Vermont, UMBC Meet for #AEHoops Crown Saturday Morning
BURLINGTON, Vt. - For the second-straight, Vermont and UMBC will meet for the America East men's basketball title as the top-seeded Catamounts host the third-seeded Retrievers in the 2019 league title game Saturday at 11 a.m. at Patrick Gym. The winner will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, where America East teams have won nine games all-time, including UMBC's epic upset of Virginia last season.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 and WatchESPN with Doug Sherman, Paul Biancardi and Stormy Buonantony on the call. Westwood One will also broadcast the game on national radio with Justin Kutcher and three-time America East title-winning coach Tom Brennan calling the action. The game can be heard on stations around the country and Sirius/XM Channel 81 as well as online. Postgame press conferences can be seen on Twitter via Perisope at @AEHoopsNews.
Championsip Game Notes
Read more about the matchup and the teams:
The Matchup
- Vermont (26-6) and UMBC (21-12) will meet in the championship game for the second-straight year.
- It marks the first time since 2001 that the title game features the same two teams at the same venue as the previous season.
- Vermont is making its fourth-straight title game appearance and 13th overall while UMBC is making its second-straight showing and fourth overall.
- This will be the seventh #AEPlayoffs meeting between the two teams. Vermont has won four of the previous six contests, but UMBC won the only championship game meeting between the two teams, 65-62, last season.
- Jairus Lyles scored 27 points and hit a three-pointer with 0.7 seconds left to break a 62-all tie and give UMBC its second #AEHoops crown.
- This is the 40th all-time meeting between the two teams with Vermont holding a 32-7 edge. The Retrievers have won the last three meetings however, including last year’s title game and both get togethers this year. Vermont had won the previous 23 games in the series prior to last year’s title game.
- America East Player of the Year Anthony Lamb from Vermont (21.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg) and first-team All-Conference standout Joe Sherburne of UMBC (14.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg) lead the two teams.
No. 1 Vermont Catamounts
- Vermont has earned its fourth-straight trip to the league championship game and 12th since 2003.
- The Catamounts are the sixth team to reach four consecutive #AEHoops title games and the first since 2006 (Vermont).
- Overall, it will be UVM's 13th title game appearance, the second-most for any #AEHoops team all-time (Boston U., 15).
- The Catamounts are 6-6 all-time in title games.
- Vermont is 34-10 in playoff games since 2003.
- Won its third-straight regular-season title and ninth overall after going 14-2 in conference play. Vermont is just the second #AEHoops program (Drexel) to win three-consecutive outright regular-season crowns.
- A win would result in Vermont's seventh America East title, which would equal Northeastern for the most in league history.
- John Becker has taken Vermont to the championship game for the sixth time in his eighth season.
No. 3 UMBC Retrievers
- UMBC has earned its second-straight championship game berth and fourth in program history, all since 2008.
The Retrievers are 2-1 all-time in title games.
Have won five-straight #AEPlayoffs games for the second time in program history (2008-09).
Trying to become the ninth repeat #AEHoops champion after winning the title a year ago.
Would be only the second #3 seed to win the title joining Delaware (1993). Holy Cross finished in third place in 1980 and won the title but the tournament was not seeded.
Won 20 games for the third-straight year, a first in the program's DI history.
Winners of 11 of their last 15 games.
The Retrievers earned a top-three seed for the second-straight year, a first in their program's #AEHoops tenure.