MBB: Liberty League

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Thumbs up,

yeah i realize hamilton plays RPI first.....sorry if i was unclear....what i was getting at was that hamilton could possibly lose to Union.  Really wouldn't surprise me.

i think hamilton has enough to get by RPI.  Hamilton's depth will wear them down.......but i think if hamilton worries too much about the final round and overlooks RPI, RPI can give them a game and keep it close.

i dont see hamilton losing to st. lawrence AT hamilton.  If the game was in Canton, I could see hamilton losing.

i do think union poses a problem for the continentals.  as ive said before, hamilton's depth won't wear down union like that depth wears down other LL teams.  Union is too experienced and well coached and will be ready for the pressure and traps hamilton throws at them.  remember union has seen hamilton twice and should know what to expect.

As a hamilton fan, let's hope tobin anderson comes up with a good game plan and plays HIS BEST players rather than getting CUTE with his rotation and doing his normal, line changes with 3 and 4 guys subbing in at a time.

And as i've said before (sorry to beat a dead horse fellas), hamilton has NOT BEATEN ANYONE THIS YEAR!!!!!!!   They are the softest team ive seen.  Their record of 20-4 is totally inflated.

Remember, the LL is way down this season and they lost to the good teams they played:  Williams and Utica College.  And Williams had a down year this season and wasn't even a top team in the NESCAC.

Union (i know it was early in the year) beat Williams at Williams.

Hamilton should win the tourney, but don't bet the farm on it.

[fpc85]

is hobart in the conf. playoffs

[blockparty]

RPI heads into the tournament with a 1-5 record against the top 3 teams.  No one, including members of this forum, thinks RPI has a shot, and that's why they will come out and surprise people.  They have a ton of depth, the underdog mentality, and great coaching.  I don't think they have ever beaten Hamilton on the road, but they are catching the Continentals at the right time.

Schneider, Zepernick, and Johnson are going to make up for their forgettable weekend and I'm predicting an RPI - Union rematch.

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I just don't see RPI beating Hamilton.  I think Griffin is a solid, veteran coach, but I don't think he has the horses to take down Hamilton, especially on the road.  Hamilton beat the Engineers twice this season and I don't see any reason why RPI would beat Hamilton on Friday in the tourney.

As I said earlier, if Union gets by SLU, I think Union has the horses to pull of the upset of the #1 seed.

Anyone, notice the job Tom Murphy (Hamilton's former coach) has done for the SUNY-IT Wildcats this year.  Don't know if anyone follows the SUNY too closely, but Murphy has his team poised most likely for a #4 or #5 seed in the SUNY conference tourney.  Congrats to Coach Murphy who has proven he can win with a team that has a hard time attracting the same caliber of player as Hamilton.

[Red1]

Bed,

As a former Clintonian, I decided to take a look at the Liberty League board (although it was the UCAA when I was in Clinton).  I generally reside in the NESCAC board (and I will leave this board and not return if so requested).

I don't know much about Hamilton's schedule this year, but I did notice something about the teams that are beating the Continentals.  With the expection of the game up in Canton (I don't know what's going on there) the Contintals have lost to good 3pt shooting teams.  Williams is in their second "off year" in a row.  It's "off" for Williams, but solid for most.  Their record is a result of their incredible streakiness.  They shoot 3s constantly and hit lots of them.  They lose when they get cold, or hit a defense that's good at stopping 3s, the same is true for Utica.  They're both in the top 10 in 3pt shooting in the country.

Hamilton will need to overcome this weakeness to win the LL tournament and do well in the NCAA.  Their 60th place 9.389 (as of last sunday) QOWI is not exactly conducive of a class C bid even if they are 4th in the east.

Cheers,
Red1

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Red....

Good analysis.  Yes, I should have noted, Williams is having an "off" year for Williams.  Very good point.  That's what i meant.  Williams is still better than most of the East Region.  But the NESCAC has some powerhouses this year and is a much, much better league than the Liberty League.

My point was basically that while Hamilton's record is good, it's not really as impressive b/c of its soft schedule.  It's not the Continentals' fault, but their opposition has been lackluster all season.  And when Hamilton had a chance to beat good teams (Williams and Utica), it couldn't beat them even though Hamilton was playing at home.

I agree that the LL is only getting 1 team in the NCAA's and if Hamilton loses in the tourney, they will be playing in the ECAC's and not the NCAA's.

[ucaafan]

If I remember a posting correctly from last year - if Hamilton does not qualify for the NCAA's, there there is no ECAC's either. Thought it had something to do with Hamilton's affiliation with the Nescac for football.

[shooters]

I will be at the LL games this weekend so I will take a look at all angles. I agree the LL is down this year but Union did beat Williams and Hamilton beat Union twice so there is some competitiveness (is that a word?) in the teams. Hamilton did play Utica w/o two starters, but yes yes yes I agree the LL is not strong. I would also agree that Hamilton has to win the tourney to get into the NCAA tournament. I think they will have no problem with RPI but I will be on pins and needles for the winner of the SLU/Union game. Should be a good weekend of games! I believe unionalum said Hamilton would be them twice in the regular season but predicted a Hamilton defeat in the tournament by Union. We shall see...............good luck to all LL teams.

[unionalum]

Yes, that was my prediction... this season just seems so eerily similar to last.

I talked to a recent Hamilton alum today and asked him the difference between last year's team and this year's.

He said "this team cares" and "this team does not care who scores, everyone just wants to win"

If this is accurate, then Hamilton could be in for a special year, because the talent is certainly there.

The one thing about Union though, that there is really nothing you can do about is if they get it going.  When Cagianello and Scordato are hitting, it doesn't matter what you do or who you throw at them... they are more talented and better basketball players then what you have.

[superman57]

I'm normally an empire 8 poster and a Fisher Student, but if everything that I'm hearing is true than if Fisher and Hamilton meat up again in the tourny, then Fisher should be favored because they are a 3 point shooting team.  Has anyone else seen Fisher play?

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Fisher never, ever beats Hamilton.  Never happens.  Check the history.  No matter how great or unstoppable Fisher seems in the regular season, and no matter how much Hamilton seems like an inferior team.............doesnt matter come NCAA tourney time.  Hamilton owns Fisher.

[superman57]

really? check your History didn't Fisher beat Hamilton in 2004.  That doesn't sound like never

[bamm]

Fisher never, ever beats Hamilton. Never happens. Check the history. No matter how great or unstoppable Fisher seems in the regular season, and no matter how much Hamilton seems like an inferior team.............doesnt matter come NCAA tourney time. Hamilton owns Fisher.

March 4, 2004
SJF - 90
@
Hamilton - 83

Never happens.  LOL

Oh, and that was in the NCAA's, too. 

[gobombers15]

In Hamilton's house, no less.

[col]

bed, ignore that crap.  These are the same guys that say Ray Bryant isn't the best player in the E8.