UMBC Shocks Vermont To Win AE Men’s Championship

Sharpshooting Jairus Lyles cashed in a three-point basket with .5 second left in regulation  to give the UMBC Retrievers a 65-62  victory and an America East Championship at Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington, Vermont this (Saturday) afternoon. The Retrievers enter the conference title game as a second seed while the Catamounts were the top seed after capturing the regular season America East crown.

Vermont had owned the Retrievers and had won 23 consecutive games against UMBC.  The Retrievers held a 37-35 lead at halftime.  The win gives UMBC its second America East Championship.  The Retrievers last championship game appearance was in 2009 when the Binghamton Bearcats handed them a 61-51 defeat at the Events Center.

Lyles, an America East First Team All-Conference selection led all scorers with 27 points going 10-23 from the field and 5-7 from three-point range.  He was the only Retriever to score in double figures.

America East Player of the Year Trae Bell-Haynes paced the Catamounts with 18 points while Peyton Hensen notched 14 and Ernie Duncan 10 points for Vermont.  The Catamounts went 6-16 from the field in the second half.

UMBC gets an automatic bid to the NCAA National Tournament.  The seeding and pairings will be announced on Sunday evening.