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2023 America East Conference Men’s Basketball Playoffs Basics

Dates

• Saturday, March 4 (quarterfinals)
• Tuesday, March 7 (semifinals)
• Saturday, March 11 (championship)

Format

Traditional bracket with reseeding

Site

The higher seeds host on campus.

Participants

With the departure of Stony Brook (CAA) and Hartford (reclassifying to Division III) and the arrival of Bryant from the NEC, the America East has nine members. Only the top eight advanced to the playoffs, with ninth-place UAlbany (8-23, 3-13) left out.

Downloadable Bracket

Schedule

Quarterfinals (Sat., March 4)

Game 1: (8) NJIT (7-22, 4-12) 57, (1) Vermont 84
Game 2: (7) Maine (13-17, 7-9) 54, (2) UMass Lowell (25-7, 11-5) 85
Game 3: (6) Bryant (17-13, 8-8) 60, (3) New Hampshire (15-14, 9-7) 67
Game 4: (5) Binghamton 67, (4) UMBC (18-14, 8-8) 65

Semifinals (Tues., March 7)

Game 5: (5) Binghamton (13-18, 8-8) 57, (1) Vermont 79
Game 6: (3) New Hampshire (15-15, 9-7) 64, (2) UMass Lowell 75

Championship (Sat., March 11)

Game 7: (2) UMass Lowell (26-8, 11-5) 59, (1) VERMONT (23-10, 14-2) 72

Mayhem Potential Since 2011

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

Since 2011, one of the America East’s top two seeds has won the automatic bid nine times, with the No. 1 owning a 5-to-4 edge on the No. 2. However, the No. 1 has won five of the last seven tournaments, with the history-making UMBC squad winning as a 2 in 2018 and Hartford winning as a 4 seed in 2021.

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

NCAA Seeding Record Since 2011

Years with an NCAA win are in bold.

• 13 seed (4): 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022
• 14 seed (1): 2015
• 15 seed (1): 2013
• 16 seed (5): 2011, 2012 (First Four), 2014 (First Four), 2018, 2021

While the America East has three wins as a 16 seed in the past decade, only UMBC’s historic win over the Virginia Cavaliers came in the main draw. Given the quality of the regular-season champs above them, Vermont’s best hope looks to be as a 14 seed, with any other possible winner being slotted lower.

Last NCAA Tournament Appearances

Vermont: 2022 (13 seed, 1st Round)
Bryant: 2022 (16 seed, First Four, NEC member)
UMBC: 2018 (16 seed, 2nd Round)
Binghamton: 2009 (15 seed, Round of 64)

Exactly half the field—Maine, New Hampshire, NJIT, and UMass Lowell—have never qualified for the NCAAs. UAlbany, which was last a 14 seed in 2015 (Round of 64), will need to wait another year to return.