Bryant, Maine Advance to Jersey Mike's Men's #AEPlayoffs Title Game

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BOSTON – There will be a first-time America East men’s basketball champion after #1 Bryant and #3 Maine punched their tickets to the 2025 Jersey Mike’s America East men’s basketball title game with semifinal wins on Tuesday night.

Maine played lockdown defense holding #2 Vermont to a season-low in points in a 57-42 win while Bryant dominated the inside scoring 56 points in the paint on its way to a 91-78 win over #4 UAlbany.

The win for Maine snapped a 30-game losing streak to the Catamounts as they secured their first trip to the championship game since 2004 and look for their first-ever conference title. Bryant, meanwhile, advanced to its first championship game since joining the league prior to the 2022-23 season.

Bryant and Maine, which are each seeking its first America East title, will face off in the championship with an NCAA bid on the line this Saturday, March 15 at 11 a.m. at Bryant’s Chace Athletic Center. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN+. There will also be a national radio broadcast on Westwood One.

#1 Bryant 91, #4 UAlbany 78

Bryant shot 52 percent from the field and dominated inside scoring 56 points in the paint to advance to its first-ever America East championship game.

UAlbany scored eight of the game’s first 11 points to jump out to an 8-3 lead.

Bryant responded with a 12-2 run to take a 15-10 advantage on Barry Evans’ free throw with 11:11 left in the first.

Evan’s dunk extended the Bryant lead to 35-21 with 3:59 left in the stanza, capping a 10-0 spurt.

But UAlbany would score 12 of the half’s last 16 points as Amar’e Marshall’s three with 33 seconds left cut the deficit to 39-33 entering the break.

A 20-6 Bulldog run ensued as Connor Withers’ three with 12:35 left gave the home team a 68-48 lead.

UAlbany responded with an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 12 as Kheni Briggs’ layup with 10:18 left made it 68-56.

But Bryant would put the game away with a 17-4 spurt and took a 25-point advantage on another Withers triple with 6:18 left.

Keyshawn Mitchell and Earl Timberlake each had 21 points to lead a balanced Bryant attack. Barry Evans added 20 points, nine boards and six assists.

Marshall scored a game-high 23 points for UAlbany.

#3 Maine 57, #2 Vermont 42

Maine used stifling defense to hold Vermont to a season-low 42 points and just 26 percent shooting en route to reaching its first championship game since 2004.

Maine jumped out to a 13-5 lead in the game’s first 10 minutes. The Black Bears turned the Catamounts over seven times and held then to 2-of-12 shooting in that stretch.

After three TJ Hurley free throws and a Jace Roquemore dunk cut the deficit to 13-10, Maine went on a 10-0 spurt to take their largest lead at 23-10 with 5:43 left in the first half.

Vermont responded with a 7-0 run of its own. Ileri Ayo-Falei had five points during that stretch including a turn-around jumper with 4:23 left in the frame to make the score 23-17.

The Black Bears took a 27-19 lead into the locker room after holding the Catamounts to just 26 percent shooting in the frame.

Quion Burns extended the lead 3:08 into the second half on a three to give his team a 32-21 advantage.

The Catamounts could never make the gap closer than seven the rest of the way and Jaden Clayton’s layup with 5:39 left gave Maine a 49-34 lead.

Maine would not allow Vermont to get closer than 10 the rest of the way to clinch the championship game berth.

America East Defensive Player of the Year Kellen Tynes had a team-high 13 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. He became America East’s all-time single-season steals leader with 103, surpassing Hofstra great Speedy Claxton (103).

Ayo-Falaye scored a game-high 14 points for Vermont while Sam Alamutu pulled down 21 boards.

For full playoff coverage, including box scores, highlights, photos and more, visit #AEPlayoffs Central