America East Championship Game Preview: Can UMBC Pull Off the Impossible?

America East Championship Game Preview

Of the 15 automatic bids that will be handed out on Saturday’s mega-slate in college basketball, the America East will be among the first with an early tip-off of 11:00 a.m. ET to crown their conference champion. The Vermont Catamounts will look to win their third conference tournament title in five tries while the UMBC Retrievers are seeking their second NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009. To get you prepared for the championship game, we take a dive into the odds and see where there may be some value in the matchup.

UMBC vs. Vermont Game Details

UMBC: 18-13 (11-7) | Vermont: 27-5 (17-1)
Date: 03/12/2022
Time: 11:00 AM ET
Location: Burlington, VT
Venue: Patrick Gymnasium

UMBC vs. Vermont Preview

Moneyline: UMBC +1000 | Vermont -2100

Spread: UMBC +15.5 (-110) | Vermont -15.5 (-110)

Total: 143 Over -110 | Under -110

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. 

UMBC vs. Vermont Analysis

It’s been all chalk in the America East as this will be a matchup of the #1 and #2 seeds. America East Tournament games are played at the higher seed, meaning Vermont will have a serious home-court advantage in Burlington. This spread feels about right, which means we will be attacking the total in this one. The Catamounts love overs in their own gym. They average over 11 points more per game at Patrick Gymnasium than they do on the road and it has proven with their home totals. Vermont is 10-4 to the over in home games this season.

These are the two most efficient offenses in America East play this season and that should lead to scoring similar to what we saw in their two regular-season meetings. Both matchups went over this total and that can be attributed to the offenses as well as a UMBC defense that ranks in the bottom 60 in the country. The Catamounts have done well to attack that woeful defense, posting 86 points in both of those meetings this season. If they hold up their end of the scoring, you’re going to need around 60 to 65 points from a UMBC offense that has scored at least 90 points in four of their previous seven games.

The Play: Over 143 (-110)