BALTIMORE – Familiar foes will decide the league crown again as UMBC and Vermont will tangle in the 2026 Jersey Mike's America East Men's Basketball Championship game this weekend. #1 UMBC hosts #2 Vermont at the ‘Peake on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Fans can watch the game live on ESPN2 and ESPN+. The game will also be broadcast on Westwood One radio nationally and on Sirius XM.
The Retrievers averaged 86 points over their first two playoff games, beating #8 UNH in the quarterfinals, 81-69, and knocking off #4 UMass Lowell in the semifinals, 91-69. Vermont rode it’s defense holding its foes to just 55.5 points per game as it beat #7 Bryant, 77-57, in the quarterfinals eliminated #3 NJIT 63-54 win over #2 Vermont in the semifinals.
The victories sent UMBC to its first title game since 2022 and the sixth in program history while the Catamounts are back playing for the crown for a conference-record 19th time and the ninth time in the last 11 years. UMBC is 2-3 previously while Vermont is 11-7. It’ll be the fourth time since 2018 these two teams will play for the crown.
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Title Tilt a Familiar One
It’ll be the fourth time since 2018 these two teams will play for the crown. The showdown, which matches Vermont-UAlbany as the most common America East championship game matchup, will take place on Saturday, March 14 at UMBC’s ‘Peake at 11 a.m. The two teams previously met for the crown in 2022, ‘19 and ‘18 with the Catamounts winning the two most recent meetings and the Retrievers taking the 2018 contest.
Top Two Seeds Collide
This will be the 20th time and fourth time since 2022 that the top two seeds have met for the league crown with the No. 1 seed having gone 14-5 previously. The #1 seed has dominated the America East Playoffs historically going 108-15, reaching 35 title games and winning 29 of those, including the last four titles. No. 2 seeds have also enjoyed success reaching 29 title games and winning 11 crowns.
Home Court Matters
Since the #AEPlayoffs format started in 2015, 75 games have been played in front of crowds and home teams have been victorious the vast majority of the time. Home teams are 63-12 in those games, good for a .840 win percentage. Home teams also have an .829 win percentage in championship games all time as the home team is 34-7 all-time in title tilts and have won each of the last six championship games.
Retrievers Have Been the Best
#1 UMBC (23-8, 14-2 AE) is enjoying one of its best season in program history. The Retrievers won their most America East games (14) in program history and captured their first outright America East regular-season title since 2008. UMBC, winner of 11 straight games, beat #8 New Hampshire and #4 UMass Lowell in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, to reach the title game for the sixth time in program history..
Good To Be Back
#2 Vermont (22-11, 12-4 AE) had a short-lived absence from the America East title game. After missing out on the title game for the first time since 2021 a year ago, the Catamounts will make their America East-best 19th title game appearance. It’ll be the 11th time in 15 years under John Becker that the ‘Cats will play for the crown. Vermont is in the midst of its 17th-straight 20-win campaign in a full season and enter the title game winners of five in a row and seven of its last eight.
Seeing Stars
Three of the five first-team All-Conference performers and two second-teamers will be in action Saturday. Additionally, three major award winners will be in action. Vermont's TJ Hurley earned Player of the Year recognition while Gus Yalden was Newcomer of the Year. Both player were first teamers along with UMBC's Jah'Likai King. UMBC's DJ Armstrong and Ace Valentine were second teamers and Caden Diggs was Sixth Man of the Year. UMBC's Jim Ferry earned Coach of the Year recogntion.
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -