2018 #AEPlayoffs Set to Start Saturday After Seeds & Matchups Finalized
BOSTON – A competitive 2017-18 #AEHoops regular season came to a close this evening and the stage is set for the 2018 #AEPlayoffs, which begin in just four days.
For the fourth-straight year, the excitement of postseason basketball will take place on a minimum of four America East campuses. Playoff seeding and matchups for Saturday’s quarterfinals were finalized on Tuesday, the final day of the regular season.
- Vermont (25-6, 15-1 AE) – Regular-season champion for the 8th time; Top seed for the 7th time overall and 3rd time in 5 years.
- UMBC (21-10, 12-4 AE) – Earned the #2 seed with win over Hartford Tuesday; Best seed since 2008
- Hartford (18-12, 11-5 AE) – Best seed since 2014 after matching a program record with 18 wins; Picked 8th in preseason poll
- Albany (22-9, 10-6 AE) – Seeded in the top 4 for the 7th-straight year; 4th-straight 20-win season; Only program to win the title as the #4 seed (2013, ’14)
- Stony Brook (12-18, 7-9 AE) – Seeking 9th-straight semifinal appearance; Top-5 seed for the 10th-consecutive season
- New Hampshire (10-20, 6-10 AE) – Seeking school-record 4th-straight semifinal appearance; Top-6 seed for the 4th-straight year, the longest such stretch in program history
- UMass Lowell (12-17, 6-10 AE) – Making first-ever #AEPlayoffs appearance after completing transition to Division I
- Maine (6-25, 3-13 AE) – Faces Vermont in a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal matchup; Will seek to become just the third #8 seed to upset the top seed
The 2018 #AEPlayoffs start on Saturday, March 3 with quarterfinal action at each of the top four seeds. Tickets can be obtained by contacting each host's ticket office.
#7 UMass Lowell at #2 UMBC, 1 p.m. – UMBC Event Center
#6 New Hampshire at #3 Hartford, 4 p.m. – Chase Family Arena
#8 Maine at #1 Vermont, 7 p.m. – Patrick Gym
#5 Stony Brook at #4 Albany, 7 p.m. – SEFCU Arena
The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinals on Tuesday, March 6 at the two highest remaining seeds. The bracket will be re-seeded with the highest-remaining seed hosting the lowest-remaining seed at 7 p.m. and the second-highest remaining seed hosting the second-lowest remaining seed at 7:30 p.m.
The two semifinal winners will play for the America East title and an automatic NCAA bid on Saturday, March 10 at 11 a.m. at the highest remaining seed’s home court.
All 2018 #AEPlayoffs action can be watched on ESPN networks. The quarter and semifinals will air on ESPN3 as part of The AE on ESPN3, while the championship game will be nationally televised on ESPN2. All three rounds will also be available via WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app on smartphones and tablets.
Over 60,000 fans have attended the #AEPlayoffs each of the last three seasons with home teams going 18-3 over that span.
Complete #AEPlayoffs information can be found at Playoffs Central.
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.
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