Elite Conference Titles Within Reach: Watch Them Close Up!
UVM men's basketball meets No. 1 UMBC in the America East title game on Saturday, March 14. Here's your storylines, pre-game notes to the final.
Vermont basketball enters another America East championship game with a different feel: The second-seed Catamounts aren't hosting and they are not the favorite when they tangle with No. 1 UMBC for the right to play in the NCAA Tournament. Vermont (22-11), which is chasing its fourth March Madness trip in five seasons, faces off against high-powered UMBC Retrievers (23-8), who enter the conference final on an 11-game winning streak.
"We are going to have to play probably the best game of the year to beat them," Vermont coach John Becker said. "We are an underdog in this championship game. We should take advantage of that by being loose and confident.
" Under Becker, Vermont has advanced to 11 America East title games (counting in 2020 when the game was cancelled due to COVID). UMBC last made the NCAA Tournament in 2018 when it upset Vermont in the AE final on its way to a historic 16-over-1 victory against Virigina. For more on the final, including how to watch, game time and other notes, stats and storylines, see below for an America East championship guide: What channel is Vermont vs UMBC on Saturday, March 14 in America East final?
TV channel: (ESPN2) Stream: ESPN Vermont will tip off vs. UMBC on ESPN2. Streaming options include the ESPN app .