Empire 8

[Bombers798891]

I can't decide if Alfred games are going to be exciting to watch or boring. According to the stats, the average Alfred game features 52 fouls and 64 FT attempts. The Hilbert game had 61 fouls and 79 free throw attempts. High scoring games are fun. An endless parade of fouls and free throws are not. Especially considering Alfred is dreadful at free throws.

[dcahill44]

This League is almost wide open. Alfred looked like a Good team last night against Naz! suprising loss for the Golden Flyers. Good to see Coach Wellman get off to a good start though. I think the best 4 teams right Now are Naz, Hartwick, Fisher, Stevens. Thinking that Hartwick could get the 1 seed from my eye test Naz or Stevens at the 2 or 3 seed. And Alfred or St John Fisher. If Chaz Lott is going to be out for a while it could hurt Fishers chances of even making the Tournament. But who knows what could happen.

[AUPepBand]

I can't decide if Alfred games are going to be exciting to watch or boring. According to the stats, the average Alfred game features 52 fouls and 64 FT attempts. The Hilbert game had 61 fouls and 79 free throw attempts. High scoring games are fun. An endless parade of fouls and free throws are not. Especially considering Alfred is dreadful at free throws.

Are you going to tonight's game? If the roads are dry, Pep might take a little ride over to South Hill. Heck, Pep has logged a good 3500 miles during the past week or so....why slow down now?

On Saxon Warriors!

[Bombers798891]

I can't decide if Alfred games are going to be exciting to watch or boring. According to the stats, the average Alfred game features 52 fouls and 64 FT attempts. The Hilbert game had 61 fouls and 79 free throw attempts. High scoring games are fun. An endless parade of fouls and free throws are not. Especially considering Alfred is dreadful at free throws.

Are you going to tonight's game? If the roads are dry, Pep might take a little ride over to South Hill. Heck, Pep has logged a good 3500 miles during the past week or so....why slow down now?

On Saxon Warriors!

Pep, nope, it's not in my plans. Moved about 15-20 minutes from campus, and it's just not worth the trip when the team is this poor. Would have loved to see this Alfred team against the 2008-09 Bombers though! Good luck!

[Bombers798891]

Wow...just wow.

This is the fourth game this year the Bombers have lost by 25 or more points. It's almost shocking how far this team has fallen in one year.

[magicman]

Stevens Tech 96  Nazareth 88   in overtime

These teams were deadlocked at the half at 30 and deadlocked at the end of regulation at 78. Stevens was down 6 with 22 seconds to play after 2 Nazareth free throws. They got a 3 pointer with 17 seconds left, and fouled Naz with 12 seconds left. Naz makes 1 of 2 to make it a 2 possession game at 78-74. Stevens goes coast to coast and scores with 5 seconds left and calls time out. Ducks foul on the inbounds with 4 seconds remaining and the Naz player misses them both. Stevens gets the rebound and fires up a jumper with 1 second left and ties the game. After they traded baskets twice in OT, Naz goes to the line and makes 1 of 2 to regain the lead at 83-82.
Stevens scored 7 straight points and went in front 89-83 eventually building a double digit 95-85 advantage as Nazareth was forced to foul. Stevens made enough of their free throws down the stretch to hold off the Golden Flyers and walk out of Kidera Gymnasium with a victory they probably shouldn't have.

Alfred 94     Ithaca 87    I hope Pep got to see the Saxons win their  2nd in a row in conference play.

Hartwick 84  St John Fisher 82

Elmira 53 Utica 49

[AUPepBand]

Stevens Tech 96  Nazareth 88   in overtime

These teams were deadlocked at the half at 30 and deadlocked at the end of regulation at 78. Stevens was down 6 with 22 seconds to play after 2 Nazareth free throws. They got a 3 pointer with 17 seconds left, and fouled Naz with 12 seconds left. Naz makes 1 of 2 to make it a 2 possession game at 78-74. Stevens goes coast to coast and scores with 5 seconds left and calls time out. Ducks foul on the inbounds with 4 seconds remaining and the Naz player misses them both. Stevens gets the rebound and fires up a jumper with 1 second left and ties the game. After they traded baskets twice in OT, Naz goes to the line and makes 1 of 2 to regain the lead at 83-82.
Stevens scored 7 straight points and went in front 89-83 eventually building a double digit 95-85 advantage as Nazareth was forced to foul. Stevens made enough of their free throws down the stretch to hold off the Golden Flyers and walk out of Kidera Gymnasium with a victory they probably shouldn't have.

Alfred 94     Ithaca 87    I hope Pep got to see the Saxons win their  2nd in a row in conference play.

Hartwick 84  St John Fisher 82

Elmira 53 Utica 49

Pep watched the webcast....final score was AU 94, Ithaca 67. But Pep DID see the Saxons in person today at McLane Center, where they held off a pesky Elmira team, 80-64. Who'd have thunk the Saxons would be the only E8 team unbeaten in conference play after three games?

The new Wellman System has been getting it done thus far.

On Saxon Warriors!

[scooterman]

Who's in charge of the defense at Ithaca? Let Coach Burton take charge of the defense--He'll turn it around

[Bombers798891]

Who's in charge of the defense at Ithaca? Let Coach Burton take charge of the defense--He'll turn it around

Ithaca ranks first in the conference in opponent's FG percentage. They've had some poor games defensively, but they're not a bad defensive team.

[AUPepBand]

Who's in charge of the defense at Ithaca? Let Coach Burton take charge of the defense--He'll turn it around

Ithaca ranks first in the conference in opponent's FG percentage. They've had some poor games defensively, but they're not a bad defensive team.

The E8 stats are interesting. For instance, AU is in the cellar for 3-pt shooting percentage at 29.4% but has made 30 more 3-pt field goals than the team with the best 3-pt shooting percentage. And, bipolarly, the Saxons are the best at defending the 3-pt shot as opponents have made only 25.7% of their 3-pointers.

AU's +10.8 turnover margin has led to the Saxons getting off 21 more shots per game than their opponent. It also has the Saxons ranked second in the nation...second to, you guessed it, Grinnell!

Pep hopes to be watching this weekend's games online as Hartwick and Stevens on the road present a real challenge for Wellman's Warriors!

On Saxon Warriors!

[NYHOOPS8]

Can Alfred win the E8?

[dcahill44]

I dont think Alfred is going to win the League. i think they will end up with a good record and finish 3rd or 4th. but wouldnt it be Incredible for Alfred. Going from worst 3 in the Empire 8 to winning the league in one year!!! Shows how this "Grinnell" style of play can be effective for Teams. Especially teams with less talent

[AUPepBand]

I dont think Alfred is going to win the League. i think they will end up with a good record and finish 3rd or 4th. but wouldnt it be Incredible for Alfred. Going from worst 3 in the Empire 8 to winning the league in one year!!! Shows how this "Grinnell" style of play can be effective for Teams. Especially teams with less talent

Pep certainly doesn't expect the Saxons to win the league. Heck, getting 3 conference wins already exceeds the E8 coaches' expectations. And one can argue that AU may have "less talent" than other teams (and certainly there won't be any Saxons leading the E8 individual stats), but Pep wonders whether any E8 squads have either a deep bench or a starting unit that can keep pace with the Saxons? A hot shooting team can beat AU...if the Saxons have a cold night. But after 12 games, AU is taking 21 more shots per game than their opponent, thanks to 14 steals per game (best in the nation).

Wellman has done an admirable job of recruiting...assembling a fine group of unselfish student-athletes who seem to be having a lot of fun! Pep would love to play on a team where most everyone plays every game. Pep is thinking Wellman has something special here in Mayberry.

On Saxon Warriors!

[NYHOOPS8]

We will know for sure after this weekend if Alfred is for real with road games against Hartwick and Stevens.

[AUPepBand]

We will know for sure after this weekend if Alfred is for real with road games against Hartwick and Stevens.

True dat....+K
Go get 'em, Saxons!