UMBC guard Jay Greene didn?t worry when his team trailed by five points with five minutes remaining against Vermont in the semifinals of the America East Tournament on Sunday in Vestal, N.Y.
Greene, a junior, knew UMBC would be able to make a run against Vermont, a perennial conference champion contender. The Retrievers have been tied or trailed in 16 of 31 games at halftime this season, including when it trailed, 34-44, at intermission against Vermont.
UMBC proved it can persevere by pulling out a 73-64 win against Vermont, marking its ninth win in 16 games it entered the final 20 minutes tied or trailing.
But here?s the only number that matters to UMBC: one. That?s the numbers of victories it needs to earn it?s first berth in the NCAA Tournament in the Catonsville school?s 40-year history.
The Retrievers (23-8) will try to get it when they host Hartford (18-15) on Saturday at noon at RAC Arena in front of a national television audience on ESPN2.
Hartford advanced to the final with a 59-52 win over Boston University on Sunday. Joe Zeglinski scored a team-high 16 points to lead the Hawks to its first America East final.
“This time a year every game, especially in the postseason is a dogfight,” Greene said. “In these types of games, you just want to make sure you?re close in the final minutes to be in position to win.”
Greene said having experience in close games during the season will be integral when UMBC faces Hartford for a third time this season. The teams split the regular season series with each team winning on the other?s home court. UMBC won in Catonsville, 86-85, on Jan. 16, and Hartford defeated
UMBC, 57-56, in the teams? final regular season game on March 2.
“We definitely felt like we learned something from that last loss to Hartford,” Greene said. “We had a chance to win that game, but we also know we could have lost the firstone. We just need to make sure we take care of business on the court.”
UMBC coach Randy Monroe said his team understands that this game will not be like any other they have ever played as more than 3,500 fans are expected to pack the RAC Arena. But Monroe wants to make sure his team his team remains rooted in its routine, as a loss to Hartford relegates UMBC to the National Invitation Tournament.
“This team knows what they are up against and they have prepared for this game all season,” Monroe said. “We?ve prepared all season to be playing our best basketball at this point and I feel like we are doing that now.”
