action
Saturday, January 11
Maine at UMBC, 3:30 p.m. - Watch on AmericaEast.TV | Live Stats
UMass Lowell at Binghamton, 4:30 p.m. - Watch on AmericaEast.TV | Live Stats
Albany at Vermont, 7 p.m. - Live Video | Live Stats