So, the America East tournament starts today with their pigtail game. It might be the worst game of the entire CTC, as it pits two obscenely bad teams in a top-heavy conference, whose champion awaits the winner of this game to pound on in the quarters. But…I care. And, it took a lot to get me to care, actually. As for the rest of the conference…I don’t really care. This year’s Am East has been as boring as the basketball is bad. While it could be a decent tournament when we reach the semis, I’m kind of ready to just turn the page on this one.
Championship Picks
8 for #1 Stony Brook
8 for #2 Vermont
0 for #3 Boston U
1 for #4 Albany (Primm)
Biggest Upsets
R1 – #9 Binghamton (Mac, Primm)
QF – #7 Maine (Bry)
SF – #6 Hartford (Dave, Primm)
Previous CTC Champions
2011 – Doogan*
2010 – Lynch/Stri
2009 – Bry
2008 – Alexi
#8 UMBC vs. #9 Binghamton
So…why do I care about a pigtail game between teams with RPIs 335 and 344 (out of 344)? Well, one, because I am a somewhat proud alum of UMBC, and two, my first ever sports hero was a guy named Mark Macon. The National Freshman of the Year in 1988 (or would have been if they hadn’t started that award the next season) and 8th-overall NBA selection in 1991, Macon led the best Temple team in history to the #1 overall seed in the 1988 tournament. And, now he is the head coach of the Binghamton Bearcats. And, yes, they are the team with the DEAD-LAST RPI and the 1-28 record. Ugh… Mac and Primm are the only two that took the Bearcats tonight. Obviously, no one has either of these teams beating #1 Stony Brook tomorrow.
