BOSTON - The America East women's basketball regular season came to a close and Sunday and for the first time since 1987-88, the season ended with Co-Regular Season Champions as the Maine Black Bears and Albany Great Danes finished tied at 14-2 at the top of the conference. The 2015 America East Women's Basketball Championship bracket also fell into place as games concluded on Sunday, and teams will head to Binghamton University for the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8. The title game will be held at the highest remaining seed on Friday, March 13.
The top six seeds for the tournament had been known since Thursday and the final two seeds were decided Sunday:
- Maine (22-7, 14-2 AE) - Co-regular-season champion and the tournament's top seed for the first time since the 2004-05 season. The Black Bears took the No. 1 seed by holding the tiebreak over Albany.
- Albany (21-8, 14-2 AE) - Earned at-least a share of the America East regular season title for the third-straight season. The three-time defending champions are a top-two seed for the fourth-straight season.
- Stony Brook (17-12, 10-6 AE) - Recorded double-digit conference wins for the second-straight season and will be a top-three seed for the fourth time in school history.
- New Hampshire (17-11, 9-7 AE) - Have reached the semifinals in back-to-back seasons.
- Hartford (14-16, 8-8 AE) - Have finished in the top-five for 11-straight seasons.
- UMBC (11-18, 6-10 AE) - Won the tournament last time it was in Binghamton in 2007 as a No. 7 seed.
- Vermont (5-23, 2-14 AE) - Earned No. 7 seed following Binghamton's loss to UMBC Sunday, holding the tiebreak over the Bearcats.
- Binghamton (4-25, 2-14 AE) - Will host quarterfinal and semifinal round. Seeking to become the the second No. 8 seed to upset the No. 1 seed.
The 2015 #AETourney starts Saturday, March 7 with quarterfinal action at Binghamton University's Events Center beginning at 12 p.m with top-seeded Maine and No. 8 Binghamton. No. 4 New Hampshire and No. 5 Hartford tip at 2:15 p.m. The second session of games starts at 6 p.m. with No. 2 Albany and No. 7 Vermont and concluding with No. 3 Stony Brook and No. 6 UMBC at 8:15 p.m. All four contests can be watched on ESPN3. More information, including links to buy tickets, can be found at Championship Central.
The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinals on Sunday, March 8 the Events Center at 2 and 4:30 p.m. Game times will be adjusted if Binghamton is hosting a men’s semifinal game to 3:30 and 6 p.m.
The two semifinal winners will play for the America East title and an automatic NCAA bid on Friday, March 13 at 4:30 p.m. at the highest remaining seed’s home court.
Quarterfinal and semifinal action can be watched for on ESPN3. The championship game will be nationally televised on ESPNU for the second-straight season. All rounds will also be available via WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app on smartphones and tablets.
2015 America East Women's Basketball Championship
Saturday, March 7 - Quarterfinals - Binghamton University
Game 1: #1 Maine vs. #8 Binghamton, 12 p.m. - ESPN3
Game 2: #4 New Hampshire vs. #5 Hartford, 2:15 p.m. - ESPN3
Game 3: #2 Albany vs. #7 Vermont, 6 p.m. - ESPN3
Game 4: #3 Stony Brook vs. #6 UMBC, 8:15 p.m. - ESPN3
Sunday, March 8 - Semifinals - Binghamton University
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner - 2 p.m. - ESPN3
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner - 4:30 p.m. - ESPN3
Friday, March 13 - Title Game - at highest remaining seed
Semifinal Winners - 4:30 p.m. - ESPNU