MBB: Landmark Conference

[gouchersid]

announcement on Tuesday

[Innerloop]

What is this ECAC tournament I have read about?

[Reserved Seat]

What is this ECAC tournament I have read about?

A runner-ups tournament for good teams that don't make the big dance.
Not really a tournament just a bonus game or two for selected teams in the region.

[Matt Letourneau]

Its sort of like the NIT, innerloop.  Smaller field than the real NIT and you don't go out of region.  But it generally consists of quality teams that just missed the tournament.  Some teams aren't a member of the ECAC and so aren't eligble, but most are.  Several years ago--the year before CUA last made the tournament--Catholic played in it and had a great experience--they got 2 really good wins on the road (at CMU was one of them), and then lost a close game in the final.  It ended up being something to really build on for the next year and it helped.

If Catholic made it, it would deft. be worthwhile for this year's team, considering their youth. 

[susiddad]

Sorry Matt. 

Last year the team was young....This year the team was young.

It is not like this is Howes first season at the helm with all new players.  Year five.  TO have a young team for back to back seasons is inexcusable in your 4th and 5th seasons.

It was all about the excuses for the losses poor officiating 50% inexperience 50%.  The wins are gutty and deserved of course.

Im sure the rest of the team reads these posts and loves to hear about banzhaf this and banzhaf that. (Wonder if that is why you lost so many transfers last year some of who would be starting this year. or do you have another reason why?)

Also 5 assistant coaches?  The Wizards have 4. 


On to my picks:
POY: Patch Sr. Leader for a team that needs all of his skills.
Runner up: Banzhaf and all of the Catholic Referees who win 2-3 games a year for them
ROY: Spenser Spenser (7-9) in playoff debut
Runner up: Spencer Reed (impressive frosh season
Coach of the Year: Kirkorian - 5 players pretty much in double figures tells me they made the most out of what they had.  Consumate team.
Runner Up:  Marcinek: After losing Robinson and Cuff and their (46ppg.) a remarkable job.
Off. POY: Banzhaf - filled the tin night in and night out.
Runner up: Ashworth  scored, 3rd in assts. shot the 3.
Co: Def. POY: Hawk and Majors

1st teamers:
Hawk
Banzhaf
Patch
Ashworth
Ryan Samuel / Brian Majors ?

2nd teamers:
Brian Majors / Ryan Samuel ?
Heuber
Izzo
Thompson
Fitzpatrick

[Innerloop]

Thanks for the explanation. I agree with the young team comments. Catholic had 3 seniors with key roles. They also lost several key players last year. I guess its the old D-3 story line. Players wanted to go D-1 or D-2 and ended up D-3 and lost interest after a year. Thats why D-3 rosters are loaded with freshmen. I checked the roster and Spencer Reed is listed as a sophomore. They don't look any stronger at all next year. Oh well. Time will tell.

[Matt Letourneau]

Sorry Matt. 

Last year the team was young....This year the team was young.

It is not like this is Howes first season at the helm with all new players.  Year five.  TO have a young team for back to back seasons is inexcusable in your 4th and 5th seasons.

It was all about the excuses for the losses poor officiating 50% inexperience 50%.  The wins are gutty and deserved of course.

Im sure the rest of the team reads these posts and loves to hear about banzhaf this and banzhaf that. (Wonder if that is why you lost so many transfers last year some of who would be starting this year. or do you have another reason why?)

Also 5 assistant coaches?  The Wizards have 4. 

Well, they're really coming out of the woodwork, aren't they?  Another one post wonder.  And a coward at that.  If you register and use your first post to slam a team/program, then don't hide.  I'm accountable for everything I say--my name is on it.  Where's yours?

To the "substance" of your post.  There are very real reasons why Catholic lost so many young players last year, and if you knew them I would hope that you would have the decency to be embarassed that you're raising those issues here.

As a matter of fact, I DO have a reason why several of those players left, but its not fair to them to discuss it in much detail.  With one or two exceptions, the reasons had nothing to do with basketball.  All I will say is that in case you haven't noticed, times are tough for a lot of people and sometimes families have to make hard decisions.  Blaming a coaching staff for that is ridiculous. 

Assistant coaches--yeah, its terrible that Catholic is trying to give a couple of young guys who are trying to break into the business a shot at contributing on the coaching staff.  If you think anybody's getting rich because of those arrangements--OR that the school is spending much money--then you obviously aren't very familiar with division 3 basketball or Catholic University.

[susiddad]

Not naming names here (I agree that is classless), but there is accountability in a program and kids leaving like that (in numbers) is a negative.  Still it is reflection of the program when you lose that many kids.  There can be one or two fine, but that many there is something else going there. 

It is nice to give thee young guys a shot coaching.  I don't think its a bad thing, just a little wierd that most d-3's have 1 or 2assts., D-1 schools have 3, the NBA has 4, Catholic has 5.  It comes off as a little pompus, (sorry). 

Talk to me about the predictions instead.

As for the title, tough to pick against Scranton @ home.  If at SU, probably would take the Crusaders, but on the road, I am thinking 3 pt. shooting from the Royals will be the difference.  And there is also something about most refs that lean toward the home team.  Should be a good game regardless.

[Pat Coleman]

I've seen D-III teams with as many as six assistants.

Comparing any D-III team to D-I, where there are rules governing such things, doesn't make much sense.

[BCannon]

So SU vs. Scranton in the Long Center. Good to see the addition of Brent Ferko to the SU coaching staff paying huge dividends. Not only do they get out of the 1st round of the playoffs, but Coach Ferko has certainly been instrumental in helping turn Patch into an all conf 1st team player and potential poy. However, I question whether Ferko's bad luck in championship games will follow him to the Long Center. My gut tells me yes.

The matchup to watch will defn be Patch v. Hawk. I think Hawk will have similar success against this poy candidate. I don't think Patch's numbers will be as poor, but Hawk will really slow him down.

My prediction...Scranton 73 Susq 60
Ft's at the end bump the spread up
My prediction in foul disparity...Susq +10
Scranton+14 on the FT line

[TheGrove]

Yes, we puny Crusaders were nothing til the mighty Eagle swooped into town! :-)

[Innerloop]

I will go with Susquehanna only because they seem to be playing better now. Catholic almost beat Scranton with a sub par performance. I like the controversy over the assistant coach thing. NCAA makes rules for D-1 and D-2 because of  scholarship rules. I support a coach like Howes for giving young guys a chance to get in the coaching "innerloop." I think that it looks a little funny on the bench though with a posse of suits during timeouts with less than 500 fans in the stands. Maybe there should be a rule limiting the total number of bench seats for coaches? Maybe any coaching staff representative over 4 should sit behind the bench? But what do I know!

[NEPAFAN]

The difference between Susquehanna and Catholic is that if you shut down Patch, others will hurt you ie: Spenser Spencer and Cosgrove.


Logic says that a Senior Laden Scranton team wins, but we'll see what happens at 730.........


I'll go

Scranton 70
Susquehanna 63

[susiddad]

Im going to predict an SU win, because someone has to.

SU 65
Scranton 64

Brent Ferko hits a 3 from the bench as the buzzer goes off and no one realizes it wasnt spenser spenser.

[tpm4286]

Susquehanna- 78
Scranton- 64

Patch- 21 pts.; 9 rbs.
Spencer- 26 pts, ; 5-6- 3-pts.