Empire 8

[UCgrad45]

If the two teams played again today, UC would easily dispatch them again. They aren't very good and they are not well coached.

Fisher, Ithaca, and Stevens all had more talent than naz. They are probably the worst team that could represent the conference.


You obviously know nothing about Empire 8 basketball. Nazareth has a 15-3 record away from home, no small feat. They also have three players who are arguably first-team all-conference type of players.

I've been directly involved since '99. Care to try again?

Naz is notoriously undisciplined street ballers. They had 1 player that impressed me this year, and even he only turned it on at the end of the game. I don't care what their road record was. They don't play D, they are streaky, and don't have guys that can consistently give you 100%. They step up for Fisher, and got a Stevens team at a time when they were not playing good ball.

They have had these "first team all conference type" players for years, and had one flash in the pan with them. They had D1 transfers that couldn't win.

Good for them for having a strong weekend with favorable match ups. Savor it, because you won't see it again for a while.

[gobombers15]

gb I usually agree with everything you say, but SLU did have head to head wins over B-port, Oswego, Bates and Ithaca.  Neither I believe will get in, but in my opinion SLU is a little more deserving. Don't forget non-region losses I believe do not count against you so the losses down in FL don't count for a regional bid.

The wins against Brockport and Ithaca are deceiving. SLU beat Brockport right in the beginning of January (if memory serves) while they were in the midst of a bad losing streak and they were finally getting all of their players back. You and I both know the result is likely different if they play that game in the middle of February. And, for the 4,000th time, SLU beat Ithaca in OT when Ithaca was playing without Sean Burton and has no real backup PG. Congrats. If you think the result would have been the same with one of the best players in the region in the lineup, I have a bridge downstate that I'm looking to sell.

I was simply responding to someone who was listing teams that Naz may play in the 1st round and mentioned SLU. I was pointing out that SLU will not be in the tournament. I think IC and SLU have similar resumes (which they do). Don't think I said much beyond that. I think you're nitpicking a little bit here.

As far as the other topics on this board go, I fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to Naz. I don't think they're nearly as bad as UCgrad makes them out to be, but I don't think they're as good as FisherDynasty thinks, either. We all know this game is about matchups. Ithaca and Utica are just bad matchups for Nazareth, the same way Fisher is a good matchup for Naz. Naz has their blemishes, as did every team in the E8 this year, but they do some things pretty well, things that if you're not prepared for they'll make you pay for. Not every team has three different players who can put 20 on you in a given game. But not every team looks allergic to defense 80% of the time and goes out of their way to blow games they have no reasons losing. Again, every E8 team had its issues this year. Naz just happened to be the team that survived (appropriate word) the E8 Tournament. Congrats to them and I hope they represent the conference well in the NCAA's.

[32 Gold and Blue]

Hartwick hasn't performed well in the league during Coach Culpo's tenure.  Are they improving?  How well are they recruiting?  What are the prospects for Hartwick basketball for next season and the following three?  I'm hoping for substantial improvement.  Will they be competitive in the near future for a conference crown?

[e8insider]

All I know is that they are the best team in the Empire 8 and they deserve the automatic bid.

[with age comes?]

gb- I think we agree in principal.  None of the teams mentionned may get in, all I'm saying that if you were on the selection committee- SLU has head to head wins.  I don't think there going to say that Harris was just back at B-port that's why SLU won or that Bostic wasn't up to form at Ithaca, or that Oswego just had a bad day.  They would say look at these teams - SLU won the head to head match-ups.  When in fact probably B-port would win now, Ithaca would be extremely close and Oswego would too.  Again call me a nit-picker but I bet there is a lot of that on the selection committee.  You've got to make decisions on teams that are so close in talent, record, and resume that the "nitpicking" may be what decides who is in and who plays golf during spring break??!

[gobombers15]

All I know is that they are the best team in the Empire 8 and they deserve the automatic bid.

The pomposity emanating from that post stings the nostrils. Look, Naz escaped from Ithaca as the E8 Tourney champs. If the best team in the E8 is a team that hit 2 FG's over the final 8 minutes (and no FG's in the final 4:17) of the E8 Final to "secure" the victory, then maybe this conference wasn't nearly as good as I thought it was. Let's be real about this. Naz tried giving that game to Fisher, but Fisher just wouldn't take it. You win it, no you win it, no you win it...

I see that you're a student at Naz so I can't fault you for being a bit over-excited for your team right now. However, if you were what your handle purports to be, an "E8 Insider," then you'd know that there was no "best team" in the conference this season. The best team changed depending on which weekend you were asking. But you already knew that, I bet. I'm sure you'll be returning to the woodwork from whence you came soon enough.

gb- I think we agree in principal.  None of the teams mentionned may get in, all I'm saying that if you were on the selection committee- SLU has head to head wins.  I don't think there going to say that Harris was just back at B-port that's why SLU won or that Bostic wasn't up to form at Ithaca, or that Oswego just had a bad day.  They would say look at these teams - SLU won the head to head match-ups.  When in fact probably B-port would win now, Ithaca would be extremely close and Oswego would too.  Again call me a nit-picker but I bet there is a lot of that on the selection committee.  You've got to make decisions on teams that are so close in talent, record, and resume that the "nitpicking" may be what decides who is in and who plays golf during spring break??!

I agree that the committee would look at those things, mainly because they have neither the time nor energy to get the facts. But to say "that's how the committee does it, therefore it is correct" is flawed reasoning. And if you really think that a team that needed OT to beat Ithaca minus Burton would stay close when he was in the lineup, then we're going to have to agree to disagree.

[with age comes?]

Ok GB I surrender- never argue with a future lawyer!

[gobombers15]

Ok GB I surrender- never argue with a future lawyer!

Not trying to beat you into submission or "get the last word." It's fine to have a difference in opinion without making it personal. As you mentioned, I think you and I agree on most things. But where's the fun in agreeing on everything all the time.

[fisheralum03]

at first glance at the bracket, the hardest one is the Amherst/Plattsburgh St bracket. Easiest road to Sweet 16, Rochester.

[jasper]

Naz is in the Amherst, Plattsburgh State bracket ouch.......

[Cards7580]

"...at first glance at the bracket, the hardest one is the Amherst/Plattsburgh St bracket. Easiest road to Sweet 16, Rochester...."

Go Middlebury 

[Jacketfan2011]

"...at first glance at the bracket, the hardest one is the Amherst/Plattsburgh St bracket. Easiest road to Sweet 16, Rochester...."

Go Middlebury 

Well, if that's the way you're gonna be...GO KINGS 

Besides, if I read the bracket right, Plattsburgh and UR could meet in the Final Four.  Don't you want to see that?

[FisherDynasty]

Naz can beat P. state but not Amherst, sucks to be in that bracket.

Rochester's bracket looks weak, unfortuately they have to face the toughest team in that bracket in the 2nd round. If they get by that there goin to the Final 4.

[jasper]

Fisher has the #4 seed in the ECAC tourney and will host #5 seed Vassar at time tbd.....

[Jacketfan2011]

Naz can beat P. state but not Amherst, sucks to be in that bracket.

Rochester's bracket looks weak, unfortuately they have to face the toughest team in that bracket in the 2nd round. If they get by that there goin to the Final 4.

What makes UMD, Ursinus, Va Wesleyan, Gettysburg, and Middlebury weaker than Platts, Amherst and Bowdoin?