Empire 8

[UCgrad45]

I can't believe that Colgate played Elmira. I don't get the purpose of that game for either team.

[gobombers15]

Any thoughts on the big Fisher Vs UofR game tonight?  

Yeah, I wish it happened two years ago.

[sjfcards]

Fisher proves it is still a team to be reckond with beating U of R by 2 in overtime...Sounded like a real good game. Fisher had a chance to win it in overtime but missed a freethrow..but they took care of the ball, and the score in ot.

Big win for Fisher, Big game for Mcsweeny.

[Caz Bombers]

Great win for Fisher, congrats Cards fans.

Utica rolled over Cortland as predicted....Hartwick stomped Bard to move to a delightfully illegitimate 6-2.

Box score notes coming up in a few.

[coach no name]

As i stated earlier, fisher proved tonight that they are indeed the best team in rochester.  Fisher coulda put it away but a questionable non call on a block by Onyurika.  Waterloos homeboy dan mueller was quiet the whole game but came up huge hitting a 25 footer wit a minute left in rovertime.  PG timmy coyne also played well wit mark bearden grabbing 2 big rebounds at the end of the game.  The trio of mscweeny beigel and smalt was to much for the U of R big guys to handle.  FIsher plays geneseo this saturday night at manning napier.

[Caz Bombers]

Hartwick 81, Bard 54: Jan KooKooforCoacoaPuffs scores 16 points; 'Wick outrebounds Bard 55-23.

Just looking at this box score made me throw up in my mouth a little.  I would like to make Bard play Elmira in front of all the people I don't like, then lock the gym doors and run.

SJF 79, UofR 77 (OT): Dan McSweeney with 19 points, 6 boards, 6 steals; Matt Newman tosses in 12 off the bench.  Jeff Juron had a big game for the Bees with 15-5-9 and 4 steals.  16 for Mike Chmielowiec and 15 for Jon Onyiriuka.  Several unnecessary letters in your last name may not be a requirement to play for them but I'd say it helps.  They also started an Uche Ndubizu.  Rochacha with sucktacular FT shooting (12-28, 42.9%), safe to say that cost them the game.

Utica 72, Cortland 58: Ray Bryant.  Dear Lord.  32 pts, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals on 12-18 shooting.  Doug Herring plays trusty sidekick with 11 points and 6 assists.  Carson Niehoff with 14 off the bench for C-State.  Dragons led by 1 early in second half before UC goes on 26-6 run in next 10 minutes to win going away.

[assassin]

Big win for Fisher tonight in a Physical game against U of R.  Newman impressed down the stretch and their bigs won the battle.  Next up is Geneseo on Friday night.  Should be a decent game but Fisher's bigs should get the job done at home.  Fisher by 12...what do we think?

[FisherDynasty]

I think its going to be Fisher in a close.  Geneseo is very well discipline with some talent and good big guys as well.  With a team like Fisher, they can beat some really good teams bc of their solid bigs and talented guards, but the inexperience, lack of leadership, and lack of a dominate scoring threat on the wing is going to cost them a few unexpected games. but overall they will have an excellent season and will get better each game, which is always a good thing.  Yes, i think UofR is much better then Bport but the styles of to two teams match up differently vs fisher.  back to the Geneseo game, Its going to be a close one, but I have Fisher by 5-10.

[sjfcards]

I am a little bit worried about the Geneseo game...They are a good team, not as talented as Fisher (they never are), but they are good enough to beat Fisher. SJF is a young team, and young teams tend to be up and down.

Kornaker has to get the young guys ready to play a tough game, and not take Geneseo lightly.

Having said all that, I think he will, cause he is a very good coach, and I will take Fisher by 4

[zola]

No  worries for SJF this evening. Geneseo's Scott Morton is smooth, composed soph. Kitson can be a difficult matchup but can also disappearsfor too long stretches. Knights have 18-wheeler size up front:  takes a while to get out of 1st. SJF by 10+

[slickyquick]

If Sciera and Howe show up then they could give Fisher problems. But that is a big "IF." Howe could be one of the most talented bigs in the conference but for some reason whether its lack of confidence or lack of killer intinct he doesn't show up all the time.

Except a slight letdown after emotionally victory against UofR. It is always tough to play good teams on consecutive games.

[gobombers15]

Now that Fisher's football season is finally over (and congrats on a great season), it's time to really focus on hoops in the E8. Here are my pre-conference season picks:

POY: Ray Bryant-Utica

Consensus favorite. Should be able to run away with this thing.

ROY: Corey McAdam-Naz

The kid can play. Put up monster numbers against UR. Ithaca's Leahy is listed as a sophomore so I'm not sure if he qualifies, though I don't remember him being on the roster last year. If he does qualify, he could potentially challenge as he is likely going to become their go-to-guy.

1st Team All-Conference

F- Ray Bryant (UC)
F- Justin Beigel (SJF)
C- Dan McSweeney (SJF)
G- Doug Herring (UC)
G- Joe Canori (Naz)

I think Burton could potentially challenge Herring for that spot and I do think the two will end up with similarly impressive numbers. That said, tie goes to the player on the better team. Herring is my pick.

Projected Standings

1) Utica (12-2): Probably gonna catch some flack for saying they will lose a whopping two games in the conference. Whatever. I think they split with Fisher and lose on the road to one of the Rochester teams. The Men's E8 Tourney will finally have a new location.

2) Fisher (11-3): And this is in a "rebuilding" year. You know Fisher will protect its home court. Beigel and McSweeney will have to carry this team. Should dominate all their opponents on the glass. I think they split with Utica and Naz and lose one at either RIT or at Ithaca. Still should come down to SJF and UC in the E8 final.

3) Ithaca (9-5): Call it what ya wanna call it. Maybe I'm being too much of a homer, but I like the way this team plays. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that the ball won't be in Whetstone's hands for the 30 minutes a game. Either way, I feel comfortable with Burton running the ship and getting a different high-scorer each night between him, Bostic, Leahy, and Stahn.

4) Naz (8-6): I've said for awhile: Until they can start playing defense on a consistent basis, they will not be an elite team. They can beat any team in this conference on a given night, but I think they can also lose to everyone (besides Elmira) if they decide to sleepwalk through a game. I think they probably get swept by UC, split with IC, RIT, and Fisher, then have a bad loss (as they always do) against Alfred or Hartwick.

5) RIT (7-7): Not completely devoid of talent, but, besides Bacon and Zeinfeld, probably dont have any guys that we know about. McVean is probably gets the most out of his players of any coach in this conference, in my opinion. I think they're good enough to scare some teams this year, but bad enough to lose to a couple teams they probably wouldn't have lost to in years past.

6) Hartwick (5-9): I just vomited in my mouth thinking about this team winning five conference games and having a legit chance to win in almost every conference game. What's the over/under on MadHawk's return? The early projection is 1/24.

7) Alfred (4-10): Add a "historically underachieving team" to "has less talent than the last two years" and this is what you get. Saxons have a nice frontcourt with Stein, et al. I think they lose some early games in the conference season and pack it in from there, as they usually do.

8) Elmira (0-14): Whatever.

[FisherDynasty]

Excellent Analysis GoBomber.  I have to say I agree with just about everything you wrote. 

[gobombers15]

Ithaca loses to undefeated St. Lawrence in Canton, 76-63. The Saints sprint to a fourteen point lead at half. Bombers push back and open second stanza with an 18-4 run to tie it. St. Lawrence keeps the lead between four and eight until the last two minutes when they pull away on FT's.

Happy to see IC rally in the 2nd half after the atrocious way they played early. The team doesn't have any quit in them. It's too bad they had to expend so much energy getting back in the game and just didn't have what it took to get over the hump.

Bombers led by Jeff Bostic's 21 pts and 9 rebs. Looks like he's really hitting his stride and improving every time he hits the court. Could be a bad thing for the rest of the E8. Sean Stahn chips in 14 and 6; Sean Burton with 12 for Ithaca.

[fisheralum91]

Football over now- hard to get over but.......

Fisher in the "rebuilding" stage still is tough esp at home-
UC and Ray Bryant may be the team to beat- Spanked SUNYIT today.
Hartwick?   Lets hope madhawks laptop crashed!