Empire 8

[bomber3]

Bombers opened the season last night with a major dud against Hobart, losing by 25+.  I didn't see the game but it appears there wasn't much defense played by the Bombers and apparently not much offense either.  I saw them play last week and the team looked decent, but not great, winning a scrimmage by 3.  Jordan Marcus needs to be their go-to guy this year and has an outside shot at breaking the all-time scoring record, assuming he has better days than yesterday.  Their bigs were solid but they will miss Barera, as most teams would if they lost an all-region player.  Their transfer from Rutgers didn't play much in the scrimmage and was a non-factor.

Overall, they got off to a rough start but this team should be pretty good.  I don't know if they will reach 20 wins but they will be pretty good.  Need to be a lot better than yesterday.  Go Bombers.   

What a disaster. So, I know I'm largely cynical on this board, but I don't see the Bombers doing better than 15 wins.

They've got a great PG, but he's pass-first. The two biggest scorers are almost exclusively perimeter players. Where's the athletic slashing player who can get to the hoop like Rivas and Grier could? Can Christian Jordan really be expected to fill that role? Ithaca has no interior presence, as they were killed on the boards last night (-18)

Defensively...ugh. Look, I'm sure Hobart was hot, but, in very rare cases does a team play good quality defense and contest shots and allow a team to shoot 63%/72%. This team does not have the horses to allow 90 points a game and win. Oztemel's too streaky, Jordan hasn't established himself on the offensive end yet, Mitchell's new to the system...and there isn't enough depth.

Just for comparison's sake, the Bombers' scored 108 and 95 points against Hobart the last two years.

This team has lost a ton of athleticism. Grier and Cruz were all over the floor and provided a nice balance to Marcus and Oztemel's outside gunning. And Barera outworked everyone getting up and down the court. Unless things change drastically, where are the wins coming from? You're closer to the program than me Bomber3, so I'll defer to your wisdom if you see things differently, but I see a return to the 15-10/14-11/13-12 squads of yesteryear

I think they will be better than that.  You are right though that they will not have much of a defensive presence.  Ross, Oztemel and Marcus don't play much defense, which is a troubling thought.  That being said, they have a point guard that can contend for the all-time assist record and a shooter that can break the school's scoring record.  If Mullins can get them to rebound and defend a little, they will be just fine.  Your prediction is in the 13-15 win range.  Mine is in the 16-9/17-8/18-7 range.  We will see.

Am I allowed a mulligan on this one?  Bombers off to an awful start as they move to 0-4 tonight.  Hopefully they are able to right the ship before conference play or else it might be a long season.

[Cyclone0205]

Why hello boys, sorry for the long absence, life has caught up to me in the last year ha!  Anyway, been able to catch a couple of the Ducks games this year so I can provide your wonderful analysis of the only team on the other side of the Hudson river.

Stevens is off to a 3-1 start, albeit against Division 5 level competition.  Only loss was to William Paterson in a game they led by as much as 23 in the second half, only to lose in Triple OT (get to that later).  Same cast of characters for the most part with Smith, Jones, Cutri and Thompson leading the way.  Those four are going to be a match up problem for anyone in the league this year because they can all score and they all do it differently.  From Smith to Thompson I see that whole group averaging between 17 - 11 points a game.  Stevens still shoots lights out, especially from Thomspon/Cutri and off the bench, and they have a couple bigs that can stretch the court as well.

Problem, for the first time in a while, is that this Stevens team cannot guard anyone.  They put up 91 last night, but let a BAD Cal Tech team score 78.  The loss to William Paterson was a game in which they gave up triple digits.  They are slow on the perimeter and small inside.  The loss the Sabatino is going to hurt them quite a bit, as he could have been the inside presence.  As it is if a team has either a good post player and/or guards that can beat you off the dribble and finish at the rim then it will be easy to get Smith in foul trouble and once he's out they are a different team.

My predictions: 
19-6

2 seed in E8 tourney

Simon Smith E8 Co-Conference Player of the Year

[Bengalsrule]

Ithaca gets into the win column. Defeats Otterbien by 10. Fear not Bomber3!

[sjfcards]

I don't know what to make of the E8 this year. Down is up and up is down. Are we looking at a Naz, Hartwick, Stevens and Alfred top 4?

[buck1053]

Considering Hartwick went to the dance last year, that they're at the top isn't too surprising. Although, they haven't won in very convincing fashion over so-so teams.

Don't know much about the other teams, but should point out that none of Alfred's wins are over good teams.
They beat Morrisville (1-3) 72-67, Penn Tech (0-6 and a USCAA school) 86-40 and Hilbert (1-4) 67-62 and lost to SUNY Old Westbury (1-2) 86-60.

[Ethelred the Unready]

Does anyone know when the seedings for the Wendy's tournament are announced?

Here if you haven't seen it yet.

http://wendyscollegeclassic.com/men/Schedule-Results/schedule_results.aspx

[sjfcards]

Does anyone know when the seedings for the Wendy's tournament are announced?

Here if you haven't seen it yet.

http://wendyscollegeclassic.com/men/Schedule-Results/schedule_results.aspx

Thanks, I actually saw the bracket last night. Tough draw for Fisher to get Hobart in the first round, and a potential rematch with Brockport in the second round (either way). Fisher will have to do some work to get a couple of wins out of the tournament this year.

I still don't know what to make of this Fisher team. At times I think they are going to be good, and at times, I think they are looking to scratch and claw to break .500. This week should tell me a lot.

[Ethelred the Unready]

Does anyone know when the seedings for the Wendy's tournament are announced?

Here if you haven't seen it yet.

http://wendyscollegeclassic.com/men/Schedule-Results/schedule_results.aspx

Thanks, I actually saw the bracket last night. Tough draw for Fisher to get Hobart in the first round, and a potential rematch with Brockport in the second round (either way). Fisher will have to do some work to get a couple of wins out of the tournament this year.

I still don't know what to make of this Fisher team. At times I think they are going to be good, and at times, I think they are looking to scratch and claw to break .500. This week should tell me a lot.

Good to see Hobart back in the Wendy's/Chase/Whatever after a decade + away.  Bit of an upgrade for the tournament over Keuka.

[sjfcards]

Any Ithaca fans have a scouting report on Hobart? Fisher has them tomorrow night at 6, and I have no idea what to expect. I see they have won some games early, but that is about it.

[Ethelred the Unready]

Any Ithaca fans have a scouting report on Hobart? Fisher has them tomorrow night at 6, and I have no idea what to expect. I see they have won some games early, but that is about it.

Saw them play against Cazenovia, a game they won in OT.  Coached by former UofR coach Mike Neer.  Good size, good shooters, average, at best, defenders.  Did not defend the 3 well against Caz.

[sjfcards]

Any Ithaca fans have a scouting report on Hobart? Fisher has them tomorrow night at 6, and I have no idea what to expect. I see they have won some games early, but that is about it.

Saw them play against Cazenovia, a game they won in OT.  Coached by former UofR coach Mike Neer.  Good size, good shooters, average, at best, defenders.  Did not defend the 3 well against Caz.

Mike Neer? Really. That guys is a heck of a coach. I thought he was retiring when he left U of R. Did he just get the itch again?

[Ethelred the Unready]

Any Ithaca fans have a scouting report on Hobart? Fisher has them tomorrow night at 6, and I have no idea what to expect. I see they have won some games early, but that is about it.

Saw them play against Cazenovia, a game they won in OT.  Coached by former UofR coach Mike Neer.  Good size, good shooters, average, at best, defenders.  Did not defend the 3 well against Caz.

Mike Neer? Really. That guys is a heck of a coach. I thought he was retiring when he left U of R. Did he just get the itch again?

Yeah I think he got a little burned out the last couple of years at Rochester and a year off may have helped.  It was interesting to see how he handled the Hobart kids.  To say they are not the type of player he normally coached at UofR is an understatement.  Not that they aren't good players, they are, but Rochester typically had back to the basket post players and guards who were tasked with getting them the ball at the expense of their offense.  Rarely did you see a big step outside.  He even took kids with little or no HS experience playing inside and made them back to the basket players.  Hobart doesn't seem to have the "pound you into submission" bigs, but if you let them set up without challenging them, they will score.  And they can step outside and shoot as well.

[sjfcards]

Any Ithaca fans have a scouting report on Hobart? Fisher has them tomorrow night at 6, and I have no idea what to expect. I see they have won some games early, but that is about it.

Saw them play against Cazenovia, a game they won in OT.  Coached by former UofR coach Mike Neer.  Good size, good shooters, average, at best, defenders.  Did not defend the 3 well against Caz.

Mike Neer? Really. That guys is a heck of a coach. I thought he was retiring when he left U of R. Did he just get the itch again?

Yeah I think he got a little burned out the last couple of years at Rochester and a year off may have helped.  It was interesting to see how he handled the Hobart kids.  To say they are not the type of player he normally coached at UofR is an understatement.  Not that they aren't good players, they are, but Rochester typically had back to the basket post players and guards who were tasked with getting them the ball at the expense of their offense.  Rarely did you see a big step outside.  He even took kids with little or no HS experience playing inside and made them back to the basket players.  Hobart doesn't seem to have the "pound you into submission" bigs, but if you let them set up without challenging them, they will score.  And they can step outside and shoot as well.

U of R always seemed to be big down low, and could get those guys the ball on almost every trip. I guess that is why they were always tough to beat. The thing about Neer is that he always had a lot of talent on his teams. Can he do the same at Hobart? I don't know if Hobart has the same commitment to winning Basketball games that U of R did.

[Ethelred the Unready]

Any Ithaca fans have a scouting report on Hobart? Fisher has them tomorrow night at 6, and I have no idea what to expect. I see they have won some games early, but that is about it.

Saw them play against Cazenovia, a game they won in OT.  Coached by former UofR coach Mike Neer.  Good size, good shooters, average, at best, defenders.  Did not defend the 3 well against Caz.

Mike Neer? Really. That guys is a heck of a coach. I thought he was retiring when he left U of R. Did he just get the itch again?

Yeah I think he got a little burned out the last couple of years at Rochester and a year off may have helped.  It was interesting to see how he handled the Hobart kids.  To say they are not the type of player he normally coached at UofR is an understatement.  Not that they aren't good players, they are, but Rochester typically had back to the basket post players and guards who were tasked with getting them the ball at the expense of their offense.  Rarely did you see a big step outside.  He even took kids with little or no HS experience playing inside and made them back to the basket players.  Hobart doesn't seem to have the "pound you into submission" bigs, but if you let them set up without challenging them, they will score.  And they can step outside and shoot as well.

U of R always seemed to be big down low, and could get those guys the ball on almost every trip. I guess that is why they were always tough to beat. The thing about Neer is that he always had a lot of talent on his teams. Can he do the same at Hobart? I don't know if Hobart has the same commitment to winning Basketball games that U of R did.

Yeah Rochester has a more "national" recruiting base I guess and I don't know if Hobart can do that.  Of course playing in Boston, NY Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis Pittsburgh and Cleveland helps with recruiting and I don't see Hobart taking on that kind of travel schedule.  Playing the Bards, Vasser's and Cazenovia's of the world is quite a change but hopefully Neer enjoys it.

[Bombers798891]

Any Ithaca fans have a scouting report on Hobart? Fisher has them tomorrow night at 6, and I have no idea what to expect. I see they have won some games early, but that is about it.

They blew us out of the water and shot the lights out. Ithaca sucks this year, but it's worth noting that three of their other four losses have been by five points or less and they've held four of their last five opponents under 75 points. So I think they're legit on offense (scored 82 and 86 in their other two games this season)