MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[bports]

bearseh you are correct those zebras were pretty bad last night. I am a bport fan and will admit potsdam got the raw deal on some calls down the stretch. Not having cheves also hurt the port, i believe he will be back tonight. I look at this game as a must win for bport because there schedule down the stretch is tough at cort, at suny it, oswego, and geneseo. They were kind of in the same position last year a nd blew there chance to host a game in the tourney by losing there last couple of games. If they win tonight to go to9-3 they could afford to go 2-2 down the stretch and 11-5 will definitely get you a home game especially having the tie breaker against pots and platts. Lose tonight though and all bets are off and even going 1-3 down the stretch wouldnt surprise me. Sunyacs are so competitive this year, if the season were to end today cortland would draw buff st first round. BRUTAL!!!!!

[bearseh]

Friday and Saturday SUNYAC basketball...what a prelude to Superbowl Sunday. On Friday, the 4 games pitting the 8 top teams against each other were decided by a total of 23 points Saturday, 9 total points was the difference in 2 games with 4 of the top 8.

Friday, it took a 30 point effort from Brockport's Ben Belluci to eclipse Potsdam's Ernst Ducena's 23 point night (8-15, 5-9 from 3, and 2-2 FTs). The Eagles needed an incredible 28-32 shooting from the line (87.5%)  to get the win, 93-86, in a game where they were outshot from the floor (30-29) and from 3 (12-7).

Saturday, Brockport 86 – Plattsburg 84. Both big guns,  Belluci 26, Gibbs-Smith, firing bullets. Belluci leading both teams with 8 assits. Gibbs-Smith battling for 8 boards. Belluci  giving Brockport 35 minutes, only exceeded by Cards Gibbs-Smith 39. The final difference? Eagles with one more 3 (12-11) than the Cards and one more FT (16-15).

Intended to follow-up Friday in Brockport with the Cards on Saturday – but saw enough offense Friday. Expected more of the same on Saturday and, apparently, there was.

Traveled to Geneseo, instead, to see the Knights for the first time this season in what turned out to be yet another in a string of tension-packed, OT thrillers with Potsdam. Last year Potsdam clinched the regular season championship with an OT win at home against the Knights, and 2 years ago Edane Barton first emerged as a Bears force when he hit the winner in OT at Geneseo.

Ernst Ducena sent this Saturday's game into OT, 65-65, with a twisting, high-arching, 15' fade-away jumper that hit nothing but the bottom of the net as the horn sounded ending regulation. Ducena led the Bears with 25 on a torrid (7-11, 5-7, 6-6) for a combined 15-26, 10-16 from 3, 8-8 FT weekend.

The real fun had begun. Freshman Brandon Siskavitch had been ineffective at the 5, but Tim Reinhardt gave the Bears 18 solid minutes, 7 rebs, and 4 pts before fouling out late in regulation and leaving Sherry Dobbs with a dilemma. Who to play in the post down the stretch with the game on the line? Dobbs creatively assigned that task to the  6'3" Barton. Barton took serious care of business in the Bears 78-71 OT win. Everything going to the hole, Barton stuffed, stole, deflected, or rebounded. It was, well, an amazing defensive performance with a game-high 13 boards and solid 20 pt effort. 

Jehrod Hall played a crucial supporting with 23 minutes, 10 pts, and 7 rebounds keeping the Bears (6-5) in 5th, a half game ahead of the Cards (6-6) in the loss column and only 1 game behind 4th place SUNYIT (7- 4).

Brockport climbs into a 2nd place tie with Oswego (both 9-3). Cortland (11-1) cruising at the moment – but others are  coming. Sounds like a typical SUNYAC stretch run.

[bearseh]

Here's a stab at the final standings.

2 obvious issues: 1) Clearly I have too much time on my hands and 2) only the bear can resolve how tiebreakers impact the final standings if this delusion works out.

Cortland (15-1): Wins out against Brockport, NP, Geneseo, Fredonia. Tough game for Brockport. At Cortland on Saturday after Friday at SUNYIT.

Oswego (12-4): Wins over NP, Oneonta, @Potsdam (Will win from the line). Lose @ Brockport.

Brockport  (12-4): Win @ SUNYIT. Lose @ Cortland.. Beat Geneseo and Oswego @ home.

SUNYIT (10-6): Beat Potsdam @ home after tough road trips for both. Lose to Brockport. Beat Fredonia and Buff State on the road.

Plattsburg: (10-6): Win out v. Fredonia, Buff State, NP, Oneonta.

Potsdam (9-7): Wins v. Bengals, Fredonia, Oneonta. Lose to IT and Oswego. 

Buff State: (Either 6-10 or 8-6) I have no clue what's up with the Bengals. I haven't seen them this year and am guessing they'll handle Geneseo even though the Knights destroyed them last time out. Potsdam, Plattsburg, IT? These are all a toss up but Bengals are 1-3 in their last 4 games decided by 3 pts or less. Somebody brighter than me needds to pick these.

Geneseo (6-10)

[thebear]

bearseh & anyone else who cares. 

Pretty much agree with your picks, a few key games will decide much barring upsets. 

Cortland just about a lock for one seed, will see Geneseo in the first round.  Buff State most likely doomed to a seven seed, and a road game at Brockport or Oswego,  everyone else too close to call, but key games as I see them:


Tonight

Potsdam at SUNYIT.  The winner in great shape for a 4 seed, the loser is probably road fodder.

2/10

Brockport at SUNYIT.  Must win for both teams, a Brockport win gives them a shot at the two seed, SUNYIT win keeps alive their hopes for a home game.

2/11
Brockport at Cortland

Tough road weekend for the Eagles, who have the class player in the league in Ben Bellucci.  Don't think the Eagle's D is enough to stop Cortland at Home
A double dip on this trip and the Eagles are no longer flying high & would have to win out for a home game.

2/14

Oswego at Potsdam

Are the Bears freshmen game tested & ready to play like sophomores?  This game is regionally televised on Time Warner Cable of Central NY.  CNY reputations will be at stake, can someone please assign some competent refs?  bearseh - any suggestions?  Jim Burr/Din Cahill/Rich Paparo like the old days?

2/18
Oswego at Brockport, winner is the 2 seed, probably faces Buff State, loser is the 3 seed unless 'port lost two earlier contests then with Plattsburgh, SUNYIT, Potsdam in the 4-5-6 mix.

Lurking in the weeds

Plattsburgh W6 L6, Home this weekend vs. Fredonia and Buff State, away the last weekend vs. bottom dwellers Oneonta/New Paltz, easiest schedule of the contenders, Cards could back into a 4 seed if Potsdam or SUNYIT falters in any way.

Tie breakers beyond head to head are record against each seed.  Oswego's win over Cortland gives them trump card in any tie breakers unless someone else beats the Red Dragons in the next two weeks.

Tie breakers in the Brockport, SUNYIT, Potsdam, Plattsburgh mix get messy.  real probability all of these teams could wind up 9-7 or 10-6.

Conference sort of muted this year.  Cortland has a gaudy record, but no sense they're in any shape to roar through the first three rounds.  Dragons should be a lock for an at-large in the expanded field, and will probably host 1st round if SUNYAC champs. 

If SUNYAC tourney is an upset like two years ago, suspect champ will be fodder for a top seed, e.g. NYU, Fisher, or Hamilton, although we saw what happened at Amherst last year, Fisher wouldn't like that matchup.

Helps get through the dog days of winter in the North Country.

[thebear]

Me again

bearseh a bit off tonight

Potsdam 85 SUNYIT 52 (@ SUNYIT) not a misprint

Edane Barton with 28, 19 in 2nd Half. Damon Brown had 14.  IT's C. Reaves held to 4 points after 23 last week.

Potsdam led by 16 at the half and extended.

45 point turnaround from a week ago, where they lost 83-71 at Potsdam to the Wildcats.

Question for the rest of SUNYAC, (& East Region) will the Potsdam team that showed up tonight be there for the next 4 games and SUNYAC's.  similar pattern to two years ago when the Bears went on a late season run into the second round of the NCAA's at Wooster.  Stay tuned.

[bearseh]

Just back fro Utica. A bit off? Blew this pick by 30+.

IT came out in a zone and Bears picked it apart inside and outside. It went man and dane Barton went wild. Potsdam up 16 at the half and only a 4 point swing in the final 20 sec. kept lead under 20. Bears scored first 5 to start second half and game over. Murphy understandably frustrated with IT's total collapse. Conceded with 8:30 to go when he pulled everyone.

Dave Besesi was spilnted and carried off the floor after bad spill on drive with 5:30 remaining. Tarnsported to hospital post-game.

Biggest news, excluding IT collapse, was Bears hustle and team defense. Bears have won 2 out of 3 road games within 5 days. Tim Rhinehardt played well in the post and Jehrod Hall was solid both ways in significant minutes.  Ernst Ducena a rock as usual and Damon Brown played a bit stickier defense. Mitchell ran the offense nicely.

Bench was into the game and that helps.

IT should be a great venue...intimate, well lit. Nice team and still only a few students show.

Oswego defends SUNYAC with a solid win over Utica.

Looks like it's just the two of us bear...so I'll forget posting and see you Friday.

[BBM]

Potsdam can certainly play with anyone in the conference. By the sounds of last night's game at SUNYIT, it looks like the team that played last year (senior led and senior deep). Before games last year, the team would huddle together and get pumped up and play some unbelievable defense. For the games that I have seen this year, the team shows up. Maybe the freshmen are realizing what it takes to win day in and day out. If so, watch out as the Bears will be coming at you 12-13 deep....

[FranElia]

To Bearseh and The Bear,

Even though you're the only two posting most of the time right now (at least until JDex returns), please don't stop. Many of us who don't post normally still enjoy reading about what's happening in the league. In my case (as the SID at Cortland), I only see the other teams when they play at our place, or in Utica, so I find it interesting to read about the "beyond the box score" details about other games from people at those games.

Thanks, and keep up the good work.

Fran Elia
Cortland

[bearseh]

This is Buff States weekend to travel to the north country and the stakes for the Bengals couldn't be bigger. If the Bengals lose both legs of a tough trek then the door is open for Geneseo to bump them out of the tournament. If the Bengals come up big with 2 wins they have a shot at he 4 seed. Huge scheduling advantage for Plattsburg. Bengals must get by Potsdam on Friday and then face a 4 pm start in Plattsburg on Saturday.

Brockport comes east for a big road series as well. The Eagles should handle SUNYIT Friday. Potsdam left them in pieces Tuesday night and the Wildcats need David Copperfield to put them back together.

Best game of the weekend should be Brockport at Cortland. Two solid teams with very different styles. If Cortland fans don't pack the house for this one, then drop the phys. ed. major because these kids don't know athletics. I haven't seen a full house in the Dragons den in years and this team deserves support.

[thebear]

Fran Elia

Thanks for the moral support.  We'll do the best we can, although you know between the two of us there will be a certain amount of grousing about incompetent members of the CNY striped shirt profession.

Bearseh

Took my weekly look at the insides of a chicken, and IMHO the SUNYAC regular season race shakes out as follows:

Cortland - mortal lock for #1 barring collapse. 

2 - winner of Brockport Oswego game.  Right down to the wire.

3. Loser of Brockport Oswego game, both own a tiebreaker over Potsdam.

4. Potsdam if they win out.  Big obstacle there is Oswego, a Potsdam nemesis of the last few years at J. Welsh on Tuesday, before a regional TV audience.

5.  Plattsburgh is most likely here, favorable schedule for the Cards.  While they won a close one at Memorial Hall, they got walloped at Jerry Welsh in December.

6 SUNYIT, barring a complete collapse.  Need one win to solidfy - with Fredonia on the menu - probably doable.

7. Buff State.  Bengals have seven losses and Potsdam, Plattsburgh, SUNYIT on the schedule.  7-9 is probably most likely scenario.

8. Geneseo - 4-8 - but two home games against cellar dwellers this weekend will probably secure the last spot.

9-11 Fredonia, Oneonta, New Paltz, too many games on the road & against better teams.  Fredonia still not mathematically eliminated, but a lineup of 500 mile bus trip, @Plattsburgh, @ Potsdam, 400 mile bus trip, with snow predicted will most likely take care of that.  People don't realize how far it is from Fredonia to Plattsburgh!!!

Final homestand vs. SUNYIT & Cortland spells 0-4 finish unless Span takes pity on the Devils and gives his reserves serious PT.  With an lock at-large bid and hosting in the mix, he won't jeopardize his current #1 East ranking with any sort of gesture like that.

ergo: Tuesday the 20th looks like:

Geneseo at Cortland
Buff State at Brockport (predicted score 120-110, NBA has nothing on these clubs when it comes to going up and down the hardwood)
SUNYIT @ Oswego
Plattsburgh at Potsdam

all reasonable mid-week road trips for the visitors.

Time will tell.

[cstate19]

Hey all, been on the board awhile just to lazy to post....

bearseh...i know its no excuse as this team should have a lot of support but to understand it a little better think of the culture of cortland......jock school so you have a lot of athletes....say track hockey and other sports are away......100-150 sports oriented kids not even on campus ,.,......and its a party school so now your games are at 8 on fri/sat..........not saying its right just explaining.......

as far as the team.....i love the depth and versitility........but with that there is no go to player......brockport down 1 or 2 with 10 seconds to go you know ben has the ball....same with oswwego and mims.....yes we have rainieri and he hit a big 3 last year to win a game as well as the buff state win this year...but hes a "big man" and your go to player is usually a guard.........just something to think about......

[docksider]

Brockport 62 at SUNYIT 82 
Buffalo State 81 at Potsdam 97 
Fredonia 52 at Plattsburgh 76 
Oneonta 69 at Geneseo 78 
New Paltz 52 at Oswego 76

Those are the results.  Any eyewitness accounts?   

The margins, more than the outcomes, would seem the news of the night.

[docksider]

IT has 5 players with double figures and wins both halves.  Statistically, turnovers and rebounding explain the margin of victory.  Combined, they give IT 23 more shots.

And from the Bears' website....
"The Bears led in every offensive category in the game, shooting an impressive 51.6% from the field to the Bengals 45.9%. Every Potsdam player that played scored in the game as the Bears were led by the game high scorer Edane Barton (Spring Valley/Colgate University) who dropped 20 of his 26 points in the first half. Scott Mitchell (Brushton/North Country CC) added 17 points and went 4 for 5 from behind the arc. Jehrod Hall (Syracuse/North Country CC) had 11 points and 7 rebounds in the win.

The Bengals had 4 players in double digits with Dion Mozelle (Rego Park/Xaverian) leading the way with 20 points and Jobany Tirado (Syracuse/Corcoran) added 17 points and 11 rebounds in the loss."

Just fillin' in until thebear and beaseh get home or jdex finds an internet hookup.

[cstate19]

Big win for c-state.........very good crowd for those who were calling for it.........

[Maxcy Maniac]

Time Warner Sports is televising Tuesday's game between the Oswego Lakers and Potsdam Bears live from Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.  You would never know by checking the Potsdam website  , but trust me its on TV, it is regional though only nothern NY will get it.