MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[amh63]

Amherst has posted on their website that the game on Friday with the Cardinals is at 7:30pm.  Live stats is stated...I expect that a webcast will also be available.  Need to confirm the announcer will be around...a member of the team last season. 
The student enrollment is under 1800 and a lot of the winter teams are at the NCAAs...swimming, track, etc.  Spring sports are underway...though the baseball team is down South..as are the tennis teams.  In brief, whether the students are on break or not...does not impact the crowds, IMHO.  A large crowds from the locals maybe possible since they enjoy the games in "winter" season.  The capacity of LeFrak is close to 2000 with the added seats....see a video of the conference title game to get a feel of the place with the added seats.  The visitors seating is behind their team on the Banner covered wall vice the open side.
Oops...the video is the featured one  on the Amherst athletic website....a YouTube video.

[scooterman]

Congrats to Magic and the Pburg boys--I wish the Eagles could be with you, but not in the cards(no pun intended). Still a great season for the Eagles but pulling for the Cardinals now. Good luck guys!!! Go Cards!!!! Go SUNY!!!!

[Bengalsrule]

Congrats to Magic and the Pburg boys--I wish the Eagles could be with you, but not in the cards(no pun intended). Still a great season for the Eagles but pulling for the Cardinals now. Good luck guys!!! Go Cards!!!! Go SUNY!!!!

Ditto what scooterman said with regards to the Cards. It is great to have SUNYAC team in the sweet 16 ( 1 of 8 conferences left standing). While many of us have cheered for different teams during the season, I for1 am curious as to how many "true" SUNYAC basketball fans are wishing the best for Plattsburgh. They are our standard bearer and here's to hoping that all those who have posted on these boards can find there way back here before Friday at 7:30. Ditto for those who have t been here during the season but know that our conference is still alive

The Cards have a chance to do something real special this weekend. If they can knock off The Lord Jeff's ( no easy task, cut doable) then the sky is the limit!

Go Cards!!

[NYHOOPS8]

Plattsburgh has the backcourt that can give Amherst fits. Amherst has the decided edge in the frontcourt though. If Plattsburgh can create turnovers and hold Toomey and Killian to pedestrian games, I can see Plattsburgh sneaking their way to a win and a possible redemption game against Stockton in the Elite 8.

[Bengalsrule]

Plattsburgh has the backcourt that can give Amherst fits. Amherst has the decided edge in the frontcourt though. If Plattsburgh can create turnovers and hold Toomey and Killian to pedestrian games, I can see Plattsburgh sneaking their way to a win and a possible redemption game against Stockton in the Elite 8.

+1 !!

[thebear]

LeFrak is not a great facility, low ceilings, bad lighting, distracting with the big empty end of the gym. 

In '05, we had 2 Rochester teams SJF & U of R, Potsdam and Amherst.  SJF was undefeated.  We all get to travel 5-6 hours east in a snowstorm.  Games could have been played at Rochester or Potsdam, with better facilities and crowds.

:-(

[amh63]

Interesting posts...especially the one with regards to the visit by two teams from Rochester, etc.  I remember there was an Amherst game with SJF  on March 11 in LeFrak.....in a NCAA game.  Remember the team looked good entering the gym.  Remember Amherst won 93-70...it was in '06..March of '06 and SJF was NOT undefeated coming in.  I saw the game with my friend.  Afterwards, he wondered how SJF got into the post season based on the performance on the floor.
There was a game with U. of Rochester in the post season in LeFrak...in '05.
You all can have your opinions wrt to the facility....but please get the facts correct wrt to dates and records, etc.

[magicman]

Interesting posts...especially the one with regards to the visit by two teams from Rochester, etc.  I remember there was an Amherst game with SJF  on March 11 in LeFrak.....in a NCAA game.  Remember the team looked good entering the gym.  Remember Amherst won 93-70...it was in '06..March of '06 and SJF was NOT undefeated coming in.  I saw the game with my friend.  Afterwards, he wondered how SJF got into the post season based on the performance on the floor.
There was a game with U. of Rochester in the post season in LeFrak...in '05.
You all can have your opinions wrt to the facility....but please get the facts correct wrt to dates and records, etc.

amh63,

It's not nice to argue with thebear, he knows his facts. He was correct when he stated that 2 Rochester teams, along with Potsdam State went to Amherst in March of 2005. He never stated that Amherst played St. John Fisher on March 11 2005. (I think you made the assumption that he did)  And St. John Fisher was undefeated at 28-0 when they walked into LeFrak on March 11th 2005. It was Potsdam State (26-3 coming into the game) who made short work of those Cardinals that night, winning by a 67-43 score. Amherst never got to play SJF that year. Amherst played Rochester right after Potsdam beat SJF on that same night. Amherst (26-1) was ranked #2 in the country and Rochester (21-4) was ranked #21 but Rochester prevailed by a 69-62 final to end the Lord Jeff's season. Potsdam played Rochester the next night in Amherst for the right to advance to the Final Four. Rochester won that game 67-51 and went to Salem that year.

The next year 2006, St John Fisher returned to Amherst along with Utica College and Tufts, as the LJ's once again hosted the Sectional on March 10th and 11th. What was interesting was there were two Sweet 16 matchups involving teams from the same conferences. In the first game on the 10th, Empire 8 conference foes Fisher and Utica College played each other with SJF winning by a 94-78 score. Then Amherst took the floor to play NESCAC rival Tufts. That was the game that Andrew Olson, with the LJ's down 74-71, hit an off balance three pointer (called one of the most amazing shots in Amherst history) with the clock winding down in regulation to send the game into overtime. Amherst jumped in front in the extra session and won 90-85.

They took on St. John Fisher the next night for the right to advance to the Final Four. That was the game you watched with your friend. It was on March 11th just as the game was the previous year when Potsdam beat SJF. You were right, St John Fisher was not undefeated (they were 26-3 at the time) and you were correct in that the LJ's won 93-70 and went to the FF.

What thebear said was correct, though. In 2005 Fisher was undefeated and probably should have hosted that Sectional. Fisher had the better record, and it would have made for less travel for the other three teams.

You just got your March 11th's mixed up a bit. Easy enough to do my friend. If the darn LJ's didn't host so many Sectionals you wouldn't have this problem.        

[Bengalsrule]

Interesting posts...especially the one with regards to the visit by two teams from Rochester, etc.  I remember there was an Amherst game with SJF  on March 11 in LeFrak.....in a NCAA game.  Remember the team looked good entering the gym.  Remember Amherst won 93-70...it was in '06..March of '06 and SJF was NOT undefeated coming in.  I saw the game with my friend.  Afterwards, he wondered how SJF got into the post season based on the performance on the floor.
There was a game with U. of Rochester in the post season in LeFrak...in '05.
You all can have your opinions wrt to the facility....but please get the facts correct wrt to dates and records, etc.

amh63,

It's not nice to argue with thebear, he knows his facts. He was correct when he stated that 2 Rochester teams, along with Potsdam State went to Amherst in March of 2005. He never stated that Amherst played St. John Fisher on March 11 2005. (I think you made the assumption that he did)  And St. John Fisher was undefeated at 28-0 when they walked into LeFrak on March 11th 2005. It was Potsdam State (26-3 coming into the game) who made short work of those Cardinals that night, winning by a 67-43 score. Amherst never got to play SJF that year. Amherst played Rochester right after Potsdam beat SJF on that same night. Amherst (26-1) was ranked #2 in the country and Rochester (21-4) was ranked #21 but Rochester prevailed by a 69-62 final to end the Lord Jeff's season. Potsdam played Rochester the next night in Amherst for the right to advance to the Final Four. Rochester won that game 67-51 and went to Salem that year.

The next year 2006, St John Fisher returned to Amherst along with Utica College and Tufts, as the LJ's once again hosted the Sectional on March 10th and 11th. What was interesting was there were two Sweet 16 matchups involving teams from the same conferences. In the first game on the 10th, Empire 8 conference foes Fisher and Utica College played each other with SJF winning by a 94-78 score. Then Amherst took the floor to play NESCAC rival Tufts. That was the game that Andrew Olson, with the LJ's down 74-71, hit an off balance three pointer (called one of the most amazing shots in Amherst history) with the clock winding down in regulation to send the game into overtime. Amherst jumped in front in the extra session and won 90-85.

They took on St. John Fisher the next night for the right to advance to the Final Four. That was the game you watched with your friend. It was on March 11th just as the game was the previous year when Potsdam beat SJF. You were right, St John Fisher was not undefeated (they were 26-3 at the time) and you were correct in that the LJ's won 93-70 and went to the FF.

What thebear said was correct, though. In 2005 Fisher was undefeated and probably should have hosted that Sectional. Fisher had the better record, and it would have made for less travel for the other three teams.

You just got your March 11th's mixed up a bit. Easy enough to do my friend. If the darn LJ's didn't host so many Sectionals you wouldn't have this problem.        

Thats why I love the Magicman.  He knows his stuff inside and out and if he doesn't then he does his homework 1ST before he makes a statement of fact! I know he has corrected me once ( or maybe twice) this year!

Go Cards ( of Plattsburgh that is!)

[amh63]

Magicman...thanks for the return down memory lane .  Yes, I keyed the dates off of the SJF game i watched.  It was the first sectional i had traveled up for.  I remembered the Olson shot...forgot it was at the sectional...playing Tufts.  The Jumbos were a difficult team for Amherst that year.  I almost lost faith late in the second half....but my friend calmly stated that Amherst would win.  He knows BB

Andrew Olson as you know went on to become a two time 1st team All American.  As good as your backcourt is, I expect Amherst's backcourt to also be the key.  Aaron Toomey is also like Olson on his way to repeating as a first team all American. 

My apology to this board out of ignorance.

[amh63]

Forgot to mention a personal experience.  I enjoy visiting college campuses on my travels.  During my visits to the Rochester NY area...have a niece that attended RIT...I have walked around Rochester and the U. of Rochester in particular.  In the lobby of the U of Rochester field house/BB facility, there is a trophy case of sorts..left side going in.  At the time of the visit about 3 years ago, there was a basketball with markings on a shelve.  It marked a win over a Amherst MBB team in a post season game.  The year.....1963.  In all honesty I did not follow the varsity team then.    Oh yes, there was no NESCAC  then and I believe no NCAA designation of Div 1, 2 or 3 in sports.

[AmherstStudent05]

All this talk about the 2005 NCAA Tournament brings up painful memories for me! (AmherstStudent05)  I still have nightmares of Seth Hauben and Jon Onyirunka killing us on the offensive boards.

Oh well, time to focus on this year!  Unfortunately, I will not be able to make the trip up to LeFrak this weekend.  To our guests from Plattsburgh, while I wish you a good time at Amherst, forgive me for hoping that you continue to harbor unfavorable impressions of LeFrak!

The only time I got to watch Plattsburgh all year was their game against Middlebury back in January.  Obviously that was a very impressive performance -- particularly how they were able to smother an inconsistent, yet very dangerous Panther offense.  I havent been able to find much video of the Cardinals, but I have started pouring over their boxscores.  One thing that immediately jumped out at me is that Shavar Fields has yet to play this postseason.  Has he been hurt?  Any chance he suits up on Friday?  I remember Fields and Correa from our game against Plattsburgh last year.  I remember thinking that that was an awful lot of talent to be coming off the bench.  While I am usually in favor of anything that advantages Amherst, you still hate to go up against an opponent that is limited by injury and I would think that Shavar would be a most unfortunate loss for the Cardinals (not that it seems to have limited you guys too much --particularly last week against an Eastern Conn team that was certainly one of the best teams we played all year).

Anyway, whoever is wearing the purple and white for us or the red and white for you guys, I am looking forward to a competitive game on Friday.  The way I see it, you guys owe the NESCAC a win this year to balance our accounts!

[Ethelred the Unready]

All this talk about the 2005 NCAA Tournament brings up painful memories for me! (AmherstStudent05)  I still have nightmares of Seth Hauben and Jon Onyirunka killing us on the offensive boards.

Oh well, time to focus on this year!  Unfortunately, I will not be able to make the trip up to LeFrak this weekend.  To our guests from Plattsburgh, while I wish you a good time at Amherst, forgive me for hoping that you continue to harbor unfavorable impressions of LeFrak!

The only time I got to watch Plattsburgh all year was their game against Middlebury back in January.  Obviously that was a very impressive performance -- particularly how they were able to smother an inconsistent, yet very dangerous Panther offense.  I havent been able to find much video of the Cardinals, but I have started pouring over their boxscores.  One thing that immediately jumped out at me is that Shavar Fields has yet to play this postseason.  Has he been hurt?  Any chance he suits up on Friday?  I remember Fields and Correa from our game against Plattsburgh last year.  I remember thinking that that was an awful lot of talent to be coming off the bench.  While I am usually in favor of anything that advantages Amherst, you still hate to go up against an opponent that is limited by injury and I would think that Shavar would be a most unfortunate loss for the Cardinals (not that it seems to have limited you guys too much --particularly last week against an Eastern Conn team that was certainly one of the best teams we played all year).

Anyway, whoever is wearing the purple and white for us or the red and white for you guys, I am looking forward to a competitive game on Friday.  The way I see it, you guys owe the NESCAC a win this year to balance our accounts!

While I never got to see Seth Hauben play in person, I did get to see Onyiriuka play his senior year.  He was a specimen and with Uche Ndubizu formed not only an imposing front line, but a solid entry the All-Name Team. 

[thebear]

amh63,

It's not nice to argue with thebear, he knows his facts.

Thanks Magic, +K

[amh63]

Magicman and All...see that a snowstorm is arriving.....Again....so it must be Sectional time!
The Amherst SID has put on the Amherst website...athletic part...a preview of the sectional teams.
Check it out!  Magicman...hope to hear if it is a fair and balanced one from you. .  Maybe you can give AmhStud05 a better one...of the Cardinals?..Do not scare him too much...he is of another generation so to speak...Walzy's generation .  I have seen your team a number of times...on line!