For all of the posts in this series, visit the 2017-18 Non-Conference Scheduling Hub.

Ranking The Teams

There’s a rather significant quality divide in the America East, at least based on the four-year Team Score ranking. The conference’s top three all find themselves among the Top 150 nationally, but the bottom five are among Division I’s 50 worst teams. (New Hampshire makes up the middle class by itself.) However, a caveat applies to the second division—307th-ranked UMBC, which tripled its win total from 7 to 21 and rose from 334th to 201st in KenPom between 2016 and 2017. That means the Retrievers are poised to continue their rise above three truly awful seasons at the beginning of the survey period.

Ranking The Schedules

Similarly, there’s a gaping chasm between the best America East schedule—Vermont, which consistently ranks in the top 70 at worst—and Hartford—280 places lower than the Catamounts in the Average Rank. However, the tiers are clearer here. The top three teams all fall among Division I’s top half; the middle trio all rank in the top 250; while the final three squads all have slates that rank among D1’s worst—across the board.

Considering where the bottom six teams are ranked, it’s no surprise the league’s average slates rank near Division I’s floor in each of the four categories—and dead last in terms of the Maximum Schedule table. While four league members will play in bracketed tournaments this season, UMBC, Maine, and Binghamton find themselves involved in events with exceptionally weak fields, driving that particular statistic downward.

*Denotes team will participate in a bracketed tournament. Reminder: Known Score = known matchups only; Average Score = known games+average of potential bracketed matchups; Maximum Score = known games+games against best potential bracketed matchups; Minimum Score = known games+games against worst potential bracketed matchups

Who Over- And Under-Scheduled?

A slight majority of America East squads over-scheduled, including favorite Vermont and contenders Stony Brook, UMBC, and New Hampshire. Albany, another team expected to challenge the Catamounts, managed to under-schedule itself by 35 positions. Remarkably, only two squads—the aforementioned Retrievers and Maine—own gaps that are greater than 37 places. That’s an impressive feat for any conference, let alone one ranking in the bottom quarter of D1.

Congratulations to Hartford, who will host a power conference team at Chase Arena this season. Unfortunately, that squad is Boston College, who have won just 16 games over the past two seasons, Making matters worse for the Eagles—they lost to the Hawks by two at Conte Forum last December. Meanwhile, Stony Brook welcomes Maryland to the renovated Nassau Coliseum in the semi-home game.

Each America East teams plays at least one non-D1 game this season, while Binghamton and UMass Lowell are the only two squads with just a single power conference game on their respective slates.

Other than outliers Binghamton (to the west) and UMBC (to the south), the America East is a geographically-compact league. This also applies to the conference’s non-league scheduling, as 66 of the 123 known games chronicled here come against just five Northeastern Division I conferences. On the other hand, distance means that the America East plays no games against several loops that are comparable leagues, such as the Big South, OVC, and Southland.

The America East’s regional scheduling strategy, coupled with a relative lack of games against Power 7 foes, means the conference piles on games against opposition ranked outside of the RPI Top 150—74 of the 123 known games fall under this classification. That not only damages the chances of an America East outfit securing an unexpected at-large bid, but also has seeding ramifications. Just look at Vermont’s 13 seed last season—earned with a 23-game win streak to its credit.

Team-By-Team Breakdown

Teams are listed in order of their Average Schedule Strength National Ranking. Numbers in parentheses are opponent’s Team Score Ranking. Logos via SportsLogos.net.

64. Vermont Catamounts

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 4 wins (@Quinnipiac, Yale, @Siena, Harvard) and 1 loss (Northeastern)

While the Catamounts will be favored to take the title in the inaugural Islands of the Bahamas Showcase, an early trip to Rupp Arena is the true highlight of UVM’s slate. That road trip along with visits to Patriot League favorite Bucknell, Ivy contenders Harvard and Yale, Big East power Marquette, and possible A 10 bid threats St. Bonaventure and Richmond give Vermont plenty of chances to get on the national radar early. But winning more than one of those games might be a huge ask.

105. Stony Brook Seawolves

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 2 wins (St. Francis (Pa.), Brown) and 4 losses (Columbia, @Maryland, Rutgers, @Hofstra)

The Seawolves join New Hampshire in the PK80 field, but thanks to difficulties in finding a fourth visiting team for the Victory Bracket, Stony Brook won’t get the neutral-site experience the Wildcats will encounter in Nashville. But Jeff Boals’ squad does get to visit both UConn (a possible upset?) and Michigan State (unlikely) and host Bucknell (a real coup) as part of their participation. Add in a semi-home game against Maryland at the Nassau Coliseum and this slate should prepare Stony Brook to meet or exceed last season’s second-place regular season finish. As for bettering that semifinal exit...

161. Albany Great Danes

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 4 wins (Oneonta, Siena, @Colgate, @Columbia) and 3 losses (Holy Cross, @Yale, @Canisius)

The Great Danes get a pair of possible auto bid winners, Yale and defending MAAC Tournament champion Iona, to visit the capital of the Empire State. Add those two games to a roster of road games that feature Monmouth, crosstown rival Siena, and Gotham Classic showcase teams Louisville and Memphis (even if both teams are in a state of flux or outright turmoil) and you get a schedule that should prepare the Scoobies to go toe-to-toe with Vermont right up to Selection Eve.

205. New Hampshire Wildcats

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 4 wins (Holy Cross, American, Bryant, Wheelock) and 2 losses (@Boston University, @Dartmouth)

Bill Herrion is building a consistent winner in “the other” Durham, as the Wildcats have won 20 in a row in consecutive seasons. UNH is arguably closer to ending its NCAA drought than either Maine or Hartford, but they’ll likely have to get past Vermont or Albany to do so this season. This slate should give New Hampshire a decent win total heading into America East play, and trips to Florida and Texas as part of the Phil Knight Invitational’s on-campus rounds will expose the Wildcats to the type of squad they’re likely to see if they ever make it to March Madness.

210. UMBC Retrievers

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 2 wins (Delaware State, The Citadel) and 1 loss (Towson)

Even though the Retrievers’ rating stinks, they made a quantum leap in Ryan Odom’s first season in charge—winning 18 regular season games and finishing with a winning America East record. Add in a run to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament semifinals and this is a potential darkhorse contender for UVM’s throne. Yes, there are three rough power conference road games on this slate, but UMBC should win both of the brackets it’s involved in. Not only are the Retrievers hosting the Battle 4 Atlantis Mainland rounds, but they’re also traveling to Charleston for an event hosted by The Citadel the following weekend.

235. Maine Black Bears

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 2 wins (Maine-Presque Isle, @Dartmouth) and 4 losses (@Boston University, Central Connecticut State, Quinnipiac, Columbia)

The Black Bears have yet to win more than eight games since Bob Walsh took over in time for the 2014-15 season and haven’t cracked double-digit wins since picking up 11 in 2012-13. With only four home games and three power-conference road games on this season’s slate, getting to 10 or more will be a tough ask, especially as Maine has only earned an average of three league wins per season under Walsh.

339. UMass Lowell River Hawks

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 4 wins (Wagner, Central Connecticut State, Boston University, @Cornell) and 7 losses (@Massachusetts, LIU Brooklyn, @Marist, NJIT, @Sacred Heart, @Loyola (Md.))

The River Hawks are finally NCAA Tournament-eligible this season, but they’ll need to claim the America East auto bid to get there. The copious return matchups on this slate and the single power-conference road trip (Wisconsin) won’t put UMass Lowell on the at-large map, but they could give the relative newcomers the confidence necessary to make some noise in conference play.

341. Binghamton Bearcats

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 3 wins (Cornell, Colgate, Delaware State) and 2 losses (Loyola (Md.), @Army West Point)

Last season, the Bearcats bumped their win total up to 12, an increase of four from 2015-16—and that was with a nine-game skid to close the season. This schedule, including Binghamton’s participation a Cancun Challenge that should be far more forgiving than last November’s Battle 4 Atlantis Mainland rounds, gives Tommy Dempsey’s team a chance to build further steady progress in his fifth season at the helm.

344. Hartford Hawks

Record against returning opponents from 2016-17: 2 wins (Sacred Heart, @Boston College) and 5 losses (@Central Connecticut State, Rider, @Rutgers, LIU Brooklyn, Quinnipiac)

Not only do the Hawks welcome a Boston College team they shouldn’t fear to West Hartford, but they also get a pair of winnable games during their November trip to Jamaica. Curiously, Hartford will play the LIU Brooklyn twice away from home thanks to the scheduling of the Caribbean event.

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