Empire 8

[magicman]

Back and forth 1st half with largest lead by either team at 35-30 RIT with 2:33 left. Stevens ends half with 3 straight buckets to go into the break 36-35. Both teams struggle out of 2nd half gate until 3 straight baskets give RIT their largest lead of the game at 44-38 with 15:13 remaining. 9-2 Ducks run regains the lead at 47-46 but Marcus Lowe jumper puts Tigers back in front with 12:00 to go. Both teams go cold over tne next 4 minutes until Duck's Mike Cutri hits a 3 for a 50-48 lead at 8:03. 8 lead changes and 4 ties over the next 5:30 and with the Duck's up 1 at 60-59 Cutri hits another big 3 with 1:37 left. With 24 seconds left Cutri steals the ball, is fouled, makes 1 of 2 free throws, steals the ball again and takes it in for a layup to extend lead to 7. Cutri with 17 pts leads the Ducks, followed by Greco with 15 and Simon Smith with 12. Stevens shot 50%from the field 24x48 and 7x14 from behind the arc. They were 14x24 from the line. RIT's Scott Young with 13 pts and 6 boards was the only Tiger in double figures. Tigers shot 25x47 from the field (53%) and 7x13 from 3 point land (53.8%). Tigers out rebounded the Ducks 28-23 but only went to the charity stripe 6 times making 5.

[gobombers15]

HAHAHAHA....Fisher smacked RIT today. Ignore any previous posts saying otherwise. The score did not do the game justice. Fisher took the lead early in the first and was never threatened afterwards. They are an extremely well-coached team and have a lot of promising youngsters. They are unquestionably the class of the elite 8. Asst. coach Mahanna is surely someone to keep on your radars. Truly a rising star. RIT gave a good effort and I would not be surprised to see them upset a team in the future. Once the younger Cardinals relax and start finishing around the hoop and the team as a whole guards the three slightly better, its all over.

Fisher may be the best team in the E8, but a 90-83 loss at home to Hobart, a team who two other E8 teams knocked off, is enough to make one "question" whether they are "the class" of the E8. Tone down the hyperbole a bit and people may take you more seriously.

Surprising result: Naz hammers Utica, 66-50. Somewhat shocked by that one.

[bomber3]

HAHAHAHA....Fisher smacked RIT today. Ignore any previous posts saying otherwise. The score did not do the game justice. Fisher took the lead early in the first and was never threatened afterwards. They are an extremely well-coached team and have a lot of promising youngsters. They are unquestionably the class of the elite 8. Asst. coach Mahanna is surely someone to keep on your radars. Truly a rising star. RIT gave a good effort and I would not be surprised to see them upset a team in the future. Once the younger Cardinals relax and start finishing around the hoop and the team as a whole guards the three slightly better, its all over.

Fisher may be the best team in the E8, but a 90-83 loss at home to Hobart, a team who two other E8 teams knocked off, is enough to make one "question" whether they are "the class" of the E8. Tone down the hyperbole a bit and people may take you more seriously.

Surprising result: Naz hammers Utica, 66-50. Somewhat shocked by that one.

Gobombers....i'm with you regarding fisher... they beat a disappointing RIT team that was picked to finsh 2nd in the league but will  be lucky to make the E8 conference tournament in my opinion.  RIT is 2-4 overall with 2 league losses.  At this point I have Fisher, Ithaca, Stevens, Utica, Nazareth, and Hartwick better than them.  I wouldn't go crowning Fisher as the class of the league because they beat a struggling team at home by 14.

[FisherDynasty]

Gobombers im with you on your comments to Fisherman.  Fisher in my opinion does have the best talent, the most experience, and are the team to beat in the league.  However, to say class of the league is a little overboard considering they did have a let down to Hobart.  This won't be the only let down Fisher has, I don't think they have the leadership or mental strength as a team to have consistent great play as in prior fisher teams.  They should win the league and have a great record, possibly finish top of the region, however, the region is down vs past years. 

Bomber 3, you think they will be lucky to make the e8 tournament? I don't think that is a very good opinion as fisher was picked by the coaches to finish first, not sure how that translates? RIT has a number of losses but has beat UofR which is a good win.  In addition, Fisher vs RIT is a league game which is usually a battle as the teams are so familiar with each other. 

All in all, it is too early to tell whos good and whos not.  Ithaca had some good wins then some bad losses.  The game vs Amherst clearly demonstrated Ithaca is not going to have much of a run in the NCAA tournament this year, however, this is expected as they lost good seniors.  I do think Ithaca will finish top 4 in the league if not 2nd behind Fisher.  I wouldn't count out Utica they are always tough and always get in new players. 

RIT will come around during the 2nd semester as they usually play good defense and are very physical. Hartwick always starts the season off good 6-0 i think the past 3 yrs so I wouldnt put to much emphasis on their early season wins.

[FROMAFAR]

I haven't been "DUCKING" you guys, just first chance I have to hit the boards.  The good news I knew RIT lost from the beginning.  Why?  now the bad news, I was there. Even worse news at both games..........  I took the opportunity to go up and visit, and take in both games.....Ok here's my read on the Tigers. Our bigs can shoot, good news,... bad news we don't get inside that's why we don't shoot foul shots. Even with Korinchak, we don't have a point guard....Too many guys coming in and out, no fluidity. It looks like each guy coming in is auditioning for the job... Horrible way to play the game....Coach has to establish a shorter rotation and we need a leader on the court... I know your all probably sick of hearing me say that, but to me very importtant.  

Fisher game..... I didn't go in expecting a win, but we were horrific.....Our strength, I think, is shooting. We didn't shoot well... as a matter of fact horribly... I think 18% in the first half...... Some teams shoot better than that blindfolded....maybe that would of been a good strategy, put blindfolds on us. I give Fisher credit, they played tough D and did what they had to do win.. Although I don't consider us a great defense team, and Fisher didn't score much either.  don't annoint them yet..........especially based on that game.

Stevens game.... I wanted to see how we came out after the loss, and I was happy to see we were aggressive and we were shooting well... We shot well the whole game, How does a team shoot 53% for the field,  54% from 3's and out rebound the other team and lose....Simple, too many turnovers. This Stevens team would not go away... they answered every "punch". This kid Cutri hit a few 3's but 2 of them were with someone in his face and one at a real crucial time... They look so much looser than last year, not looking over their shoulders and worried about being taken out.... Also, not just looking for 2 guys........Of course Greco impressed me in a lot of ways. He came out of the game about 6 minutes in holding his stomach... looked like he was going to get sick..... Came back a couple minutes later clearly under the weather but gutted out a 9 point first half....He hit critical foul shots in the second half, as well as moving the ball, helping keep the Ducks in the game...... Smith is very good around the hole as well, not so good from the line.  Masone is a force defensively. I jus think the Tigers are in huge trouble unless we establish a smaller rotation. While our shooting percentage was good, We had to work for every shot, a couple of shot clock violations...... Young got into foul trouble and Harder disappeared in the second half.    I Dunno, we are in a deep hole, and need to get better quickly.........IC and Naz will be right there, as will Stevens... Utica could be around and of Course Fisher....  I still think Alfred and Hartwick will have something to say as far as knocking any one of the above off.......But we have to hold our home court and pick off Naz, IC, Stevens or Utica in their house. and the final bad news, I am tired of driving, but what do I know    

[FROMAFAR]

Fisher, I think Gobombers was stating RIT will be lucky to make the E-8......Unfortunaley at this point I agree.........

[Ethelred the Unready]

Fisher, I think Gobombers was stating RIT will be lucky to make the E-8......Unfortunaley at this point I agree.........

That was my take as well.  That RIT, not Fisher, was questionable to make the E-8 tournament.

[gobombers15]

Fisher, I think Gobombers was stating RIT will be lucky to make the E-8......Unfortunaley at this point I agree.........

Gobombers wasn't saying anything. That was Bombers3 who said RIT may miss the E8 Tourney. Keep us straight. 

[FROMAFAR]

and it wasn't gobambers it was Bombers 3............. I just qualified to get into the RIT rotation..........confused....

[fisheralum91]

all i can think of is the coach green losing his mind after losing to chicago a few years

*you want to crown them, crown their ass, they were who we thought they were*

[FROMAFAR]

91   PERFECT..............

[bomber3]

Yes, I definitely was referring to RIT. I know its early but RIT doesn't seem to be putting the pieces together just yet.  They should bounce back because they have a lot of experience and one of the better players in the league in Scott Young. Despite that, I see them battling Utica, Stevens, and Hartwick for the final spot in the conference tournament (I think Fisher, Ithaca, and Naz should have 10+ wins and be the other three teams in).   

[FisherDynasty]

Thats what I get for reading posts when I am at work . 

[fisheralum91]

That hobart loss may have been a kick in the butt that fisher needed.
there is nothing wrong with a non conf loss that makes you focus

[Go Naz]

Naz looking very tough yesterday against Utica.  One of the best defensive games Naz has played in the past 5 years.  Its rare that Naz and defense are mentioned in the same sentence but they really got after Utica yesterday.  Tyshaun Stephens is playing as well as you could ask for a freshmen right now.  He looks like Rayvon Hidgon with a jumpshot.  My only concern is that the team now goes on a 3 week break for finals and then the holidays.  I just hope they can stay focused and in shape.