2013 NEC WBB TOURNAMENT FIRST GLANCE

2013 NEC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

QUARTERFINALS: Sunday, March 10th

SEMIFINALS: Wednesday, March 13th

FINAL: Sunday, March 17th

A quick, first glance at the 2013 NEC Women’s Basketball Tournament…

QUARTERFINALS

#8) Bryant Bulldogs (12-17, 8-10) at #1) Quinnipiac Bobcats (27-2, 18-0)

Game Info: TD Bank Sports Center, Hamden, CT

All-Time Series: Series tied 19-19

2013 Regular Season Results: 1/14: QU 85-62 in Smithfield, RI...2/25: QU 74-61 in Hamden, CT

Playoff History: First ever playoff meeting

Notes: The Quinnipiac Bobcats enter the postseason looking to become the fifth team in NEC history to finish the regular season undefeated and win the tournament championship. History will be on their side as #1 seeds have won 13 of the last 19 championships. The Bobcats have won more games this season than any other team in NEC history. They are three wins shy of recording not only the first championship in program history, but from also from becoming the first 30 win team in league history. Bryant will be making their first ever NEC Tournament appearance, in this their first year eligible. Under Coach Mary Burke, the Bulldogs have appeared in four Division II NCAA Tournaments, with the last coming in 2008. The Bulldogs clinched the final seed with a thrilling 61-56 overtime victory over Robert Morris in the season finale. Only once in NEC men’s or women’s tournament history has an eight seed upset a #1 seed. In 2007 the #8 St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers upset their inter-borough rivals, the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds.

#7) St. Francis BKN Terriers (11-18, 8-10) at #2) Sacred Heart Pioneers (21-9, 13-5)

Game Info: William H. Pitt Center, Fairfield, CT

All-Time Series: SHU leads 21-10

2013 Regular Season Results: 1/5: SFC 56-47 in Fairfield, CT…3/2: SHU 57-53 in Brooklyn Heights, NY

Playoff History: First ever playoff meeting

Notes: After two close, intense, defensive battles during the regular season, the Terriers and Pioneers will meet in a rubber match in the first round of the NEC Tournament. Sacred Heart is the reigning NEC champion, and will be making their 14th straight tournament appearance, the longest active streak in the NEC. Pioneer head coach Ed Swanson has 15 career NEC playoff wins, one shy of matching former SFU head coach Jenny Przekwas for the most in tournament history. The Terriers finished seven wins better than last season, and are in the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Only once in the current eight team tournament format has a seven seed won a playoff game, in 2003 when UMBC upset second ranked Quinnipiac in the opening round.

#6) MSM Mountaineers (14-15, 10-8) at #3) Monmouth Hawks (15-14, 12-6)

Game Info: Multipurpose Activity Center, West Long Branch, NJ

All-Time Series: MSM leads 31-18

2013 Regular Season Results: 1/5: MSM 70-51 in Emmitsburg, MD…3/4: MU 71-63 in West Long Branch, NJ

Playoff History: MSM leads 2-1…MSM won 74-63 in 1993 SF and 74-46 in 1996 SF…MU won 76-66 in 1999 SF

Notes: After meeting in the regular season finale, the Hawks and Mountaineers will turn right back around and match up in the quarterfinals of the NEC Tournament. The Hawks have advanced to the finals in each of the last two seasons, and are appearing in their record 24th, and final, NEC Tournament. The Hawks have also advanced to the semi-finals a record 17 times and five out of the last six seasons. MU is trying to equal the 1994-96 Red Flash, and become just the second team in NEC history to lose in back to back finals, only to come back and win the title in the third go-around. The #3 seed has won the NEC Tournament twice, most recently coming in 2001 by LIU Brooklyn. After making the tournament last year for the first time in three seasons, this time the Mountaineers are looking to record a win in the NEC Tournament for the first time since the 2001 semi-finals against Sacred Heart. The Mountaineers have lost their last 10 straight tournament games. The #6 seed has never won the NEC Tournament, and has reached the finals just once, with Wagner in 1991.

#5) CCSU Blue Devils (15-13, 10-8) at #4) St. Francis Red Flash (15-14, 10-8)

Game Info: DeGol Arena, Loretto, PA

All-Time Series: SFU leads 21-8

2013 Regular Season Results: 2/7: SFU 67-62 in Loretto, PA…3/4: CCSU 76-71 in New Britain, CT

Playoff History: SFU leads 2-0…SFU won 73-62 in 2009 SF and 68-62 in 2011 SF

Notes: The most accomplished team in NEC Tournament history with 11 championships in their trophy case returns to the playoffs as St. Francis hosts Central Connecticut State in the quarterfinals. These two teams just met in the regular season finale on Monday night. The Red Flash are 23-1 in home playoff games at DeGol Arena, and have won 23 straight on their home court since a defeat in the 1992 playoffs against Wagner. The Red Flash had won 14 straight times in the quarterfinal round until a loss at Robert Morris last season. The #4 seed has won the NEC Tournament just once, Robert Morris in 1991. The Blue Devils had advanced to the semi-final round three straight seasons from 2009-2011 before missing out on the top eight last season. The #5 seed has won the NEC Tournament just once, St. Francis in 2010.