NCAA Basketball: Most competitive end of 2019-20 conference races

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 10: Malik Osborne #10 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts after a play against the Duke Blue Devils during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 10, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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MOON TOWNSHIP, PA – MARCH 19: Jon Williams #1 of the Robert Morris Colonials (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

Northeast Conference

One of the best stories in college hoops this year has taken place in North Andover, Massachusetts, where the Merrimack Warriors (13-4), in their first season in Division I, sit atop the Northeast Conference standings with one game remaining. Due to the NCAA’s rules regarding teams transitioning into Division I, Merrimack will not be eligible for postseason play in either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT (the CIT and CBI will be options as they are pay-to-play tournaments not officially sanctioned by the NCAA).

Moreover, Merrimack isn’t even eligible to play in the NEC conference tournament. For the Warriors, the regular-season championship is their Big Dance and they currently occupy the championship spot.

Standing in the way of Merrimack’s hopes for regular-season conference supremacy are St. Francis (PA) (12-4) and Robert Morris (12-5), each a half-game and game respectively behind Merrimack in the standings. Saturday, February 29 is a big final showdown when the Red Flash of St. Francis travels to Moon Township, Pennsylvania for a regular season-ending clash with the Colonials, with a lot riding on the game not only for the two teams playing but also for the upstart Merrimack Warriors as well.

As we always love a good story arc, we think Merrimack cements its place in history winning the outright league title in its first Division I season by securing a home win over Central Connecticut on Thursday, February 27.

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