The America East men's basketball tournament, popularly known as the America East Playoffs, is the annual concluding tournament for the NCAA college basketball in the America East Conference. The winner of the annual tournament gains an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.
Format and hosts As of 2013, the first rounds take place at a single location, usually the home arena of one of the conference schools, but the championship game is hosted the next weekend by the higher remaining seed. The 2013 and 2014 Tournament preliminary rounds were hosted by the University at Albany. Beginning in 2015, the format was changed from a single location in the first rounds to multiple locations. For every round, including the finals the higher seeded team in each game hosts. After the first round, teams are reseeded to account for upsets that may have occurred.
Beginning with the 2018 edition, the last place team in the conference standings will not take part in the tournament. This change was made due to the impending eligibility of UMass Lowell for NCAA-sponsored postseason play, following the completion of the school's transition from NCAA Division II.
History of the tournament finals Year Champion Score Runner-up Reggie Lewis Most Outstanding Player Tournament venue1980 Holy Cross81–75Boston University Ron Perry, Holy CrossPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Hart Center (Worcester, MA)1981Northeastern81–79 OTHoly CrossPerry Moss, NortheasternPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Cabot Center (Boston, MA)1982Northeastern82–59NiagaraPerry Moss, NortheasternPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA)1983Boston University63–62Holy CrossMike Alexander, Boston UniversityPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Case Gym (Boston, MA)1984Northeastern85–75CanisiusMark Halsel, NortheasternPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA)1985Northeastern68–67Boston UniversityReggie Lewis, Northeastern1986Northeastern63–54Boston UniversityWess Fuller, Northeastern1987Northeastern71–68Boston UniversityReggie Lewis, Northeastern1988Boston University79–68NiagaraJeff Timberlake, Boston UniversityHartford Civic Center (Hartford, CT)1989Siena68–67Boston UniversityMarc Brown, Siena1990Boston University75–57VermontBill Brigham, Boston University1991Northeastern57–46MaineRon Lacey, NortheasternPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA)1992Delaware92–68DrexelAlex Coles, DelawarePreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE)1993Delaware67–64DrexelKevin Blackhurst, DelawarePreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Daskalakis Athletic Center (Philadelphia)1994Drexel86–78MaineMalik Rose, Drexel1995Drexel72–52NortheasternMalik Rose, DrexelPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Daskalakis Athletic Center (Philadelphia)1996Drexel76–67Boston UniversityMalik Rose, DrexelPreliminary rounds at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE)Final at Daskalakis Athletic Center (Philadelphia)1997Boston University68–61DrexelTunji Awojobi, Boston UniversityPreliminary rounds at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE)Final at Case Gym (Boston, MA)1998Delaware66–58Boston UniversityDarryl Presley, DelawareBob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE)1999Delaware86–67DrexelJohn Gordon, Delaware2000Hofstra76–69DelawareSpeedy Claxton, HofstraPreliminary rounds at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE)Final at Hofstra Arena (Hempstead, NY)2001Hofstra68–54DelawareRoberto Gittens, Hofstra2002Boston University66–40MaineBilly Collins, Boston UniversityPreliminary rounds at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA)Final at Case Gym (Boston, MA)2003Vermont56–55Boston UniversityMatt Sheftic, VermontPreliminary rounds at Walter Brown Arena (Boston, MA)Final at Case Gym (Boston, MA)2004Vermont72–53MaineTaylor Coppenrath, VermontPreliminary rounds at Walter Brown Arena (Boston, MA)Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT)2005Vermont80–57NortheasternTaylor Coppenrath, VermontPreliminary rounds at Events Center (Vestal, NY)Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT)2006Albany80–67VermontJamar Wilson, AlbanyPreliminary rounds at Events Center (Vestal, NY)Final at Recreation and Convocation Center (Albany, NY)2007Albany60–59VermontJamar Wilson, AlbanyPreliminary rounds at Agganis Arena (Boston, MA)Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT)2008UMBC82–65HartfordJay Greene, UMBCPreliminary rounds at Events Center (Vestal, NY)Final at Retriever Activities Center (Catonsville, MD) 2009Binghamton61–51UMBCD.J. Rivera, BinghamtonPreliminary rounds at SEFCU Arena (Albany, NY)Final at Events Center (Vestal, NY)2010Vermont83–70Boston UniversityMarqus Blakely, VermontPreliminary rounds at Chase Arena (West Hartford, CT)Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT)2011Boston University56–54Stony BrookJohn Holland, Boston UniversityPreliminary rounds at Chase Arena (West Hartford, CT)Final at Agganis Arena (Boston, MA)2012Vermont51–43Stony BrookBrian Voelkel, VermontPreliminary rounds at Chase Arena (West Hartford, CT)Final at Stony Brook Arena (Stony Brook, NY)2013Albany53–49VermontMike Black, AlbanyPreliminary rounds at SEFCU Arena (Albany, NY)Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT)2014Albany69–60Stony BrookPeter Hooley, AlbanyPreliminary rounds at SEFCU Arena (Albany, NY)Final at Pritchard Gymnasium (Stony Brook, NY)2015Albany51–50Stony BrookPeter Hooley, AlbanyPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at SEFCU Arena (Albany, NY)2016Stony Brook80–74VermontJameel Warney, Stony BrookPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Island Federal Credit Union Arena (Stony Brook, NY)2017Vermont56–53AlbanyAnthony Lamb, Vermont Preliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT)2018UMBC65–62VermontJairus Lyles, UMBC2019Vermont66–49UMBCAnthony Lamb, Vermont 2020Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vermont awarded tournament championship2021Hartford64–50UMass LowellAustin Williams, HartfordPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Chase Arena (West Hartford, CT)2022Vermont82–43UMBCBen Shungu, Vermont Preliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT)2023Vermont72–59UMass LowellDylan Penn, Vermont 2024Vermont66–61UMass LowellShamir Bogues, Vermont 2025Bryant77–59MaineEarl Timberlake, Bryant Preliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, RI)2026UMBC74–59VermontDJ Armstrong Jr., UMBCPreliminary rounds at campus sitesFinal at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena (Baltimore, MD)
Championships by School School Tournament Championships Championships Vermont 11 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024Northeastern† 7 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1991Boston† 6 1983, 1988, 1990, 1997, 2002, 2011Albany 5 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015Delaware† 4 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999UMBC 3 2008, 2018, 2026Drexel† 3 1994, 1995, 1996Hofstra† 2 2000, 2001Bryant 1 2025Hartford† 1 2021Stony Brook† 1 2016Binghamton 1 2009Siena† 1 1989Holy Cross† 1 1980Maine 0UMass Lowell0 New Hampshire0NJIT0 †Former member of the America East
Maine, New Hampshire, UMass Lowell, and NJIT are the only remaining teams in the conference to have never won a title.
NCAA Tournament appearances Year AmEast Team Opponent Result 1980 (11) Holy Cross (6) Iona L 78–84 1981 (11) Northeastern (6) Fresno State(3) Utah W 55–53L 69–94 1982 (11) Northeastern (6) Saint Joseph's(3) Villanova W 63–62L 72–763OT 1983 (12) Boston (12) La Salle L 58–70 1984 (11) Northeastern (11) Long Island(6) VCU W 90–87L 69–70 1985 (14) Northeastern (3) Illinois L 57–76 1986 (13) Northeastern (4) Oklahoma L 74–80 1987 (14) Northeastern (3) Purdue L 95–104 1988 (15) Boston (2) Duke L 69–85 1989 (14) Siena (3) Stanford(11) Minnesota W 80–78L 67–80 1990 (16) Boston (1) Connecticut L 52–76 1991 (16) Northeastern (1) North Carolina L 66–101 1992 (13) Delaware (4) Cincinnati L 47–85 1993 (13) Delaware (4) Louisville L 70–76 1994 (13) Drexel (4) Temple L 39–61 1995 (13) Drexel (4) Oklahoma State L 49–73 1996 (12) Drexel (5) Memphis(4) Syracuse W 75–63L 58–69 1997 (12) Boston (5) Tulsa L 52–81 1998 (15) Delaware (2) Purdue L 56–95 1999 (13) Delaware (4) Tennessee L 52–62 2000 (14) Hofstra (3) Oklahoma State L 66–86 2001 (13) Hofstra (4) UCLA L 48–61 2002 (16) Boston (1) Cincinnati L 52–90 2003 (16) Vermont (1) Arizona L 51–80 2004 (15) Vermont (2) Connecticut L 53–70 2005 (13) Vermont (4) Syracuse(5) Michigan State W 60–57OTL 61–72 2006 (16) Albany (1) Connecticut L 59–72 2007 (13) Albany (4) Virginia L 57–84 2008 (15) UMBC (2) Georgetown L 47–66 2009 (15) Binghamton (2) Duke L 62–86 2010 (16) Vermont (1) Syracuse L 56–79 2011 (16) Boston (1) Kansas L 53–72 2012 (16) Vermont (16) Lamar(1) North Carolina W 71–59L 58–77 2013 (15) Albany (2) Duke L 61–73 2014 (16) Albany (16) Mount St. Mary's(1) Florida W 71–64L 55–67 2015 (14) Albany (3) Oklahoma L 60–69 2016 (13) Stony Brook (4) Kentucky L 57–85 2017 (13) Vermont (4) Purdue L 70–80 2018 (16) UMBC (1) Virginia(9) Kansas State W 74–54L 43–50 2019 (13) Vermont (4) Florida State L 69–76 2021 (16) Hartford (1) Baylor L 55–79 2022 (13) Vermont (4) Arkansas L 71–75 2023 (15) Vermont (2) Marquette L 61–78 2024 (13) Vermont (4) Duke L 47–64 2025 (15) Bryant (2) Michigan State L 62–872026(16) UMBC(16) HowardL 83–86 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
Broadcasters Television Year Network Play-by-play Analyst Sideline2024ESPN2 Robert Lee Randolph Childress2023 Jay Alter Terrence Oglesby2022 Doug Sherman Paul Biancardi2021Roy PhilpottNoah Savage2020 Dave O'Brien2019Doug Sherman Paul Biancardi Stormy Buonantony2018 Mark Plansky Olivia Harlan2017 Mike CoreyBrooke Weisbrod2016 Mark Jones2015Bob PicozziTim Welsh20142013LaPhonso Ellis20122011ScheduleESPN Beth Mowins Mike Kelley2010 Bob WischusenTim Welsh 2009 Scott Graham 2008 Bob Wischusen Mike Kelley 2007 Jon Sciambi Bucky Waters2006 Bob Wischusen Donny Marshall 2005ESPNDave Revsine Jay Williams 2004 Doug Gottlieb 2003 Bob Wenzel 2002 Jay Bilas 2001 Michele Tafoya Bob Wenzel 2000 Dave Strader Jon Albright 1999ESPNDave Strader Jay Bilas
Radio Year Network Play-by-play Analyst2024Westwood One Cooper BoardmanNick Bahe2023 Bill Rosinski2022 Chris Lewis Mo Cassara2021 Brandon Gaudin Kyle Macy2019 Justin Kutcher Tom Brennan2018 Kevin Lee Jon Crispin2017 Patrick Kinas Tom Brennan2016 Scott GrahamMo Cassara2015 Brandon Gaudin
See also America East Conference women's basketball tournament
References
External links