# America East Conference men's basketball tournament

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 venue |
| 1980 | Holy Cross | 81–75 | Boston University | Ron Perry, Holy Cross | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Hart Center (Worcester, MA) |
| 1981 | Northeastern | 81–79 OT | Holy Cross | Perry Moss, Northeastern | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Cabot Center (Boston, MA) |
| 1982 | Northeastern | 82–59 | Niagara | Perry Moss, Northeastern | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA) |
| 1983 | Boston University | 63–62 | Holy Cross | Mike Alexander, Boston University | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Case Gym (Boston, MA) |
| 1984 | Northeastern | 85–75 | Canisius | Mark Halsel, Northeastern | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA) |
| 1985 | Northeastern | 68–67 | Boston University | Reggie Lewis, Northeastern | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA) |
| 1986 | Northeastern | 63–54 | Boston University | Wess Fuller, Northeastern | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA) |
| 1987 | Northeastern | 71–68 | Boston University | Reggie Lewis, Northeastern | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA) |
| 1988 | Boston University | 79–68 | Niagara | Jeff Timberlake, Boston University | Hartford Civic Center (Hartford, CT) |
| 1989 | Siena | 68–67 | Boston University | Marc Brown, Siena | Hartford Civic Center (Hartford, CT) |
| 1990 | Boston University | 75–57 | Vermont | Bill Brigham, Boston University | Hartford Civic Center (Hartford, CT) |
| 1991 | Northeastern | 57–46 | Maine | Ron Lacey, Northeastern | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA) |
| 1992 | Delaware | 92–68 | Drexel | Alex Coles, Delaware | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE) |
| 1993 | Delaware | 67–64 | Drexel | Kevin Blackhurst, Delaware | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Daskalakis Athletic Center (Philadelphia) |
| 1994 | Drexel | 86–78 | Maine | Malik Rose, Drexel | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Daskalakis Athletic Center (Philadelphia) |
| 1995 | Drexel | 72–52 | Northeastern | Malik Rose, Drexel | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Daskalakis Athletic Center (Philadelphia) |
| 1996 | Drexel | 76–67 | Boston University | Malik Rose, Drexel | Preliminary rounds at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE) Final at Daskalakis Athletic Center (Philadelphia) |
| 1997 | Boston University | 68–61 | Drexel | Tunji Awojobi, Boston University | Preliminary rounds at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE) Final at Case Gym (Boston, MA) |
| 1998 | Delaware | 66–58 | Boston University | Darryl Presley, Delaware | Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE) |
| 1999 | Delaware | 86–67 | Drexel | John Gordon, Delaware | Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE) |
| 2000 | Hofstra | 76–69 | Delaware | Speedy Claxton, Hofstra | Preliminary rounds at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE) Final at Hofstra Arena (Hempstead, NY) |
| 2001 | Hofstra | 68–54 | Delaware | Roberto Gittens, Hofstra | Preliminary rounds at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, DE) Final at Hofstra Arena (Hempstead, NY) |
| 2002 | Boston University | 66–40 | Maine | Billy Collins, Boston University | Preliminary rounds at Matthews Arena (Boston, MA) Final at Case Gym (Boston, MA) |
| 2003 | Vermont | 56–55 | Boston University | Matt Sheftic, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at Walter Brown Arena (Boston, MA) Final at Case Gym (Boston, MA) |
| 2004 | Vermont | 72–53 | Maine | Taylor Coppenrath, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at Walter Brown Arena (Boston, MA) Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2005 | Vermont | 80–57 | Northeastern | Taylor Coppenrath, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at Events Center (Vestal, NY) Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2006 | Albany | 80–67 | Vermont | Jamar Wilson, Albany | Preliminary rounds at Events Center (Vestal, NY) Final at Recreation and Convocation Center (Albany, NY) |
| 2007 | Albany | 60–59 | Vermont | Jamar Wilson, Albany | Preliminary rounds at Agganis Arena (Boston, MA) Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2008 | UMBC | 82–65 | Hartford | Jay Greene, UMBC | Preliminary rounds at Events Center (Vestal, NY) Final at Retriever Activities Center (Catonsville, MD) |
| 2009 | Binghamton | 61–51 | UMBC | D.J. Rivera, Binghamton | Preliminary rounds at SEFCU Arena (Albany, NY) Final at Events Center (Vestal, NY) |
| 2010 | Vermont | 83–70 | Boston University | Marqus Blakely, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at Chase Arena (West Hartford, CT) Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2011 | Boston University | 56–54 | Stony Brook | John Holland, Boston University | Preliminary rounds at Chase Arena (West Hartford, CT) Final at Agganis Arena (Boston, MA) |
| 2012 | Vermont | 51–43 | Stony Brook | Brian Voelkel, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at Chase Arena (West Hartford, CT) Final at Stony Brook Arena (Stony Brook, NY) |
| 2013 | Albany | 53–49 | Vermont | Mike Black, Albany | Preliminary rounds at SEFCU Arena (Albany, NY) Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2014 | Albany | 69–60 | Stony Brook | Peter Hooley, Albany | Preliminary rounds at SEFCU Arena (Albany, NY) Final at Pritchard Gymnasium (Stony Brook, NY) |
| 2015 | Albany | 51–50 | Stony Brook | Peter Hooley, Albany | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at SEFCU Arena (Albany, NY) |
| 2016 | Stony Brook | 80–74 | Vermont | Jameel Warney, Stony Brook | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Island Federal Credit Union Arena (Stony Brook, NY) |
| 2017 | Vermont | 56–53 | Albany | Anthony Lamb, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2018 | UMBC | 65–62 | Vermont | Jairus Lyles, UMBC | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2019 | Vermont | 66–49 | UMBC | Anthony Lamb, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vermont awarded tournament championship | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vermont awarded tournament championship | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vermont awarded tournament championship | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vermont awarded tournament championship | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vermont awarded tournament championship |
| 2021 | Hartford | 64–50 | UMass Lowell | Austin Williams, Hartford | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Chase Arena (West Hartford, CT) |
| 2022 | Vermont | 82–43 | UMBC | Ben Shungu, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2023 | Vermont | 72–59 | UMass Lowell | Dylan Penn, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2024 | Vermont | 66–61 | UMass Lowell | Shamir Bogues, Vermont | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Patrick Gym (Burlington, VT) |
| 2025 | Bryant | 77–59 | Maine | Earl Timberlake, Bryant | Preliminary rounds at campus sites Final at Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, RI) |

## Championships by School

| School | Tournament Championships | Championships |
| Vermont | 11 | 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Northeastern$^†$ | 7 | 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1991 |
| Boston$^†$ | 6 | 1983, 1988, 1990, 1997, 2002, 2011 |
| Albany | 5 | 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| Delaware$^†$ | 4 | 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999 |
| Drexel$^†$ | 3 | 1994, 1995, 1996 |
| Hofstra$^†$ | 2 | 2000, 2001 |
| UMBC | 2 | 2008, 2018 |
| Holy Cross$^†$ | 1 | 1980 |
| Siena$^†$ | 1 | 1989 |
| Binghamton | 1 | 2009 |
| Stony Brook$^†$ | 1 | 2016 |
| Hartford$^†$ | 1 | 2021 |
| Bryant | 1 | 2025 |
| Maine | 0 | |
| UMass Lowell | 0 | |
| New Hampshire | 0 | |
| NJIT | 0 | |
* $^†$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.

## Broadcasters
### Television

| Year | Network | Play-by-play | Analyst | Sideline |
| 2024 | ESPN2 | Robert Lee | Randolph Childress |
| 2023 | ESPN2 | Jay Alter | Terrence Oglesby |
| 2022 | ESPN2 | Doug Sherman | Paul Biancardi |
| 2021 | ESPN2 | Roy Philpott | Noah Savage |
| 2020 | ESPN2 | Dave O'Brien | Noah Savage |
| 2019 | ESPN2 | Doug Sherman | Paul Biancardi | Stormy Buonantony |
| 2018 | ESPN2 | Doug Sherman | Mark Plansky | Olivia Harlan |
| 2017 | ESPN2 | Mike Corey | Brooke Weisbrod |
| 2016 | ESPN2 | Mark Jones | Brooke Weisbrod |
| 2015 | ESPN2 | Bob Picozzi | Tim Welsh |
| 2014 | ESPN2 | Bob Picozzi | Tim Welsh |
| 2013 | ESPN2 | Bob Picozzi | LaPhonso Ellis |
| 2012 | ESPN2 | Bob Picozzi | LaPhonso Ellis |
| 2011 | ESPN2 | Beth Mowins | Mike Kelley |
| 2010 | ESPN2 | Bob Wischusen | Tim Welsh |
| 2009 | ESPN2 | Scott Graham | Tim Welsh |
| 2008 | ESPN2 | Bob Wischusen | Mike Kelley |
| 2007 | ESPN2 | Jon Sciambi | Bucky Waters |
| 2006 | ESPN2 | Bob Wischusen | Donny Marshall |
| 2005 | ESPN | Dave Revsine | Jay Williams |
| 2004 | ESPN | Dave Revsine | Doug Gottlieb |
| 2003 | ESPN | Dave Revsine | Bob Wenzel |
| 2002 | ESPN | Dave Revsine | Jay Bilas |
| 2001 | ESPN | Michele Tafoya | Bob Wenzel |
| 2000 | ESPN | Dave Strader | Jon Albright |
| 1999 | ESPN | Dave Strader | Jay Bilas |

### Radio

| Year | Network | Play-by-play | Analyst |
| 2024 | Westwood One | Cooper Boardman | Nick Bahe |
| 2023 | Westwood One | Bill Rosinski | Nick Bahe |
| 2022 | Westwood One | Chris Lewis | Mo Cassara |
| 2021 | Westwood One | Brandon Gaudin | Kyle Macy |
| 2019 | Westwood One | Justin Kutcher | Tom Brennan |
| 2018 | Westwood One | Kevin Lee | Jon Crispin |
| 2017 | Westwood One | Patrick Kinas | Tom Brennan |
| 2016 | Westwood One | Scott Graham | Mo Cassara |
| 2015 | Westwood One | Brandon Gaudin | Mo Cassara |