ALBANY — Postseason basketball comes with a sense of urgency, especially to those who can see the finish line to their college careers. University at Albany fifth-year players Helene Haegerstrand and Sarah Karpell can feel the abruptness as they approach March Madness.

The America East Tournament begins Friday night with the quarterfinals, in which second-seeded UAlbany will play host to No. 7 New Jersey Institute of Technology.

A loss could end a stellar season for the Great Danes (24-5, 13-3) — there’s still the possibility of the WNIT, but that’s a discussion for another time — while a victory will allow the two graduate students and their teammates to continue their careers in hopes of an NCAA Tournament bid.

“The opportunity of getting a fifth year is that you feel like you have something more to give,” said Haegerstrand, a Swede who has 1,536 points in her 140-game UAlbany career. “Now we’re at that point where the playoff starts, and this is the year you realize that this is the last one. You try to make it as special as you can and just take it in every moment.”

“It’s definitely sinking in that this is it,” said Karpell, who transferred after four years at Fordham in hopes of a postseason opportunity. “We’ve got hopefully three weeks left of our season, so just give it our all and try our best, and that’s all we can do.”

NJIT (12-17, 4-12) provides an interesting test for the Danes, who beat the Highlanders 77-36 on Jan. 6 in Albany but had a narrow escape Feb. 15 in Newark, taking a 38-36 victory.

After the first NJIT game, UAlbany was averaging 68.7 points per game. In the 14 games since then, thanks to injuries and other factors, the Danes have averaged 54.7.

Through it all, UAlbany has maintained its No.1position nationally in scoring defense (51.2).

“Our offensive output has significantly gone down, for multiple reasons,” UAlbany coach Colleen Mullen said. “When we played NJIT the first time, we hadn’t had any major injuries and our chemistry was building. We had gone undefeated in December.

“Then right at that NJIT game, Deja (Evans, 6-2 freshman) got injured and missed three or four games. The face of our team changed. We went from being balanced with our chemistry to focusing more on small ball. When Deja comes back in, Meghan (Huerter) goes out, and now we’re playing big ball again where we have three post players.

“People started having specific scouts on us — not defending Sarah, not defending Abby (Ray), not defending Deja outside the free-throw line, not defending Kayla (Cooper) outside the free-throw line. We’ve had to adjust multiple times what we’re doing.”

The Danes are back healthy, although they carry only 10 players on the roster. Cooper, selected first team all-conference Wednesday, leads UAlbany in scoring (15.7) and rebounding (7.6). Huerter, coming off the bench, ranks second in Division I in 3-point percentage (.471).

Evans also is at full strength, although she is coming off an 0-for-12 shooting performance Saturday in the Danes’ 63-46 loss at Maine.

“The season’s so long, she’s a freshman,” Mullen said. “She just got honored with all-rookie, all-defensive and America East third team. That’s a huge honor for her, but when you go 0-for-12 from the floor, that hurts you. People are challenging her to shoot over them. Her scoring isn’t what’s going to make or break us. She needs to bring it defensively, she needs to bring it for rebounding. She has to play with toughness, and that’s the most important thing.”

“She’s having a lot of responsibility being a freshman, but she’s handling it great,” Haegerstrand said. “She’s such a good player and person.”

AMERICA EAST QUARTERFINALS: UALBANY VS. NJIT

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Broadview Center, Albany

TV: ESPN+ (streaming)

Vermont has won eight consecutive America East men’s basketball regular-season titles, the longest such streak in the country. Only twice have the Catamounts failed to follow up with a conference tournament championship, so how much hope does that leave for the others?

Since the conference was created as the North Atlantic began play in 1979-80, the No. 1 seed has won 28 of the 43 tournament titles (there was no championship game in 2021 because of COVID-19).

As lottery players often say, all you need is a chance, and seven teams will be trying to dethrone Vermont when the tournament begins Saturday. The only school not getting an opportunity is NJIT, which did not qualify because of its last-place finish in the regular season.

Here is a capsule look at the eight teams that are participating:

1. VERMONT (25-6, 15-1)

Top players: 6-0 Gr. G Aaron Deloney

(10.8 ppg, 25th in America East; 3.1 apg, 8th); 6-4 Jr. G Shamir Bogues (10.7 ppg, 26th; 5.2 rpg, 15th)

Quarterfinal opponent: UAlbany (home, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: Unlike in the days of Anthony Lamb, the Catamounts don’t have a go-to player but they sport the conference’s most-balanced lineup, with six players averaging 8.0 points per game or better. It’s hard to believe Vermont’s lone conference loss came against NJIT, which didn’t make the tournament field. The home gym makes UVM a tough out.

2. UMASS LOWELL (20-9, 11-5)

Top players: 5-11 Sr. G Ayinde Hikim (14.8 ppg, 8th; 5.2 apg, 2nd); 6-7 Sr. G Quinton Minton (14.1 ppg, 13th; 6.2 rpg, 9th)

Quarterfinal opponent: UMBC (home, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: The River Hawks average 80.3 points, 40th in the nation and most for an America East team since1995-96 (Drexel, 82.6). Lowell’s prowess around the basket shows in the stats. The Hawks lead the conference in free throws made (492), attempted (633) and percentage (.742) — 36 of 47 in a Feb. 24 victory over UAlbany — as well as rebound margin (+6.8).

3. BRYANT (19-12, 11-5)

Top players: 6-5 Gr. G Sherif Gross-Bullock (18.1 ppg, 4th; 5.1 rpg, 16th); 6-6 Sr. G Earl Timberlake (14.6 ppg, 11th; 9.0 rpg, 3rd; 3.9 apg, 6th)

Quarterfinal opponent: Maine (home, 2 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: The Bulldogs have a veteran lineup, starting a graduate student in Gross-Bullock, who transferred from La Salle in the middle of last season, along with three seniors and a junior. Timberlake sat out the season finale against UAlbany with a hand injury. An early-season victory at Florida Atlantic remains the most impressive outing for an America East team.

4. NEW HAMPSHIRE (15-14, 7-9)

Top players: 6-6 Jr. F Clarence Daniels

(19.6 ppg,1st; 9.3 rpg, 2nd); 5-10 Jr. G Ahmad Robinson (15.5 ppg, 6th; 4.6 apg, 4th)

Quarterfinal opponent: Binghamton (home, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: The Wildcats, under first-year coach Nathan Davis, are a top-four seed for the fourth straight year but enter the postseason on a four-game losing streak. Daniels is a conference Player of the Year candidate, and Robinson runs the offense. UNH has attempted more 3-pointers than any team in the league, and if they’re going in, these ‘Cats can be dangerous.

5. BINGHAMTON (15-14, 7-9)

Top players: 6-6 Jr. G Tymu Chenery

(14.8 ppg, 10th); 6-3 Gr. G Symir Torrence

(8.4 ppg, 38th; 5.9 rpg, 12th; 7.5 apg, 1st)

Quarterfinal opponent: New Hampshire (away, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: Similar to Vermont, the Bear-cats rely on balanced scoring, with six players averaging 8.0 or more points. Torrence, a Syracuse transfer who ranks third nationally in assists, hasn’t played since Feb. 22 because of injury. Without Torrence, Binghamton closed the regular season with a victory at UMBC to secure the fifth seed and avoid falling to No. 7.

6. MAINE (15-16, 7-9)

Top players: 6-7 Sr. F Peter Filipovity

(14.4 ppg, 12th; 7.7 rpg, 5th); 6-3 Jr. G Kellen Tynes (12.7 ppg, 17th; 3.6 apg, 7th)

Quarterfinal opponent: Bryant (away, 2 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: The Black Bears are the lowest-scoring team in the America East at 67.9 points per game, but they lead the conference in turnover margin (+1.68). Filipovity, a native of Hungary, is among the conference’s most-improved players, a threat from inside and outside. Maine endured some losing streaks during the season but finished winning four of its last five.

7. UMBC (11-20, 6-10)

Top players: 6-3 So. G Dion Brown (19.0 ppg, 3rd; 7.7 rpg, 6th; 2.4 apg, 14th); 6-3 Jr. G Marcus Banks (14.8 ppg, 7th)

Quarterfinal opponent: UMass Lowell (away, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: UMBC is one of six Division I teams that didn’t return any players who started a game for their current team last season but finished the regular season with victories in four of its final six games. The Retrievers give up a conference-worst 80.3 points per game, but they lead in 3-point percentage (.358). Brown twice received the AE Player of the Week award.

8. UALBANY (13-18, 5-11)

Top players: 6-1 Jr. G Sebastian Thomas

(19.2 ppg, 2nd; 5.0 apg, 3rd); 6-4 So. G Amar’e Marshall (16.9 ppg, 5th; 5.0 rpg, 19th; 2.9 apg, 19th)

Quarterfinal opponent: Vermont (away, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: That the Great Danes are the only team with two players among the top five scorers underscores one of their issues. They’re seeking a consistent third scoring option, especially after Jonathan Beagle — who remains the AE’s top rebounder — left the program a month ago. If Marcus Jackson (hand) can return, that will bolster UAlbany’s defense.

AMERICA EAST AWARDS

Jim Franco/Times Union archive

UAlbany senior Kayla Cooper was also selected to the America East all-academic team.

Kayla Cooper has been selected to the all-America East first team, highlighting three University at Albany basketball players honored with conference awards announced Wednesday.

Graduate forward Helene Haegerstrand and freshman forward Deja Evans were selected to the all-conference third team. Evans also was placed on the all-freshman and all-defensive teams.

Cooper, a senior forward from Federick, Md., who was selected to the preseason all-conference team, also is on the all-academic team.

For the fifth time in seven years, Amy Vachon of Maine was selected Coach of the Year, beating out UAlbany’s Colleen Mullen, who led the Great Danes to a 24-5 record. Maine graduate guard Anne Simon won Player of the Year, an award she also captured two seasons ago.

All of the postseason awards were selected by the conference coaches, who could not vote for their own players.

Cooper, who has one year of eligibility remaining should she choose to exercise it, averaged 15.7 points per game (fourth in the conference) and 7.6 rebounds (second). She was first-team all-conference last season and selected to the second team as a sophomore. Her 3.41 grade-point average helped land her a berth on the all-academic team.

Haegerstrand, from Stockholm, Sweden, last season was first-team all-conference and the women’s basketball scholar-athlete of the year. She averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Evans, from Conshohocken, Pa., started all 26 games she played — missing three games because of a concussion — and averaged 8.5 points and 7.2 rebounds, ranking fourth in the conference in the latter. She was second in the league with 1.6 blocked shots per game.

ALBANY — Most University of Maine home basketball games are played at Memorial Gymnasium, a 91-year-old, 1,300-seat facility on the Orono campus known as “The Pit.”

The University at Albany women’s team will visit there Saturday afternoon in hopes of not making a return trip later this month. “That would be nice,” coach Colleen Mullen said.

First place in the America East and No.1seeding for the conference tournament will be at stake when Maine (20-9,13-2) plays host to UAlbany (24-4, 13-2) in the final regular-season game for both teams. The winner is guaranteed home games throughout its America East tournament stay, including the championship game on Friday, March 15.

That would be the next possible meeting between the conference’s front-runners. Of course, each would have to win quarterfinal and semifinal games, but having the title tilt on home ground in front of what likely would be a capacity crowd certainly provides incentive to both.

“It would be nice to do (only) the one big long trip up there,” Mullen said. “It’s going to come down to that game. If we win, we’re in a good position. If we don’t win, if we take care of business at home, we’ll be headed back up there, but it would be nice to, number one, get the win, but, number two, be playing well as we head to our first quarterfinal game.”

Playing at home doesn’t guarantee victory for any team, although the Great Danes remember having to go to Vermont last March for the tournament final. The schools tied for first place in the regular season. Vermont got to host, based on tiebreakers, and won the game, 38-36.

Not that playing a championship on the road isn’t necessarily a death sentence. In the two previous years, also1-vs.-2 matchups, the visiting team prevailed, both times at Maine. UAlbany knocked off the Black Bears in 2022 at The Pit, and Stony Brook won there in 2021.

“It’s such a small gym,” said UAlbany senior Kayla Cooper, who was voted Most Outstanding Player in the 2022 America East tournament. “It can be a tough environment to play, just because they have fans up top. It’s like in a pit. I’m just used to it by now. If you let it affect you, it will, but I feel like it’s just another place to play.”

“It’s a tough environment,” Mullen said. “It’s loud. The football team comes. They’re heckling all the players, including myself, but it’s what college basketball’s about. To play in that type of an environment and (with) that type of intensity, it’s exciting for players.”

Aside from the conditions, UAlbany needs to be concerned about Maine, which before last season had won four America East regular-season championships in five seasons.

Junior forward Adrianna Smith is the reigning conference Player of the Year, and graduate guard Anne Simon, who leads the America East in scoring, won the same award two seasons ago.

The Danes defeated the Black Bears 54-47 Jan. 25 in Albany. Deja Evans, a 6-foot-2 freshman, had 17 points and eight rebounds in the game as UAlbany outscored Maine in the paint, 34-22.

“Anne Simon is just the best player in the league,” Mullen said. “Deja just stepped up and played a tough game. We had a well-rounded, well-balanced game, but it was the defensive side because we still turned the ball over quite a bit (17 turnovers). It’s going to be a great atmosphere, so it’s got to be more of the same in terms of our defensive effort.”

UALBANY AT MAINE

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Memorial Gymnasium, Orono, Maine

TV: ESPN+ (streaming)

ALBANY — Three players will be honored, two for a second time. The third will be recognized for a first time on Senior Day, which traditionally celebrates a basketball player’s final career home game, although Will Amica hopes to keep playing, preferably for the University at Albany.

Such is the climate after COVID-19 and transfer portals disrupted college basketball conventions.

UAlbany (13-16 overall, 5-9 America East) closes its home schedule Saturday afternoon against Maine. Before the 4 p.m. tipoff, Amica will join graduate transfers Tyler Bertram and Marcus Filien in a ceremony commemorating their Division I careers.

For Amica, a Syracuse native recruited four years ago by former coach Will Brown, it may be a tribute, but not necessarily the final one.

“Even though it’s my first full year playing, it’s still cool to be honored,” Amica said. “I’m a senior. It’s a big accomplishment that I’m the first man in my family to graduate college.”

Various injuries limited Amica, a 6-foot-2 guard, to10 games over his first three seasons. He was slowed further this season by hip and hamstring injuries, but he has played16 games. He is on schedule to receive an undergraduate degree in communications in May.

Because of the injuries and a COVID-19 exemption, Amica still has two years of eligibility.

“I want to come back here,” he said. “I do.”

“His health has been hard for him over his college basketball career,” UAlbany coach Dwayne Killings said. “It’s a huge statement to graduate college, and we said to Will, hey, let’s celebrate that. Let’s get through the year, and then figure out where he’s at and let him reset himself.”

Bertram, a Cooperstown native, has had one of the more traveled careers in college basketball. UAlbany is his fourth school, following Charlotte, Binghamton and Alabama-Birmingham.

Heading into Saturday, he has played 101 career games, 41 starts, under five head coaches.

“I loved coming here for my last year,” said Bertram, a 6-3 guard who was not honored on Senior Day at UAB but was two years ago at Binghamton. “The fans were awesome, and being able to play close to my home, it was nice. They all got to come and watch me play a lot of games. Being able to do that for my last year of eligibility was just amazing. I loved it here.”

“Tyler’s been a super positive kid to have around,” Killings said. “He’s an elite shooter. When he’s shooting the ball, especially in our home games, he’s an easy guy to cheer for. He’s got the 3-point goggles thing that he does that my kid (6-year-old Tristan) does now. He’s been good for us. He’s helped us win some games, and the experience level that he’s had — being at Charlotte, Binghamton, UAB and now here — he’s been good for some of these younger guys.”

All of the players said it will be an emotional day, but perhaps none more than Fi-lien, a 6-7 forward from Rensselaer who played at Albany Academy. His late father, Pat, was a UAlbany assistant from 2005 to 2011, and Marcus spent much of his childhood hanging around campus. Pat Filien died in 2021.

“Marcus has been great because he’s been a professional about it,” Killings said. “He’s never late. He’s always here. He appreciates it. At the end of the day, he’s playing to honor his father, which is a huge thing for he and his family.”

Filien was recognized as a graduating senior last year at Cornell, where he spent four years as a student and three as a player. He came to UAlbany as a walk-on but was awarded a scholarship in January. Because of Jonathan Beagle’s departure from the program, Filien has started the past seven games and 12 overall.

“Senior Night’s always special, especially being here, with family history and having been here in the stands on Senior Night when I was 5, 6, 7 years old,” Filien said. “It’ll be emotional for my mom (Tiffani), seeing championships being won when I was just a little kid running around the locker rooms and stuff, and now I’m 23 years old, having a Senior Day here. It’ll be really cool.”

MAINE AT UALBANY

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Broadview Center, Albany

TV/Radio: ESPN+ (streaming), WTMM 104.5 FM