2019 #AEPlayoffs Matchups Set; Quarterfinals Take Place Saturday
BOSTON – An exciting 2018-19 men's #AEHoops regular season came to a close this evening and the stage is set for the 2019 #AEPlayoffs, which begin in just four days.
For the fifth-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 (24-6, 14-2 AE) – Regular-season champion for the 9th time; Top seed for the 8th time overall and 4th time in six years; Just the 2nd #AEHoops program to win three-straight regular-season titles
- Stony Brook (24-7, 12-4 AE) – Earned the #2 seed with win over Hartford Tuesday; Won at least 12 conference games in seven of the last eight years; Posted an 11-win improvement from last season
- UMBC (19-12, 11-5 AE) – Has earned a top-three seed in consecutive years for the first time in program history; Winner of 10 of its last 13 games
- Hartford (17-14, 10-6 AE) – Seeded in the top four in consecutive years for the first time in five seasons; Won four of last five games entering the playoffs
- UMass Lowell (15-16, 7-9 AE) – Best-ever seeding in #AEPlayoffs; Earned the #5 seed via season sweep of UAlbany; 15 wins are a DI program record
- UAlbany (12-19, 7-9 AE) – Won four of last six entering the tournament; Been seeded 6th or better in nine-straight seasons
- Binghamton (9-22, 5-11 AE) – Back in the #AEPlayoffs after missing the field last year; Facing Stony Brook in the quarterfinals for the third time in five years.
- Maine (5-26, 3-13 AE) – Faces Vermont in quarterfinals for the third-straight year; Will seek to become just the third #8 seed to upset the top seed
The 2019 #AEPlayoffs start on Saturday, March 9 with quarterfinal action at each of the top four seeds. Tickets can be obtained by contacting each host's ticket office or visiting #AEPlayoffs Central.
#6 UAlbany at #3 UMBC, 1 p.m. – UMBC Event Center
#5 UMass Lowell at #4 Hartford, 5 p.m. – Chase Family Arena
#8 Maine at #1 Vermont, 7 p.m. – Patrick Gym
#7 Binghamton at #2 Stony Brook, 7 p.m. – IFCU Arena
The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinals on Tuesday, March 12 at the two highest remaining seeds. The bracket will be re-seeded with the highest-remaining seed hosting the lowest-remaining seed and the second-highest remaining seed hosting the second-lowest remaining seed. Both semifinal games will tip at 7 p.m.
The two semifinal winners will play for the America East title and an automatic NCAA bid on Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m. at the highest remaining seed’s home court.
All 2019 #AEPlayoffs action can be watched on ESPN networks. The quarter and semifinals will air on ESPN+ as part of The AE on ESPN with a simulcast for international viewers on AmericaEast.TV. 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 80,000 fans have attended the #AEPlayoffs each of the last four seasons with home teams going 24-5 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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