MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[pg04]

Very sad story. It's hard to understand how someone may get to that point, but I feel for all the families.

A somewhat similar situation happened in Brockport a couple years ago (the story actually ended up on dateline) and the community came together. #GeneseoStrong (invoking hashtags that don't do anything on this board).

[pg04]

Ugh and don't read some social media comments on the story. That was a mistake. The advice of "don't read the comments" is advisable in most serious stories.

[magicman]

New D3hoops Top 25 Poll out:   http://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2015-16/week6

Plattsburgh State with 2 more wins over the weekend to remain undefeated in a strong SUNYAC gets their initial entry into the Top 25 poll as they collect 22 points to occupy the 32nd spot. 11-2 Cards on a 7 game winning streak and are 6-0 in the YAC. Plattsburgh is now the highest ranked SUNYAC school. Probably the Kiss of Death as it has been for the other 5 schools who have made the poll. Hopefully the Redbirds will keep on improving as their young players gain experience.

Oneonta State getting a little more recognition with 6 points and the 38th spot, up from the single mention they had last week. The Red Dragons only played 1 game last week. They are on a 4 game streak and stand at 10-3 for the season

Both Oswego and Cortland each with 2 losses last week are history. They will need a lengthy winning streak to get noticed the rest of the year.

NYU with their first loss, now that league play has started, tumbled 2 spots from 15th to 17th. Violets are 12-1 overall but have an ugly strength of schedule, rated as the 351st toughest out of 420 teams. Oneonta by comparison has the 29th toughest schedule.

Lancaster Bible inched a little further ahead as they romped over Morrisville State by a 97-66 score. The Mustangs are probably the 2nd best team in the weak NEAC conference and I'll be surprised if Lancaster Bible doesn't end up undefeated for the regular season, and the conference tournament. They are now in 20th place up from #22 last week. I expect they will continue to slowly rise up the ladder as the teams above them suffer a loss. They will experience what Albertus Magnus went through a few years ago where the voters will only go so high because of the weak conference and their lack of many quality opponents. Their SOS is rated as the 384th toughest one so the voters have to factor that into the equation. At least NYU's schedule gets stronger as they now play mainly UAA teams, but LB will not get the benefit that NYU will, in that regard. I think they are probably a very good team and it wouldn't surprise me to see them win a couple of games in the NCAA Tournament, which I obviously think they will get into. Morrisville State pulled off couple of surprises in two different years in the NCAA's., and so didn't SUNYIT one year.

St. John Fisher makes a reappearance after falling completely out of sight. The Cardinals reached a high of #10 in the first week of the poll after being #22 in the preseason poll, but then went into a freefall that had them missing in action by the 4th week of the poll. They were 4-3 at that time and have reeled off 7 wins in a row to get their mojo back, along with 1st place, (tied with Hartwick) in the E8.   

[pg04]

I am surprised NYU only fell 2 to be honest. Given the numbers the team still gets a lot of love.

[All-Time]

3 games on tap tonight in the SUNYAC

Plattsburgh all over Potsdam

Does Oswego get Revenge over Brockport? I don't think so, but this is a very important game for Oswego.
In fact every game is an important game for Oswego if they want to have any chance of defending their Championship.
Oswego goes how Brian Sortino goes, but he can't do it alone.
I will go with Brockport in a very close game.

I wish I had more conviction tonight about Buffalo State against Fredonia. Buffalo State is on the decline and Fredonia has some very big wins against some of the elite teams in the conference, Geneseo and Brockport.
I hope BenglesRule has something to say about this game and gets Buffalo State playing the kind of basketball they should be playing. I'm going to go out of a limb and take Buffalo State by double digits at home.

[magicman]

Tuesday January 19th Only 3 games after the postponement of the Geneseo-Cortland game.

Fredonia State  at  Buffalo State        7:30 PM

I won't say this is a must win for the Bengals but... this is a must win. If the Bengals lose to their travel partners tonight they will be on the outside looking in concerning a SUNYAC playoff bid. The team that beat New Jersey City and Lehman a few weeks ago needs to re-emerge from the darkside and find new hope.

Fredonia is now tied with the Bengals and the loser of this game will be in 7th or possibly 8th place if Oswego wins tonight. The Blue Devils have a pair of wins over the 2 teams that just marched into the Sports Arena and beat Buff State. They have to  feel they can play with the Bengals.

The oddsmakers have made the Bengals a solid 10 point favorite and if this team plays like they are capable of playing they should win by 20. I'm tempted to pick the Blue Devils because the Bengals have burned me 3 times already this year. The talent level is too great for me to do that however, so I'll take Buffalo State to win by an 87-73 final score.   


Oswego State  at   Brockport State        7:30 PM

This game is a quick turnaround of last week's nail biter in Oswego. The Lakers have turned out to be a big disappointment so far, failing to beat any conference opponent with a winning record. Brockport, coming off an upset at the hands of Fredonia, will look to get back on the winning path and create some daylight from several of the teams behind them in the standings.

The Lakers swept Brockport last year but a big part of those wins was Rashawn Powell , the one starter that the Lakers lost off last year's team. Powell had double-doubles in both games against Brockport and controlled the boards amassing twice as many rebounds as anyone on the Golden Eagles lineup. No Powell may be the biggest factor that could account for a Brockport sweep this year.

The point spread favors the home team Eagles by a slender 3 point margin. I like the Eagles to win this as well, and a 3 point margin seems to be a good bet. Brockport 75 Oswego 72   



Plattsburgh State        Potsdam State        7:30 PM

This North Country rivalry has been pretty one sided over the past 6 years with the Cardinals holding an 11-1 edge and running their winning streak against the Bears to 6 straight. Plattsburgh is coming off a successful road trip and this game is certainly a trap game if there ever was one, with Geneseo and Brockport coming to the 'Burgh this weekend.

The Bears almost pulled off the upset at Oswego last Saturday and that effort had to give them a boost heading into tonight's contest. They will still be up against it and will need to shoot lights out in order to have a chance. They do have a couple of players who can do just that and on their home court may pose a problem.

Plattsburgh counters with the #1 three point defense in the country, so if the Bears are looking to score points in bunches, there's a good chance it may not happen outside the arc. Going inside could be tough as well with Xavier Thomas and Kyle Richardson, 2 of the leading shot blockers in the SUNYAC, guarding the paint.

The oddsmakers have made Plattsburgh a big 24 point road favorite, but I'm not sure the Cardinals will win by that much. I think the final will be something like Plattsburgh 84 Potsdam 64          

   

[magicman]

Plattsburgh playing like they are the team with the 1-12 record as the Bears lead at the half by a 48-36 score.

Joe Estramonte lighting up the Cardinals with a 17 point half including 4 of 5 from 3 point range. So much for that vaunted 3 point defense that the Cards lay claim to. Dante Langly with 11 points for the Bears.

Kyle Richardson leads the Cardinals with 10 points. Eli Bryant and Jon Patron with 9 each.

Plattsburgh better come out of the gate in a hurry in the 2nd half or the Bears will pull off the biggest upset of the SUNYAC. They have nothing to lose and a win over their North Country rival would go a long way in lifting their spirits in a disappointing season.

[magicman]

Brockport and Oswego tied at 39 at the Break.

Devon Gavin is the high scorer for the Golden Eagles with 10 points. Hamed Shamseldin and Clifton Lylerly with 7 points each.

Brian Sortino with 17 points for Oswego, to lead all scorers.Alex Rawa and Walter Sampson with 6 apiece.

[magicman]

Buffalo State breaks out of a 28-28 tie with Fredonia abd scores the final 6 points of the first half to go into the locker room with a 34-28 lead at the break.

Lovell Smith leads the Bengals with 11 points. Jordan Glover has 8 and Nico McLean has 7.

Ian Helps with 9 to top the Blue Devils and Kareen Brown has 8.   

[magicman]

Plattsburgh State does come out of the locker room with a barrage of baskets as they score the first 13 points of the 2nd half to go in front of the Bears 49-48.

They are now in front by a 57-51 score with 10:07 left to play.

[magicman]

Plattsburgh State 83  Potsdam State 71

The Cardinals complete their comeback as they win by 12 points after trailing by 12 points at the half.

[magicman]

Oswego has led Brockport most of the 2nd half and now has a 75-66 lead with just 1:23 remaining.

[with age came?]

Thank heaven!!  Thought the Cards might be suffering "from I got rankedItsis"(just so everybody knows that's a long I)  and after all of the Magicman's begging...oops I meant "lobbying" for recognition that would have been truly a misfortune !!!  Just kidding Magic!!  Go CARDS!!  Go Bengals!!

[magicman]

Buffalo State has expanded their halftime advantage over Fredonia and is now in front by a 55-40 score with 8:51 left in the game.

[magicman]

Thank heaven!!  Thought the Cards might be suffering "from I got rankedItsis"(just so everybody knows that's a long I)  and after all of the Magicman's begging...oops I meant "lobbying" for recognition that would have been truly a misfortune !!!  Just kidding Magic!!  Go CARDS!!  Go Bengals!!

I said getting ranked has been the Kiss of Death worse than the Sports Illustrated Jinx. Looked like it was gonna happen again. Curle must have been yelling real loud at halftime because they got their act together real quick in the 2nd period.