▁ ▁The ▁America ▁East ▁Men ' s ▁Basketball ▁Tournament ▁is ▁the ▁annual ▁con cluding ▁tournament ▁for ▁the ▁NCAA ▁college ▁basketball ▁in ▁the ▁America ▁East ▁Conference . ▁The ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁annual ▁tournament ▁g ains ▁an ▁automatic ▁bid ▁to ▁the ▁NCAA ▁Men ' s ▁Division ▁I ▁Basketball ▁Championship . ▁ ▁Format ▁and ▁hosts ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁first ▁r ounds ▁take ▁place ▁at ▁a ▁single ▁location , ▁usually ▁the ▁home ▁ar ena ▁of ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁conference ▁schools , ▁but ▁the ▁championship ▁game ▁is ▁hosted ▁the ▁next ▁week end ▁by ▁the ▁higher ▁remaining ▁seed . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁Tournament ▁pre lim inary ▁r ounds ▁were ▁hosted ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁at ▁Alb any . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁format ▁was ▁changed ▁from ▁a ▁single ▁location ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁r ounds ▁to ▁multiple ▁locations . ▁ ▁For ▁every ▁round , ▁including ▁the ▁final s ▁the ▁higher ▁seed ed ▁team ▁in ▁each ▁game ▁hosts . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁first ▁round , ▁teams ▁are ▁res eed ed ▁to ▁account ▁for ▁ups ets ▁that ▁may ▁have ▁occurred . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁edition , ▁the ▁last ▁place ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁conference ▁stand ings ▁will ▁not ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁tournament . ▁This ▁change ▁was ▁made ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁imp ending ▁el ig ibility ▁of ▁U M ass ▁Low ell ▁for ▁NCAA - sp ons ored ▁post season ▁play , ▁following ▁the ▁completion