BOSTON – College basketball officially returns in less than three months! The America East is excited to release its 2024-25 men’s and women’s conference schedules, featuring 72 contests on each side, all of which will air on the ESPN+ as a part of AE on ESPN.
Each team will play a 16-game, double round robin schedule from early January through early March with eight teams advancing to postseason play.
Conference action kick off on Thursday, Jan. 2 with a full slate of women’s basketball action, including defending champion Maine playing at UMass Lowell. The men begin two days later highlighted by three-time defending Vermont traveling to face New Hampshire. Teams will via for home advantage in the 2025 Jersey Mikes #AEPlayoffs, where once again all games will be played at the higher seed.
The women wrap up their regular season on Saturday, March 1, with #AEPlayoffs Quarterfinal action set for Thursday, March 6. The Semifinals will take place on Monday, March 10, with the #AEPlayoffs Championship set for Friday, March 14 at 5 p.m. at the highest remaining seed.
The men’s regular season ends on Tuesday, March 4, with the top eight programs advancing to the #AEPlayoffs Quarterfinals on Saturday, March 8. Semifinal action takes place on Tuesday, March 11 and the winners will advance to the Championship at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, March 15 at 11 a.m.
Men’s Early Season Must Watch Matchups
- Jan. 9 - Vermont at UMass Lowell: These two teams have squared off in each of the last two Championship games. UVM won both contests, but the River Hawks were leading at the half of both contests.
- Jan. 11 - Vermont at Bryant: The Bulldogs advanced to the conference semifinals last year and always boast an explosive offense, but have to figure out the Catamount defense which hasn’t allowed them to score 70 in four league matchups.
- Jan. 18 - UAlbany at Binghamton: It’s the battle for New York bragging rights between two up-and-coming programs. The Bearcats have won 3 of 4, though the lone loss was at home.
- Jan. 18 - UMass Lowell at Bryant: The two best offenses last year face-off for the first time since the 2023-24 conference semifinals. The Bulldogs led at the half, but UML outscored them by 10 in the second to earn the tough victory.
- Jan. 30 UNH at Maine: The border battle between two programs looking to make a statement this year. UNH has won five straight, but will have to solve a tough Maine defense.
Women’s Early Season Must Watch Matchups
- Jan. 2 - Vermont at UAlbany: Two of the last three champions face off on opening night. The Catamounts have won five straight against the Great Danes, including last year’s semifinals, and both return all-conference post players.
- Jan. 2 - Binghamton at NJIT: New Bearcat head coach Mary Grimes takes over a program which returns a pair of all-conference performers and looks to start conference play strong against an NJIT squad which won three of its final four regular season games.
- Jan. 11- Maine at UAlbany: The defending champions play three of their first four conference games on the road, finishing with a UAlbany squad which has beaten them each of the last three times they’ve battled in New York.
- Jan. 30 - UMBC at Bryant: First-year head coach Candice Hill leads her squad against Bryant, who will be looking for a measure of revenge after UMBC beat the Bulldogs on buzzer beaters in both their matchups last year.
- Feb. 1: Vermont at Maine: It’s a rematch of last year’s championship as the last two champions face off. Both teams allowed just 51 ppg in league play last year while also ranking 1st and 2nd in scoring offense and point differential.
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -