Empire 8

[Old Duck]

Thanks magicman. I hope the other 3 teams like Pittsford.  

I wonder if there has ever been any thought about hosting the tournament at a neutral site like they do in DI. I know SUNYAC had a few conference tournaments in Utica at the Aud.

I like the home court idea. For one, it's a reward to the team who wins it. And, it usually means better attendance, since one fan base doesn't have to travel

The ECWC Championships are scheduled for the Ben Light Gymnasium on Feb. 26, the same day as the  E8 final. I would think that this is an all day and into the night event. What happens if Ithaca gets the #1 seed? Would the date of the final be changed, would the tournament be held at a lower seeded (#2?) gym or would they play the first round at Ithaca and the final somewhere else?

The womans tournament has the same issue.

[Gray Fox]

Alfred University rang the opening bell on the NASDAQ stock exchange this morning.

[Bombers798891]

Thanks magicman. I hope the other 3 teams like Pittsford.  

I wonder if there has ever been any thought about hosting the tournament at a neutral site like they do in DI. I know SUNYAC had a few conference tournaments in Utica at the Aud.

I like the home court idea. For one, it's a reward to the team who wins it. And, it usually means better attendance, since one fan base doesn't have to travel

The ECWC Championships are scheduled for the Ben Light Gymnasium on Feb. 26, the same day as the  E8 final. I would think that this is an all day and into the night event. What happens if Ithaca gets the #1 seed? Would the date of the final be changed, would the tournament be held at a lower seeded (#2?) gym or would they play the first round at Ithaca and the final somewhere else?

The womans tournament has the same issue.

Yeah, the women are likely going to host, although only one of them hosting wouldn't be a big issue it seems. You could run the semis friday and have the final after the wrestling on Sat. Or a friday/sunday thing if you had to. Both hosting would be a bigger issue. The way it was done last time IC hosted both was a two-three-one thing from friday-sunday, but in order to do that they would have to do a chunk--if not all--of the wrestling in one of the side gyms. I don't know what that means for spectators though.

My other guess might be to bump the wrestling to Sunday, and maybe move it up a couple hours so you could get it done by say, 7? Then you could have the title game at 8?

It doesn't help that this men's thing probably won't be decided until the last minute, since Ithaca plays the Wick and Stevens on the 18th and 19th.

[Bombers798891]

Big games in the E8 tonight.

Ithaca travels to Fisher where a win would almost assuredly clinch a tournament bid (IC would be essentially four games up in the loss column with four conference games remaining)

Meanwhile, RIT goes to the Wick with a chance to climb all the way into a tie for first place (depending on how IC and Stevens do)

It's like a game of musical chairs right now. What's interesting is that Fisher's season ends before everyone else's so they'll likely be sitting at home that last weekend, rooting for some teams to go down

[bomber3]

Just saw the Korinchak buzzer beater and all I have to say is I would go play the lottery if I was him.  2 od his 13 career 3-pointers were hail mary buzzer beaters.  All I will say is that it seemed to take a looong time for the clock to turn from 4 to 3.  He got the shot off in time though, which is more than you can say about his first buzzer beater

[FROMAFAR]

Bomber 3, I forgot about that other buzzer beater... I have absolutely no defense for the clock issue........you are correct.  This one I can't tell, but the odds are ..we were clock friendly..........While we have you back, since you played in the E-8 FAIRLY recently... What guard, in your opininion, played the toughest defense on you..Also give me the 3 troughest proto-typical point guards you played against. Just want to get a players view....

[FROMAFAR]

Hey Old Duck, I look for Stevens to win big tonight. If I still have my coaching hat on, NAZ plays a lot of match up zone...That leaves the Bigs open if not played right. If your Guards can get it to Smith, Franklin, Sabatino and Jones down low, you should cruise.  Watch that will be open...not much their to defend either. As far as RIT (my boys) we are tough to prepare for since I don't even know are schemes.... So just play your game and hope we don't hit any late shots that mean something.....  

[Bombers798891]

Taken from "A Guy Who Knows Things" vis-a-vie the hosting the E8 tournament:

If Ithaca hosts *either* tournament, but not both, the whole format changes:
#1 Ithaca hosts #4 in an early-afternoon game Friday.
#2 hosts #3 in an early-afternoon game Friday.
Highest seeded semifinal winner hosts other semifinal winner in an early-afternoon game.

If Ithaca hosts wbb but not mbb (for example), the mbb tournament would still be a one-site, Friday-Saturday set-up.

If Ithaca hosts *both* tournaments
#1 Ithaca hosts #4 in a noon-ish wbb game Friday.
#2 hosts #3 in a noon-ish wbb game Friday.
#1 Ithaca hosts #4 in an early-afternoon mbb game Friday.
#2 hosts #3 in an early-afternoon mbb game Friday.

Highest-seeded semifinal winners host lower-seeded winners in each gender's final Sunday.
If one school hosts both finals, it would be (approximately) a noon/2 p.m. doubleheader Sunday.

Basically, the #2 seeds get an extra home game (you're welcome)

Also, it wasn't stated, but strongly implied, that if Ithaca hosts just the men's side that Rossi gets double assists, and if they host both, he gets triple. Plus, Korinchak is contractually required to take at least one buzzer-beater from 40 feet away. A pre-game coin flip will determine if it's to occur before or after the clock actually expires

[Old Duck]

Hey Old Duck, I look for Stevens to win big tonight. If I still have my coaching hat on, NAZ plays a lot of match up zone...That leaves the Bigs open if not played right. If your Guards can get it to Smith, Franklin, Sabatino and Jones down low, you should cruise.  Watch that will be open...not much their to defend either. As far as RIT (my boys) we are tough to prepare for since I don't even know are schemes.... So just play your game and hope we don't hit any late shots that mean something.....  

You never know. Remember last year they controlled their own destiny and ended up losing 5 of the last six. 4 of those games, including Baruch in the ECAC, were rematches where Stevens won the last time the teams met. The 5th lose was to Ithaca who beat them by 2 points at Ithaca in the first game. Their offense is still pretty predictable. The big difference this year is that their defense is much better, they are rebounding exceptionally well and they are shooting foul shots fairly well, 72% even with Smith's 57%.  Those are the 3 things you need to do at the end of a game to give yourself the best chance to win.   I am a little nervous about your RIT team gaining momentum like they did last year. To me they were playing the best basketball in the league at the end of last year.

[bomber3]

FROMAFAR - I don't think you are asking the right player for this question.  I don't have an answer for you because, quite honestly, the other team's worst guard defender was guarding me (best defender was on Burton).  So I don't have a good answer from personal experience.  One thing I will say is McAdam, although he had a ton of steals, was a bad defender.  Gambled too much, got beat too often, and didn't lock down.  Burton was a much better on and off the ball defender and that doesn't get taken into consideration in the Burton/McAdam debate.

Here is my opinion though on a few of the better ones:  Virgil Gray was long and athletic for Stevens and caused problems on defense. Fisher's guards also were normally very good defensively as a group and caused problems for us - very fundamentally sound on defense. I'm drawing blanks on the others right now...   

[buck1053]

Tonight's results:

Ithaca 85, St. John Fisher 71
Utica 71, Alfred 69
Hartwick 90, RIT 83
Stevens 73, Nazareth 72

The standings after tonight's games are:
Ithaca 9-3
Stevens 9-3
Hartwick 9-3
RIT 7-5
St. John Fisher 8-6
Nazareth 5-7
Utica 5-7
Alfred 3-10
Elmira 1-12

Ithaca beat Stevens and lost to Hartwick. IC travels to Hartwick and Stevens on the final weekend.
Hartwick beat Stevens and the two teams play their final regular season matchup on Tuesday.
St. John Fisher and RIT have split their season series.

These are my picks for tomorrow's games:
Fisher over Utica
Ithaca over Alfred
Hartwick over Nazareth
Stevens over RIT

[FROMAFAR]

Bomber3, didn't mean to put you on the spot, what you say makes sense though, except Gray wasn't really a guard... Passalaqua, Greco and Morris were the guards on those good Stevens teams,.....Passalaqua played no defense, most of his steals came away fromm the ball. Greco was tough and locked down many guards by playing 40 minutes of deefnse and gave no room, Morris played off his man, if his guy shot well he was in trouble, but denied penetration, I saw those guys often because of being in the City during the week. I will be at the RIT game later today. Your right about McAdam  he didn't want to foul, and rightfully so.  they needed him offensively......
Buck I agree with all your picks today... Sorry to say since RIT needs the win badly...  Except Watch out for Utica..... they can actually get back in this by beating Fisher.... Where is that game.....there are 4 teams still alive for the last spot..............

Bomber 798.... your the best..  love the Rossi Korinichak rules....................I heard IF IC does not host and Fisher makes it.... even 4th... they get to bring their own refs.....................Old Duck if Stevens hosts, they can eliminate all Jersey refs....

[bomber3]

Bomber3, didn't mean to put you on the spot, what you say makes sense though, except Gray wasn't really a guard... Passalaqua, Greco and Morris were the guards on those good Stevens teams,.....Passalaqua played no defense, most of his steals came away fromm the ball. Greco was tough and locked down many guards by playing 40 minutes of deefnse and gave no room, Morris played off his man, if his guy shot well he was in trouble, but denied penetration, I saw those guys often because of being in the City during the week. I will be at the RIT game later today. Your right about McAdam  he didn't want to foul, and rightfully so.  they needed him offensively......
Buck I agree with all your picks today... Sorry to say since RIT needs the win badly...  Except Watch out for Utica..... they can actually get back in this by beating Fisher.... Where is that game.....there are 4 teams still alive for the last spot..............

Bomber 798.... your the best..  love the Rossi Korinichak rules....................I heard IF IC does not host and Fisher makes it.... even 4th... they get to bring their own refs.....................Old Duck if Stevens hosts, they can eliminate all Jersey refs....

I didn't mind answering it just don't count my opinion as the truth since the best defender's efforts were used elsewhere.  Gray may have been a forward but he usually guarded the opposition's best guard, so far this argument's purposes I would think he would qualify.  And I did not answer your other question about the toughest point guards to play against.  Here are my thoughts team by team:

Utica - Patterson was their PG but I was always matched against Herring.  Patterson was quick and a solid player but wasn't the player he is now.
Hartwick - Blazek was their PG but I was matched against Coco.  Nothing jumped out at me about Blazek at the time, but they took the air out of the ball both times we played them and he has improved much since then.
Naz - Obviously, Mcadam ran the show and was difficult to guard.  Very crafty and smart player that posed problems because of his size and abilities.
Fisher - Newman was a tough point guard that was deceptively quick/fast.  Not great at one thing but very solid all-around
Alfred - Kwienxxx... Decent PG but didn't have much around him
Stevens - I don't think Greco played my final year and I can't remember who officially played the point for them. 
RIT - Korinchek - Tough kid but we guarded him at the foul line so we could focus on other players on the offensive end.  Solid running the show but no outside shot made him easy to guard.  He was very good at basket cutting if his man slacked off though.

Side note - big Bombers win last night.  The game didn't seem to ever be in doubt with an 18 point lead with 11 to go.  Bombers should go to 10-3 today with a game against Alfred, which would put IC in the driver's seat for another regular season E8 crown.  Odds are it will come down to the Stevens game next weekend (which I unfortunately will be out of town for and will have to miss  )

[Bombers798891]

Side note - big Bombers win last night.  The game didn't seem to ever be in doubt with an 18 point lead with 11 to go.  Bombers should go to 10-3 today with a game against Alfred, which would put IC in the driver's seat for another regular season E8 crown.  Odds are it will come down to the Stevens game next weekend (which I unfortunately will be out of town for and will have to miss  )

Well, I wouldn't go so so far as to say never in doubt...after the 18 point lead you mentioned, Fisher went on an 11-0 run over the next three minutes. It's good that the Bombers closed it out after that, but Fisher made it moderately interesting, albeit briefly

[Bombers798891]

Nazareth stuns the Wick, 90-76, Bombers eke one out against Alfred 85-81, Stevens takes care of RIT 76-64, Fisher tops Utica 71-62.

Current standings

Ithaca    10-3
Stevens 10-3
Wick        9-4
Fisher      9-6
RIT          7-6
Nazareth 6-7

Everyone else has been eliminated

Ithaca and Stevens have clinched a spot. Both of them swept Fisher, and  own a four game lead on Naz with three to go, so they can't drop lower than 4th.

Wick still has a game left against Elmira, so they're going to get to at least 10 wins. RIT has to go on the road and play two teams they've already lost to, so they'll probably pick up loss number seven somewhere, which would put the Wick in with the 10.

As for that last spot? My gut tells me Fisher tops Nazareth for it, but who knows? I don't even want to think about the order. Fisher is probably the #4 team, but the top three could go anywhere