MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[scooterman]

Magic--Thanks for the scenario--You bet I will be rooting for those two to win--I was at the scorers table for our game because they originally needed someone to keep score but ended up just sitting there. Great seat tho-LOL-- Whatever the Eagles' problem that day, was very disappointing to me because I bleed green and gold--sounds stupid but true--Would have loved to have opportunity to talk to you face to face--Good luck to the Burg and hopefully Bport will back in--Not the way I pictured it but what can you say?

[magicman]

It looks like nobody wants to host. A lot of the likely suspects have lost this weekend. Who is going to get byes?

With the best record in all of D3Hoops at 26-2,  the longest winning streak in Div. III at 19 straight games, an unblemished conference record of 19-0 and winners of 3 straight SUNYAC Championships, my vote goes to Plattsburgh State to get a 1st round bye.

[thebear]

They certainly deserve to.  Bears got a first round bye in '04-05 when they won the regular season & conference titles.
They had 3 in conference losses, but were perfect out of conference.

Brockport, Oswego, St. Lawrence all very close to Pool C when you do the math, but probably outside looking in.

Don't be surprised, with 'burg located on the cusp of New England that the second round game maybe winner of a game between two New England teams - that's what the NCAA did in '04-5. Salem St showed up with a 6-9 & a 6-10.

As for hosting the sectionals, should they get that far, Amherst loss will certainly improve Card's standing.  Cards now have a two game in region W-L advantage over Lord Jeffs, Lord Jeff's still have the edge in OWP & OOWP.

[Cards7580]

Go Cards 

[thebear]

One thing that could get tricky for the Cards getting a Bye is that there are 10 Pool A Bids in the "sectional" representing New England & Upstate NY.  (The Good news is there could have been 12, but NEAC & AMCC were won by Penna teams)

There are also a number of NESCAC teams & UAA teams that will get Pool C Bids, such as Amherst, Brandeis, Bowdoin, even Middlebury, as well as Mass-Dartmouth & WPI, who are strong Pool C teams.  There may be 16 deserving teams in that East Pod, and because of $ the bracket might be filled.

There's also the problem of what to do with Clarkson.  The NCAA may just think that feeding the #16 seed to the #1 seed located 88 miles away may be a quick end to a team with a losing record's time in the tournament as well as an interesting & newsworthy matchup, and also worth a few chuckles.

[Cards7580]

I don't think Tom Curle and the Cardinals care either way.  They are in, they deserve a #1 seed and to be hosts.   

[thebear]

Knowing how cheap the NCAA is, my read on the Northeast/East sectional shapes up as follows if seeds hold

#1 Plattsburgh
#2 Trinity (NESCAC Champ)
#3 Amherst (#1 ranking)
#4 Brandeis (based on win %/OWP/OOWP)

Distance for these 4 teams if hosted by

Plattsburgh 726
Trinity 409
Amherst 340

(Granted Plattsburgh should have cheap hotel rooms compared to the other two).

Listed Gym capacity
Plattsburgh 1,000
Trinity 2,100
Amherst 1,800 (chuckle)

Major Media Market
Plattsburgh (No)
Amherst (No)
Hartford (Mid)

In '04-05 SJF Fisher was undefeated & #3 ranked, yet two Rochester teams and a Potsdam team had to travel to Amherst, whose students were on break and which wound up losing the first night.  Needless to say, ghostly gym on night #2.

[Dyce]

Quick question: in the case of Plattsburgh making a bid to host, is there a chance they would offer the Field House Gym rather than Memorial?  I know that even since its renovation the playing surface has been called into question as suspect, and normally I'd take the cozier confines of Memorial any day, but the Field House has nonetheless held the high school sectional tournament since it was renovated, and the place can seat literally five times as many fans as Memorial.  It also has plenty of locker rooms and the same amenities as a connected ice arena that's hosted a number of NCAA games.

Of course, if Curle and his team are most comfortable at Memorial, that's obviously where they should lobby to play.  I'm just wondering at the feasibility of the other site.

[Razor]

I'm very puzzled this year with the lack of respect that the east region gets.  It seems like every year we're viewed as the ugly stepchild when it comes to D3 basketball and maybe in previous seasons it was a deserved rap but I really think that this season is a different story!  In my opinion, the quality of D3 basketball in our region this season is as good as any other.  The SUNYAC conference was great this year with Plattsburgh(26 wins), Oswego(20 wins), Bport(19 wins), Geneseo (19 wins), and Cortland (19 wins).  Thats an incredible feat for one conference.  Not to mention Naz (20 wins--NCAA), Stevens (20 wins), Ithaca(17 wins-Reg. season E8 champs), and Fisher with 16 wins on a down year.  Then you've got the U of R who was #1 in the nation for a good part of the season and 3 decent teams from the LL in Vassar, SLU, and Hamilton.  I hope a few of these teams get rewarded for playing in a very competetive 07-08 region.

[Cards7580]

"...Quick question: in the case of Plattsburgh making a bid to host, is there a chance they would offer the Field House Gym rather than Memorial?  I know that even since its renovation the playing surface has been called into question as suspect, and normally I'd take the cozier confines of Memorial any day, but the Field House has nonetheless held the high school sectional tournament since it was renovated, and the place can seat literally five times as many fans as Memorial.  It also has plenty of locker rooms and the same amenities as a connected ice arena that's hosted a number of NCAA games.

Of course, if Curle and his team are most comfortable at Memorial, that's obviously where they should lobby to play.  I'm just wondering at the feasibility of the other site..."

I don't believe there is any "bidding process" for team to host. The NCAA has representatives who "scope out" the potential #1 seeds (as they did in Plattsburgh this weekend) and somehow magically determine WHO gets to host.
If SJF got to host last year, Plattsburgh sure deserves to host this year.   And NO, Plattsburgh will NOT be using the field house for any college  basketball games.   One would think that the men's basketball team with the BEST Record in Division III  (26-2) should get to host something at their "home" gym as has been offered in the past.
IF not, they will still win.

[Cards7580]

The problem with the EAST region is that for as many really GOOD teams there are some real stinkers  ( SUNY Purchase  3-22 comes to mind).  Without that team on its schedule PLattsburgh Opponents winning percentage goes up significantly.   Nobody really pays attention to the actual scores and who played a tough SUNYAC  back to back weekend 2nd game less than 12 hours after the Friday nighter.  (including transportation time).  That is what makes the 16-0 during the regular SUNYAC season impressive.  Those long bus rides.  yuck

[thebear]

There is a bidding process.  The athletic department has to fill out a lengthy questionnaire and prepare a budget to be submitted to the NCAA in order to be considered for hosting.  The questionnaire includes questions about capacity of the venue, other activities (e.g. NCAA hockey) going on the same dates, whether the students are in session, and the costs to run the event (officials, head table, event staff) and how much they expect to return to the NCAA.

Teams have lost hosting opportunities in the past because of internal snafus on the campus.

I agree Plattsburgh should host, but with the way the East/Northeast is shaping up, a first round game against bottom seed Clarkson looks very likely to me.  Clarkson is the most dangerous team imaginable, they have a good big who can take over a game, and nothing to lose.

[Cards7580]

I'd rather play Brockport 

[magicman]

I'd rather play Brockport 

I think you partied too much after Saturday's win.

[with age comes?]

Guys be serious- Plattsburgh should get a bye and let little ole Clarkson have a chance at Penn State- Behrend or Naz or even U of R.  That being said I truly hope that someone comes out of the east and "represents " well in the tournament.  And if you made me choose, I'd choose Plattsburgh!!