This year’s America East men’s basketball playoffs represent the last chance for UMBC senior guard K.J. Jackson to make it to the NCAA Tournament before graduating, and the Retrievers’ 72-67 victory against New Hampshire March 7 kept Jackson’s dream alive.
Alas, a sizeable roadblock now stands in the way of Jackson and the rest of his team, but not one they haven’t gotten by before. UMBC will face Vermont in Burlington, Vt., March 10 in the conference semifinals.
The Catamounts are 25-7 overall and rank No. 70 in the nation on KenPom, a college hoops analytics site — easily the best mark in the America East. Vermont boasts two-time America East Player of the Year Anthony Lamb (16.6 points, 7.2 rebounds per game), first-team all-conference performer Stef Smith (14.1 points, 43.6 percent from 3-point range) and Sixth Man of the Year Ryan Davis (9.5 points).
