DJ Armstrong Jr. erupted for a career-high 33 points as UMBC defeated Vermont 74-59 to claim the America East championship and an NCAA tournament berth. The senior guard buried seven 3-pointers and was perfect from the free throw line in the second half, leading the Retrievers to their first NCAA appearance since 2018.

UMBC's victory avenged their 2025 conference final loss to Vermont and secured their third NCAA tournament appearance. The Retrievers went 15-2 at home this season and finished undefeated against America East opponents at home. Vermont, which made only 4 of 10 free throws, saw their season end at 22-12 despite strong performances from TJ Long (17 points) and TJ Hurley (11 points).

Armstrong's performance included a crucial four-point play that gave UMBC a 64-56 lead with under two minutes remaining. The Retrievers closed the game with 10 perfect free throws from Armstrong and Josh Odunowo. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi projects UMBC as a No. 16 seed, potentially setting up a rematch with a top seed. The Retrievers famously upset No. 1 Virginia as a 16-seed in 2018, becoming the first men's team to achieve that feat.