What Is 2005 MAAC Men's Basketball Tournament

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2005 MAAC Men's Basketball Tournament concluded on March 7, 2005, with Siena winning its first title by defeating Monmouth 72–64 in the final at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York. The tournament champion earned the MAAC's automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Tournament.

Key Facts

Siena won the 2005 MAAC Tournament title with a 72–64 victory over Monmouth on March 7, 2005
The championship game was held at Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York
Siena earned the MAAC's automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Tournament
This was Siena's first MAAC Tournament championship in school history
Monmouth entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed, while Siena was the No. 2 seed

Overview

The 2005 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men's Basketball Tournament was the postseason event to determine the MAAC's automatic qualifier for the 2005 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Held from March 3 to March 7, 2005, it featured 10 teams competing in a single-elimination format across multiple rounds.

The tournament culminated in Siena claiming its first conference title in program history, defeating Monmouth in the final. The event was hosted at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York, a neutral site traditionally used for the MAAC Tournament.

Siena defeated Monmouth 72–64 in the championship game on March 7, 2005, securing their first MAAC title and an NCAA Tournament berth.
The Pepsi Arena in Albany served as the host venue for all tournament rounds, continuing a multi-year trend of neutral-site hosting.
Monmouth entered as the No. 1 seed after finishing the regular season with a 14–4 conference record, the best in the MAAC.
Siena earned the No. 2 seed with a 13–5 conference record, setting up a marquee final matchup against Monmouth.
Ten teams participated in the single-elimination tournament, with the top six receiving byes to the quarterfinals.

How It Works

The MAAC Men's Basketball Tournament uses a structured bracket format to determine the conference's NCAA Tournament representative. Teams are seeded based on regular-season conference performance, with higher seeds receiving advantages in scheduling and matchups.

Seeding: Teams are seeded 1 through 10 based on their MAAC regular-season win-loss records, with tiebreakers applied as needed. The top six teams received byes to the quarterfinals in 2005.
Bracket Format: The tournament follows a single-elimination structure, beginning with play-in games for the lowest seeds. Games progress through quarterfinals, semifinals, and the championship.
Neutral Site: Since 1990, the MAAC Tournament has been held at a neutral venue, most often the Pepsi Arena in Albany. This ensures fairness and boosts attendance.
NCAA Automatic Bid: The tournament winner receives the MAAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. This was critical for mid-major programs like Siena in 2005.
Regular-Season Champion: The team with the best conference record earns the regular-season title, but does not automatically win the tournament. Monmouth won the 2004–05 regular-season title.
Team Eligibility: Only full MAAC members are eligible; associate members do not qualify for the tournament. All 10 conference teams participated in 2005.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the top four teams in the 2005 MAAC Tournament based on seeding, record, and outcome:

Seed	Team	Conference Record	Tournament Result
1	Monmouth	14–4	Lost in Final (72–64 to Siena)
2	Siena	13–5	Champions — defeated Monmouth
3	Manhattan	12–6	Lost in Semifinals
4	Canisius	11–7	Lost in Quarterfinals
5	Fairfield	10–8	Lost in Quarterfinals

The table illustrates how seeding correlated with regular-season success but did not guarantee tournament advancement. Siena, despite being the No. 2 seed, outperformed higher expectations by winning the title, while Monmouth, the top seed, fell just short in the final. This outcome underscored the unpredictability of postseason play and the importance of peak performance at the right time.

Why It Matters

The 2005 MAAC Tournament was a landmark event for Siena College and the conference as a whole, marking a shift in competitive balance and highlighting the value of postseason success in college basketball.

Siena's first championship elevated the program's national profile and provided its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1989.
Monmouth's runner-up finish was the best in school history at the time, signaling the program's rising competitiveness.
The MAAC's automatic NCAA bid gave mid-major teams a rare path to national exposure and potential upsets in March Madness.
Albany's role as host city boosted local economy and fan engagement, drawing over 10,000 spectators to the final game.
Tournament parity was demonstrated by the close scores and competitive matchups, showing depth beyond the top seeds.
Historical significance lies in Siena's breakthrough, which paved the way for future success in the 2000s under coach Fran McCaffery.

The 2005 tournament remains a pivotal moment in MAAC history, illustrating how a single postseason run can redefine a program’s trajectory and energize a fanbase.