Empire 8

[fisheralum91]

 
Is there any gas left in the Fisher tank?
Anybody there that saw the game think fatigue may be a factor in the game tonight?
Go Fisher!

[fisheralum03]

that is a great question. I feel fatigue may be a concern but at this time of year what team isn't a little fatigued. This is where all the conditioning drills in practice pays off.

[tigerfan2]

The two games last night were polar opposites.

RIT/Fisher was one of the best games I've seen in the past couple years. RIT did everything right to make that a close game, slowing the game down and getting good shots. They played very good defense, but I thought the possessions they went 1-3-1 killed them because they gave up better shots and rebounding opportunties when they were in that defense. O'Brien hit a really tough shot at the end to put Fisher over the top, but RIT had two good looks at the end that could have gone down (Snyder's 3 before the O'Brien shot and Springer's at the buzzer). I think that drops RIT to 14-12 so it will be interesting to see if they make ECAC's.

The second game was just aweful. One of the most boring games I've seen, but that probably was influenced by the fact that the first game was so good and the crowd for the second game was about 1/100th the size of the first game.
It was evident that UC was the more talented team, but good lord, Mullins makes it even more evident. IC can't rebound and Mullins kept his best rebounder, the freshman Bostic, on the bench for exteneded streches. Burton is the only other freshman that should have seen any time, I've seen IC a couple of times now and their other freshman suck, although Mullins insists on playing them in key stretches. It also doesn't help that Andreskawhatever can only play about 4 minutes before he looks like he will pass out. If you are a starter on any college team, you need to be in better shape than that.

Just a couple observations on the second game:

- This was the first time I've seen Ray Bryant - I wasn't impressed. Cichon was the best player on the floor tonight and Bellis was the second best. After that, I would take Lucas and then Bryant. Maybe he knows, just as Col does, that he is already the MVP so he thought he could mail it in.
- I've never seen a player pick up as many stupid fouls as Whetstone from IC. He had 3 fouls in the first half and every one was stupid and could have been avoided. He has been doing this since his freshman year and has never learned.
- Daley and Murphy are bad coaches, but Mullins isn't that far behind, he's terrible. A couple friends of mine insist that McVean is a bad coach. He may have some strange substituion patterns, but I'll take him over the 3 just mentioned any day.
- Clear, I hope you were not part of the 2-3 man cheering section in the second level. If you were, I can't say I'm suprised, but if you drove 3 hours to do that, I feel sorry for you.

[Jukebox Hero]

Beigel may have the most invisible 10 points, 7 boards (his season averages) in the entire E8. He's really not good at all. Luckily, he's only a sophomore....I liken him to Terrence Roberts....maybe when he decides to actually play he might be good. I'm not going to rip on the missed dunk any more than just saying that was the first time I've ever seen him TRY to dunk....and he picked the wrong time to do it. Leave the dunking to McSweeney, buddy.

[tigerfan2]

In other news, York won the CUNYAC according to the front page of D3hoops today, so Pool C is that much more crowded. York? Are you serious? I saw them play RIT this year and they are just horrible. No discipline and just not a good team.

Tim Bacon, 23 pts and 8 boards for RIT last night, by far his best game of the year, especially against the size of Fisher inside.

NotJoshReed, you mentioned a call on Bennett in the second half that wasn't a foul, that may be the case, but there were at least 2 other times when Snyder got raped down low by Bennett or others and there was no call, so I guess it balances out. RIT was aggressive last night and forced the refs to blow the whistle. I don't know the official numbers, but I think the fouls were probably about even.

That being said, Kojak is one of the worst officials around. He seems to ref every big game, but he is just terrible.

[bamm]

Another interesting series last night, one that showed me something about McVean I hadn't seen before.  With about 4 minutes left in regulation there's a scramble that ends with McSweeney throwing the ball down with 2 hands.  The crowd erupts and obviously a huge emotional lift for Fisher (now up 4).  McVean calls timeout.

The play he calls out of timeout is a backdoor cut from Rob Hampton (leaper), with Tyler Springer throwing him an oop.  The pass is just a little too far away from the basket but Hampton grabbed it anyway and nearly threw it down, getting fouled in the process.  In a game this intense, McVean wanted his team to answer with a huge play of their own.   


The refereeing was less than perfect, notjoshreed, but you conveniently forgot to mention a crazy sequence at the end of the second half.  Fisher has the ball, up 4, with a minute and a half left.  O'Brien crosses the center line and RIT rushes into a half-court trap.  After a couple passes and some bad dribbling, O'Brien is trapped in the corner by Martin and Roy.  He calls timeout.

The shot-clock resets.  Oops.  There was 20 seconds remaining on it.  The refs don't notice until a fan screams at them.  They give Fisher five extra seconds (25) -- with a minute and a half it's a big deal, especially with the way the first half ended.  I'm sure the refs weren't trying to screw RIT over (they had no idea how much time was left on the shot clock) -- but just an awful, awful job by the scorer's table. 

[superman57]

I have to agree, there were bad calls against both teams.  The bald one was a moron and was making calls that he had no view on, but Fisher won, in probably one of the better games I've seen, SO I tip my hat to RIT and say to Utica lets hope tonights  game is as enjoyable as last nights game.  By the way anyone know the attendance for that game.  It was just about filled

BAMM, they were screwing up all night to both teams, several times they gave RIT fisher's points and then finally moved it back

[bamm]

Fisher guys -- yeah, not trying to take anything away from Fisher.  They pulled one out against a team that was giving them all they could handle.  Superman, I noticed the incorrect scores all night too.  Maybe the scorer's table couldn't handle the pressure of the situation   

[superman57]

I also think that they had been doing it all day too. So I think that you were seeing some exhaustion, that is not a fun job

[jbl2006]

clearconceit, utica is not a better team than Cortland or Oswego State for that matter. St Johns Fisher yes, but not Cstate or O-state, as witnessed by O-states MANHANDLING OF THEM IN THERE HEAD TO HEAD MATCH-UP.

[jbl2006]

clearconceit, utica is not a better team than Cortland or Oswego State for that matter. St Johns Fisher yes, but not Cstate or O-state, as witnessed by O-states MANHANDLING OF THEM IN THEIR HEAD TO HEAD MATCH-UP.

[tigerfan2]

Wait a minute, Utica isn't better than Cortland or Oswego, but they are better than Fisher, who has already beaten them twice?

Not the soundest logic I've come across.

[gobombers15]

TF2, I think he was saying Fisher is better than C-State or O-State.

[reggieball22]

If that is what he is saying then he is still an idiot because he says SJF yes, but not C-state or O-state.

[notjoshreed]

That being said, Kojak is one of the worst officials around. He seems to ref every big game, but he is just terrible.

Hey tiger fan thanks for the name I didnt know him as Kojak but it works.  Over all there were bad calls on both side.  My displeasure Is more with Kojak and last night wasn't as bad as normal.  My problem with him is he interjects himself in most games with a really bad call that often has the potential to change the outcome of the game.  He does this consistantly and he does get many of the top games.
Bamm you are right about the reset. Of the clock.  It was at 20 seconds.  I am surprised between 3 refs and a scorng table they couldnt get that right.
I meant my comment about old man Bryant in jest, but actually it seemed like it could have applied to O'Brien.  I hope he got a good night rest as fisher needs him tonight