Mitchell Men Earn #5 Seed in NECC Tournament
ATTLEBORO, Mass.-Mitchell College has earned the #5 seed in the 2008-09 NECC (New England Collegiate Conference) tournament which starts on Tuesday, February 24th. Elms College has claimed the top seed for the championship, which begins with quarterfinal matchups on campus sites. The Blazers (24-1 overall) earned the top spot in the upcoming NECC tournament after posting a perfect 14-0 conference record. Elms is currently ranked 12th in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll.
Becker College (18-7 overall) claimed the #2 seed going 11-3 in conference play. Both Elms and Becker have earned quarterfinal-round byes in the six-team tournament field.
Daniel Webster College (16-8 overall, 10-4 NECC) has earned the #3 seed, Wheelock College (9-16, 7-7) will be the #4 seed, Mitchell College (8-17, 4-10) is the #5 seed and Newbury College (7-18, 4-10) has claimed the #6 seed.
In quarterfinal-round action on Tuesday, February 24, #3 Daniel Webster will host #6 Newbury in Nashua, NH at 8:00p.m., while #4 Wheelock will host #5 Mitchell on the campus of Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. at 5:30 p.m.
NECC tiebreaker procedures were used to determine the #5 and #6 seeds, as Mitchell, Becker and Southern Vermont College all finished with identical 4-10 conference marks.
In the first step, head-to-head play among the three tied teams was examined. All three teams posted identical 2-2 records. In the second step, each of the three teams' results against the teams ranked higher in the NECC standings was examined. Mitchell lost both of its games against the top three teams, but earned a split against #4 Wheelock. Newbury and Southern Vermont both lost twice to each of the top four teams. As a result, Mitchell was awarded the #5 seed. Newbury and Southern Vermont returned to the first step in the procedure. Newbury won both of its matchups against Southern Vermont and was awarded the #6 seed.
The semifinal and final rounds will be hosted by top-seeded Elms on Friday, February 27 and Saturday, February 28, respectively, in Chicopee, Mass. In Friday's semifinals, Elms will face the winner of the Mitchell-Newbury quarterfinal at 6:00 p.m., while Becker will meet the winner of the Daniel Webster-Newbury quarterfinal at 8:00 p.m.
The semifinal winners will square off for the NECC Championship Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
2008-‘09 NECC MEN's BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals
#6 Newbury (7-18, 4-10) at #3 Daniel Webster (16-8, 10-4), 8:00
p.m.
#5 Mitchell (8-17, 4-10) at #4 Wheelock (9-16, 7-7), 5:30 p.m.
*
* Game to be played
at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Semifinals
Winner of #4/#5 at #1 Elms (24-1, 14-0), 6:00 p.m.
Winner of #3/#6 vs. #2 Becker (18-7, 11-3), 8:00 p.m.
Championship Game
Semifinal Winners, 2:00 p.m.
- Saturday, February 28 (Hosted by Elms College, Chicopee, Mass.)
- Friday, February 27 (Hosted by Elms College, Chicopee, Mass.)
- Tuesday, February 24
