MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[magicman]

Plattsburgh State uses a late 1st half run to break away from Geneseo and extend a 13-12 lead into a 22-12 advantage. Cards extend it to 13 as they end the half up 33-20. Plattsburgh maintains a double digit lead throughout much of the 2nd half until the Blue Knights down 53-38 with 8:12 to play go on a 12-2 run to make 55-50 with 5:42 left in the game. Cardinals get 6 unanswered points to build the lead back to 11 and coast to the finish line.

Chris Ruiz once again led the Cardinals and was the game's high scorer with 21 points (8x14 fg, 2x5 3's, 3x3 ft). Errol Daniyan had a double-double of 13 points (6x12 fg, 1x4 ft) and 11 rebounds.

Mike Hoy was the high scorer for Geneseo with 19 points (5x9 fg, 4x8 3's, 5x9 ft) and Ethan Estabrooks added 18 (4x11 fg, 3x8 3's, 4x4 ft).

Plattsburgh State goes to 10-3 in the conference and remains in sole possession of 2nd place a game ahead of Brockport. Their next game is at home as they host league leader Oswego next Friday followed by Cortland on Saturday.

Geneseo moves into the 8th and final playoff spot, with a 4-9 record. They are currently one half game in front of Cortland. They go on the road next weekend to take on Oneonta and then New Paltz.   

[magicman]

Only 1 game tonight in the conference as New Paltz travels to Cortland to take on the Red Dragons. I think the Hawks win a close one here 72-67.

[Bengalsrule]

   Things that make you go hmmmmm! I wonder how SUNY Cobleskill (9-13) almost beat Oswego (lost by 1 point).    I'd sure like to hear from anyone who was at that game.

  Magicman.....might be something there that your beloved Cards could use, from that game, this Friday night against the Lakers ?!

[magicman]

Cortland pull off the upset as they down New Paltz 77-70. Somewhere jdex has a big smile on his face.

[jdex]

Cortland 77, New Paltz 70  ......Corts big lift from fr forward K. McMahon with 17 pts(7x12fg), 5 reb in first extensive play since injured over a month ago. soph J. Winter 20 pts, 5 assts; soph J. Smith 16 pts, 3 assts; soph D. Sternkopf 7 rebs. Paltz leads most of first half till Corts land 3 pointer at buzzer for 31-31 tie. McMahon paces second half run and 12 pt Dragon lead with 14' left. NP pulls within one behind Taldi treys. Poised Corts regain balance. Big free throws near finish by Winter. Cortland with just five turnovers. NP gets 18 pts, 11 rebs, 5pf from 7-footer D. Olson. S. Taylor 13 pts(5x18fg)

[magicman]

Cortland 77, New Paltz 70  ......Corts big lift from fr forward K. McMahon with 17 pts(7x12fg), 5 reb in first extensive play since injured over a month ago. soph J. Winter 20 pts, 5 assts; soph J. Smith 16 pts, 3 assts; soph D. Sternkopf 7 rebs. Paltz leads most of first half till Corts land 3 pointer at buzzer for 31-31 tie. McMahon paces second half run and 12 pt Dragon lead with 14' left. NP pulls within one behind Taldi treys. Poised Corts regain balance. Big free throws near finish by Winter. Cortland with just five turnovers. NP gets 18 pts, 11 rebs, 5pf from 7-footer D. Olson. S. Taylor 13 pts(5x18fg)

Well no wonder I got this game wrong. jdex was holding out on me with this McMahon kid.

[jdex]

Actually, Magic, McMahon gradually finding his legs. Saw 20 minutes of duty tonight and 15 of his points came in second half. Played 10 minutes at Oswego last Friday (0 pts, 0x6fg). The 6-6, 195 frosh was effective starter at beginning of season. First game missed was Jan. 11 date at New Paltz. Came off bench in limited play a few games later, then sat again. Minutes growing of late. Just one of many freshmen and sophs making inroads. On to the hinterlands

[with age came?]

Magic has to be "itching" for this weekend's games.  HUGE game vs Lakers for Magic's cards.  What do you make of the lack of love for the SUNYAC in the polls? Lakers on a 10 game win streak and only get 2 more points than last week.  I see that Ramapo has a loss to Liberty league also ran (virtually doormat if it were not for Vassar) Union and they get "way more love". Guess the SUNYAC has to "show'em" in the dance about the error of their ways.

[magicman]

Magic has to be "itching" for this weekend's games.  HUGE game vs Lakers for Magic's cards.  What do you make of the lack of love for the SUNYAC in the polls? Lakers on a 10 game win streak and only get 2 more points than last week.  I see that Ramapo has a loss to Liberty league also ran (virtually doormat if it were not for Vassar) Union and they get "way more love". Guess the SUNYAC has to "show'em" in the dance about the error of their ways.

with age,
Union was on a roll when they beat Ramapo. Since that big win they lost their top scorer plus another starter, which led to their slide to the bottom of the LL. They really were a much better team at the time of their victory over Ramapo.

Regarding Oswego's lack of love.  Oswego's 2 votes in last week's poll  put them in a tie for 37th place. Of the 20 teams ranked immediately above them, only 3 of them had a loss. #27 Ithaca, #29 Anderson ( both of them now receiving 0 votes and have dropped out of the poll) and #31 Lewis and Clark which slides to 34th place with 6 votes. The voters didn't have to make many changes in the poll from the previous week. I believe it was the first time this year that no team from the preceding week dropped out of the Top 25  poll. The only dropouts were the 2 teams mentioned above plus 1 vote wonders Elizabethtown and Randolph, all of them coming from the others receiving votes category and not the Top 25. Oswego actually doubled their point total and moved up 2 spots. Rochester (a gain of 17 points) and Wittenberg (a gain of 15 points) were the biggest movers of the teams on the lower end of the poll and that's where Ithaca's 20 points and Anderson's 19 points largely went.

And another thing "Age"---it really doesn't matter that Oswego didn't receive more recognition in this week's poll because after they lose to Plattsburgh on Friday night they would be dropped out of next week's poll anyways.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, a bit of luster was taken off the matchup with Oswego when Plattsburgh was beaten at Brockport last weekend. I was hoping Friday's game would be a battle for 1st place, now we need to win just to stay in 2nd. A loss drops us into a tie with Brockport and they own the tiebreaker against us.

The only way Oswego can lose the regular season title is if they drop 3 of their remaining 5 games, and either Plattsburgh or Brockport win out. I don't think that's going to happen. Sadly, (because I won't get a couple of extra home games this year)  the road for the automatic NCAA bid is going to go through Oswego's Max Ziel Gymnasium.

[magicman]

   Things that make you go hmmmmm! I wonder how SUNY Cobleskill (9-13) almost beat Oswego (lost by 1 point).    I'd sure like to hear from anyone who was at that game.

  Magicman.....might be something there that your beloved Cards could use, from that game, this Friday night against the Lakers ?!

Bengalsrule,
I never even  spotted this game with SUNY Cobleskill on Monday night. I was having virus problems with my home computer and couldn't get online. Oswego was actually lucky to win this game, as they were down 3 with 2:44 to go and scored the final 4 points of the game to pull it out. Burridge to the rescue, hitting 2 free throws and then a jumper with 11 seconds to play. Cobleskill with a final shot comes up short. Looks like the refs kept their whistles in their pockets. Only 6 free throw attempts in the entire game. Both teams shot 50 % or better from the field and rebounds were 28-27 in favor of Oswego. Pretty even game. Oswego with 28 fg, Cobleskill with 27. Oswego with 4x15 from 3 point land while Cobleskill was 8x22. Laker's extra field goal and 3 foul shots to none for Cobleskill were the 5 points to offset the 4 extra 3 pointers that the Fighting Tigers made. Looks like a mediocre Cobleskill team played a very good game against the SUNYAC leaders. If a missed field goal attempt by Oswego that went out of bounds with 20 seconds to go had went in Cobleskill's favor instead of the Lakers then the SUNYAC might have had a lot of runny yellow stuff dripping from it's face.            

[Bengalsrule]

If a missed field goal attempt by Oswego that went out of bounds with 20 seconds to go had went in Cobleskill's favor instead of the Lakers then the SUNYAC might have had a lot of runny yellow stuff dripping from it's face.            

Hope fully that "runny yellow stuff dripping" from the nostrils of the Lakers will be caused by the BENGALS in the finals of the SUNYAC championship! If the Lakers win at least 1 of this weekends 2 games in the North Country then Central New York will be the place to be (on Saturday the 26th). With Oswego playing their last 3 at home vs New Paltz, Brockport and Geneseo the fate of the SUNYAC finals rest in the Bears /Cardinals hands this weekend (coupled with a first round playoff victory). A 14-4 Plattsburgh (gotta give them 1 more loss on the 18th ) and a 14-4 Lakers team (with upcoming losses to the Cards, Bears and Brockport)  will make everyone a tiebreaker guru!

Maybe this Sunday we can dabble into a lil "playoff scenario"

[with age came?]

As always Magic's comments are insightful ( except that one about the Laker loss to Cards this weekend).  Must've been something he ate as that comment was more of the inciteful nature (thems fighin' words)!!

[magicman]

Full slate tonight in the SUNYAC

Cortland State  @    Potsdam State         8:00 PM
This is a must win for the Bears. A loss here would send them plummeting into the 8th spot and with 3 of their final 4 games against the Lakers, Cards, and Bengals they'll be hard pressed to make the playoffs. A win gives them a 2 game lead with 4 to play. Cortland coming off nice win against New Paltz but their struggles on the road will continue. Potsdam wins a close one 69-65.
   
Brockport State  @    New Paltz State      8:00 PM
Which Brockport team shows up? The squad that beat Plattsburgh twice and New Paltz by 20 in their previous matchup or the team that couldn't get it done at Potsdam and Fredonia. Hawks would love to host a 1st round playoff game but their chances are slim as Buffalo St. has a 2 game lead on them. I think their chances become non-existent as Brockport continues their late season surge. Golden Eagles take this one 76-71       
   
Buffalo State  @    Fredonia State            8:00 PM
Bengals would love to move up in the standings and next week's games against Port and Plattsburgh could vault them up into 2nd. They can't afford a stumble here as Oneonta did last Saturday. Fredonia, despite being in last place, is still alive for a playoff spot. Unfortunately for them, they will still be in last place when tonight is over. Bengals win 74-65   
   
Geneseo State   @   Oneonta State         8:00 PM
Both teams struggling big time. Since beating Oswego State a month ago, Oneonta has lost 8 of their last 9 and their last 5 in a row. Geneseo has lost 9 of their last 12. Neither team can win on the road. Since the Red Dragons are home I'll go with them. Oneonta 77-72   

Oswego State  @    Plattsburgh State      8:00 PM
Oswego almost lost to (Gulp!!) Cobleskill on Monday night. Tonight they find the going a little tougher. Cards may not catch them for the regular season title, but will want to prove that they are still the reigning SUNYAC champs. Lakers 10 game winning streak ends as Plattsbugh win 75-70.

   
   

[thebear]

Tonight will be a great show at Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.

Time Warner is broadcasting the mens & womens games.  Check your local listings.

Bear Pride Night, where all the student groups, teams, organizations, Greeks are enticed (by prizes etc.) to come out and show support for the Bears.

Cortland Women are led by Brittany Cohen, daughter of former SU star Dr. Hal Cohen, and granddaughter of longtime (37 years) Bear men's assistant Stan Cohen.

Bears will be looking to secure a playoff spot with payback against the Dragons, who shot lights out (13 x 28 from the arc) in Cortland last month.

Oswego/Plattsburgh should be a monumental tussle.  Winner will have karma going into the last two weeks of the season.

[jdex]

Tonight will be a great show at Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.

Time Warner is broadcasting the mens & womens games.  Check your local listings.

Bear Pride Night, where all the student groups, teams, organizations, Greeks are enticed (by prizes etc.) to come out and show support for the Bears.

Cortland Women are led by Brittany Cohen, daughter of former SU star Dr. Hal Cohen, and granddaughter of longtime (37 years) Bear men's assistant Stan Cohen.

Bears will be looking to secure a playoff spot with payback against the Dragons, who shot lights out (13 x 28 from the arc) in Cortland last month.

Oswego/Plattsburgh should be a monumental tussle.  Winner will have karma going into the last two weeks of the season.

Thebear,
Checked out local listings but of course in our Florida perch we lack that white blanket of yours on which T-W relies to bounce those satellite rays. Limited to snowy NYS. See, there is a drawback to the good life.

As for the Cohen connection (Brittany as of this writing showing way in a Dragon romp), Stan also a Cortland native and a product of Cortland High before heading to Hobart where he captained and paced the Statemen cagers. Our paths use to cross not only when the Bears visited Cortland, but also sometime during the summer at one of his favorite haunts -- Bob's Bar-b-que!!