Empire 8

[superman57]

lets see Naz beat fisher, fisher beat utica= Naz beats Utica, well probably not but if Utica beats naz by more 20 then I will wear a dress and call my self shirley,  Clear Utica is good but you cant say your going to the tourny untill you beat the best team in the league and sorry thats not Utica, it is still Fisher.  Fishers one league loss was against a mortal rival,  Unless you have ever been to a Fisher Naz game you have no idea how big of a game it is.  Think Cortaca Jug better yet think Duke UNC and you might have an idea of how heated the teams get to play each other.  On the other hand you guys barely beat HARTWICK yes Hartick so untill you beat hartwick by 20 you can not say you are going to beat other teams by 20.
I say
Utica-72
Naz-68
Utica-63
RIT-66

I'm not going to even guess fisher Elmira but it won't be close
Fisher 71
Ithaca-66

[col]

How much is Hartwick favored by to beat RIT tommorow bumpkin?

[gobombers15]

Superman, Fisher will beat Ithaca by more than 5 this weekend. Brian Joe is out and Ithaca just isn't playing good basketball over the last two games. Sure, it was against two quality teams but I think this is Ithaca's usual mid-season lull. Also, I know Fisher/Naz is a big rivalry, but comparing it to the Jug? I'll admit I've never been to a Fisher/Naz bball game and I know there's some hatred there, but comparing it to what Sports Illustrated once called "The Biggest Little Game" in the country? I'm not saying your wrong, but have you been to a Jug? I've been to the last 6 and my liver still hates me for it.

My usual Thursday predictions in hopes of nailing the winner and the score before the season is over.

Friday

Utica 75  Naz 72
Hartwick 49  RIT  69
Fisher 245  Elmira 38 (ok, maybe not, Fisher wins 80-51)
Alfred 68  Ithaca 70

Saturday

Utica 71  RIT 70  (OT)
Hartwick 57  Naz 78
Alfred 72  Elmira 56
Fisher 74 Ithaca 64

I know, I know, I bet the chalk in every single game. I think the Naz game is going to take a lot of energy out of Utica so I expect a tight one with RIT. The only thing that keeps me from taking RIT is still the lack of a go-to-guy on that team. I think that's what costs them late in that one. As to Clear's comments about winning their games by 15 and 20 this weekend, I'd be very surprised if the total of their combined wins(if they even win both) get to 15 points.

[superman57]

While football and basketball are very different and it is not as huge as Cortica because it happens twice a semester it's the same intensity esspecially when you are playing in the Varsity Gym

[the bird man]

Being a Fisher fan, who loves the Naz-Fisher game, and also being from Cortland and experiencing the Cortaca Jug my entire life (father is a C-state alum), I feel I have to put my 2 cents in on this topic.

while very few things in sports can compare to the intensity of a Cortaca jug game, probably the only thing around here in small college athletics that comes close is Fisher-Naz. I definatly think the Cortaca jug is a much bigger event, but a lot of that probably has to do with how many people are exposed to it. First it is Football which more people watch at this level, second, the size of stadiums for football allow a lot more people to watch (Fisher stopped letting people into the gym w/ 10 minutes left in the first half of the girls game last weekend.) Also the size of the schools plays a role, Ithaca and C state are much bigger than Fisher and Naz.

To the people involved in both games it is a huge deal. Cortaca is still the big ticket for obvious reasons. It is the best event in small college sports for my money. Not to mention the fact that the Cortaca game is usually close, with each team having a solid chance at winning. Naz's win last weekend was their 4th in the last 36 meetings between the 2 schools.

But, I would not place a Fisher-Naz game very far behind. But hey, I went to school at Fisher, so obviously I have a biased opinion. I will say that it is definatly the most intense basketball rivalry in the region. I am sure Williams and Amherst is great, but it would have to do a lot to match the Fisher Naz game.

That Fisher Naz game really needs a name for itself. You say Cortaca and everyone knows what you are talking about.
Any ideas for a possible name for the game?

GO CARDS...

[superman57]

I know that they had tried Battle of the Beaks but it never quite caught on

[gobombers15]

http://democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060127/SPORTS09/601270376/1007/SPORTS

Article about Nick Bennett coming back for this season. Pretty good article.

[fisheralum91]

GB15
Thanks-great article!!!

[dewcrew88]

http://democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060127/SPORTS09/601270376/1007/SPORTS

Article about Nick Bennett coming back for this season. Pretty good article.

That was definitely a good article. As someone who has been in the journalism world (news and sports), that took a simple profile of the player and turned it into a lot more.

[fisheralum91]

Sure did-
made PWC look like saints too!

[bamm]

I hate to say it, but Madhawk has spewed enough Hartwick nonsense that I'm intrigued by the RIT - Wick game tonight.  It's not that I think the Hawks will win, no way.  It's just that this is the first time I have any interest whatsoever in actually watching them play.  

Sadly, I won't be around for the RIT-Utica game tomorrow.  A win for the Tigers would be huge.  A loss doesn't hurt them too bad.

Look for Naz to put a scare into Utica tonight, maybe even pull one out if the Pioneers are sluggish.  

[gobombers15]

Bombers lead Alfred at the half, 38-29. Sean Burton has 11 and Dom Scanlon with 8 points. Brian Joe returned tonight for the Bombers and though his shooting is a little rusty, he's played great defense and has made some nice assists. Apparently he had a wrist injury that has been bothering him.

[gobombers15]

In the least surprising development of the night, Naz is giving Utica a battle in Rochester. The Golden Flyers lead 38-35 in the 2nd half with 13 mins remaining.

[lileyes]

Utica beats Naz 59-51.

[gobombers15]

Ithaca plays an awful 2nd half and relinquishes a 13-point lead, watching Alfred take a 5-point lead at one point. Ithaca rallies to tie late in the game and goes into OT tied at 67. Ithaca leads 75-72 in OT after a 3-pointer by Bellis late in OT.