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2023 Northeast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics

Dates

• Wednesday, March 1 (quarterfinals)
• Saturday, March 4 (semifinals)
• Tuesday, March 7 (championship)

Format

Traditional bracket with reseeding

Site

Higher seeds host on campus

Participants

Eight of the NEC’s nine members will participate. That includes Merrimack, who won the regular-season title in their final reclassification year. If the Warriors win the tournament, the runner-up will represent the conference in the NCAAs. Stonehill (14-17, 10-6), which finished in a tie for second in its first reclassification season will be able to participate in the NEC Tournament for the first time in 2025 and the NCAAs in 2026.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

All times are p.m. Eastern.

Quarterfinals (Wed., March 1)

Game 1: (8) LIU (3-26, 1-15) 76 , (1) Merrimack 91
Game 2: (7) St. Francis Brooklyn (14-16, 7-9) 75, (2) Fairleigh Dickinson 83
Game 3: (6) Central Connecticut State (10-22, 7-9) 69, (3) St. Francis (Pa.) 83
Game 4: (5) Wagner (15-13, 8-8) 55, (4) Sacred Heart 67

Semifinals (Sat., March 4)

Game 5: (4) Sacred Heart (16-17, 8-8) 57, (1) Merrimack 71
For the auto bid since Merrimack won: Game 6: (3) St. Francis (Pa.) (13-18, 9-7) 50, (2) Fairleigh Dickinson 70

Championship (Tues., March 7)

Game 7: Fairleigh Dickinson (19-15, 10-6) 66, (1) MERRIMACK (18-16, 12-4) 67

Mayhem Potential Since 2011

Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.

• 1 seed (5): 2011, 2012, 2017, 2020, 2022
• 2 seed (3): 2015, 2016, 2019
• 4 seed (3): 2014, 2018, 2021
• 3 seed (1): 2013

With the No. 1 and 2 seeds winning eight of the last 11 titles, mayhem potential is low in the NEC. Playing exclusively on the higher seeds’ home floors has reduced the potential for teams seeded lower than fourth to make much noise.

NCAA Seeding Record Since 2011

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 15 seed (1): 2011
• 16 seed (9): 2012, 2013 (First Four), 2014 (First Four), 2015 (First Four), 2016 (First Four), 2017 (First Four), 2018 (First Four), 2019 (First Four), 2021 (First Four), 2022 (First Four)

The NEC champion has played in the First Four eight times since the field expanded to 68 teams. In the 10 editions of the NCAA Tournament in which there was a single opening round game, the NEC only participated twice—wins by Monmouth in 2006 and Mount St. Mary’s in 2008. New America East member Bryant won its First Four game in its first—and only—NCAA appearance as an NEC member. Mount St. Mary’s, now in the MAAC, lost in Dayton in 2021.

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Fairleigh Dickinson: 2019 (16 seed, 1st Round)
LIU: 2018 (16 seed, First Four)
Central Connecticut State: 2007 (16 seed, 1st Round)
Wagner: 2003 (15 seed, 1st Round)
St. Francis (Pa.): 1991 (15 seed, 1st Round)

Sacred Heart and St. Francis Brooklyn have never qualified, with the Terriers being one of the four original Division I members that has never done so.

Merrimack must wait until next season to be eligible despite their participation this time around.