Let The Conference Tournament Madness Begin!

1. Let The Madness BeginThe University at Albany will host the Maine Black Bears in the America East Conference Quarterfinals on Saturday, Mar. 9 at 8 p.m. in SEFCU Arena. UAlbany split the home-and-home series with Maine, with both program's winning on each's respective home court. 2. The MatchupThe America East Tournament returns to Albany for the first time since 2009. Last time the Great Danes hosted, they upset the No. 2 seeded Vermont Catamounts in the quarterfinal round as the No. 7 seed. Prior to the victory, the seven seed was 0-23 against the No. 2 seed. This season, the Great Danes own a 5-3 record at home in conference play, 10-4 overall. Maine has struggled away from Orono. In away games this season they are 1-7 in conference and 3-14 overall. 3. History Of The Four SeedThis will be UAlbany's fourth time in the America East Conference Tournament as the No. 4 seed. The past three times, the Great Danes have recorded a 1-3 mark with their lone win against UNH in the 2012 Tournament, 63-45. Since the conference became the America East Conference in 1997, only two teams seeded as the No. 4 seed have made the finals, Boston U. (2010) and Maine (2004), both teams fell in the Finals. Since 1997, the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament has tallied a record of 10-16. 4. Magic Number 76The series between UAlbany and Maine is deadlocked after 24 contests. Both teams have won 12 games and neither team has face the other in the conference tournament. However, UAlbany has found the magic number of points to defeat the Black Bears and that number is 76. In the 24 games, the Great Danes are 8-0 when scoring 76 points or more against Maine and 4-12 scoring 75 points or less. 5. No Place Like Home The Great Danes get to play the quarterfinals and potentially the semifinals on their homecourt. Even though the record shows that UAlbany is even both on the road (10-5) and at home (10-4), stats show differently. UAlbany is holding opponents, on an average, under 60 points per game (59.1) and scoring 65.6 points per game, both season bests. Five different times, UAlbany has held opponents to 50 points or less and are 4-1 when that happened.