Empire 8

[bomber3]

going down to the wire -- IC up 2 with under 4 to play...

[bomber3]

Fisher had enough in the tank to maintain a double digit lead, and win tonight. can't stick around for the second game tonight, but I think it will be a real good one. At this point I am pulling for 9 overtimes.

You're getting at least one..

[e8bballfan]

And another win over Ithaca in the e-8 tourney for Nazareth...

[bomber3]

Ahh damn...

75-72 naz in ot -- Mcadam hits 2 FTs with 11 to go and IC misses a three to tie it up.  Play of the game was with 25 seconds in OT Cruz-Rivas is called for a questionable offensive foul.  Ref should not have blown the whistle in that situation -- let the players decide the game.  Naz gets the ball and hits their free throws and the game is over.  Naz won the game but that call probably shouldn't have been called in the middle of the game nevermind with 25 seconds to go in overtime.  

Tom Brown played a hell of a game -- he kept them in the game when it looked like Naz was going to pull away.  Four separate times in the last 3 minutes of regulation and overtime he hit a big shot to turn the momentum.  IC is really sweating the bubble now -- most likely on the outside looking in...

[e8bballfan]

What's up with the assistant coach running the IC huddle? Anyone else notice that during the game? He was the one talking up the players and drawing up out of bounds plays 65% of the time.

[Bombers798891]

And another win over Ithaca in the e-8 tourney for Nazareth...

Ugh...another year, another one and done for the Bombers in the E8 tournament. The more things change, the more they stay the same

[sjfcards]

Too bad for IC. Never want to see refs decide a big game. Naz Fisher 3 tomorrow for all the marbles.

[mrhoopfan]

Refs didn't decide ithaca game. 2 things:

1. Naz got timely offensive boards throughout the game
2. The Ithaca coach went away from the box in one/ zone. Mcadam had 6 points n first half and Naz was out of sync against the Ithaca defense. Second half, Ithaca plays primarily man and Mcadam goes off, ending up with 27. They should've made the role players beat them Scaffidi and Stephens a combined 8-28.

On another note, Naz' freshman Waldbillig played HUGE.....good for him as his minutes have been spotty this year.

[bomber3]

Refs didn't decide ithaca game. 2 things:

1. Naz got timely offensive boards throughout the game
2. The Ithaca coach went away from the box in one/ zone. Mcadam had 6 points n first half and Naz was out of sync against the Ithaca defense. Second half, Ithaca plays primarily man and Mcadam goes off, ending up with 27. They should've made the role players beat them Scaffidi and Stephens a combined 8-28.

On another note, Naz' freshman Waldbillig played HUGE.....good for him as his minutes have been spotty this year.

It was a play that shouldn't have been called -- did it decide the game, ehh probably not but it definitely was a huge momentum changer.  There was minimal contact and I'm just saying they shouldn't have made the call.  Nothing worse than a ref that loves the spotlight.

Naz got 14 offensive boards to IC's 20. Naz won the game in my opinion because they got a couple timely stops and hit their free throws. 

[magicman]

Ithaca's chances for a Pool C bid may have just taken a big hit with the loss to Nazareth Friday night. Bomber fans need to hope that not too many Conference #1 seeds get upset on Saturday and Sunday and if they do it had better be by a team that was already considered a Pool C lock.

[with age came?]

Just to be a contrarian (and provide some more fodder) - are you guys all so sure that the LL is not in the same league as the e-8 or the SUNYAC?  Hobart beat SJF @ Fisher.  Clarkson a non-playoff team which had horrible losses (see Elmira) as I think they were perhaps looking ahead to their match up with d1 Cornell - beat U of R and Cortland while losing to Oswego who had the benefit of having a little "insider" knowledge as Stockwell (Oswego Coach came from Clarkson and had coached every single player that played in that game). RPI and Skidmore had some barnburning losses to Middlebury & MIT ranked 6 & 13 respectively and Skidmore beat NYU @ NYU. Top to bottom in many respects the LL may have been more competitive than either league.  7 of the 8 teams had playoff hopes on the last weekend of the season - things were not decided so early like they were in the e-8. And in the SUNYAC only 2 teams get eliminated so there is not the kind of pressure that you have where only 4 teams get in such as the e-8 or LL. RPI & Clarkson did not make their playoffs and both had quality wins. SLU was young team that needed to mature (they lost 8 of first 12 but are 15-11 now) and now could be a force if they get by Hobart @ home tomorrow.  All I am saying is that other than Vassar every LL team spent time beating up on each other.  There was nobody running for the bus early (except Vassar). Just don't see the choice to be so clear but to coin fromafar's phrase "what do I know?"

[FISHERMAN]

Naz vs. Fisher...I love it. I've said it before, and as much as it hurts, McAdam is a great player. However, I have nothing but total confidence that the wildly underrated Will Cornett is going to his thing and contain him.

Message to the E8 tournament refs from all basketball fans..........keep your whistles out of your ****ing mouth and let the great talent in this league decide the games please.

I'm not saying the best two teams aren't in the finals but I'm just infuriated with the refereeing so far. Nobody came to watch you guys.

VIVA LA CARDS!!!!!

[FISHERMAN]

  Nothing worse than a ref that loves the spotlight.

Bomber3 - I totally agree.

[FISHERMAN]

Just to be a contrarian (and provide some more fodder) - are you guys all so sure that the LL is not in the same league as the e-8 or the SUNYAC?  



Yes.

[Bombers798891]

Refs didn't decide ithaca game. 2 things:

1. Naz got timely offensive boards throughout the game
2. The Ithaca coach went away from the box in one/ zone. Mcadam had 6 points n first half and Naz was out of sync against the Ithaca defense. Second half, Ithaca plays primarily man and Mcadam goes off, ending up with 27. They should've made the role players beat them Scaffidi and Stephens a combined 8-28.

On another note, Naz' freshman Waldbillig played HUGE.....good for him as his minutes have been spotty this year.

It was a play that shouldn't have been called -- did it decide the game, ehh probably not but it definitely was a huge momentum changer.  There was minimal contact and I'm just saying they shouldn't have made the call.  Nothing worse than a ref that loves the spotlight.

Naz got 14 offensive boards to IC's 20. Naz won the game in my opinion because they got a couple timely stops and hit their free throws. 

Here's my question: How does Cruz pick up 4 fouls in three minutes? The guy has no fouls with 5:00 to go in the second half and winds up fouling out? Even if the last one was dodgy, that's sort of astounding.

Here's the thing about refs deciding games with foul calls. It works both ways. Refs can decide games by NOT blowing the whistle too. If you let a player get away with something they shouldn't, aren't you still affecting the outcome of a game? If  refs say to themselves "I'm not calling something late in the game" then they're affecting the game just as much because defenses (usually the benefactors with no call situations) can get away with more.

Overall, it just feels like another disappointing season. As a program, IC needs to show they can win the big games. As great as this team has been over the past three years (59-16 in the regular season) and as exciting they've been to watch, they simply haven't delivered when the spotlight is brightest.

It's too bad. Men's basketball has never really been a big sport at IC, and these teams have really had an opportunity to make a name for themselves They still have that chance obviously, but this is the third straight year where--it appears anyway--that we'll wonder, what if