With so many teams packed into the middle of the standings just over two weeks until the conference tournament begins, Wednesday night's games become as crucial as ever.
For example, Hartford, who is on a five-game winning streak, is in a tie for third place with a 7-5 record in America East play. Entering tonight's game at Maine, the Hawks still have a shot at the second seed, but could also fall to as low as seventh. A victory in Orono could bring Hartford one step closer to finishing in the upper half of the standings for tournament seeding.
However, Maine at 3-9 is also thinking that a win Wednesday night will greatly improve its chances for betting seeding. The Black Bears sit in seventh place a half game above Vermont and would love nothing but to play in the America East quarterfinals for the first time since 2006 in Head Coach Richard Barron's first year with the program. The Black Bears will be hosting their Play 4Kay game tonight and have a lofty fundraising goal: $10,000. Maine is already halfway there and is hoping tonight's game will put them over the top.
In Durham, N.H., Boston U. has a chance to clinch at least a share of the regular season title with a win and an Albany loss in Burlington. The Terriers, who have been one of the top three seeds in the conference tournament in eight of the last 10 years, are already guaranteed a seed no lower than second this season. New Hampshire can still finish anywhere between third and seventh as it is 6-6 in league play and in the middle of the standings log jam.
Albany, which was picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll, can't finish lower than third, which will be the Great Danes' highest-ever seeding. However, Albany still has a shot at the number one seed and a regular-season championship. The Great Danes need to be near perfect the rest of the way to keep the top seed in their sights, beginning with tonight's matchup at Vermont. The Catamounts will also be hosting their Play 4Kay night and are encouraging fans to wear pink to the game.
UMBC and Binghamton, two more teams within a game and half of each other in the standings, will square off in Baltimore in the third Play 4Kay game of the night. The Retrievers at 7-5 in the league have won two straight, while the Bearcats at 6-7 most recently lost at Hartford on Saturday but won the first game of this season series 61-43.
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Wednesday, February 15
*Albany at Vermont, 7 p.m.
*Binghamton at UMBC, 7 p.m.
*Boston U. at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
*Hartford at Maine, 7 p.m.