MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Well... showing who I voted for and why is certainly a risk and it isn't without plenty of flashback ... but I will continue doing it.

As for the show, thank you for your kind words and patronage. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the show with others... I always appreciate more viewers!

[magicman]

Well... showing who I voted for and why is certainly a risk and it isn't without plenty of flashback ... but I will continue doing it.

As for the show, thank you for your kind words and patronage. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the show with others... I always appreciate more viewers!

I know you get your share of that just from the comments I've seen on different boards when, in the past, you would reveal who you voted for and why. It started off early this year with the preseason vote if I remember correctly. To narrow 400+ teams down to a Top 25 is no easy feat. Especially early on when you don't have much data to go on, other than the research you do. Hard to please all the people, all the time.

I mention your show to hoop fans quite often actually, usually to people that come into my store and the topic turns to basketball. One of my first questions is... have you ever heard of the D3hoops website? That leads to a more detailed explanation of what it's all about with the scores, articles and your Hoopsville show. As Titan Q said the other day when the website crashed and was down for about 12 hours I think. "Consider how this site has transformed the way we follow D3 athletics over the past 15 years or so."     

I can't thank Pat, you and the rest of the crew enough for all you've done to promote D3 hoops. I've made friendships because of it both in person and online and that's just one of the benefits of the community you join. Living in a city that has a D3 college is only amplified by participating in the D3hoops online experience. Keep up the great work Dave, the people that appreciate what you guys do, overwhelm the few detractors that are out there shooting their yapper off.   

[magicman]

Regional Rankings just released by the NCAA. They will probably be up on the D3 website shortly. I had both the East and Northeast regions team for team.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Here you go, magicman: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/?p=1814

[magicman]

Another big night on tap for the YAC tonight. Don't know if the big forecasted  snowstorm will mess things up or not. I would imagine that Geneseo and Brockport traveled up to the North Country on Thursday so those games against Potsdam and Plattsburgh should take place as expected. Likewise Buffalo State is probably already in New Paltz as I post this. The other two games that didn't involve an overnight trip may be the ones that are impacted by the storm if it's as bad as predicted. It's 4:00 AM as I start to type this post and it just started snowing here in Plattsburgh. Weatherman says we'll get 6 to 8 inches but west and south of us will get up to 14 inches. Hope he's wrong and the totals aren't that bad.


Buffalo State at New Paltz State    4:00 PM

Not used to seeing a Friday afternoon game scheduled. The Bengals get a chance to tighten their grip on a playoff spot with a win today over the Hawks. They lead New Paltz by a game and a half so a win here would essentially make it a 3 game lead as they would own a season sweep to claim any tiebreaker. Hawks will be tough at home with wins over Brockport, Cortland and Plattsburgh in Hawk Center already. Odds makers have the Hawks favored by a slim 2 point margin. Hawks, with their backs against the wall, need a win here or their playoff hopes are over. Bengals haven't won a road game in 2013. I'm rooting for the Bengals but I think the Hawks win this track meet 88-85.


Oswego State at Cortland State  8:00 PM

The top rated game of the day. Cortland now ranked 24th in D3hoops Top 25 will be looking to stretch their winning streak to 11 games in a row, all in the conference. Fresh off a #2 placement behind Rochester, in the just released Regional Rankings the Red Dragons are in great shape to claim an at large bid to the NCAA tournament should they fail to win the SUNYAC tournament and the automatic bid. That scenario is the YAC's best chance to get two teams into the tournament this year and I'll be rooting, of course, for my Plattsburgh Cardinals to be the winner of the YAC's tournament. Cortland's having a great year so far and I'd like to see them in the NCAA's so unless they stumble badly here in the next few weeks I think they're in. Oswego, with 5 conference losses already, is probably not in contention to get the #1 seed but a first round bye or a 1st round home playoff game is still available and should provide them with all the necessary incentive to end the season with a bang. Tonight's game and a big matchup with Plattsburgh next weekend will go a long way in determining their fate. Point spread has the Red Dragons favored by 12 points but I think that's way to much. Cortland did win in Oswego just 2 weeks ago 75-69  and I see a game closer to that margin than the 12 points of the oddsmakers. I think it will be Cortland 78 Oswego 72.


Fredonia State at Oneonta State  8:00 PM

This game pitting the bottom two teams in the YAC will probably determine some bragging rights. The Blue Devils won the first meeting in Fredonia and have 2 wins in the league to only 1 for these Red Dragons. However, an Oneonta win tonight in Dewar Arena, will give the bragging rights to Oneonta, as they would own the tiebreaker by virtue of their win over Oswego. Both teams looking to get their 2nd win in 2013. Oddsmakers say it will be the Red Dragons as they are favored by 4 points. I think that Oneonta has been on the verge of a win for some time now and tonight they get it done. Oneonta 69 Fredonia 66.


Geneseo State at Potsdam State  8:00 PM

The Bears are playing for pride. The Blue Knights are playing for a 1st round bye. The point spread favors Geneseo by 5 points but after the way they handled Potsdam in their earlier meeting I think they will win this one by double digits. Still not sure who Potsdam will have on the court tonight as they have had 3 players, all starters, missing time with injuries. If everybody was back it might be a closer game, but still a Geneseo victory. I see the Blue Knights winning this one 77-67.


Brockport State at Plattsburgh St  8:00 PM

Another one of our featured games today. These two teams have played so many close games in the past seven years that it's hard to predict a winner when they get together. Home court hasn't mattered much either and the Cardinals won their first meeting in Brockport last month in typical fashion 82-81. Plattsburgh's hopes for the #1 seed took a tumble last Satrday when they lost a heartbreaker to New Paltz but the Cardinals still have an outside chance for that prize. They will meet Cortland next weekend and a victory would draw them closer to the Red Dragons but they would still need help from someone else. In all probability they're playing for a 1st round bye and the #2 seed. They can't afford a setback here. The Golden Eagles still have hopes for a first round home game but are essentially 2 games behind the Lakers since they were swept by Oswego and would lose any tiebreaker situation with them. They need a win to keep those hopes alive. Oddsmakers have made the Cardinals a 4 point favorite and I don't know if they'll cover that spread.  I'll take my Cardinals to win another close one 80-77.         

[thebear]

The Geneseo - Potsdam games (men's and women's) will be televised by Time Warner.  Tonight is Bear Pride Night as well.

A little snow won't stop much in the 'dam.

[Bengalsrule]

Here's to hoping that my BENGALS can prove the prognosticators wrong. And also hoping that the 4pm start allows them the chance to get out of Poughkeepsie safely and back to their hotel in Albany.

[magicman]

New Paltz defeats Buffalo State 86-81.

I had New Paltz winning this one 88-85 so I wasn't too far off. The Hawks missed 2 of 4 free throws in the final 26 seconds or they would have had the 88 points I predicted for them.


Hawks made the opening basket of the game but immediately fell behind 10-2 and were playing catch up the rest of the 1st half and never drew even until the 13:47 mark when they tied the Bengals at 55 on a Matt Devine free throw. Back and forth play for the next few minutes and the Hawks finally got a lead at 63-62 on an old fashioned three point play by Taylor Sowah. Four more lead changes would follow until the Hawks opened up some daylight at 71-66. It was a lead they wouldn't relinquish. They widened it to 77-68 on a Devine dunk with 5:14 to play but 4 straight points by Jake Simmons brought the Bengals back to within 4 at 77-73 with 2:43 left on the clock. After the teams traded baskets the Hawks' Andrew Joseph scored 4 unanswered points to build the lead back to 8 at 83-75 and that shut the door on any Bengal hopes for a comeback. Buff State got in to within 4 but New Paltz hit just enough free throws down the stretch to hang on for the win.

New Paltz was led by Shareef Taylor's double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds. Matt Devine also had 20 points with 7 rebounds. Andrew Joseph had 16 points with 6 rebounds and Kevin Roach added 11 points. Deveino McRae only had 9 points but ripped down a game high 16 rebounds
The Hawks killed the Bengals off the glass as they had 62 rebounds to only 39 for Buffalo State. Bengals only had 13 turnovers to 21 for the Hawks

Jake Simmons led the Bengals with 31 points 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Rod Epps had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Ryan Carney had 10 points, 4 boards and 3 blocks. Seth Runge added 9 points and 7 rebounds.

New Paltz improves to 7-8 in the conference (9-13 overall) but still trail Buffalo State who falls to 7-7 in the YAC (12-8 overall).
The Hawks will host Fredonia tomorrow night at 6:00 PM and the Bengals will face off against Oneonta at 4:00 PM tomorrow afternoon.

Things just got a whole lot tighter for that final playoff position. If  the Hawks do manage to catch the Bengals, the win they had over Cortland will give them the tiebreaker and the final playoff spot. Hawks, with 3 games left look like an 9-9 finish. Bengals with 4 games left, and I think will be no worse than 9-9. They need a win against Geneseo or Brockport on the final weekend to get to 10-8 and secure that last seed.

Off to see my Cardinals take on Brockport State, now that I've got all my snowplowing done. Got about a foot of snow here so far and it's still coming down. Probably won't be a very big crowd at Memorial Hall tonight. Too bad, it should be a great game.
   

[Ethelred the Unready]

New Paltz defeats Buffalo State 86-81.

Hail to the alma mater! 

[jdex]

Cortland 30, Oswego 18 at the half. Corts by as many as 13 at 2:17. Shooting 40 percent from the floor, 4x12 3s. H. Hefele 7 pts, four others with 5 each. Oswego 32 percent shooting, 1x6 3s. S. Michele 7 pts. H. Ward  4 pts, 5 rebs shadowed by 6-9 D. Sternkopf for 18'. The latter with 7 rebs in good showing as K. McMahon scoreless, 2pf, 2 reb. in 9'

Potsdam matches its largest lead of the half and leads Geneseo 35-29 at the break on J. Lambert '3' at 0:02

Brockport 40, Plattsburgh 35 at the half. Port 14x31fg, 6x13 3s.  The Burgh 10x32fg, 2x10 3s led by S. McIntosh 9 pts, J. Moody 8 pts

[jdex]

Some good games tonight, not one of them in Cortland where RDragons up 59-30 with 6' left

Brockport and Plattsburgh squared at 48-48

Potsdam snaps 35 all tie for 40-35 edge on Geneseo. M. Lake nails a trey, then a deuce with 16:11 to play

[thebear]

Bears lead is 8 50-42 with 10:57 left.  Definite Rocky Moment as wounded warriors, Lake, Peterson, & Duquette have posted 24 ducats to this point.

[jdex]

Cortland firing on all cylinders in 78-46 beating of Oswego. One of the strongest showings of the season for 19-3 hosts who hit 52 percent of their field attempts (29x56, 8x22 3s). Just 10 turnovers to 14 for Lakers, who go 20x58 from the field.

J. Winter on senior night has 16 pts; B. Manning 15 pts(6x12fg), 5 rebs; L. Herron 11 pts(4x6fg), 5 assts; H. Hefele 11 pts, 6 rebs; D. Sternkopf 8 rebs. Oswego 6-9 frosh M. Candelario comes off the bench for 10 pts(4x4fg) to top the Lakers. S. Michele 7 pts; H. Ward 7 pts(3x10fg), 5 rebs; E. McLaurin 6 pts

CSt entertains New Paltz on Tuesday

[jdex]

Oneonta 79, Fredonia 67 is a final. OSt by 45-31 at intermission. Dragons' Z. Mager with 26 pts(9x16fg), 9 rebs

Potsdam 75, Geneseo 61, final

Plattsburgh 78, Brockport 68, final.  Cards down 62-61 till S. Field layup and accompanying FT at 4:11. That begins 10-1 clinching run. E. Hodgson makes a triple at 3:38, S. McIntosh dunks for two at 2:59 and J. Perez lands a pair of FTs at 2:30 for 71-63 lead. Curtains for Brocks

[thebear]

Bears lead by 13 with less than 1:00 left, Geneseo fouling on every possession