Due to Merrimack's ineligibility as a team transitioning from Division II, Fairleigh Dickinson represented the conference in the 2023 NCAA tournament and advanced to the second round.

If two reclassifying teams reach the final of the NEC tournament, the conference will stage an automatic qualifier game between the two non-advancing semifinalists.

[3] Top-seeded Central Connecticut found themselves trailing Saint Francis by as many as eight points at 54–46, before going on an 8–0 run to tie the score at 57.

[7][8][9] Tahron Allen's go-ahead layup with 46 seconds remaining fueled Wagner to a 60–57 upset victory at Sacred Heart.

[7][10][11][12] Powered by Luke Sutherland's 22 points, Le Moyne cruised to an 82–61 wire-to-wire victory over Fairleigh Dickinson.

The teams traded three-pointers over the next three minutes, until Samba Diallo's layups on consecutive possessions extended Merrimack's lead to seven points.

An 8–2 Warriors run gave them a nine-point lead with 6:45 on the clock, but Le Moyne responded with a pair of three-pointers by Luke Sutherland to pull within three again with 5:42 to play.

After each team had two empty possessions over the next two minutes, Bryan Etumnu was fouled on a layup and completed the three-point play, sparking a 9–2 Merrimack run that put the game away.

After the Seahawks took a 28–23 halftime lead, the Blue Devils battled back and tied the game at 39 with 9:06 remaining, but Central Connecticut was never able to pull in front.

After a Jordan Jones three-pointer got the Blue Devils within five points at 61–56, the Seahawks, who were down to five dressed players after Council and Keyontae Lewis fouled out, went 5 for 6 from the free-throw line in the final 30 seconds to ice the game.

Tournament MVP Tahron Allen scored 22 points for the Seahawks and gave them an 11-point lead at 41–30 with his three-pointer with 12:38 to play.

With the sellout crowd in a frenzy, Wagner answered by holding Merrimack scoreless over the next six minutes while scoring eight points to take a 49–43 lead with 2:18 to play.

NEC Player of the Year, Jordan Derkack, played through an injury he suffered in Merrimack's semifinal game but was held to only four points.