Empire 8

[bomber3]

Looks like Naz got the right calls down the stretch and made the plays they needed to win both games.  I don't think its fair to say Naz won because of the error on the two point call back in the first half.  Strategy would have changed, plays would have been run different, etc. So you can't simply say Naz won by one and were given two points in the first half so Fisher would have won by one. There was ample time to recover from the blown call.

After speaking with a highly regarded member of the Ithaca athletic department -- they were more upset about a play with about a minute and a half to go where Rossi was stripped of the ball.  It was directly in front of the IC bench and he apparently was hacked right on the arm and the ref didn't call it.  Naz got possession of the ball and hit a three to go up by one. It was tough to see on the video but IC's bench got a clear view of the play. So there were two questionable calls that went against their favor.  Its one thing getting a bad call in the first half but it makes it tough when two calls in the last two minutes of OT go against you...

Joe Lunardi was on ESPN this morning and said IC was one of the last four left out...

[bomber3]

SUNYIT @ Plattsburgh
Naz vs Medaille @ Plattsburgh

Brooklyn @ St John Fisher
Brandeis vs St. Lawrence @ St John Fisher

Oneonta @ Franklin and Marshall

[FROMAFAR]

When will the brackets be final?  Also when will the ECAC be announced.. I assume shortly afterwards?   oops looks like they are out.. as I post.

[Pat Coleman]

Bracket: http://www.d3boards.com/playoffs/mbb-bracket2010.pdf

Been on the front page of D3hoops.com for 15 minutes, AFAR.

[FROMAFAR]

Your right Pat, sorry.........

[bomber3]

Quick reaction to the bracket is that Naz got a pretty favorable draw.  Medaille is solid but is 3-3 their last 6 games after starting 20-1. Plattsburgh and SUNYIT are also solid but beatable.  Wouldn't be surprised if any of the four won the bracket.

Fisher got a home bid but is stuck with Brandeis in their bracket.  Brandeis beat UR twice and Wash U.  Brooklyn has no comparable opponents but were 22-6.  

Oneonta gets Franklin and Marshall - 23-4 overall with no comparable opponents.

[D.B. Cooper]

Muhlenberg is a common opponent between Oneonta State and F&M. Dragons won only meeting in Allentown, Dips swept all 3 games home & away. I doubt much can be drawn from this though.

[sjfcards]

Muhlenberg is a common opponent between Oneonta State and F&M. Dragons won only meeting in Allentown, Dips swept all 3 games home & away. I doubt much can be drawn from this though.

Does anyone have a report on Brooklyn? I don't know anything about the CUNY, and was wondering what Fisher was looking at. Looks like Fisher has a bit of a tough draw, even with playing at home. Brandeis and Brooklyn both look solid.

[with age came?]

Think I would project a Plattsburg vs Naz 2nd round game with the edge going to Plattsburgh with the home court advantage.  Also going out on a limb - I think the ECAC winner will come out of the liberty league.  My bet is on Hobart.

[magicman]

Muhlenberg is a common opponent between Oneonta State and F&M. Dragons won only meeting in Allentown, Dips swept all 3 games home & away. I doubt much can be drawn from this though.

Does anyone have a report on Brooklyn? I don't know anything about the CUNY, and was wondering what Fisher was looking at. Looks like Fisher has a bit of a tough draw, even with playing at home. Brandeis and Brooklyn both look solid.

sjfcards,
The CUNYAC conference is one of the weaker ones in Division 3. Last year Brooklyn also won their automatic bid and played St. Lawrence in a first round game on the Saints home court. They got beat 81-69 in a game that was closer than the final score would indicate as Brooklyn was within 4 points at 66-62 with 5 minutes left to play. An SLU 12-4 run over the next 3 min. boosted the lead to 12 and the Saints closed them out at the line. Of the ten teams in the conference this year only 3 of them had winning records, Brooklyn, Baruch, and York. Baruch lost to Brooklyn both times they played with the last time being the finals of the conference tournament. Brooklyn claimed the automatic bid and Baruch with a 20-7 record is not in the NCAA's but will play Stevens in the metro ECAC's. Baruch opened the season with a 68-67 win at a pre-season #5 Ranked Richard Stockton's home court and also beat NCAA tournament team Rutgers-Newark. They lost to current #7 William Paterson 87-81 in double overtime and also played Stevens tough losing an 86-83 decision in OT. Obivously if Brooklyn beat Baruch twice they are a little better team. Both Brooklyn wins were by 5 points and 1 was in OT. York was the other decent team in the league and actually beat Brooklyn twice in the regular season but lost to them in the semifinals of the tournament and they are in the downstate ECAC's as well. Brooklyn's main man is Richard Jean-Baptiste, a 6'4" athletic forward who is avering 20 ppg and 7 rpg. They also have two small (5'10") guards who average in double figures. They return their top 7 players from last year, so they won't be chopped liver. Fisher should win this game but if they take them lightly because of their conference's weak reputation they could get surprised. These guys won't quit.                       

[magicman]

new top 25 poll is out:      http://d3hoops.com/top25/

[Ralph Turner]

new top 25 poll is out   http://d3hoops.com/top25/

[bomber3]

No RIT in the ECACs this year.  Not sure if they declined a bid or weren't invited but there are only four teams in the Upstate tournament.  Not sure why but the tournament has fallen off somewhat over the past 2-3 years.  Several years ago there were always 8 teams in the tournament -- making it a pretty compelling battle for bragging rights over the other NY conferences.  Now with just four teams participating the past few years -- it seems to have fallen off a little bit.  Not sure if it is financial reasons or just lack of interest from teams.

But anyways-- IC is the 1 seed and because the women host Desales, are forced to play on the road against RPI.  Host two seed Brockport will take on Hobart in the other matchup.  This should be good experience for the Bombers and give them some playoff exposure.  With only two seniors on the team (Tom Brown and Will Gaskins) it is more about next season, which will have high expectations for the team...

[FROMAFAR]

I was hoping RIT would play one or two more games, to see if they are truly getting better, and some experience going into next year. I believe Rit and IC may be the teams to beat next year..........BUT ........

[bomber3]

I was hoping RIT would play one or two more games, to see if they are truly getting better, and some experience going into next year. I believe Rit and IC may be the teams to beat next year..........BUT ........

I don't think you can discount Fisher -- they're only losing two players.  But that is a long ways away and this season hasn't ended yet (well for some of us -- even if it is ECACs  ).