The top seeds advanced in both the CAA (Hofstra and Drexel) and the America East (Albany and lucky-to-be-alive UMBC) over the last two nights.

So beyond awarding a bid, how do those two title games matter for Sunday's tournament selection announcement?

Quite a bit, especially if you assume both conferences are one-bid leagues --- and after looking at UMBC's RPI and strength of schedule, the Retrievers' victories over Maryland and Ohio State might not be enough to offset things like losing to Rutgers and being forced to play winless Hartford and better but still sub-.500 Vermont once and annoyingly scary and aesthetically displeasing Binghamton twice.

(I say that with reverence for a Binghamton team that found ways to stay close to a few opponents that outgunned it; it doesn't change the fact five of the Bearcats' 12 games featured a total of 11 goals or less. I shudder at the thought of games decided by 3-2 and 5-1 margins).

All of this is because of the NCAA's limit of two flights for the first round. The number seems to dance around every year between 300 and 350 miles, though I have it on good authority a Baltimore school can be shipped to the Research Triangle without hopping on the Southwest shuttle to RDU I am so fond of.

Right now, Drexel is a possible fit to travel to Virginia. But if that berth goes to Hofstra, you can be sure the Pride will be sent to Cornell or Maryland or Hopkins. UMBC is a distinct possibility for a trip to Chapel Hill. But putting Albany (on the fast track to Cornell or Syracuse) into the field means a Loyola or a Georgetown or even a western representative could find themselves hanging out on Franklin Street next weekend.

Of course, the western representative --- quite possibly a Notre Dame team with a strong RPI --- might be playing host to a tournament game for the first time. And in that instance, just about any unseeded team would be a candidate for a trip westward.

Eighteen games remain in the regular season, and only two --- Dartmouth-Harvard and Rutgers-Massachusetts --- don't feature at least one team that plausibly has a chance to make the tournament and thus impact their postseason profile one way or another.

So breaking down what's unfolded is all well and good; but there's still a lot to come.

And by the way, it's 72 hours and ticking until the selection announcement.

That, of course, means a lot.