MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[zola]

Anyone with an attention span longer than a lightening bolt watching Potsdam this season recognize that their problems extend far beyond "egos". If it were "Egos",  then we could hope that off-season psychotherapy might help them "challenge for a top spot next year". Sadly, not the case.

Among their more pressing issues, Potsdam was 1) unable to defend anyone with even modest post talent, and 2) when they did sag to provide inside help they lacked the team speed to defend the kickout to the wings. Egos aside, they got consistently beat both inside and outside.

As for next year...the Bears look forward to replacing point guard Scot Mitchell with...? and it's a complete mystery where on-floor team leadership, sorely lacking this year,  will come from next.

While not at all sure which specific egos were referenced, more effective recruiting is required before Bears are again competitive.

Re: COY

Yes, it is a so what, who cares selection. But I'm not so busy....

Whitmore selection is easy way and appropriately meaningless, regardless of  the "Gee, its ever so hard to coach a team with talent" argument. Brockport was relatively loaded in a weak SUNYAC. Oswego and Geneseo wiped out with injuries. No one knows how Oneonta did as well in the league as they did. SUNYIT again had a part-time coach. Etc...

Whitmore did the job with two starting fives and a cast of thousands. Curley molded a winner with much less. From the standpoint of any oustanding teaching and motivational performance, Spahbauer deserves more recognition that either. Dragons had amble opportunity to kiss off the season, light up a Lucky, and wait until next year. They didn't. They played hard every game, and certainly, not to my surprise, clawed their way into the tournament in the last week of the season, bumping the Bears to...the school psycologists couch?

But enough is enough and evidence suggests interest is waning in a season with little drama, less excitement, and no one ready to make a mark in the NCAAs. Still, Geneseo @ Oswego Tuesday...

[slickyquick]

Well zola, it is obvious you are getting what I said. Potsdam had a problem this year and the problem had to do with playing a lot of minutes as freshmen and then not feeling that it is necessary to work hard as sophomores. They have one of the most talented individuals in the SUNYAC yet they couldn't bring it together. In part because they wanted to get theirs and in part because they didn't have leadership. Toughness and basketball IQ are things that you need to get by at any level and if you watched the SUNYIT game on tv then you understand that they lacked toughness especially in the post.

So do the Bears need some help on the recruiting trail, yes they do. But with the talent they have returning they need to put their egos aside and share the basketball a little more, beat the crap out of each other during the spring to instill some toughness, and get some bigs who aren't afraid to get after it on the defensive end.

[bimbo coles]

going into the tournament i don't think anyone can match up with brockport the past month or 2.. Losing to 3 SUNYAC teams Potsdam who the don't have to worry about, Geneseo and Oswego (in which one will eliminate the other tonight..) I think it is safe to say these are the only 2 teams port has to worry about..

should be a battle in oswego tonight..
at home i have to give the edge to oswego, they are tough to beat on their own floor. and have made something out of their season when they could of easily thrown in the towel early on with the loss of pg.. on that topic they should have their leader back next year with a year left standing.. good news for lakers.

[zola]

SQ - my final, thank God, 2006-7 Bears commentary. Many posts ago, mentioned that Bears had no "take names" leadership particularly on the defensive end. Not from their seniors and certainly not from their underclassmen.

I apparently have missed  prior comments re: their soft post play and lack of quickness to get to perimeter people.

As regards talent: Brown is a scorer who doesn't defend. Graney is much improved but will continue to have size problems with 4's and quickness problems with 3s. Neither Reihnardt, if he comes back to complete elibibility, nor Siskavich is a power player in the post.  I can't identify a 5th solid starter among remaining. 6th and 7th man? Still in highschool.

Absolutely, they need to ..."share the basketball a little (more than a little) more, beat the crap out of each other during the spring..." and certainly hope that season ending swan dive into the abyss serves as serious slap up side the head of any inflated egos...regardless, this group won't get it done without tranfusion of talent and committment.

Anyway, off to Oswego...

[jdex]

Brockport 74, Cortland 56. Rough first half by both. Neither shoots well. CSt by 20-18 with about 5' left. A. Poles `3' give Eagles edge for keeps. Go on to 31-24 halftime lead. Roar into second half and immediately forge big margin, by 21 at one stage. Corts, who missed first 12 treys before getting one with 12+ minutes left, back within 10 and ball at 5' mark. Turnovers starts CSt unraveling. Port 29x52fg, 5x12 3s, 11x17ft, 34-25reb, 14 trnvrs to Corts 11, 18-6 2nd chance pts.C. Parrish 22 pts(10x15fg), 5 rebs; Shawn Harris 13 pts(5x8fg); B. Williams 15 pts(6x10fg), 10 rebs, 3 assts; Sherod harris 5 pts(2x2fg), 3 assts.  Dragons 21x54fg, 9x11ft, 5x21 3s. D. Jutton 17 pts(7x15fg, 3x9 3s); P. Oliver 11 pts(5x6fg) in 13'; D. Maggiacomo 8 pts(2x8fg); C. Niehoff 6 pts(2x10fg), 6 rebs; M. Lewis 7 rebs. CSt bench 19-12 pt. margin

[jdex]

SUNYIT 90, Oneonta 73. OSt 11-4 early before IT takes 20-17 edge and ahead 34-32 at break. Oneonta seizes brief upper hand but Cats go on rampage. At one point up by 23. C. LaBoard 25 pts, 9 rebs, 6 assts, 6 stls; C. Reaves 25 pts. OSt's E. Bratt 23 pts

Plattsburgh 82, Buffalo St. 72

[magicman]

Plattsburgh 82  Buffalo State 72
Plattsburgh started slowly and finally caught Bengals 22-21 with about 5 min. to go in half.  Cards up 34-28 at the break. Cards stayed 8-9 points ahead and back to back 3's by A. Williams and A. Miller stretched the lead to 15 with about 8 mins. to go in the game. Plattsburgh got a little sloppy and let the Bengals claw their way back in as they closed it to 67-65 with about 3:30 to play. A technical foul was called on a Buff. State player for trash talking after he hit a 3 and Plattsburgh was able to open up a 7 point lead. Foul shots made the final margin of 10.
  Cardinals led by Anthony Miller with 25 pts(16 of them on free throws all in the 2nd half) Khylan Hunt had 17 Travis Gorham had 16 and Anthony Miller had 10. Mike Dietz had a fine all around game with 9 pts, some key rebounds and took several chargesat opportune times. Buffalo State was led by Carlton Guiden with 13 pts, Dante Griggs with 12 and Jay Wingate with 10.

[Caz Bombers]

Oswego wins as well over Oneonta...all 4 home teams hold serve (same in the women's games.)  Brockport vs. SUNYIT, P'burgh vs. Oswego.

IT is probably the only one of the 3 with a legit chance at beating Brockport with the Wildcats' high octane offense.  'Port only beat 'em by 6 in a wild one about 2 weeks ago or so.  Doubtful Plattsburgh would get an at-large bid at 19-9 with a loss in the finals.  Brockport is a solid NCAA lock at this point.

[jdex]

Actually, Oswego stops Geneseo 61-51. Lakers by 32-30 thru 20'. Hit 22x51fg, 6x17 3s, 11x21ft. M. Burridge 18 pts(8x14fg), 5 reb; T. Downing 16 pts(5x10fg), 3 assts, 4 stls; K. Reuter 11 pts(4x8fg); T. Franze 7 pts, 4 assts; D. White 8 rebs; E.Roberson 8 rebs. Gens 22x56fg, 2x13 3s, 5x13ft. S. Sciera 12 pts(6x10fg), 6 rebs; S. Morton 9 pts(3x14fg, 0x7 3s), 7 rebs; B.Bennett 8 pts; J. Howe 8 pts; T. Kitson  8 rebs

Plattsburgh 33x46ft .........leads 34-28 at half. Cards 15x28fg 1st half, 23x50fg overall. Williams 4x15fg, 1x6 3s, 14x19ft, 4 assts; Hunt 5x10fg, 7x7ft, 9 rebs; Gorham 4x7fg, 6x10ft, 13 rebs; Miller 4x7fg, 5x6ft, 3 stls. Pburgh 42-28reb gap. Buffs 29x69fg and lose C. Guiden (13 pts, 22'), D. Griggs (12 pts), D. Mozelle (14') via 5pf. J. Wingate 10  pts

Port hosts final four. Friday vs. IT; Pburgh vs. Oswego. Saturday final

[Caz Bombers]

Jdex is right of course, it was Geneseo not Oneonta.  The Oswego women beat Oneonta; must have looked at the wrong headline on their website.

[rjcarter8]

Just thought I'd take a look to see how the Northeast and East region QOWI's stack up aganist each other. It may have been overkill, but I grabbed the top 20 teams in each region, then compiled the combined list to the top 40 overall. It's clear to see the Northeast Region has teams with much higher QOWI than the East Region.

Northeast Region  (Region rank, QOWI, Overall rank, Team, Conference, Region win pct., Region record, Overall record)
1.   11.625 (1) Amherst (NESCAC)   0.958 (23-1)   24-1
2.    10.950 (3) Trinity (Conn.) (NESCAC)   0.850 (17-3)   21-3
3.    10.810 (4) Worcester Polytech (NEWMAC)   0.905 (19-2)   21-2
4.    10.708 (5) Salem State (MASCAC)   0.920 (23-2)   23-2
5.    10.520 (8) Rhode Island College (LEC)   0.880 (22-3)   22-3
6.    10.217 (20) Keene State (LEC)   0.826 (19-4)   22-4
7.    10.125 (25) Brandeis (UAA)   0.750 (18-6)   18-6
8.    9.792 (42) Bates (NESCAC)   0.708 (17-7)   18-7
9.    9.708 (49) Husson (NAC)   0.875 (21-3)   21-5
10.    9.360 (61) Tufts (NESCAC)   0.600 (15-10)   15-10
11.    9.346 (63) Western New England (GNAC)   0.731 (19-7)   19-7
12.    9.292 (67) Babson (NEWMAC)   0.625 (15-9)   16-9
13.    9.250 (69) Bridgewater State (MASCAC)   0.708 (17-7)   17-7
14.    9.190 (72) Colby (NESCAC)   0.667 (14-7)   15-10
15.    8.870 (95) Gordon (CCC)   0.696 (16-7)   19-7
16.    8.800 (97) Elms (NAC)   0.680 (17-8)   18-8
17.    8.800 (98) Lasell (NAC)   0.600 (15-10)   16-10
18.    8.720 (103) Endicott (CCC)   0.600 (15-10)   15-10
19.   8.696 (108) Williams (NESCAC)   0.565 (13-10)   14-11
20.   8.600 (114) Middlebury (NESCAC)   0.600 (15-10)   15-10

East Region (Region rank, QOWI, Overall rank, Team, Conference, Region win pct., Region record, Overall record)
1.    10.400 (10) Brockport State (SUNYAC)   0.840 (21-4)   22-4
2.    10.292 (15) St. Lawrence (LL)   0.792 (19-5)   20-5
3.    10.217 (19) Rochester (UAA)   0.739 (17-6)   17-7
4.    10.208 (21) St. John Fisher (E8)   0.792 (19-5)   20-5
5.     9.870 (38) New York University (UAA)   0.783 (18-5)   19-5
6.     9.762 (46) Hamilton (LL)   0.714 (15-6)   18-6
7.     9.348 (62) Utica (E8)   0.739 (17-6)   18-6
8.     9.190 (71) Plattsburgh State (SUNYAC)   0.714 (15-6)   18-8
9.     8.727 (101) Vassar (LL)   0.636 (14-8)   15-9
10.   8.696 (107) Oswego State (SUNYAC)   0.609 (14-9)   15-11
11.   8.680 (111) Clarkson (LL)   0.560 (14-11)   14-11
12.   8.667 (113) Geneseo State (SUNYAC)   0.583 (14-10)   15-11
13.    8.522 (117) Rochester Tech (E8)   0.565 (13-10)   14-11
14.    8.429 (125) Ithaca (E8)  0.571 (12-9)   14-11
15.    8.391 (127) SUNYIT (SUNYAC)   0.609 (14-9)   16-10
16.    7.917 (160) RPI (LL)   0.500 (12-12)   13-12
17.    7.857 (169) Union (LL)   0.524 (11-10)   11-13
18.    7.773 (174) Alfred (E8)  0.455 (10-12)   10-14
19. 7.727 (178) Buffalo State (SUNYAC)   0.455 (10-12)   12-13
20. 7.708 (181) Hobart (LL)   0.417 (10-14)   11-14

Here are the combined regional rankings based on QOWI. In the event of a tie, and there are a few, I ranked the teams in order of their overall rank.

Combined Regions (Northeast and East)
1. (NE1)   11.625 (1) Amherst (NESCAC)   0.958 (23-1)   24-1
2. (NE2)   10.950 (3) Trinity (Conn.) (NESCAC)   0.850 (17-3)   21-3
3. (NE3)   10.810 (4) Worcester Polytech (NEWMAC)   0.905 (19-2)   21-2
4. (NE4)   10.708 (5) Salem State (MASCAC)   0.920 (23-2)   23-2
5. (NE5)   10.520 (8) Rhode Island College (LEC)   0.880 (22-3)   22-3
6. (E1)   10.400 (10) Brockport State (SUNYAC)   0.840 (21-4)   22-4
7. (E2)   10.292 (15) St. Lawrence (LL)   0.792 (19-5)   20-5
8. (E3)   10.217 (19) Rochester (UAA)   0.739 (17-6)   17-7
tie (NE6)   10.217 (20) Keene State (LEC)   0.826 (19-4)   22-4
10. (E4)    10.208 (21) St. John Fisher (E8)   0.792 (19-5)   20-5
11. (NE7)    10.125 (25) Brandeis (UAA)   0.750 (18-6)   18-6
12. (E5)     9.870 (38) New York University (UAA)   0.783 (18-5)   19-5
13. (NE8)    9.792 (42) Bates (NESCAC)   0.708 (17-7)   18-7
14. (E6)     9.762 (46) Hamilton (LL)   0.714 (15-6)   18-6
15. (NE9)    9.708 (49) Husson (NAC)   0.875 (21-3)   21-5
16. (NE10)    9.360 (61) Tufts (NESCAC)   0.600 (15-10)   15-10
17. (E7)      9.348 (62) Utica (E8)   0.739 (17-6)   18-6
18. (NE11)   9.346 (63) Western New England (GNAC)   0.731 (19-7)   19-7
19. (NE12)    9.292 (67) Babson (NEWMAC)   0.625 (15-9)   16-9
20. (NE13)    9.250 (69) Bridgewater State (MASCAC)   0.708 (17-7)   17-7
21. (E8)        9.190 (71) Plattsburgh State (SUNYAC)   0.714 (15-6)   18-8
tie (NE14)    9.190 (72) Colby (NESCAC)   0.667 (14-7)   15-10
23. (NE15)    8.870 (95) Gordon (CCC)   0.696 (16-7)   19-7
24. (NE16)    8.800 (97) Elms (NAC)   0.680 (17-8)   18-8
tie (NE17)    8.800 (98) Lasell (NAC)   0.600 (15-10)   16-10
26. (E9)        8.727 (101) Vassar (LL)   0.636 (14-8)   15-9
27. (NE18)    8.720 (103) Endicott (CCC)   0.600 (15-10)   15-10
28. (E10)      8.696 (107) Oswego State (SUNYAC)   0.609 (14-9)   15-11
tie (NE19)      8.696 (108) Williams (NESCAC)   0.565 (13-10)   14-11
30. (E11)      8.680 (111) Clarkson (LL)   0.560 (14-11)   14-11
31. (E12)       8.667 (113) Geneseo State (SUNYAC)   0.583 (14-10)   15-11
32. (NE20)   8.600 (114) Middlebury (NESCAC)   0.600 (15-10)   15-10
33. (E13)       8.522 (117) Rochester Tech (E8)   0.565 (13-10)   14-11
34. (E14)       8.429 (125) Ithaca (E8)  0.571 (12-9)   14-11
35. (E15)       8.391 (127) SUNYIT (SUNYAC)   0.609 (14-9)   16-10
36. (E16)       7.917 (160) RPI (LL)   0.500 (12-12)   13-12
37. (E17)       7.857 (169) Union (LL)   0.524 (11-10)   11-13
38. (E18)       7.773 (174) Alfred (E8)  0.455 (10-12)   10-14
39. (E19)      7.727 (178) Buffalo State (SUNYAC)   0.455 (10-12)   12-13
40. (E20)      7.708 (181) Hobart (LL)   0.417 (10-14)   11-14

I know some of these teams will get their conference bids, but there are plenty for Pool C too.

Anyone have any thoughts about Pool C bids after seeing this?

[Pat Coleman]

Well, first thought is it doesn't make much sense to take 20 teams from the 69-team Northeast and 20 from the 35-team East. To represent the two proportionally you need to take half as many from the East.

[rjcarter8]

Sorry, I was under the impression the Northeast and East teams would be vying for the same bids, so I just sorted the teams by QOWI.

[b4the3isme]

Well I thinks its pretty evident that the only way the SUNYAC is a 2 conference bid league is if a team other than Brockport wins.  That being said I think the conference might have a legit shot to get 3 or 4 teams into the ECAC. Platt and SUNYIT are locks I would think. Oswego & Geneseo may have shots also.  The liberty league will probably be ticked though as its 7th place team (Clarkson) beat Oswego and they'll be lucky to get 2 teams in. RPI & Union swept the series from Clarkson but records of 13-12 and 11-13 aren't too gaudy even though both teams might be better than Oswego & Geneseo?! Hamilton will be a lock if it doesn't win the LL tourny and get into the NCAA.  SLU looks like it has a shot at being a pool C team but would be a lock if it does not go to the NCAA's.  Vassar the 3rd place LL places in the Metro Tourney.  E8 teams Utica, RIT and Ithaca have to be considered, but again RIT has losses to Clarkson and SLU and Utica has a loss to Clarkson.

[rjcarter8]

Well I thinks its pretty evident that the only way the SUNYAC is a 2 conference bid league is if a team other than Brockport wins.  That being said I think the conference might have a legit shot to get 3 or 4 teams into the ECAC. Platt and SUNYIT are locks I would think. Oswego & Geneseo may have shots also.  The liberty league will probably be ticked though as its 7th place team (Clarkson) beat Oswego and they'll be lucky to get 2 teams in. RPI & Union swept the series from Clarkson but records of 13-12 and 11-13 aren't too gaudy even though both teams might be better than Oswego & Geneseo?! Hamilton will be a lock if it doesn't win the LL tourny and get into the NCAA.  SLU looks like it has a shot at being a pool C team but would be a lock if it does not go to the NCAA's.  Vassar the 3rd place LL places in the Metro Tourney.  E8 teams Utica, RIT and Ithaca have to be considered, but again RIT has losses to Clarkson and SLU and Utica has a loss to Clarkson.

Actually, Hamilton doesn't play in the ECACs, something to do with their NESCAC ties.