UMBC Claims America East Championship, Secures NCAA Tournament Spot

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County basketball team captured their first America East Conference championship since 2018 with a commanding 74-59 victory over Vermont. DJ Armstrong Jr. led the charge with 33 points and a record-setting seven three-pointers to earn tournament MVP honors.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County basketball team punched their ticket to March Madness on Saturday, defeating Vermont 74-59 in Baltimore to claim the America East Conference championship.

Leading scorer DJ Armstrong Jr. put on a spectacular performance, netting 33 points to power the top-seeded Retrievers to their first conference tournament championship since 2018. The victory guarantees UMBC an automatic spot in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

The Retrievers (24-8) dominated the second half, outscoring their opponents 44-31 and closing the game with an impressive 26-8 scoring surge. This marks the third conference tournament championship in the program’s history.

Armstrong Jr. delivered an outstanding shooting display, connecting on 9 of 11 field goal attempts and sinking a championship game record seven shots from beyond the arc. His exceptional performance throughout the tournament earned him Most Outstanding Player recognition, averaging 17.6 points while shooting an impressive 64% from the field.

Supporting Armstrong Jr.’s heroics, Jose Roberto Tanchyn controlled the boards with 10 rebounds, while Ace Valentine contributed 13 points for UMBC, which has now won 12 consecutive games.

At halftime, the Retrievers held a narrow 30-28 advantage over Vermont (22-12). The Catamounts received their strongest offensive contribution from bench player TJ Long, who scored 17 points, while Gus Yalden and TJ Hurley each added 11 points.

In other conference championship action, Howard University captured the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title with a 70-63 victory over North Carolina Central in Norfolk, Virginia. Bryce Harris recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Cedric Taylor III added 13 points and 12 rebounds for the top-seeded Bison (23-10). Howard has now won eight straight games and will make their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance, having last participated in 2024. North Carolina Central’s Dionte Johnson led the Eagles (14-18) with 14 points in the losing effort.