BOSTON – Top-seeded Vermont needed two overtimes but finally outlasted UMBC, 68-65, while No. 2 Maine edged a pesky Binghamton squad 60-56 to set up matchup between the top two seeds Friday in Patrick Gymnasium for the 2026 Air Force Reserve America East Women's Basketball Championship.
Keira Hanson forced double overtime with just two seconds left in OT and then Catamounts took the lead for good with 3:39 left, holding off Jade Tillman and the Retrievers in the longest #AEPlayoff game in nearly two decades. Tillman finished with 32 points and had forced overtime with a layup at the regulation buzzer.
In Orono, Maine extended its lead to ten points at the end of the third and Binghamton closed within three points multiple times in the fourth but couldn’t get any closer as the Black Bears held on for the four-point win.
No. 1 Vermont will host No. 2 Maine in the Air Force Reserve Championship on Friday at 5 p.m. in Burlington on ESPNU, with the winner earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The defending champion Catamounts and Black Bears last faced off for the title in 2024.
For full playoff coverage, including box scores, highlights, photos and more, visit Playoff Central.
No. 1 Vermont 68, No. 4 UMBC 65
- Vermont looked like they would run away with the game early, jumping out to a 15-7 lead after seven minutes of action and extending it to 20-10.
- The Catamounts pushed their lead to 26-15 midway through the second and they led 32-23 at the half. The third was a different story as UMBC eventually pulled within two, 37-35 and trailed just 41-39 after three.
- The teams traded baskets throughout the fourth and Jade Tillman finally tied it 48 apiece with 14 seconds left. Jadyn Weltz made a pair of free throws with three seconds remaining, but Tillman converted on a layup to force overtime.
- In overtime, it was back-and-forth through the first four minutes. Tillman gave UMBC a 58-56 lead with a layup with 32 seconds left and then made it 58-56 with a free throw 17 seconds later. Keira Hanson came through with the game-tying baseline jumper to force a second overtime.
- The Catamounts never trailed in the second overtime and extended their lead to 64-60 with 3:06 left and then 68-63 with 42 seconds remaining. Tillman pulled UMBC back within three with 33 seconds left and then stole the ball with seven seconds remaining but couldn’t get off a three before the buzzer sounded.
- Tillman concluded the game with 32 points, ten rebounds and two assists while playing 48 minutes.
- Nikola Priede finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and five blocks, while Jadyn Weltz had 23 points and Emma Haan added nine points, 14 boards and four steals.
- This marked the first double overtime playoff contest since Harford beat Vermont in 2OT back in the 2008 Semifinals.
No. 2 Maine 60, No. 3 Binghamton 56
- The first quarter was back-and-forth, with Adrianna Smith connecting on a triple after a Bella Pucci layup to keep it even through ten minutes, 15-15.
- Tied up at 21 apiece in the 2nd, Maine scored six straight to grab a 27-21 advantage. Pucci hit a three to close it to 27-24, but Sarah Talon made it 29-24 at the half.
- Maine outscored Binghamton 9-4 through the first five minutes of the third, and the Bearcats closed it to seven before Talon beat the buzzer with a triple for a 44-34 lead.
- Binghamton opened the fourth on an 8-2 run to trim the deficit to just 46-42 and then 48-45 on another Pucci triple with 3:46 left. Binghamton had a chance to get closer than three and couldn’t convert and Maine made its free throws to secure the win.
- Adrianna Smith had 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Sarah Talon added 17 points and six boards.
- Pucci led Binghamton with 24 points and five threes while Carletta Bennett had 10 points and two rebounds.
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