Four quarterfinals games kick off the 2022 #AEPlayoffs on Sunday. Vermont, UMBC, UNH and Hartford -the same top four seeds as 2021- earned the right to host games in the high seed format which rewards teams for regular-season performances.
Here is a look inside Sunday's matchups:
#8 NJIT (11-17, 6-12 AE) at #1 Vermont (25-5, 17-1 AE)
- This is the first postseason matchup between the two teams.
- Vermont is seeking its 20th semifinals appearance in the last 21 years.
- NJIT, which is in just its second season as an America East member, is looking for its first semifinal berth.
- Vermont holds a 4-1 series edge, but NJIT's lone win came in Burlington in 2021.
- The Catamounts swept this year's season series by an average of 24.5 points.
- NJIT will try to become just the second No. 8 seed to knock off No. 1 (Stony Brook, 2004; UNH, 1988).
#7 UMass Lowell (15-15, 7-11 AE) at #2 UMBC (16-13, 11-7 AE)
- The River Hawks and Retrievers meet in the postseason for the second-straight year after UMass Lowell's upset in the semifinals last season.
- UMBC won 10 of its last 13 games to earn the No. 2 seed.
- UMass Lowell has won three in a row in the series, including a series sweep this year.
- This will be the third time in five seasons that the two teams meet in the players. UMBC won the 2018 quarterfinal meeting while UML became the first #6 seed to knock off a #1 seed in the 2021 semis.
- UMBC is seeking its third league title (2008, '18) while UML goes for its first.
#6 Binghamton (11-16, 8-10 AE) at #3 UNH (15-12, 10-8 AE)
- UNH is seeded third for the second-straight year, its best-ever two-year stretch.
- Binghamton has its most overall win and most conference victories since the 2009-10 season.
- UNH seeks its first-ever title while Bingamton captured its lone crown in 2009.
- This is the two teams' third all-time playoff meeting with the series tied 1-1. Binghamton was victorious in the 2009 sems while UNH won the 2016 quarterfinal meeting.
- UNH swept the season series and has won 14 of the last 17 games in the series.
#5 UAlbany (13-17, 9-9 AE) at #4 Hartford (11-19, 9-9 AE)
- Hartford is the #4 for seed again after winning the crown as the #4 seed last year.
- The Hawks have won five straight playoff games dating back to 2020.
- UAlbany has its most league wins since 2016-17.
- The Great Danes' five league titles are the fourth most in league history.
- This is the two teams' fifth all-time playoffs meeting with the Hawks holding a 3-1 edge.
- UAlbany has a 26-18 advantage in the all-time series but Hartford has won four of the last five meetings.
The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinals on Wednesday, March 9 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 12 at 11 a.m. at the highest remaining seed’s home court. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
Tickets can be obtained by contacting each host's ticket office or visiting #AEPlayoffs Central.
The two semifinal winners will play for the America East title and an automatic NCAA bid on Saturday, March 12 at 11 a.m. at the highest remaining seed’s home court.
All 2022 #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 the ESPN app.
Complete postseason information can be found at americaeast.com/mbbplayoffs.
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