America East Tourney Preview

FIRST ROUND
At SEFCU Arena
Albany, N.Y.
Friday, March 6
Game 1: No. 8 Maine vs. No. 9 Hartford (7 p.m.)

QUARTERFINALS
Saturday, March 7
Game 2: No. 2 Vermont vs. No. 7 Albany (noon)
Game 3: No. 3 Boston U. vs. No. 6 UMBC (2:30 p.m.)
Game 4: No. 1 Binghamton vs. Game 1 winner (6 p.m.)
Game 5: No. 4 New Hampshire vs. No. 5 Stony Brook (8:30 p.m.)

SEMIFINALS
Sunday, March 8
Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner (2 p.m.)
Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner (5 p.m.)

CHAMPIONSHIP
At higher seed
Saturday, March 14
Game 8: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner (ESPN2, 11 a.m.)


Team to watch: Vermont. You probably remember the Catamounts pulling an upset in the NCAA tournament a few years back with a first round win over Syracuse. Well, they are back atop the conference and ready to for another run.

Player to watch: Marqus Blakely. He just repeated as the conference player of the year and became the first repeat for defensive player of the year. The forward led the league in per game averages in rebounds, steals, and blocks and was sixth in scoring. To pull upsets in March, you need a kid like Blakely who can do it all.

Upset watch: Binghamton. If there was a team to knock out Vermont, it would be the Bearcats. They won both match-ups during the year and will not back down if they get a third shot at the Catamounts.

Tourney watch: Blakely will be too much for anyone to handle. With a respectable seed on the line, I like Vermont to win this tournament and make some noise in the first round of the NCAA tourney.