After the Catamounts captured their first NCAA bid since 2005 with an 83-70 victory over Boston University Saturday in the America East tournament final at Patrick Gym, Vermont coach Mike Lonergan was hoping to see his team rewarded with a 14 or 15 seed.

A groan filled the room, however, when the Hoyas drew 14th-seeded Ohio in a first-round matchup Thursday in Providence.

A few minutes later, a roar went up when the Catamounts (25-9) were paired with another, more familiar Big East opponent.

Vermont drew top-seeded Syracuse (28-4) in a West Regional matchup Friday in the Orange’s backyard in Buffalo. It marked a reunion of sorts — on several fronts — for the Catamounts.

Led by Taylor Coppenrath and T.J. Sorrentine on the court, and former coach Tom Brennan on the bench, Vermont recorded its only NCAA Tournament victory in 2005 as a No. 13 seed in a 60-57 overtime shocker against the fourth-seeded Orange in a first-round matchup in Worcester.

“When they put us a 16 seed, I thought we’d be a 14 or at least a 15, based on our record,’’ said Lonergan, who claimed his team had the most road wins in the country. “Syracuse is a great seed and it’s not like I don’t want to play ’em, because we beat ’em that year. So, obviously, they’re not going to overlook us.’’

With yesterday’s pairing of Vermont and Syracuse, the selection committee seemed to hope for another magical moment.

“The 16 seed is going to beat a No. 1 someday,’’ said Vermont junior forward Evan Fjeld. “Why not Friday?’’

For Vermont guard Maurice Joseph, a 6-foot-4-inch senior from Montreal, the pairing meant a matchup against his younger brother, Kris, a 6-7 sophomore forward who is Syracuse’s No. 3 scorer at 11.3 points per game.

“It crossed my mind, obviously, but I didn’t think it would happen,’’ Maurice Joseph said of the matchup against his brother’s team. “I didn’t think we’d be a 16 seed. I thought we were a 15. When I saw they were a No. 1, I didn’t think we’d get a chance to play them.

“The fact that we played them in the past probably gave [the committee] extra incentive to match us up like that, but it’s unbelievable.’’

Asked if he anticipated going one-on-one against his brother, Maurice replied, “It doesn’t matter whether I get matched up or not, I’m going to guard him. We’re going to have to guard each other. I mean, they play that zone, but I’m going to have to guard him a little bit, at least.’’

Though Syracuse earned a No. 1 seed, the Orange seemed to take a bit of a hit from the committee, being installed as the fourth No. 1 seed and shipped to the West Regional.

Syracuse had flirted with the No. 1 overall seed after reaching the top of the polls late in the season, but wound up dropping out after ending the season with a two-game losing streak, which included a loss to Georgetown in the Big East tournament quarterfinals.

Forward Arinze Onuaku was injured in that setback, but is expected to play against Vermont.

“I’m going to have to use my big-brother intimidation to get in his head a little bit, but he’s a tough kid,’’ Maurice Joseph said. “I’m proud of how far he’s come as a player and I’m proud of how he’s grown as a young man and I’ve told him all season how proud of him I am. And now? It’s a showdown, I guess.’’