the Informer

Despite a three-game losing streak in January, the University of Vermont men’s basketball team storms into the America East tournament as the No. 2 seed after winning eight of its final nine games, including a 19-point rout of first-round opponent UMBC.

With college basketball teams around the country preparing for their respective conference tournaments, the Catamounts (22-9, 12-4) received some surprising news only three days before the tournament opener. On Monday night University of Binghamton president Lois DeFleur announced the Bearcat’s men’s basketball team will not compete in the 2010 America East tournament. Due to Binghamton’s late decision, Vermont, previously slated to play UNH, now must prepare for No. 7 seed UMBC.

“I wish we knew this morning, but we have plenty of time to prepare for UMBC,” Vermont coach Mike Lonergan told the Burlington Free Press.

The Catamounts arrive in Hartford as arguably the hottest team in the conference, their only loss coming at regular-season champion Stony Brook by four points on Feb. 24, snapping Vermont’s seven-game winning streak. If UMBC is going to upset the Catamounts, they will certainly need to follow Stony Brook’s lead in containing Vermont forward Marqus Blakely, the two-time reigning America East Player of the Year.

Blakely contributed only 14 points and five rebounds in Vermont’s late-season loss to Stony Brook, well below his season averages of 17.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and nearly two blocks per game. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound undersized forward has given the Catamounts a legitimate post presence for four years and has dominated America East opponents with his athleticism and relentless offensive rebounding.

Although Blakely has been the conference’s best player for three years, his individual success has not resulted in postseason victory for the Catamounts.

In Blakely’s freshmen season, Vermont lost to Albany in a crushing one-point defeat at home, and in 2008 the Catamounts lost to eventual-champion UMBC in the semifinals.

Finishing 13-3 in conference play last season, Vermont earned the No. 2 seed in the America East tournament before falling in a heartbreaker to No. 7 seed Albany, 56-52 in overtime.

Entering tournament weekend on a hot streak, the Catamounts also have favorable potential match ups until the America East Championship game.

Vermont has defeated UMBC by double digits twice this season and should be able to handle the Retrievers en route to the semifinals, where Vermont would most likely encounter Maine, who they have also swept this season.

You can bet on one thing: Blakely will be ready. For the senior from New Jersey, this weekend is his final opportunity to achieve the ultimate success of winning the conference tournament and tasting the magic of March Madness.