University of Delaware
Office of Public Relations
UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 21, Feb. 27, 1997

                America East tourney pairings announced

     Pairings are set for the America East men's and women's
basketball tournaments.
     The first three rounds of the men's tournament will be
held Feb. 28-March 1 at the Bob Carpenter Center. The final
game will be played at the home school of the highest
remaining seed March 7.
     The women's tournament begins today with two
preliminary games, followed by the quarterfinals on March 2,
the semifinals on March 5 and the championship game on March
8.
     All games will be played at the site of the higher-
seeded team.
     The winning team of both tournaments will receive an
automatic berth into the National Collegiate Athletic
Association Division I Tournament, which begins in mid-
March.
     Action gets under way in the men's tournament at 7
p.m., Friday, Feb. 28, with two preliminary games when No. 8
seed University of Maine (6-12 America East, 10-19 overall)
plays No. 9 University of New Hampshire (5-13, 7-19),
followed by No. 10 Towson State University (5-13, 8-18)
versus No. 7 Northeastern University (6-12, 7-19).
     The quarterfinals begin at noon, Saturday, March 1,
when No. 5 seed University of Delaware (8-10, 14-15) will
play No. 4 Hofstra University (9-9, 11-15). The winner of
the Maine/New Hampshire game will then take on top seed
Boston University (17-1, 22-4).
     At 7 p.m., the winner of the Towson State/Northeastern
game will take on three-time defending champion and no. 2
seed Drexel University (16-2, 20-7), followed by No. 6 the
University of Vermont (7-11, 14-12 overall) versus No. 3
Hartford University (11-7, 16-10).
     The semifinals will begin at 1 p.m., Sunday, March 2,
with the Delaware/Hofstra winner playing the Boston
University versus the Maine/Northeastern winner followed by
the Hartford/Vermont winner playing the Drexel versus
Maine/Towson State winner. The championship game will be
held at 4:30 p.m., Friday, March 7.
     The women's tournament begins at 5 p.m. today, with UD
(6-12, 8-18), seeded 7th, hosting No. 10 Boston University
(2-16, 6-19) at the Bob Carpenter Center.
     No. 8 Towson State (6-12 , 10-16) will host No. 9
Northeastern (2-16, 4-22) at 7:30 p.m.
     The quarterfinals will take place Monday, March 2 when
No. 4 Hartford (12-6, 15-11) will host No. 5 Drexel (9-9, 11-
15) at 2 p.m. Defending champion and No. 1 Maine (17-1, 19-
7) will host the Towson State/Northeastern game winner; No.
3 New Hampshire (14-4, 17-9) will host No. 6 Hofstra
University (8-10, 12-14); and No. 2 Vermont (14-4, 19-7)
will host the Delaware/Boston University winner (all games
at 1 p.m.)
     The semifinals will be played March 5 with the Hartford-
Drexel winner playing the winner of the Maine versus the
winner of the Towson State/Northeastern game and New
Hampshire/Hofstra winner playing the Vermont versus
Delaware/Boston University winner. Finals will be held at 1
p.m., Saturday, March 8.
     Tickets for the men's tournament can be purchased in
person at the Bob Carpenter Center and Trabant Student
Center box offices or by calling Ticketmaster at 984-2000,
(215) 336-2000 or (609) 665-2500.
     Tickets are $40 for all four session or $10-$15 per two-
game session for general admission. Student seating is $5.
     Tickets for the women's tournaments can be purchased at
the individual schools.