On Thursday, the MAAC Conference announced a new format for the men’s and women’s basketball championships in 2025. Instead of all 13 MAAC schools making the tournament, only the league’s top 10 teams will earn a bid.
With Sacred Heart and Merrimack joining the MAAC this year, having 13 teams in the tournament was determined to be a challenging option moving forward.
“With the Conference expanding to 13 schools, this new format establishes an effective structure for the championships. The new bracket spotlights the conference’s top teams while eliminating the strain of playing six games in a single day,” said MAAC Commissioner Travis Tellitocci in a press release. “After thoroughly assessing the logistics of accommodating 26 men’s and women’s teams, including the option of early games on campus, it was determined that extending the tournament schedule to include all teams was not the optimal strategy moving forward.”
Two seasons ago, Marist men’s basketball made a run to the MAAC final as the no.11 seed before falling to Iona. Many in the MAAC community voiced concern over the timing of games, specifically on the first day when the final game ended past midnight.
“Our primary focus throughout the evaluation of the tournament format and schedule has been to elevate the visibility of the MAAC Basketball Championships,” said Tellitocci in the release.
The new-look schedule is as follows with four games each day until the championships on March 15:
Tuesday, March 11:
| Women’s First Round | Game 1 | No. 8 vs. No. 9 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Women’s First Round | Game 2 | No. 7 vs. No. 10 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Men’s First Round | Game 1 | No. 8 vs. No. 9 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Men’s First Round | Game 2 | No. 7 vs. No. 10 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
Wednesday, March 12:
| Women’s Quarterfinals | Game 3 | No. 1 vs. Game 1 winner | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Women’s Quarterfinals | Game 4 | No. 2 vs. Game 2 winner | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Men’s Quarterfinals | Game 3 | No. 1 vs. Game 1 winner | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Men’s Quarterfinals | Game 4 | No. 2 vs. Game 2 winner | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
Thursday, March 13:
| Women’s Quarterfinals | Game 5 | No. 4 vs. No. 4 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Women’s Quarterfinals | Game 6 | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Men’s Quarterfinals | Game 5 | No. 4 vs. No. 4 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Men’s Quarterfinals | Game 6 | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
Friday, March 14:
| Women’s Semifinals | Game 7 | Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Women’s Semifinals | Game 8 | Game 4 winner vs. Game 6 winner | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Men’s Semifinals | Game 7 | Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner | 6:00 p.m. | TBD |
| Men’s Semifinals | Game 8 | Game 4 winner vs. Game 6 winner | 8:30 p.m. | TBD |
Saturday, March 15
| Women’s Final | Game 9 | Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner | Time TBD | Channel TBD |
| Men’s Final | Game 9 | Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner | Time TBD | Channel TBD |
Marist men’s basketball begins their season on the road to face Harvard on Monday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 p.m. The women begin at Drexel on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Edited by Luke Sassa
Photo from Cara Lacey
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