MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[Bengalsrule]

Truly appreciate the links Bengals.  Stories like that really are inspiriing in so many ways.

Thanks With age. 1 thing that was omitted. Normans father is STILL in prison.
Hopefully you read the Jake Simmons (no relations) story last spring! An impressive come from behind story that was published in the Buffalo News.

[magicman]

Thanks for the update jdex.  Be interested to get magic's take on Middlebury.  My gut feeling tells me that there are better teams out there in d-3 but none with undefeated records.  Is Middlebury the Ephs?  Always thought that was Williams?  Been trying to follow that league a little more now that Hamilton joined them.   Just a damn tough league.  5 or 6 really good teams.

with age,

Tried doing this last night and lost my entire post when my computer screwed up so I'll try again.

Middlebury is one terrific team. I've watched 21 of the Top 35 teams play this year and I haven't seen anybody that's better. These guys are big. The guys that come off the bench are big. Their bigs can move well, shoot well, have great hands, soft hands, and of course with their size get an awful lot points in the paint. They are led by their 6'8" All American forward, Ryan Sharry. He scored 20 points Tuesday night and they all came on layups or were tipped in. Several of his tip ins were done with just a flick of his fingers. One was off the glass, and the other was straight up into the net. He's basically averaging a double double (21'8 ppg, 9.8 rpg) and shoots 68.6% from the field, and 42.1% from downtown. So you can't leave him alone when he's out near the arc or he'll drain one on you. I've watched him play for 4 years now and he's gotten better and better. When he was a sophomore I commented on the NESCAC board that this kid had All American written all over him. Last year he was a 4th team AA (should have been a 2nd team AA), this year he'll be a 1st teamer. Their other starting big man is 6'6" forward Peter Lynch who averages 10 ppg and 5.6 rpg. If these guys need a breather they can bring in 2 sophomores that are 6'8" and 6'6" to replace them (5.6, and 2.1 ppg). They start 3 guards, (6'0", 6'2", 6'3") that are all shooters, can all run the point if needed, together shoot 47% from the field and almost 42% from the 3 point line. If they need a break, the top guards off the bench are both 6'5" freshman (averaging 6.7 and 5.1 ppg), big guards. They have freshman and sophomores that would start on most New York State teams.  The team plays an, in your face, man to man defense that is stifling. They average margin of victory is over 19 ppg and they only give up, on average, 60 ppg. Their offense moves the ball quickly with lots of passing as the bigs rotate, set screens, rotate some more and bang it's a wide open layup or dunk. The guards will drive to the basket but are usually looking to dish to the big men first. They have a real solid 8 man rotation with several other young players that can come into the lineup and make contributions if needed. The top 8 all average double digit minutes with 4 others getting 7-11 minutes of playing time, but haven't played in every game. The scary thing is this team has 17 players on the roster and next year will return 12 of their top 13 scorers. The one they lose, Sharry, is a huge loss of course but they have 4 sophomores, 6'8", 6'6", 6'4", 6'4" and 5 freshman, 6'9", 6'7", 6'6", 6'5", and 6'5" just waiting in the wings. Did I mention that these guys are BIG. In watching these young guys, who aren't getting much PT because of who's in front of them, during warm ups, they all appear to have lots of potential. Coach Jeff Brown has a well stocked cupboard and these guys will be contending for the NESCAC title cetainly for the next few years. With 4 starters coming back next year and plenty of depth as well, they are well suited to make another tournament run.

As far as this year goes I watched a team that made it to the Final Four last year and lost in the semi's to St. Thomas by a 59-57 score. They had a chance to win that game when they got possession of the ball with 26 seconds to go and their final attempt at a 3 pointer was no good. It really was the championship game for all intensive purposes as St. Thomas blew out Wooster the next day by 24 points to win it.

Will they go undefeated during the regular season? They could, but there's a couple of NESCAC games coming up against Williams and at Amherst, that might pose problems. A game at Keene State next Tuesday night won't be a laugher either. Then there's always the league tournament where anything can happen. One thing is for sure though, they will be dancing come March. Will they win it all this year? Funny things can happen in a single elimination tournament, a poor night shooting the rock, the other team lights it up, a bad call at a crucial point in the game, and many other variables, so the best team may not get it done. But if I was a betting man (and I am), I would put down a chunk of change (if I could) that the Panthers (you were right, with age, Williams is the Ephs) will walk off the Salem Civic Center holding high The Walnut and Bronze. (And  The Belt^TM with it. )

PS: I hope I'm wrong and the Lakers or the Bengals have that honor, but the oddsmakers will certainly favor the Panthers.     

[with age came?]

Found the post over here! Have you seen UW Whitewater or any of the midwest teams? From the sound of your post - there is nobody from the east that is better right now! Thanks, as always for the insights.

[magicman]

Found the post over here! Have you seen UW Whitewater or any of the midwest teams? From the sound of your post - there is nobody from the east that is better right now! Thanks, as always for the insights.

I've seen Whitewater play and also the team that's given them both losses, Stevens Point. Both good teams but I think Middlebury is bigger, better defensively, and deeper, than both the Wisconsin schools.

Of the current Top 16 schools the only ones I haven't seen are Hope, Cabrini and Birmingham Southern. Hope is a solid team with an experienced group of senior and junior starters who went dancing last year. They almost made the sweet 16, but lost to Augustana in overtime, at Augustana when they couldn't make their foul shots down the stretch in regulation. I would rate them as a strong choice to make the Final Four. 

[Bengalsrule]

PS: I hope I'm wrong and the Lakers or the Bengals have that honor     

I hope you are wrong too!!!!!!

Go BENGALS
p.s I'm a quick learner!

[magicman]

Four games set for tonight all at 8:00 PM

New Paltz State at Buffalo State

This one should be a run and gun affair just like the game back in early December. Bengals may be getting top big man Justin Mitchell back. They certainly didn't need him last week as Jake Simmons was knocking them down from 22 feet all weekend long, but with Mitchell in the lineup, that inside, outside combo, will be tough to cover. New Paltz has tumbled from 3rd place into 8th place with 4 straight conference losses. Hawks need a win in the worst way, yet come into this game as 16 point underdogs. They kept it close in New Paltz, don't think they can that in Buffalo. Bengals 88 Hawks 72.

Cortland State at Potsdam State

Cortland looking to hold onto 2nd place. Bears looking to hold on. Red Dragons gave one away last week when they failed to put Oswego away. With a 7 point lead and 3 minutes to go Cortland never scored another point. Three turnovers and 2 misfires in their final 5 possessions, the last coming with just 4 ticks on the clock, spelled doom for the Dragons. It was just enough time for Hayden Ward to bury a jumper at the buzzer and steal the game, which probably locked up the top seed in the SUNYAC tournament for the Lakers. Last year when Cortland came north, they were upset by the Bears on Friday and then shot lights out against Plattsburgh the next day, to upset the Cardinals. I don't think Potsdam will pull off that surprise again. Oddsmakers have made Cortland a 12 point favorite and that sounds about right. Bears have lost 7 in a row and the only thing keeping their playoff hopes alive is the losing streak that New Paltz is riding. Potsdam will meet the Hawks next Tuesday and the winner of that game will have a leg up for the final slot in the tournament. Tonights game though, will be a replay of their earlier meeting and Cortland will walk out of Jerry Welsh's Gym with a 70-58 win.

Oneonta State at Fredonia State

These Red Dragons are feeling it after their big upset of Brockport in their last outing. Leading for most of the game, they found themelves in familiar territory as the Golden Eagles came from 18 points down to grab a 7 point lead with just under 4 minutes to play. Oneonta once again hit a dry spell that found them scoring 3 measley free throws in an 8 minute stretch. But wonder of all wonders, it was the Red Dragons who went on a game ending run, outscoring Brockport 15-6 and nipping the Eagles 59-57. Now comes the big question, can they do it again and on the road. No they can't. Posted line has the Blue Devils favored by 10 points. They will be lookng to climb into the upper division and host a playoff game, something that they haven't done in quite a while. A sweep this weekend and a loss by Geneseo on Saturday to Brockport, will put the Blue Devils in that coveted 4th position. Too much on the line to have a letdown tonight. Fredonia 73 Oneonta 64.

Oswego State at Plattsburgh State

The Lakers come into Memorial Hall riding a 24 game regular season conference winning streak. This is he 2nd longest active streak in Division III. They are also looking to match the record of the 2007-08 Cardinals who ran the table and finished with an 18-0 SUNYAC slate. After stealing one against Cortland on that last second buzzer beater by Hayden Ward, to keep the streak alive, (which was nominated for the ECAC play of the week but didn't win it. Should have because it was the game winner and most of the other nominees weren't) the Lakers made sure a repeat of that play wasn't necessary as they dominated Geneseo and led from start to finish in posting a 14 point win. Plattsburgh is coming off a lost weekend and a 73-54 defeat at the hands of the top ranked team in all of D3, the Middlebury Panthers. Two weeks ago they were tied for third place, now they find themselves in a three way tied for 5th. A loss tonight will drop them into 7th. They gave the Lakers all they could handle at Oswego back in December, actually leading in that contest, 59-57, with under 5 minutes to play. But Ward and Burridge scored 8 straight points and the game was history. Cards need to duplicate that intensity tonight and even if they do there's no guarantee they'll come away with a W. The Pointspread favors the Lakers by 9 points and I'd love to pick my Cards to pull off the upset but I've put my heart on my sleeve too many times this year and been burned. Besides I don't even know, if they know, that they're playing to prevent the Lakers from duplicating that clean sweep the Cards had back in 07-08. Maybe I'll get there early to remind them. I'm hoping for a good game because there's only one team on the floor that can turn this into a blowout.  Oswego 75 Plattsburgh 69             

[jdex]

Cortland 29, Potsdam 28 at the half. Z. Adams hits at the horn for Bears. B. Manning 15 pts for CSt

Plattsburgh 14, Oswego 12 midway into first half

Buffalo St. 38, New Paltz 27 late in the half. NP opens fast

[jdex]

At the half ...

Fredonia 22, Oneonta 20

Buffalo St. 45, New Paltz 34

[jdex]

Cortland 41, Potsdam 35 early 2nd half ........B. Manning of Corts with 24 pts(10x13fg, 4x6 3s)!!

[jdex]

Plattsburgh 33, Oswego 30 at the half ...

[jdex]

Buffalo State rolls over New Paltz 95-67. Bengals 43x78fg led by R. Epps 15 pts, J. Simmons 15 pts, A. Nagaya 12 pts, A. Majak 12 pts, N. Simmons 10 pts. NP M.Devine 24 pts(8x14fg), H. Wichard 20 pts

[jdex]

Cortland trips Potsdam 58-50 as B. Manning has career night 28 pts(11x15fg, 4x7 3s). Rest of RDragons 10x39fg, 2x19 3s!!! K. McMahon 9 pts(4x7fg), 8 rebs; J. Smith 4 assts, 5 pts. J. Winter 7 pts(1x10fg, 0x6 3s). Bears C. Pierce 16 pts(7x14fg), 17 rebs, 3 assts; Z. Adams 10 pts, 6 rebs. Corts by 9 at 5:24, watch Pdam pull within five but withstand hosts. Bears outboard CSters 41-33 but shoot just 21x58fg, 3x19 3s

[jdex]

Fredonia beats Oneonta 57-41

[jdex]

Oswego over Plattsburgh 69-64. Seizes lead for good on C. Gilkes hoop at 11:30 for 45-44 edge. Margin grows to six but Burgh within 52-50 on J. Moody hoop. C. Burridge FTs begin Oswego clinching move. Gap at 61-52 at 2:07. Cards close to four on S. Fields layup at 0:59. Lakers charity throws end it. R. Sheridan comes up big for OSt with 21 pts(5x7fg, 4x5 3s). S. Michele 16 pts(4x5 3s); C. Burridge 13 pts, 6 rebs. Pburgh's E. Hodgson 14 pts(4x6 3s), R. Junghoon 10 pts. J. Perez 8 pts, Fields 9 pts

[magicman]

Cardinals gave the Lakers all they could handle tonight but came up just a little short. Neither team had much of an advantage through the first part of the inital period. Tied at 17 with 9:37 to play Plattsburgh, with fresh blood coming in from the bench, outscored Oswego 10-2 and opened up a 27-19 lead with 6:22 remaining. It would be their largest lead of the game and would carry them into the break with a halftime edge of 33-30.  What was interesting about that turn of events was the personnel the Cards had on the floor at the time. Three freshman, a sophomore and a senior, started the run and the senior was replaced by another freshman a minute later. The future of the program was on display and for a good 6 to 7 minutes held the mighty Lakers at bay. All good things must end though and Oswego would eventually reclaim the lead for good. Still up 40-35 with 15:49 left, the Lakers would go on a 15 to 4 run of their own and open up a 6 point lead at 50-44 with 9:20 remaining. Cardinals twice got it to 2 points but could never get the equalizer and repeated trips to the line, where the Lakers couldn't miss, ultimately spelled disaster for Plattsburgh. The Lakers hit 14 consecutive foul shots before they finally missed one. They ended up shooting 18x20 from the line in the 2nd half. Plattsburgh was 0x4. That's one of the bigger discrepancies I've witnessed this year. I believe Oswego was in the double bonus with 11 minutes remaining. The Lakers also had Ryan Sheridan and Sean Michele who couldn't miss from downtown. Both players were 4x5 from behind the arc and Conor Monaghan added 3 more. Even big man Chad Burridge got into the act, when left alone as he buried his only attempt from the arc. As a team Oswego shot 45.2 % from the field (19x42) but an outstanding 52.2% from downtown (12x23). From the line they were 19x22 (86.4%)

Freshman Ezra Hodgson had his best night in a Cardinal uniform scoring 14 points as he hit 4x6 from three point range. Cards also had a good night shooting the rock as they were 27X52 from the field (51.9%). They hit 50% of their 3's going 8x16 but only made 6 trips to the line going 2x6. Probably 3 of the worst officials to grace Memorial Hall this year. They made a lot of bad calls on both sides of the ball. Very inconsistent in their calls. Think I saw more offensive fouls called tonight than I have in any two games I've watched all year. Out of position making calls, when the ref right on top of the play didn't blow his whistle. Another bright spot for the Cards was their ability to out rebound the Lakers tonight 26-18, especially on the offensve end where they had a 9-2 edge. Not a lot of rebounds tonight as both teams shot so well. Both teams only had 10 turnovers and while the Cards had 7 steals to 6 for the Lakers, Oswego had 4 blocked shots to only 1 for Plattsburgh.

I went 4-0 on my selections tonight and was fairly close with my final scores in the Plattsburgh-Oswego game (prediction 75-69 Lakers, actual 69-64 Lakers) and the Buffalo State-New Paltz game (prediction 88-72 Bengals, actual 95-67 Bengals). It looks like the Bengals used a 15-2 run in the latter stages of the 1st half and another 15-2 to open the 2nd half to put the game away early. Bengals star Justin Mitchell returned to action tonight when he came off the bench to play 9 minutes in the 1st period. With a huge lead so early in the 2nd half, the coaching staff decided to give him the rest of the night off since he wasn't needed. They also had Jake Simmons take a seat early as he only played less than half the game. Buffalo's bench accounted for 113 of the 200 minutes played.

The Cortland-Potsdam game and Fredonia-Oneonta game were defensive battles. The points scored were a ways off from my predictions but my MOV were fairly close as I had both winners. Potsdam hung with the Red Dragons for most of the game and after trailing by nine point at the 14:10 mark they closed to within 3. Dragons went back up by 9 and the Bears could never get closer than a 2 possession game. Not a bad effort but not the results Potsdam needed.

Oneonta at Fredonia was about what I expected. Close for a while but Fredonia's experience would win out in the end. That and the typical scoring drought that has plagued these Red Dragons all year long, although it wasn't quite as bad tonight. 

All ten teams in action tomorrow, whoops it's already tomorrow. I should go and hit the sack.

jdex did a good job manning the fort tonight. He'll have the same duty tomorrow afternoon as I get to watch his Cortland team play my Cardinals. I'm telling you right now jdex, I'm taking the Cards. It's payback time for last year. (and this year!!!)