MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[jdex]

Potsdam 83, Oswego 72: Bears land 19x33fg in opening half and 44-42 edge. Wind up 32x58fg, 10x17 3s, 43-34 board upsmanship. T.  Reinhardt 16 pts(7x9fg); B. Graney 15 pts(6x13fg), 5 reb, 4 stls in 26'; D. Brown 14 pts(5x5fg, 2x2 3s); J. Hall 8 assts; A. Williams 9 pts, 6 assts; B. Siskavich 11 pts, 11 rebs. Lakers 28x67fg (16x32 1st half). E. Roberson 25 pts(11x17fg, 3x7 3s), 7 rebs; M. Burridge 12 pts, 6 rebs; T. Downing 11 pts, 7 assts, 4 stls; K. Reuter 11 pts; T. Franze 5 pts(2x7fg), 4pf in 34'

SUNYIT 84, Buffalo St. 80

[jdex]

IT races to 49-31 halftime lead in 20x31fg (7x14 3s) display over 20'. Cats 33x63fg, 8x19 3s in all. E. Belone 22 pts(8x12fg); C. LaBoard 19 pts(7x12fg), 8 assts, 4 blks in 40'; C. Reaves 15 pts(6x14fg), 4 assts, 2 stls; A. Gilkes 10 pts, 5pf in 23'. BS 33x79fg. D. Mozelle 28 pts(11x19fg); I. Skylark 16 pts(7x12fg); J. Lawal 11 pts, 9 rebs; B. Wood 2 pts(1x9fg) in 23'

[sports 101]

I think alot of people are counting suny it out of it again this year

[slickyquick]

I don't think you can count out SUNYIT at all. The only thing with them is their coaching. Can Grimmer keep control them like Murphy did or will the players control their own fate.

I still don't know if we can count out Plattsburgh either. They have SUNYAC experience unlike any other team in the tourney. Though they don't have Gibbs-Smith they still have everyone else back with the addition of Khylan Hunt who is a very good player in his own right.

I think the front runner has to be Brockport right now though. They are really starting to play well and have enough good players that other teams just can't focus on one guy.

As everyone knows in the SUNYAC, anything could happen and I'm sure it will...

[bports]

Brockport also finishes up with 5 of there last 8 at home. After there next 2 road games at geneseo and at fredonia the finish up with 5 of 6 at tuttle north where they are lighting teams up. What is the deal with sunyac tourney this year, i know first round is on campus but the schedule also says final 4 on campus?? How do they determine who hosts and i would think on such late notice some gyms would already be spoken for?

[jdex]

Highest remaining seed hosts semis/final. Would assume each SUNYAC school aware of that and has facilities available 2/23-24

Also see by Pburgh website Gibbs-Smith just signed pro contract with Philippean Pro League

[zola]

One day in Jersey and the league goes wild.

Consideration to ROCfan. You know the season is not going as planned when you have team highlight film running on Monday night episodes of ER.

Wicked Eagles weekend. Deliver coup de grace to the Knights this Tuesday? Will be there rooting for the crutched and bandaged Knights to avoid a train wreck.

Plattsburg with 5 straight. Good eye jdex. Anyone else paying attention?

Bears recover from a crushing loss at home to the Cards on Tuesday with a sweet win at home over the Lakers. Lights out shooting.

Stick a regular season fork in IT. At Plattsburg Tuesday for their 5th loss (last time I  called a game correctly was 1986 – but take this to the bank).

If not for Port @ Geneseo would make the short (??) drive to New Paltz and catch their game with Cortland. Have enjoyed watching them both this year. Both more competitive than their records indicate. Interesting to watch Spanbauer rebuild although this year has not been his best effort. Can comment more if anyone interested...otherwise not. New Paltz Coach P is sharp, young guy doing a nice job. Which brings me to the topic for the Latest Rant of The Week.

Now that the SUNYAC has finally abandoned the Aud as the tourney venue, years after it was abandoned by SUNYAC fans, perhaps the league brain trust might reconsider another of it's more deluded decisions and once again include the top 10 schools (if not the top 11 – yes, that would mean everyone) in the tournament. We are half way through the season; maybe Buff State stumbles and New Paltz climbs one spot – but that's the extent of suspense as to who is in and who is not. I expect the Buffs to finish 7-10 and that is the best NP can finish given their schedule, while 5-11 or 6-9 is more likely.

What I miss – what the league does not provide – is an opportunity for a clear, yet competitive underdog to excel in the tournament. Stuff happens, boys and girls, that makes for interesting basketball. When the decision was made several years ago to truncate the tournament it was not made with the support of the student reps to the "advisory" council. Where are the advocates of inclusion? Much can change late in the season. Where are the advocates for giving teams who have worked hard all year one last chance at the brass ring? It seem odd that a league that takes ever so much pride in the old saw that on any given night...blah, blah, blah...has a system of tie breakers in place to exclude teams from their tournament that tie for 8th place with identical won-loss records.

Now that the league has, at least for the short run, opted to bring tournament games out to people who actually care, perhaps they could also, once again, include more or  all of the teams that matter.

[John McGraw]

No parity? Whoa, not so fast my friend.

The number four and number six seeds played in the SUNYAC championship game last year.

SUYNYIT, the fourth seed, knocked off top seeded and two-loss Cortland in the semifinals. In the other semifinal, the sixth seed, Plattsburgh, beat the number two seed, Oswego.

Plattsburgh then crushed SUNYIT the next day to win the championship. They very well could have advanced into the second round of the NCAA tournament if not for some missed foul shots late against Hamilton.

The Cardinals were 8-8 after the regular season and started their upset parade by defeating Brockport State in the opening round.

That sounds like parity to me my friend.

[zola]

Dear John,

You conveniently, or purposefully,  missed the point of the post. The post was not in the least about parity - but about inclusion; or, in the case of 27% of the league's basketball teams, exclusion from tournament play.

[jdex]

Zola,
TSpan must be chugging an extra BLite these nights. Very, very confounding team. Hasn't shot the ball anywhere near as expected. Still, with defense has managed to be competitive nearly every time out. Still doesn't finish strong. A take-charge entity among the missing, though 6-4 soph C. Niehoff has blossomed. Frosh 6-6 Mike Lewis coming. Junior J. Miolen provides flash and dash. Maggiacomo from 42 to zip, which says it all about his standstill shooting-failure to create abilities. Jutton (school career leader in made 3) MIA most nights, along with Jankiewicz. Headley apparently bothered by broken nose. Could still be building next winter, especially in backcourt

This far into the season and Span's still looking for right combinations. Lot of hands, little consistency.

Nice upcoming Corts schedule. Put on the miles tomorrow to New Paltz. Next week make week night journey to Potsdam. NP's Dougie Pasquerella a TSpan protege. Expected him to do well this winter. We shall see.

Anyone remember early days of SUNYAC when all eight members gathered at single site (Cortland packed 'em in at old Moffett Center) for tourney. Four games each of three days. Great environment.

Think Johnny Mac can be excused, judging from hour of his post. Got your drift, Z.

[John McGraw]

I admit I did miss the jist of the post.

I disagree that all the teams should be allowed in the post-season tournament. Eight's more than enough as it is in an eleven team league. You don't want to reward someone with a post-season berth by going 1-13 or whatever it is in the league.

The tournament's already spread out enough between three days of games, I can't see them adding a fourth, which in essence, would be play-in games.

When I first started covering the SUNYAC, I remember three days worth of games all coming at the decrepid Aud (men and women) and how draining it was for everyone, players, coaches, fans, SIDs, broadcasters. At least now, the tournament's more spread out with the days off in between the first round and semi-finals.

The final few spots give the teams in the lower tier something to play for. While they'd be playing for seeding in an eleven-team format, it's not the same as not making the playoffs. I think it would be watering down the tournament competition and lowering the league standards.

That's how all the SUNYAC tournaments are, not everyone makes it. In baseball, there's eight teams, and only four make the conference tournament - three days of endless baseball. In hockey, there's eight teams and six make it. There's two play-in games, then you have your final four. The two worst teams are left out.

Why reward mediocrity and poor play?

I don't want to come off like an @$$hole, but not everyone should be in the conference tournament.

[unbearable]

I'm sure this will put me in the minority, but I liked the 1980's 4-team tournament that rotated the championship between campus sites of East #1 (usually Potsdam or Albany) and West #1 (usually Buffalo State or Brockport).  It made for a great weekend, with thousands of fans.  I thought going to the Tuesday/ Friday/ Saturday, eight-team format cheapened it a bit.  I've been to the Aud in Utica almost every year, and I think it is pathetic.  High school games draw more than the SUNYAC championship does.  Players should have the ability to close their collegiate careers in front of many fans, not empty seats. 

[sports 101]

Zola,

I sorry to say but i think your wrong about suny it and plattsburg outcome.

[thebear]

SUNYIT Schedule for last year shows them losing SUNYAC finals to Pburgh 94-73.  Since the game was played in Utica, and this site has already documented that Murph practiced at the Aud all week before the tournament, sounds like the Cats got whupped at home or close to it.

Most large conferences have at least eight spots in the conference tournament.  Agree that campus sites make more sense unless there is a truly spectacular venue. 

[jdex]

Oh but for twin divisions again. But guess what we have now is better than the BIG East lineup that you have to take both shoes off to finish counting

Suppose locales of SUNYAC institutions prevents such a 6-5 setup now. Morrisville the 12th?