NAC tourney opens with MMA at Husson

The 2005-06 college basketball season is still more than a week away from “March Madness,” but you wouldn’t know that from the level of preparation surrounding North Atlantic Conference schools as they get ready for the NAC Tournament.

The NAC’s second season starts today as the higher seeds in each division host quarterfinal round games. After the quarterfinals, the remaining teams are reseeded with the highest remaining seed hosting Friday’s entire semifinal round as well as Saturday’s 1 p.m. final. The lowest remaining seed will play the host team Friday at 6 p.m. and the second game will follow at 8 p.m.

Among the men’s teams, East top seed Husson College (16-9 overall and 13-1 in NAC play) will host No. 4 Maine Maritime Academy (9-14, 6-8) in a 7 p.m. game Tuesday at Newman Gymnasium in Bangor. The other East matchup has No. 2 University of Maine-Farmington (11-14, 6-8) hosting No. 3 Thomas College (8-17, 6-8) at 7:30 p.m.

In the West, No. 1 seed and defending NAC champ Elms College (19-6, 14-1) will host Castleton State College (13-12, 7-8) at 7 p.m. and No. 3 Lesley (12-13, 8-7) will travel to play No. 2 Lasell (12-13, 10-5) in an 8 p.m. game. Lasell is last year’s runner-up and the 2003-04 conference champion.

In the women’s tournament, East top seed and defending champion Maine Maritime finished the regular season 21-4 overall and 16-1 in conference play. The Mariners will host No. 4 Husson College (13-12, 12-5) in a 7 p.m. Tuesday quarterfinal at the Margaret Chase Smith Gymnasium’s Hoop Deck. The other quarterfinal has No. 2 seed, 2003-04 champ and 2004-05 runner-up UM-Farmington (21-4, 15-2) hosting No. 3 Thomas College (15-10, 12-5) at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

In the West division, the top seed is 14-11 Lasell (13-5), which will play host to No. 4 Elms (9-15, 8-10) at 6 p.m. Also Tuesday, No. 2 Castleton State (16-9, 13-5) will take on No. 3 Johnson State (12-12, 9-9) at 7 p.m.