2018 Championship Week Primer-America East

For the last couple of years, the America East has been dominated by the Vermont Catamounts. This year was no different, with Vermont winning the conference handily by three games, losing only one game to Hartford late in the season when the conference race was already decided. Vermont has proven it could be dangerous outside of the conference already; they took Kentucky down to the wire in Rupp Arena at the beginning of the season. Right now, they are projected to be a dangerous 13 seed. 

 

The America East Tournament will feature the top eight teams in a three round tournament. The games will be hosted at campus sites, with the higher seed hosting. The semifinals will be reseeded so the highest seed will be playing the lowest seed. 

 

Quarterfinals-Saturday, March 3rd

#8 Maine at #1 Vermont

#5 Stony Brook at #4 Albany

#7 UMass Lowell at #2 UMBC

#6 New Hampshire at #3 Hartford

 

Semifinals-Tuesday, March 6th

#4 Albany at #1 Vermont

#3 Hartford at #2 UMBC

 

Final-Saturday, March 10th

Straight chalk only rarely happens in tournaments, but this is a also a tournament hosted by home sites and each team that I have projected to win have already beaten their opponents twice this year. The America East was very by the books in that regard. The final will go the same way as well, with Vermont advancing to the NCAA Tournament. 

 

UMBC 65, Vermont 78