MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[Bengalsrule]

I must admit...the Hayden I saw Saturday looked every bit of a POY! Were roughly at the 1/3rd mark of the season so hopefully that All Sunyac stuff will become clearer in the days/ weeks to come. Interesting team you have there Bear!!

Ive seen all up close this season but Fedge (tonite) and Ivy (next week).

[hawkball]

Nice to see Shereef Taylor get the nod for 'YAC POW...when the kid wants to turn it on - he is one of the most athletic players in all of DIII.

Thanks @thebear for giving the nod to Devine - while his stat line may not be as lights out as last year - the kid is such a leader both on and off the court. Many more hands capable of handling the ball this year @ NP vs. last year. Devine looked like the old Matt vs. Cortland though - he is deserving in my book!!

A little hesitant to comment on Oswego/Hayden Ward until we see them next Tuesday - competition has been really tight all around in the 'YAC this year - but Oswego's out of conference schedule is a joke compared to everyone else's...a little too early to give it to Ward - Oswego played well this weekend against Buff - but I think Buff is the better team.

We'll see next Tuesday!! Also gearing up for one tough weekend in North Country- should be interesting to see how that turns out! 

[magicman]

New Paltz G/F Shareef Taylor was selected as the SUNYAC PLayer of the Week for the week ending 1-13.

Here's the write up from the SUNYAC website.

"Taylor averaged 20.0 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game in a 2-0 week for the Hawks. He also shot 53.6 percent from the floor off 15-of-28 shooting and was 5-of-6 from the line (83.3 percent). Taylor scored 22 points in New Paltz's 77-70 win over SUNY Cortland on Tuesday, adding nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. He followed that up with 18 points against SUNY Oneonta on Saturday, as New Paltz won, 79-70. His stat line also included six boards, four steals, three assists and one block. Taylor, who is averaging 18.5 points per game for the season and leads the team in blocked shots per game with 0.8 and steals per game with 2.3, helped the Hawks push their record to 6-7 overall and 4-2 in the SUNYAC."

While I agree with most of thebear's selections for SUNYAC awards (at the present time) there's still a lot of hoops left to play yet, that will determine the final All Conference teams.

If I had to choose a player from New Paltz though, I would probably pick Shareef Taylor over Matt Devine.  Taylor has scored almost as many points as Devine...241 to 259 for Devine and has done so in basically a game and a half of less playing time, 444 total minutes for Devine, 386 for Taylor. Devine has 91 rebounds (7.0 rpg) to 79 for Taylor (6.1rpg). Taylor has twice as many assists... 26 to 13, twice as many steals...30 to 14, three times as many blocks...11 to 3 and only committed 23 turnovers to 39 for Devine. Taylor has shot 88x156 from the field (53.0%) while Devine has went 86x203 (42.4%). Taylor has more field goals than Devine while taking 47 less attempts. Three point shooting and free throw percentage is slightly in favor of Devine. He is 30x79 from downtown (38.0%) and 57x70 from the line (81.4%). Taylor is 21x59 from long range (35.6 %) and 44x55 from the line (80.0%). Taylor also leads Devine in offensive rebounds with 23 to 16. It was Taylor who hit a huge 3 pointer with 57 seconds left in the Cortland game that gave New Paltz the lead for good last week in their biggest victory of the season. It was Taylor again the next night against Oneonta also. When the Red Dragons came from behind to pull within 2 at 70-68, Taylor made 3 straight baskets down the stretch to open up the daylight that the Hawks needed to close out Oneonta. Both Devine and Taylor have had great seasons so far and I'm sure both will receive All Conference awards, I just like Taylor's overall stats a little better than Devine's. He fills up the stat sheet in more ways. Having said that though, it won't surprise me at year's end to see Devine on the 1st team and Taylor on the 2nd team. A higher scoring and rebounding average usually trumps all the other stats that make up a complete player.       

[magicman]

Three games tonight in SUNYAC action:

Utica College at Potsdam State    7:00 PM

Both teams struggling this year and it doesn't look like either team will make their conference playoffs. Bears with a 4-8 record look to rebound from a 3 game losing streak, all on the road against solid teams. Utica is coming off a loss to E8 contender Nazareth where they played the Golden Flyers fairly even for 35 minutes before Nazareth finally opened up some daylight to win 89-81. Pioneers 2-7 in their last 9 games but the wins were against lowly Alfred (3-11) and winless Houghton (0-14). Bears broke a 4 game losing streak against Utica last year down there and now look to start a streak of their own against the Pioneers. Point spread has the Bears favored by 9 but I think it may be a bit closer than that. I'll go with Potsdam 79-74.

Brockport at Fredonia 8:00 PM

Brockport, winners of 6 of their last 7, but the loss last Saturday was a tough one to swallow, at home against Plattsburgh, 82-81. It bumped the Golden Eagles out of a tie for 2nd and into a tie for 6th, the final playoff spot. Fredonia has lost 4 of their last 5 and the losses were all in conference play. The Blue Devils now find themselves in a tie for last place. After 2 double digit losses last weekend on the road, they hope for a better result tonight at home. It might be better, but the result will still be the same...another conference setback. Pointspread has Brockport favored by 5 points. I'll be surprised if it's that close. Eagles only 2-3 on the road (1-0 on a neutral court) but against better competiton than they'll face tonight. Fredonia 4-1 at home but 3 of those wins come against teams with a combined record of 6-34. I think the Golden Eagles will come away with an 82-73 win.

Geneseo State at Buffalo State  8:00 PM

Bengals coming off a lost weekend will need a win tonight to get back into the conference race. They've fallen from a 1st place tie into a 6th place tie and a loss tonight could put them into sole possession of 7th place. I don't think they had that in mind after two decent wins over the holiday break. 1st place Geneseo is looking to open up a little more daylight on the rest of the pack. Oddsmakers have the Bengals favored by 3 points but they don't know about the Bengals recent woes in the frontcourt. Clearly in my mind, Buffalo State comes into this game a decided underdog. With the loss of 6'7" big man Anyar Majak and 6'3" G/F Maurice Miles the Bengals find themselves shorthanded when they can least afford to be in that position. Geneseo is the 4th straight conference game in which the Bengals will face a probable playoff team and they are 0-3 in that stretch. The Blue Knights have won 7 of their last 8 with only a road loss to Brockport in that span. They are coming off a weekend sweep of the North Country teams and a victory here would really put them in the driver's seat nearing the halfway mark of conference play. Hard to pick against them when the Bengals will not be at their best. But that's just what I'm going to do. I think the Bengals, with their backs to the wall in conference play, will scratch and claw their way to an 85-82 win. In order to pull this one off they will a superb effort from their backcourt duo of Jake Simmons and Rod Epps. I'm sure there will be at least 5 other YAC head coaches hoping I'm right with this prediction tonight.          

[magicman]

Potsdam held a 35-23 lead over Utica College at the half. It's now 63-55 Potsdam with 7:22 left in the game.

Potsdam's Mark Lake has 18 points so far and Colin Peterson has 14. Bears big man Rob Duquette went down with 5:32 left in the first half. He went to the hoop and scored on a layup but was hit and was down for quite a while. He hasn't played since. Hope it's not anything serious.

Buffalo State leading Geneseo 40-37 with 2:37 left in the first half.

[magicman]

Buffalo State 42 Geneseo 42 at the break.

Rod Epps with 15 and Jake Simmons with 13 to lead the Bengals. Gordon Lyons with 10, Ryan Riefenhauser and Connor Fedge with 7 each for Geneseo.

[magicman]

Fredonia State outscores Brockport 10-5 over the last 5 minutes of the half to go into the locker room up 34-33. Actually livestats made a mistake and didn't show a Brockport basket that was made at the buzzer. 10 minutes later live stats shows the halftime score to be Brockport 35 Fredonia 34.

Tyrone Clark leads Fredona with 11 points. Jordan Major tops Brockport with 9.

It's a final in Potsdam as the Bears win 79-66 over Utica College. I nailed the Bears total right on the button but the Pioneers only scored 11 points in the final 9:27 of the game to come a bit short of the 74 I thought they would get.

[thebear]

Bears win 79-66 Mark lake Jr with 18, Curtis Pierce with a double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

No word on extent of Duquette's injury, but Bears got quality minutes from Jr. Brandon Williams and fr. Tariq McIntyre in the stretch.

[magicman]

Final scores :

Brockport 85 Fredonia 64

Geneseo 79 Buffalo State 70.

[jdex]

Can understand why Bengalsrules is on the quiet side today, but Magic (he said with tongue in cheek, of course)? You still at the keyboard describing the twists and turns?

In a nutshell, Buff State at home keeping its horns just barely above water and leading Geneseo 68-65 with about 4-and-a-half minutes to play .........then poof ........Bengals scoreless till a bucket at the buzzer!

Am sure we'll hear more .....

And, yes, Jdex a tad quiet himself of late .........Bengalsrule in Albany .....Jdex in Cancun! Yeah, nice life ........

[Bengalsrule]

I am actually in Albany Ny for my annual Election Commssioners Winter Conference. Been here since Monday. Silence has been because I  havent gotten an opportunity to talk to those who were at the game. Undoubtly going scoreless for the final "X" Mins didn't help our cause.

I'd like to think that if I was at the sports arena last night....then we would have won. I have no doubt that my beloved BENGALS fought hard and would like to have won.

I imagine that today the BENGALS are working on  beating
Fredonia this Sat.

No doubt that I love my Bengals and win or lose you will undoubtly hear from Bengalsrule.

GO BENGALS!!

p.s.  Magicman I sure wish we could have made your prediction right last night!

[magicman]

Four games on tap tonight in the conference. All start at 8:00 PM

Geneseo State at Cortland State

Someone has to slow the Blue Knights down. The Red Dragons need to win this game or they will not only fall 2 1/2 games behind but will lose any tie breakers with Geneseo. The teams have split their past 4 meetings.  Oddsmakers have Cortland Favored by 8 points. That may be too much. I see the Red Dragons winning a close one here  74-70.

Oneonta State at Potsdam State

Bears looking to win 2 in a row for only the 2nd time this year. They really need a conference win streak in a hurry to have any hope of making the playoffs. Oneonta playing better than their 2-10 record would suggest. Both teams are 1-5 in YAC play and both teams have yet to win a conference game on the road. Teams have split their past 12 games and last year both won at home. Point spread favors the Bears by 8 points and I think the home court club will prevail once again. I'll take the Bears 75-69.

Brockport State at Oswego State

Another big game to help sort out the contenders. Lakers need a win to keep pace with the leaders. Golden Eagles need a win to maintain a playoff spot. Lakers already with 2 unexpected losses in conference play can ill afford another home setback. Lakers have won 6 of last 7 meetings including an 81-80 win at Brockport back on December 4th. Point spread favors the home team by 4 and I think it will be a barnburner as well. Lakers will pull it out though, 80-77.

New Paltz State at Plattsburgh State

Hawks come into this game playing their best ball of the season. They've won 2 in a row in the YAC to move into a tie for 2nd with the Cardinals, Lakers, and Cortland. Tonight they will be looking to even their record and get back to the .500 mark at 7-7. Cardinals finally got a win in 2013 beating Brockport on the road 82-81. They opened the year with 3 straight losses, but all were to quality teams. Now they need to protect home court. Cardinals with 2 big road wins, have yet to lose at home but only have played 2 conference games there. Point spread favors Plattsburgh by 6 points. Cards have had the Hawks number over the past 6 years as Plattsburgh has went 13-1 against  New Paltz in that time span. Hawks bring big numbers into tonight's contest and upset possibilites are certainly there. Seniors Shareef Taylor and Matt Devine are both All Conference performers for New Paltz while 6'7" freshman Deveino McRae could be the latest big man to give the Cards problems inside. I think the Cards will be ready though and I see them winning this game 83-76.   

[jdex]

Potsdam 82, Oneonta 62 ......final ....M. Lake Jr. 25 pts(10x14fg), 4 assts for Bears

Cortland 65, Geneseo 58 with 3 minutes left

Oswego 66, Brockport 53 with 7 minutes to go

Plattsburgh 45, New Paltz 38 at the 14 minute mark. Pburgh with 30-28 halftime edge

[jdex]

Cortland conquers Geneseo 79-73 to go to 5-2 in the conference. Gens 6-2. J. Smith paces RDragons with 23 pts on 9x14fg shooting (3x8 3s). K. McMahon 16 pts(7x9fg), 6 rebs;p J. Winter 17 pts, 5 assts. Geneseo led by G. Lyons 15 pts, 12 rebs; C. Fedge 15 pts. Corts by 29-26 at halftime and hike to 56-39 with 11:23 left on Smith trey. Gens within six on several occasions including 71-65. Hosts answer all approaches. Finish 27x53 from the field, 9x25 triples. Gens 26x61fg, 3x15 3s and hold 36-27 board advantage. CSt 11-3 overall, Gens 10-5

Corts at Brockport on Saturday, Knights entertain Oswego

[jdex]

Plattsburgh 75, New Paltz 70, final .......S. McIntosh 23 pts(8x18fg) for the Cards. M. Devine 22 pts, 7 rebs in defeat

Oswego 76,  Brockport 68