Empire 8

Bombers798891 · January 31, 2010, 07:02:23 PM

Quote from: AUSaxons33344 on January 31, 2010, 06:25:50 PM
Saxons by 2 over the visiting Hartwick Hawks 69-67. 25 from Stopera, 12 from Patt, 11 from Johnson (freshman). Hartwick gets 19 from Ryder, 16 from Blazek and 11 from Phillips.....

Alfred will be a headache for some of the teams on top...beating fisher last year to knock them out of the E8 tourney is a good example... Anything can happen. It just depends on what team shows up to play...

The Bombers send thanks...

sjfcards · January 31, 2010, 09:13:32 PM

A crazy weekend of games in the Empire 8 this weekend. I did not see Stevens sweeping Fisher and Naz, nor did I see RIT beating IC. Fisher needs to be ready for RIT Tuesday. That is a big one for both teams. Bigger for RIT, but Fisher does not want to start building up losses now, with NCAA's on their mind.

I would not be suprised if IC did not make the tournament, which would have seemed insane even two weeks ago. Kudos to RIT for their mini run here to get themselves back into things. They can make things very interesting with a few more wins.

Stevens is making a bit of a statement for a possible pool C bid. If they can win out (They only have one more road conference game, and the only really tough game they have left is RIT and Ithaca), they would be 21-4, with wins over Fisher and Baruch. That would be enough for me.

AUSaxons33344 · January 31, 2010, 11:53:01 PM

Quote from: Bombers798891 on January 31, 2010, 07:02:23 PM
Quote from: AUSaxons33344 on January 31, 2010, 06:25:50 PM
Saxons by 2 over the visiting Hartwick Hawks 69-67. 25 from Stopera, 12 from Patt, 11 from Johnson (freshman). Hartwick gets 19 from Ryder, 16 from Blazek and 11 from Phillips.....

Alfred will be a headache for some of the teams on top...beating fisher last year to knock them out of the E8 tourney is a good example... Anything can happen. It just depends on what team shows up to play...

The Bombers send thanks...

LOL sure thing.

bomber3 · February 01, 2010, 10:49:44 AM

Did someone tighten the rims at RIT yesterday? Bombers have one of their worst shooting nights of the season and RIT was atrocious from the line:

Bombers are 10-42 (24%) from 3 and 23-75 (31%) overall.

RIT is 8-23 (34%) from the FREE THROW LINE.

Bombers need to bounce back this weekend in Alfred/Rochester and need to split at a minimum. If they can split and Hartwick loses @ Naz then IC will have some breathing room over Hartwick/RIT. If not then next Friday @ Hartwick might be an elimination game...

FROMAFAR · February 01, 2010, 02:13:43 PM

Bomber, 42 3's........ live by the sword die by the sword..... Hey we didn't beat you guys, the 3 caught up with them...take 10 less 3's and get a better % shot and hit just 3 of those, you can pull it off.......It will eventually come back to bite you.........trust me, we do the same thing, not as much, but way too much.....We have a mountain to climb this week, let me get my ropes out, I'll need them one way or another

bomber3 · February 01, 2010, 02:55:08 PM

Quote from: FROMAFAR on February 01, 2010, 02:13:43 PM
Bomber, 42 3's........ live by the sword die by the sword..... Hey we didn't beat you guys, the 3 caught up with them...take 10 less 3's and get a better % shot and hit just 3 of those, you can pull it off.......It will eventually come back to bite you.........trust me, we do the same thing, not as much, but way too much.....We have a mountain to climb this week, let me get my ropes out, I'll need them one way or another

Yes I agree -- IC almost stunned RIT again but they finally ran out of steam. Now they're going to have to battle for that last spot and hopefully avoid Fisher on their home court in round 1. Not sure what the problem was this weekend but it wasn't tired legs - IC hadn't played since the previous Friday. Maybe the layover was the issue but they need to bounce back against two teams that can beat them. I know IC demolished Alfred the first time around but that was when IC was shooting well. And beating Naz @ Naz would go a long way for positioning..

And don't go using that rope just yet -- you called the RIT sweep last weekend and crazier things have happened....

bomber3 · February 02, 2010, 11:33:56 AM

Looking at the "RPI" rankings from the Multi-Region boards is pretty shocking. I never would have guessed Stevens would be #1 in the region. I pegged them as 5th-6th in the E8 this season nevermind the region. After completing a Fisher/Naz sweep in Rochester last weekend and by looking at the RPI rankings they may be the hottest team in the region. They've won 8 of 9 with wins over Baruch (15-6), Fisher (16-4), and Naz (13-7).

First NCAA regional poll comes out tomorrow I believe. Here's my predictions:

1. Fisher
2. Rochester
3. Stevens
4. Medaille
5. NYU

Regional rankings taken from Multi-region boards:

E 001 0.778 0.567 0.525 0.553 0.6091 019 A C 14-4 15-4 E8 Stevens
E 002 0.789 0.548 0.540 0.545 0.6063 023 C 012 15-4 16-4 E8 St. John Fisher
E 003 0.643 0.607 0.539 0.585 0.5992 026 C 014 9-5 13-5 UAA Rochester
E 004 0.733 0.551 0.517 0.540 0.5881 039 A C-2 11-4 13-5 SUNYAC Brockport State
E 005 0.706 0.542 0.549 0.544 0.5847 045 C 024 12-5 13-5 UAA New York University
E 006 0.667 0.564 0.540 0.556 0.5835 046 C 025 12-6 13-7 E8 Nazareth
E 007 0.947 0.438 0.503 0.460 0.5816 052 A 18-1 19-1 AMCC Medaille
E 008 0.667 0.556 0.526 0.546 0.5759 057 C 032 10-5 13-6 E8 Ithaca

Go Naz · February 02, 2010, 01:19:02 PM

Just wondering what everyone is thinking in regards to Medaille this year. I realize they will get some respect in the regional rankings because of their record, but I have a tough time believing that they are as good as their record indicates. The AMCC is short on quality teams and allows Medaille to rack up a number of wins. If they are in the Empire 8, where would they finish? Right now I would have to place them 6th. I don't know if that sounds strange placing a 19-1 team 6th but I honestly can't see them beating Fisher, Stevens, Naz, Ithaca or RIT right now. Thoughts from anyone else?

magicman · February 02, 2010, 03:32:18 PM

Quote from: Go Naz on February 02, 2010, 01:19:02 PM
Just wondering what everyone is thinking in regards to Medaille this year. I realize they will get some respect in the regional rankings because of their record, but I have a tough time believing that they are as good as their record indicates. The AMCC is short on quality teams and allows Medaille to rack up a number of wins. If they are in the Empire 8, where would they finish? Right now I would have to place them 6th. I don't know if that sounds strange placing a 19-1 team 6th but I honestly can't see them beating Fisher, Stevens, Naz, Ithaca or RIT right now. Thoughts from anyone else?

I don't think you're giving them the respect they deserve. While they may lose to some of the teams in the E8, I don't think there is a team in the league that they couldn't beat. They hung with D1 Colgate, only losing 62-53. They beat John Carroll 92-91 at the Blue Streaks home gym, 1 of only 2 home losses they have had all year. John Carroll was ranked #9 in the country at the time and while they have fallen out of the rankings, they are currently tied for 1st place in the Ohio Athletic Conference with a 9-3 record. Massey Ratings rank the OAC conference as the 7th toughest in D3. The E8 conference is ranked 20th. Last year Medaille faced a John Carroll team in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament that was stronger than this year's team. That Blue Streak team ended up 25-6, made it to the Sweet 16, losing to eventual 3rd place finisher, Guilford and Medaille while losing that game to JC was within 5 points with several minutes to play. Medaille returned just about everyone from last year's team and should they make ths year's tournament, could win a game or 2. Everyone said the same thing about SUNYIT's weak schedule last year and they almost made it to the Sweet 16. If I was a coach from the E8 and had to face this team I wouldn't be taking them lightly is all I'm saying.

WNYHoops · February 02, 2010, 04:28:56 PM

While I am not at all claiming Medaille would win the Empire 8, I can tell you they are definitely good enough to accomplish that. To say they would be #6 is way underestimating them. I don't believe they would be 19-1 right now playing an E8 schedule, but I have seen them play several times and know their personnel pretty well and they would absolutely be in the top 2-3 of the league. Coaches who understand the nature of DIII hoops realize how good this Medaille team is. I also know for a fact they handled Fisher pretty well in a pre-season scrimmage and match up well with them. So if Fisher is the measuring stick for the top of the E8, I think Medaille should be considered in that same category.

sjfcards · February 02, 2010, 06:22:02 PM

It was my understanding that Fisher "beat" Medaille in the scrimmage. I know they don't really keep score in those things, but I thought that someone on this board had said that Fisher struggled at times, but was able maintain control. I have no doubt that Medaille would be in the top 3 or 4 spots in the E8.

the golden flyer · February 02, 2010, 06:30:30 PM

Quote from: WNYHoops on February 02, 2010, 04:28:56 PM
While I am not at all claiming Medaille would win the Empire 8, I can tell you they are definitely good enough to accomplish that. To say they would be #6 is way underestimating them. I don't believe they would be 19-1 right now playing an E8 schedule, but I have seen them play several times and know their personnel pretty well and they would absolutely be in the top 2-3 of the league. Coaches who understand the nature of DIII hoops realize how good this Medaille team is. I also know for a fact they handled Fisher pretty well in a pre-season scrimmage and match up well with them. So if Fisher is the measuring stick for the top of the E8, I think Medaille should be considered in that same category.

Although I do not know Medaille's personnel very well, I do know that the AMCC is weaker than the E8. It is a larger conference so I understand that it is harder to have as much parity but over recent years if you look at the teams the E8, or even the Sunyac has produced into the NCAA tournament, I dont think it is much of a comparison. I am not saying that Medaille isn't good because they clearly are a pretty solid team this year, but I just think that their conference schedule is weak compared to the Sunyac or E8....As far as the Fisher scrimmage goes, that is interesting that they outplayed Fisher, however a pre season scrimmage is rather meaningless (i.e. LeMoyne beating Syracuse this year). I know this was an exhibition game but the fact of the matter is that it didn't count on either team's record...

sjfcards · February 02, 2010, 09:57:35 PM

Fisher was able to get hot down the stretch and pull away from a game RIT team tonight. turned the game off before it went final but Fisher was up 16 with under a minute left. Fromafar, you have a lot to look forward to. RIT was much improved from the first time I saw them this year, and they look like they have some pieces for a real solid team next year, and beyond.

From what I saw tonight, I would say RIT is the 3rd best team in the league right now. They will probably not get into the E8 tourny with the loss tonight, but if the season started today, I think they would be a lock. That is why the season starts when it does tho.

Good win for Fisher rebounding from the loss to Stevens over the weekend. If they can take care of business the rest of the way and pull another tough one out against Naz, they should be in good shape going into the Conference Tourny.

FROMAFAR · February 02, 2010, 10:10:06 PM

Yes, we may have dug too deep a hole...........and your right... they all count...........I'm not into moral victories though........I'm still holding onto a slim slim shot, I'm going to sleep............

AUPepBand · February 02, 2010, 10:11:10 PM

AU gets another win at McLane tonite.....that's two in a row on a court that hasn't been all that kind to the hosts to date. AU 68, Penn State-Wilkes Barre 54 with Stopera leading the way with 26 points.
Saxons pull to within a game of .500 at 9-10.

On Saxon Warriors!