Business Time

The America East tournament seeding is close to being cemented. While BU and Maine continue to duke it out for the 2 seed, UNH and Hartford play on Sunday to determine who gets the 6 seed. Regardless of what occurs in those games, BU and Maine will get matched up with either UNH or Hartford, and if they win they will play each other in the semis. However, that is all on the opposite side of the bracket that Vermont finds itself on as the 1 seed. Let's take a look at that side of the bracket, where matchups are already determined:

1. Vermont
to play the winner of
8. BInghamton/9. UMBC (though it seems like these seeds could switch if Binghamton loses its next two, but that is completely insignificant)
The winner of Vermont vs. Binghamton/UMBC plays the winner of:
4. Albany/5. Stony Brook

Is this all too confusing? Then find a bracket online. It's not difficult to understand.

Vermont has beaten every one of those teams twice. They have to like their chances to move on and host the championship game on March 12. Of course, as they say, the toughest thing to do in sports is beat a team 3 times. And that's exactly why they have to play the games, because anyone can win.

My humble predictions: Vermont gets a tough game from Binghamton, who beats UMBC in the play-in game. The Bearcats lose by somewhere around 10. I think Albany should handle Stony Brook without too much trouble, setting up a game that no Vermont fan wants to see on a neutral court (or any court for that matter): Vermont vs. Albany. While Vermont beat Albany by 12 at home and 9 on the road, neither game was all that close. But I hope I do not have to bring up the awful 2007 tournament, when Albany took down Vermont after losing to them twice in the regular season. In spite of that, Vermont will morph into "Business-Time" mode against Albany in Hartford, and move on to face Boston University in Burlington, for a chance to get to the NCAA tournament. And for that game, I offer no predictions. Just this video:

If you are a BU fan who actually reads this blog for some reason: expect me to stop posting this video when basketball no longer exists or I am no longer alive, whichever happens first. Wagers, anyone?