Women's Basketball to Travel to UNE for CCC Quarterfinals

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – For the fourth consecutive year, the University of New England has earned the top seed for the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball championship. The 2015 tournament begins with quarterfinal matchups on campus sites Tuesday.

The Nor'easters (20-5 overall) captured the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament after tying Roger Williams University (19-6 overall) for first place at the end of the regular season with identical 16-2 records in conference play.

Ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA Division III northeast regional rankings, UNE will be seeking to capture its third consecutive CCC Tournament title and fourth league crown in the last six years. Along with UNE, second-seeded Roger Williams was also ranked in the latest NCAA Division III northeast regional rankings, placing 10th.

As the top two teams tied split their two-game season series, in order to determine the tournament's top seed, the teams' records against other CCC squads were compared form the top of the standings down until one team gained an advantage. Both UNE and Roger Williams posted 2-0 records against third-seeded Curry College, but the Nor'easters' 2-0 mark versus fourth-seeded Western New England University earned the edge over the Hawks and their 1-1 mark against the Golden Bears.

On Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., UNE will host No. 8 seed Wentworth (7-18, 5-13), No. 3 seed Curry (15-10, 12-6) will host No. 6 seed Salve Regina (12-13, 9-9), and No. 4 seed Western New England (16-9, 11-7) will host No. 5 seed Eastern Nazarene (12-13, 10-8), while at 6:00 p.m., No. 2 seed Roger Williams will host No. 7 seed Endicott (11-14, 7-11).

Quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinal round which will be played on Thursday, February 26 at the sites of the higher seed.

Semifinal winners will square off for the conference championship on Saturday, February 28 at the site of the higher seed.

Tip-off times for semifinal-round contests and the championship game will be announced following the conclusion of the previous round.

For the third consecutive season, the Leopards will travel to the Nor'Easters for a quarterfinal round contest. The overall series between the two schools stands at 26-3 in favor of UNE with the Nor'Easters having won the last 14 series meetings, including both this season (70-48 on January 6 in Boston and 60-42 in Biddeford, Maine on February 3). In two previous post-season meetings UNE is 2-0.

For the Interactive Tournament Bracket - click HERE.