Empire 8

[FisherDynasty]

Cyclone, your scenario would be the only way the E8 would get two teams this year. I think there is too much parity in the conference and no real standout teams.  They will be each other up too much.  I think Stevens is the only team with a shot at getting an at large

[FisherDynasty]

I think Fisher, Stevens and a healthy Naz team could all be ncaa worthy and get a win over a weaker first round ne team.  However, Fisher and Naz have not been healthy and did not get the non-conference wins before league play, therefore, there only hope is to get a win in the e8 tourny.

[UCgrad45]

Cyclone, your scenario would be the only way the E8 would get two teams this year. I think there is too much parity in the conference and no real standout teams.  They will be each other up too much.  I think Stevens is the only team with a shot at getting an at large

I am not so sure Stevens should be annointed anything yet. That Naz team that took them to the wire looked terrible when I saw them. They couldn't score unless it was fromt he charity stripe. RIT barely beat a depleted UC team and Elmira gave them issues. There really isn't a stand out team in the conference at this point.

[gobombers15]

Im not taking sides, but Ithaca is still a year away from being an NCAA tournament team in my eyes.

I say a year away and depth away. Won't be helped by losing Burton after this season either.

He's a junior. As are Bostic and Leahy. They will all be back next year. As for the rest of your claims, I don't find it necessary to reply to them. We'll see who finishes with the better conference record.

[UCgrad45]

Im not taking sides, but Ithaca is still a year away from being an NCAA tournament team in my eyes.

I say a year away and depth away. Won't be helped by losing Burton after this season either.

He's a junior. As are Bostic and Leahy. They will all be back next year. As for the rest of your claims, I don't find it necessary to reply to them. We'll see who finishes with the better conference record.

Claims? They are called stats. Ya'll got smoked. Plus you need more than 3 players. 9 points off the bench doesn't cut it.

[Cyclone0205]

Cyclone, your scenario would be the only way the E8 would get two teams this year. I think there is too much parity in the conference and no real standout teams.  They will be each other up too much.  I think Stevens is the only team with a shot at getting an at large

I am not so sure Stevens should be annointed anything yet. That Naz team that took them to the wire looked terrible when I saw them. They couldn't score unless it was fromt he charity stripe. RIT barely beat a depleted UC team and Elmira gave them issues. There really isn't a stand out team in the conference at this point.

I don't think he was annoiting Stevens.  It's just that, with the records the way they are and Stevens being the only conference team in the Top 25, it is hard to see the conference getting 2 teams in if Stevens isn't the wire to wire team.  Who else at this point looks like they could get an at large?

[FisherDynasty]

I agree Stevens isnt a standout team in the conf. but they are the only team that did well out of conference and have got through some tough games with only 1 loss.  I see them losing at Fisher and at Ithaca or Utica but thats probably it until the Tourny. But who knows, I hope they get a few bad losses so Fisher can finish the season strong and host the tourny.

[FisherDynasty]

Cyclone, I know a few people that saw the Naz vs. Stevens, game although they felt that Naz should have one the game, Stevens was a better team and looked like an NCAA tournament caliber team.  I think Fisher when healthy is and Naz with ryan back can be. Although, I dont think any can get past the second round, but who knows I said the same thing last year.

[UCgrad45]

Cyclone, your scenario would be the only way the E8 would get two teams this year. I think there is too much parity in the conference and no real standout teams.  They will be each other up too much.  I think Stevens is the only team with a shot at getting an at large

I am not so sure Stevens should be annointed anything yet. That Naz team that took them to the wire looked terrible when I saw them. They couldn't score unless it was fromt he charity stripe. RIT barely beat a depleted UC team and Elmira gave them issues. There really isn't a stand out team in the conference at this point.

I don't think he was annoiting Stevens.  It's just that, with the records the way they are and Stevens being the only conference team in the Top 25, it is hard to see the conference getting 2 teams in if Stevens isn't the wire to wire team.  Who else at this point looks like they could get an at large?

Tough to say. I havn't looked at a lot of the schedules, but I know UC still has a lot of non-conference games coming up. They have cortland, oswego, potsdam, and sunyIT.

The committee also focuses a lot more on the end of the season that the beginning. A lot of teams will get in with what seems like high losses if they finish the season on a tear. When UC was one of the first teams awarded an at large bid, they had 6 losses at the time.

[UCgrad45]

Cyclone, I know a few people that saw the Naz vs. Stevens, game although they felt that Naz should have one the game, Stevens was a better team and looked like an NCAA tournament caliber team.  I think Fisher when healthy is and Naz with ryan back can be. Although, I dont think any can get past the second round, but who knows I said the same thing last year.

You really think that Naz is a tourny team? I don't even think they will make the E8 tourny. I know they play Fisher tough no matter how good the teams are, but when they were in Utica, they looked like a decent high school team. Undersized and terrible ball handlers and shooters. They couldn't handle pressure for their lives.

Of course, that team has always been talented and inconsistent. Who knows what the real team is like?

[Cyclone0205]

What also helps, if I am reading this correctly, is that Stevens doesn't take any of the regional votes away from the other e8 teams.  I've been told that technically Stevens is considered in the Atlantic region for regional voting and everything,  meaning they'll be dealing with the NJAC, CUNY, and their old Skyline buddies for regional voting.  If this is true I think it makes things easier for them to get an at-large like they did last year.  Does anyone know for sure?

[UCgrad45]

What also helps, if I am reading this correctly, is that Stevens doesn't take any of the regional votes away from the other e8 teams.  I've been told that technically Stevens is considered in the Atlantic region for regional voting and everything,  meaning they'll be dealing with the NJAC, CUNY, and their old Skyline buddies for regional voting.  If this is true I think it makes things easier for them to get an at-large like they did last year.  Does anyone know for sure?

I wasn't aware that they weren't considered in this region. That could help this region. It also could hurt, since it doesn't give teams that beat them a QOWI worthy win over an opponent in region. Odd.

[Cyclone0205]

I think it is the old UAA dilemma..how none of those teams are in the same region for the most part (teams in East, Northeast, Midwest region for example).  I'm not sure how they do the QOWI for those games.  But I think it does help because Stevens should easily be the #1 in the Atlantic Region, considering that e8 is a much better conference.

[UCgrad45]

I think it is the old UAA dilemma..how none of those teams are in the same region for the most part (teams in East, Northeast, Midwest region for example).  I'm not sure how they do the QOWI for those games.  But I think it does help because Stevens should easily be the #1 in the Atlantic Region, considering that e8 is a much better conference.

I know some people that I could ask about this. Their opinions on matters like this are very well informed. This topic should be even more interesting at the beginning of February.

[FisherDynasty]

Cyclone, good point, that definately will help.  All of the leagues in the East are beating each other up, the top teams have been losing a lot of games, so i think the set up this year will be less traditional, meaning some teams with more losses will get in the tourny.  i think its safe to say Sunyac will get two in, liberty one, i think the e8 could get two but again still think it has to be stevens getting the at large.

UcGrad, Utica already has too many losses to get an at large i think, UNLESS, they absolutely kill league play having at most 2 more losses and sweep the rest of there non-conf schedule which is unlikely seeing how oswego is a strong team same with cortland, and potsdam will match the athletism.  Could happen but unlikely.  The year Utica got in with 6 losses is when 3 of those losses were to a highly ranked Fisher team with a high QWI, brining Utica's up even higher even though they lost those games.