WBB: Empire 8

[Caz Bombers]

IC-EC round 3....gooooooo Bombers!!

[gobombers15]

Predictions for tonight's games:

RIT   59
Elmira 71

Home court is the difference from the game six days ago.

Utica   69
Ithaca 78

Utica hasn't done much off of their home floor. To an extent, same can be said for Ithaca. I like Ithaca's experience in this one as Sue Kelly goes for 22 and Steele has 15 and 10.

Not bad on the Ithaca/Utica prediction if I do say so myself. Off by only one point for each team and hit the total points right on the head. Nice victory for the Bombers. The margin would have been even greater if the refs didn't allow Utica to take what seemed like 30 FT's over the last six minutes. The Utica players would just barrel down the lane, hurl themselves into an Ithaca player and be rewarded with FT's about 95% of the time. Oh well, a win is a win.

I agree that Ava Thomas is the POY but Mallory Davis looked 10x more dangerous than her last night. I think Thomas lost her aggressiveness when she picked up that 2nd foul in the first half. Also, hate to be "that guy" but Steele just owned Thomas last night, putting up 21 and 20 and really dominating the matchup. She had at least two or three big blocks on Thomas, as well. I think Steele is next year's E8 POY on the women's side.

Also, look at the three matchups between the two players. Steele took two rounds, Thomas took one. Here are their stats in those matchups.

Game 1 (Ithaca wins, 78-60)

Steele: 6-10 fg, 19pts, 9 rebs
Thomas: 3-8 fg, 9pts, 4 rebs
Advantage: Steele

Game 2 (Utica wins, 75-56)

Steele: 8-15 fg, 18pts, 9 rebs, 3 blocks
Thomas: 11-23 fg, 27pts, 19 rebs, 8 blocks
Advantage: Thomas

Game 3 (Ithaca wins, 79-68)

Steele: 8-17 fg, 21pts, 20 rebs, 3 blocks
Thomas: 4-18 fg, 13 pts, 19 rebs, 3 blocks
Advantage: Steele

Averages
Steele: 19.3 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 52.4% FG's
Thomas: 16.3 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 36.7% FG's

From that, I really don't know how Steele wouldn't be a first team player in this conference. She's in the top five in points and rebounds/game in conference play and has outplayed Thomas, overall, in their three matchups. Give her some love, E8.

[Caz Bombers]

39-35 Bombers at halftime; Erika Steele 14 pts 6 boards, Molly Friel with 12 off the bench.  Marcia Coakley 12 pts for Elmira.

[gobombers15]

Elmira with all the momentum, closing on a 10-2 run. Looks like Ithaca has the better basketball team while Elmira just wants the game to get into a helter skelter pace. I'd say at least 70% of their points are off IC turnovers. The halfcourt offense leaves A LOT to be desired.

[Caz Bombers]

Katherine Bixby is the breakout star of this tournament...13 pts so far in the finals.  Timeout Elmira, 57-48 Bombers with 15:07 left.

EDIT: Uh oh, 15-4 Elmira run since that timeout chops the lead down to 61-60, timeout Bombers, 10:50 to go.  Gimmick-ball creates 26 Ithaca turnovers.  Elmira has 18 of its own.

[Caz Bombers]

75-73, Ithaca, timeout IC with 3:22 left.

EDIT: 80-78 IC with 55 ticks left.  Marcia Coakley of EC with a couple costly FT misses...a steal and it's Elmira ball with a chance to tie or take the lead...Steele a one-woman block party!!

Timeout EC, 40 seconds left down 2.  DDDDDFFEEEENNNSSSEEE!!!

EDIT: I don't know who I'm even posting to anymore, but what the heck...Elmira ties it.  Ithaca calls timeout with 24 seconds left, 80-80.  Get it to Steele...........

[Caz Bombers]

Ithaca turns it over for the 35th time (!!!), Elmira with a chance to win it....

[gobombers15]

5-second violation on Ithaca with 10 ticks left. Elmira ball. Tied at 80-80. Not suggesting anything but that was one of the quicker 5-second calls I've seen.

[Caz Bombers]

Naturally, we've got overtime.  Lordy.

[gobombers15]

Wow. Steele gets a rebound and is tripped. The refs don't call a foul and instead call a travel. Good thing Elmira didn't win on that. Going to OT.

[Caz Bombers]

2:30 left in OT 84-84.  Come on IC!!

[simon]

I am an Ithaca Grad. Played under Christine Pritchard. We didnt have a great team but boy did we have fun. The platoon system of subbing just didnt work for our team. If she allowed her players to play we would of been dangerous.Thanks for the updates. GO BOMBERS

[Caz Bombers]

I am an Ithaca Grad. Played under Christine Pritchard. We didnt have a great team but boy did we have fun. The platoon system of subbing just didnt work for our team. If she allowed her players to play we would of been dangerous.Thanks for the updates. GO BOMBERS

Welcome aboard Simon.  Huge 3s for Sanvidge and Kelly, 92-87 Bombers with 44 seconds left....

EDIT: Bombers by 7, stretching it out now but not over yet, EC ball with 25 to go.

[simon]

Thanks Caz!!! Did you play at Ithaca? I would love to go bck for their alumni game but my schedule has not permitted it Boy this one is a nail biter!!!!

[Caz Bombers]

Thanks Caz!!! Did you play at Ithaca? I would love to go bck for their alumni game but my schedule has not permitted it Boy this one is a nail biter!!!!

Heh, I did not.  Consider me just an enlightened guy who enjoyed the '01-04 seasons of IC domination in the E8.

97-92, ITHACA WINS THE 2007 EMPIRE 8 CHAMPIONSHIP, DANCING FOR THE 6TH TIME IN 7 SEASONS!!

Erika Steele 20 pts, 17 boards, 5 blocks, 3 steals...that's gotta be your tourney MVP right there.  Sue Kelly 20 points and 6 rebounds; 16 pts, 7 assists and 4 boards for Katherine Bixby (freshman), 15-4-5 for Erin Sanvidge and 14 pts for Molly Friel.  Way to go ladies!! 

Elmira got a fantastic game from Marcia Coakley (29 pts), Bridget Catanese (17 pts, 6 boards, 5 steals) Mary Symonds (16 pts) and Kortney Troutman (14 pts).  Give yourselves a hand, Elmira, great season, now go win the ECAC Tournament.

Wonder who IC will play?  My guess is it starts in a "Cort" and ends in a "land."