How 5-foot-2 UMBC phenom Darnell Rogers found a place in the tallest game in the world

(This article was originally published on Jan. 29, 2021. UMBC will play Vermont for the America East Championship on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the 2022 NCAA tournament.)

BALTIMORE — When UMBC's starters were announced during a November 2019 game at Florida Gulf Coast, an unusually ecstatic ovation went up for one of the Retrievers' guards.

Darnell Rogers, a known figure to Florida Gulf Coast fans but hardly a returning star, was the recipient of the cheers. Rogers had been a nonfactor during his one season with FGCU, totaling 18 points in 21 games, before transferring to UMBC following his freshman year.

«The place goes crazy. Immediately,» UMBC coach Ryan Odom said. «It's unheard of.»

For the 5-foot-2 Rogers — believed to be the shortest scholarship player in Division I men's basketball history — the love was nothing new. He's used to interesting crowd responses from opposing fans. During a game at LSU last season, fans were oohing and aahing when Rogers would make a basket. At a tournament in Jamaica, the crowd would boo when Rogers was subbed out of the game and cheer when he was sent back onto the floor.

«That's everywhere we go,» Rogers said. «The crowd goes crazy.»

On this night, the cheers would give way to a different, less enthusiastic reaction from the FGCU faithful. The player who had once been a relative afterthought went out and scored 21 points in a key early-season road victory for UMBC.

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«When he would score, there was a murmur through the crowd,» FGCU coach Michael Fly said.

The performance was not a fluke — Rogers led UMBC in scoring and assists before getting injured last