As the lower conferences go, the Northeast conference is usually among the very bottom. For five straight NCAA Tournaments, the NEC champion has been relegated to a First Four game as a 16 seed. Granted this gives these teams an opportunity to win that other lower conferences wouldn't have; NEC champion Mount St. Mary's won an NCAA Tournament game last year in the First Four for example. But outside of a possible win in Dayton, there is very little chance for a team from the Northeast to advance.
The top eight teams out of ten make the conference tournament, with all games being hosted at the higher seed. For the semifinals, the teams are reseeded so the highest remaining seed always plays the lowest remaining seed.
Quarterfinals-Wednesday, February 28th
#8 Central Connecticut at #1 Wagner
#5 St. Francis Brooklyn at #4 LIU Brooklyn
#7 Robert Morris at #2 Mount St. Mary's
#6 Fairleigh Dickinson at #3 St. Francis (PA)
Semifinals-Saturday, March 3rd
#5 St. Francis Brooklyn at #1 Wagner
#3 St. Francis (PA) at #2 Mount St. Mary's
Final-Tuesday, March 6th
The Wagner Seahawks did not lose a single game at home in conference the entire season, with the average margin of home conference victories being a comfortable 12.2 points a game. But this is March and in March, anything goes. Mount St. Mary's represented the conference in the NCAA Tournament and I expect them to use that experience to do so again.
Mount St. Mary's 74, Wagner 73
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