COLONIA, N.J. – The field is set for the 2026 East Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Championship. Play begins on Wednesday, March 4, and continues Saturday, March 7, with the championship on Sunday, March 8.

First-round games will be held on campus sites, with the semifinals and finals at top-seed Daemen University. The Wildcats, who earned the number one seed by virtue of an undefeated conference slate, will host the winner of fourth-seeded Molloy and fifth-seeded D’Youville at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Molloy will host D’Youville on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in one of two first-round contests. The other one will pit third-seeded Staten Island hosting sixth-seeded Roberts Wesleyan at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

The winner of Staten Island/Roberts Wesleyan will take on second-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

This marks the 11^th straight year that the Wildcats (28-1, 16-0 ECC) have qualified for the tournament, with 2025 marking their first ECC title with a win over St. Thomas Aquinas. Daemen went a perfect 4-0 against both its possible opponents, defeating Molloy 94-62 and 116-74, and D’Youville 90-65 and 90-67.

St. Thomas Aquinas (17-11, 13-3 ECC), who had won the last five ECC titles before being defeated by Daemen last season, earned a first-round bye for the 11th straight season (excluding 2021). They have reached the ECC final ten times in the last 11 seasons. STAC swept the season series against Roberts Wesleyan (88-74 and 96-74), but split the season series with Staten Island as the Dolphins defeated the Spartans at home 95-85. The Spartans won the earlier match at home 108-105.

Molloy (8-18, 8-8 ECC), in the tournament for the ninth time in the last ten seasons, split the season series with D’Youville as the Lions won at home 84-76, while the Saints won the match in Buffalo 82-79. D’Youville (7-17, 7-9 ECC) is in the ECC tournament for the first time in its Division II era.

Staten Island swept Roberts Wesleyan (8-16, 6-10 ECC) by scores of 93-73 and 85-74.

The 2026 ECC Men's Basketball Championship will air live on FloCollege. Results, recaps, and photos will be posted on our ECC website (eccsports.org) and ECC social media platforms (X, Instagram, and Facebook) throughout and following the conclusion of the event.
 
Seeding
1. Daemen University (28-1, 16-0 ECC)
2. St. Thomas Aquinas College (17-11, 13-3 ECC)
3. College of Staten Island (20-8, 11-5 ECC)
4. Molloy University (8-18, 8-8 ECC)
5. D’Youville University (7-17, 7-9 ECC)
6. Roberts Wesleyan University (8-16, 6-10 ECC)

Schedule
First Round – Wednesday, March 4
7:00 PM – No. 6 Roberts Wesleyan at No. 3 College of Staten Island - LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
7:30 PM – No. 5 D'Youville University at No. 4 Molloy University - LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Semifinals – Saturday, March 7 (@ No. 1 Daemen)
5:00 PM - Winner of No. 5 D'Youville University/No. 4 Molloy University at No. 1 Daemen - LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
7:30 PM - Winner of No. 6 Roberts Wesleyan at No. 3 College of Staten Island vs. No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas - LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS

Final – Sunday, March 8 (@ No. 1 Daemen)
3:30 PM: Saturday's Winners - LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS