WBB: Empire 8

[Bombers798891]

The E8 is looking more and more like a two team conference every week.

There seems to be a clear four in the E8 as far as the tournament goes (IC, Stevens. Fisher and Utica) but Ithaca and Stevens look like the class of the conference

[Bombers798891]

Bombers go to 9-0 in conference with a solid win over Nazareth, 58-45. Ithaca has now won an astounding 27 straight E8 games.

Dangerous Bomber team, as despite five losses, they were to #1 Thomas More, #12 Rochester, #28 Mount St. Mary, Cornell and Cortland State. The combined record of the D3 teams IC has lost to: 58-9.

This is one of the reasons I think Ithaca has done so well in the E8 over the years. When you're consistently playing elite competition out of conference, it makes you better prepared for conference play.

Ithaca essentially clinched a berth in the E8 tournament with this win, as they are now 5 games up on a berth with 7 games to go.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

First Regional Rankings: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/category/ncaa-stuff/regional-rankings/

[Bombers798891]

Bombers rout Utica, 75-61.

Score doesn't seem that bad, but trust me, it was not a game. Ithaca led 61-31 with 13:46 and by 20 with 1:53 left.

Utica seems like a top-heavy team. They've got some talented starters, but not a lot of depth. Looking at their season totals, Fiore and Berry account for 50% of their points, and when you add in Croll and Mcgee that number jumps to something like 85%.

[Bombers798891]

Looks like we've got our four tournament teams. I'd find it hard to believe that Stevens and Utica could miss the spots.

My gut says the Bombers wind up winning it, Fisher gets the #2 spot. I think Stevens and Utica lose once more, but Stevens takes the three seed based on the H2H wins.

[Bombers798891]

Bombers have a chance to wrap up the E8 tonight at St. John Fisher. A win clinches the #1 seed

Even with a win, I don't like Fisher's chances. They would be 11-3, while IC would be 11-1. The Bombers have already rolled Alfred and Hartwick and I can't see a 4-16 RIT coming in and winning at the Bulb.

So it looks like IC will be hosting for the third year in a row.

I hate to get all negative, but I really hope the Bombers can buck their recent trend and win the tournament this season. Over the last three seasons, the Bombers have gone 43-5 in conference play in the regular season and 2-3 in the E8 tournament, including losing two championship games at home.

I don't know if the Bombers can make it as an at large this season. They made it in last season at 22-5 and missed it two years ago at 18-9. This team would be at best 21-6 and at worst, probably 18-8 if they don't win it. They have a lot of losses against great teams (including a D-I school) but are currently 5th in the East region rankings.

The disaster that is the E8 as a whole isn't helping give anyone a quality win--the conference outside of IC is only 31-39 in OOC play and the Bombers aren't even getting Top 25 votes despite their only two losses in their last 15 games being a 1-pt loss to the current #1 team in the country--that loss has got to be killing them every time they think about it-- and a 3-pt loss to Cornell. (I know the poll doesn't affect NCAA bids, just using it as a general barometer for overall perceived team strength)

A win tonight would be huge. Not only would it clear another tough hurdle, being the #1 seed means they would likely avoid Stevens in the first round of the E8 tournament. The Ducks are the only E8 team to give the Bombers any real trouble this season so that's a plus.

Any other fans out there this season?

[Bombers798891]

Wanted to post some information I got on the hosting duties for the E8 tournament. Ithaca College is hosting the ECWC (wrestling) championships all-day Saturday, so the schedule is different than normal. Taken from "A Guy Who Knows Things"

If Ithaca hosts *either* tournament, but not both, the whole format changes:
#1 Ithaca hosts #4 in an early-afternoon game Friday.
#2 hosts #3 in an early-afternoon game Friday.
Highest seeded semifinal winner hosts other semifinal winner in an early-afternoon game.

If Ithaca hosts wbb but not mbb (for example), the mbb tournament would still be a one-site, Friday-Saturday set-up.

If Ithaca hosts *both* tournaments
#1 Ithaca hosts #4 in a noon-ish wbb game Friday.
#2 hosts #3 in a noon-ish wbb game Friday.
#1 Ithaca hosts #4 in an early-afternoon mbb game Friday.
#2 hosts #3 in an early-afternoon mbb game Friday.

Highest-seeded semifinal winners host lower-seeded winners in each gender's final Sunday.
If one school hosts both finals, it would be (approximately) a noon/2 p.m. doubleheader Sunday.

Basically, the #2 seeds get an extra home game (you're welcome)

[Bombers798891]

Bombers rout Alfred 73-43 and clinch the top seed in the E8 tournament. Ithaca has won 31 straight regular season conference games and 58 of its last 63.

Congrats to the Bombers

[TheNextLevel]

Congratulations to Jessica Berry of Utica on joining the elite 2000 Points/1000 Rebounds club. 

  http://www.ucpioneers.com/news/2011/2/12/WBB_0212114527.aspx

[Bombers798891]

How good is Elissa Klie for the Bombers? In only 23 minutes, she puts up 13 points, 9 rebounds, 7 steals and 6 assists. The Bombers easy win over RIT is all that prevented her from at least a triple-double

[Bombers798891]

So barring a Stevens loss to Elmira, it's going to be Ithaca/Utica and Fisher/Stevens in the E8 tournament.

The #2/#3 spot is actually important, as Ithaca cannot host both semifinal games on Friday. Considering Stevens blew out Fisher by 18 at home, and lost by seven on the road, I imagine the Ducks would like that #2 seed a bunch.

I like the Bombers to win easy over Utica. Unlike last season, when both regular season games were close, this season's games were both blowouts Ithaca led by at least 25 points in the 2nd half. I think Utica's lack of a bench really makes Ithaca a bad matchup for them.

If that happens, I would much rather see Fisher in the title game than Stevens.

Any Utica, Fisher or Stevens fans out there who want to weigh in?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Week 3 Regional Rankings are out: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2011/02/16/ncaa-2011-regional-rankings-week-3/

[SOTIER1]

 Ithaca deffinately is an overwhelming favorite,but something in me cannot get past a "sleeping" Utica rising to the level of play at playoff time.They have too many vetern players to not come to play.That said I go out on a limb and call a Utica-Fisher final. On another topic, its time the Elmira powers that be end the current coaching experiment. When talented players  have their skills misused and or diminish over their careers something is amiss. When players make the same errors on a consistant basis, when there is no pick set, when timeouts are taken at the most inopportune times, its time for a change.Every new coach deserves time in a new league to adjust but there also must be a point when you say ,"you've had your chance".The same problems that existed at the start are still there after 3 seasons,it becomes clear  who the coach is.And what this coach is, is not good enough.If the Elmira Athletic Director wants to have the program, both womens and mens, that all other teams look forward to playing rather than fearing to play, then stay the course.If, on the other hand, you want to be competative and respected on the basketball court its time for a change.

[Bombers798891]

Ithaca deffinately is an overwhelming favorite,but something in me cannot get past a "sleeping" Utica rising to the level of play at playoff time.They have too many vetern players to not come to play.That said I go out on a limb and call a Utica-Fisher final.

I'm going to leave, as usual, the Elmira bashing, to be. It'd be awesome if other people posted on here for a purpose beyond ripping the Elmira athletic department. But at least you made a courtesy effort at talking about something else.

I'll disagree with your final. I think Utica is way too top-heavy to hang with a team like Ithaca, which has a lot of depth. I think Ithaca losing to Stevens helps a lot, because the Ducks are all kinds of problems for Ithaca, but they have struggled with Fisher.

IC/Stevens is a toss-up, but if the Bombers get Fisher in the finals, I like the Bombers in the NCAA's

[TheNextLevel]

I believe the winner of Utica & Ithaca game will win the title.  My guess is Ithaca.  As always,  Utica is peaking at playoff time, but I agree that Ithaca's depth will prevail this year.   That said, Utica is certainly capable of pulling off another tournament upset.