And the 1 and 2 seed gets a first round bye, but you would rather finish first because you may have an easier path to the final game.
So, every game matters. And because it's on a regular cable channel, maybe the average viewer who hasn't seen Siena or Iona all season, might tune in as they are flipping channels.
And this game matters as much to Iona as Siena as they are 6-6 in conference, so it would put them over .500. And they've already beaten Siena once this year.
Plus, if you know MAAC history, these are the two most successful programs, so it is a big rivalry game.
So, on the outside it may not seem like a big game, only one where the home team is favored by 7.5, but if you dig it's a big game for both programs.