o worries. At the risk of a Big East analogy, SU beats UC, but Utica does not beat SJF. UC has used its quota of miracles to get this far. The Pioneers are not nearly as good as their fans contend and may be worse than the SJF faithful believe.

What I find disturbing is that Madhawk has been trumped by Ulf. Does insanity and inanity know no bounds?

Yo bear...

My wifey prevailed and we did go to Oswego for the SoWhatWhoCares semis rather than Cort for the tournament. Yours made a wise decision. Mine didn't. Next time we coin toss for a basketball decision we're using my coin.

Major snooze in the barren north. Think a 2 pointer is entertaining? Ithaca and B'Port proved otherwise. Poorly played throughout. Only redeeming value was Ithaca's Bellis scoring from just inside the foul line with seconds on the clock for the win. He's a class act and played well all night. Two Bomber frosh, Burton and Bostic, also played solid minutes.

Brockport notable - with about 11 min to go, the Eagles, for the perhaps the first time this year, played aggressive man-to-man for 34 consecutive seconds. Yet, just before the shot clock expired, Sean Burton threw up a line drive jumper from the line and scored. He didn't call the bank, but was still counted With those results, perhaps it's understandable why the Eagles just didn't bother playing D this season.

The most entertaining aspect of Potsdam/Oswego was the lead article in the campus newpaper, The Oswegonian, re: Board of Regents member Candace deBussey. Seems she has her undies in a bundle about a sex toy workshop The Womens Center is sponsoring on campus. Candace has once again forgotton that the campus is, for the most part, populated by adults who, from time to time, exercise free speech, and that the student association $$$ for the lecture actually is wholly contributed by the students. Had she seen the game, she might be more inclined to prohibit ball (of the basket variety) on campus.

As you know, Potsdam didn't show up - and coupled with the Lakers uncanny ability to win completely meaningless games...had a blowout by the half. 2nd half was played even, i.e. both played mediocre. Oswego's Roberson (6-3) was awarded the Trash Talker Least Able to Back It Up Award for jawing at Potsdam's Mitchell (5-7) after he actually scored over him. The mouth was one and done during that scoring spree when Broderick put him back on the pines after "I am the Greatest" hoisted a brick from 3 on the Lakers next possession. The Lakers Downing (23) did his best to wrest the Most Visible Underwear Award from Plattsburg's G-S, but I still give it to the North Country favorite based on the Cards NCAA appearance - while Downing only flashes in the minors. Props to Mat Burridge - plays extremely hard every night.

Given the importance of Saturday's final, Oswego by 20.

Always a pleasure viewing your posts. Very scary when opinions are fact-based. Clearly, mine aren't!

Hoping for the best from the Dragons tonight!

Anyone needing a ride to the Final Four in Salem, drop an email.

Congrats to Keuka for their ECAC bid.

If anyone connected to the Keuka team happens to see this post, please tell J. Files that Mr. & Mrs. T are bringing the team a post-game batch of cookies; one cookie for each time he's called this year.

Looking forward to seeing you in Potsdam.

Lefty -

Not to beat a dead horse, but when Oswego came out of the locker room last year  to begin their shoot around, my wife commented that they looked tight, and several other regulars came over and made similar comments.

Several days after the game I had a conversation with one of the Lakers who confirmed that they were tight and simply could not relax prior to and during the game.

Believe what you like, but it was obvious to the regulars and confirmed by an absolutlely credible source.

All that being said, it's only marginally relavent if one chooses to make the argument that Oswego is developing a big game - big finish problem. While they certainly handled the last 4:30 of Friday's game about as badly as possible, I expect a strong Laker showing in the ECAC.

In last year's championship game the Lakers came out of the locker room looking scared, fell behind early, and never mounted a threat. This year's team came out confident, trailed for a total of 37 seconds early in the first half and was up 35-30 at the break. Mims in double digits, Burridge controlling the post, Perioli running a smooth point and a couple of buckets, and Franze with help had Gibbs-Smith under wraps. Only a huge 17 from red hot Anthony Williams kept the Cards close.

Looked like the Lakers were ready to close this one out early when they opened the 2nd half with a little 5-0 run to take a 40-30 lead at 17:46, but the Cards didn't crack and played the Lakers even for the next 10 minutes trailing 59-48 at 5:53. Still thought it might be time to warm up the bus. Brian Hatch and Travis Gorham were playing big inside but Gibbs-Smith was getting hammered and held every time he touched the ball although not getting to the line. Oswego was still up 63-53 at 4:44.

Cards score 5 straight and close to 63-58 at 2:58. On the next two possessions, Oswego scores a deuce before cards hit another big 3. Lakers time out up 65-61 at 2:02

A huge 4 point swing after the time out. Oswego inbounds and works the ball to Burridge. He backed his man into the middle of the lane no more than 5ft out and everyone in the arena, including everyone on the floor, expected a drop step or jump hook from point blank range. But he inexplicably chose to kick the ball to Mims on the left wing. Not a great pass and Mims was simply watching Burridge post up – ball rolls out of bounds to the Cards. On the other end, Gibbs-Smith made a great cut down the left side of the lane with a huge catch and finish on what looked to be a too high lob to bring the Cards within 2, 65-63, with 1:29 remaining.

Oswego worked the ball deliberately in the front court against tough man defense. Franze drove the lane and was tied up in double team at 1:07. Oswego ball on the baseline. Lakers got nothing out of the inbound and Perioli was forced to take a wild 3. Never found the rim – Plattsburg ball on the clock violation at :54.

Perhaps the Lakers were looking to double G-S or Gorham, or perhaps they expected the Cards to run some clock, but Anthony Williams, impossibly alone on the right wing extended drained another 3 to put the Cards up 66-65 with :39 on the clock.

Once again, the Lakers went to Franze, with worse results than the previous possession. Franze was whistled for a charge on the base line. Plattsburg ball at :21. Lakers quickly foul Antwane Williams, hits 1 of 2 FTs. Cards up 67-65.

Lakers go inside to Burridge – fouled - to the line for 2 with 2 on the clock. Can't convert, Gorham grabs the board and is fouled. Converts both to seal the upset while the Cards bench and fans explode.

They say a close game is a coach's game. For the Cards T-Curle, who has had his share of grief and aggravation over the last 2 years, I'll say no more.

Whew!

Mess with thebear and get torched with the facts.

By the ways, thanks for the Taggart reminder. Sometimes I'll forget the mantra: Defensive, Rebounding, Convert at the Line.

Taggart delivers the second object in a "big" way.

Did I ever suggest Cortland was or was not a perimeter team?  

Bearnation:

At the tender age of 61, not currently enrolled! An Oswego alumnus, class of '66.
Got hooked on SUNYAC basketball watching Ron Davis at Oswego when I was a kid and Bears basketball in the 80's for obvious reasons.

You're correct. SUNYAC students do not typically support their athletic teams with strong attendance. Lots of reasons I am sure we agree on, including too little time and so many choices. Additionally, I do believe the institutions and conference do an abysmal job promoting and marketing their sports within both their academic and larger communities and that is a significant, contributing factor to low attendance. Be glad to discuss this at length off-line - but staging the tourney at the Aud is an example.

I agree that a campus based tournamnet will not sell out - without promotion over time. But dollars to donuts, go to the 1 seed campus, or Jamesville-DeWitt high school, and it will immediately and significantly out draw the Aud. More importantly, traditions are built over time. The tradition that's been built at the Aud? It's more fun to IM, watch ESPN, or get a root canal.

Who goes to the Aud?

Player's parents, relatives, friends, neighbors, girl friend or boyfriend; a handful of students from each participating school willing to burn class and who have a place to crash in Utica - or don't mind the 5 - 6 hour round trip to Brockport, Potsdam, Plattsburg; a handful of each participating school's local fans (typically retired so time off isn't an issue); half a dozen of the CNY (Syracuse) basketball cognescenti for face time; a few Utica locals. That's it. Alumni? More like alumnus.

The Aud will be empty and colorless once again for what should be the flag ship event of the basketball season.

Nick -

Ask the Dragons if they've been "really challenged" this year.
Two wins over a Brockport team that doesn't play defense by a total of 3 points.
2 point win over Buff State - who, by the way, typically plays less D than Brockport.
Which of those were "fluke" wins?
Plus 6 over a fair SUNYIT team - a real blowout by these standards.
Meeting both Oswego and Potsdam only once...is a big scheduling plus.

What I've enjoyed most about C'State this year is that they have been challenged and have met those challenges with disciplined, team ball. No POY here but, possibly, the SUNYAC team of the year. We'll see in about 10 days.

Re: Simon - I know he's a C'State favorite son, but, really...

An offensive year in SUNYAC. Here's how they stack up in league play: PF/PA

Points For:

Brockport
Buff State
Potsdam
Oswego
SUNYIT
Geneseo
Cortland
Plattsburg
New Paltz
Oneonta
Fredonia

All top 8 make the tournement.

Points Against:

Cortland
Fredonia
Plattsburg
Oswego
Oneonta
Potsdam
Geneseo
SUNYIT
New Paltz
Brockport
Buff State

2 of top 8 don't make tourney.

cstate19:

Fill up the bus. The Utica Aud needs noise. Last year the Aud "crowd" for the chanpionship was one of the smallest that Potsdam played in front of all year, and you've got to be able to handle playing in front of a large crowd to win in the NCAAs.

I like the on campus atmosphere in the Empire 8 tourney - hot, noisy, venues. Sure, somebody gets a home court advantage. So it goes. Would love to see SUNYAC rotate the tourney among the schools. Just some great facilities - Buff State, Oswego, Cortland, Oneonta, Potsdam, SUNYIT...and more. Would rather be crammed in than choose from a couple thousand empty seats.

Two years ago in the tourney Penn State-Behrend packed 900 people into 800 seats and the atmosphere was electric. Last year the Potsdam crowd raised the roof in the second round game v. Salem State.

The Aud will never provide the level of excitement that the conference tourney deserves.

Gotta' learn how to type...



                                            Barton                         Bellucci

Minutes Played                      28/gm                        32/gm
Assist/TO Ratio                        11                               10


Plenty of  ammo to make a case for either of these outstanding players.

The bottom line...there are 8 or 9 SUNYAC teams that are worth a drive to see when matched against each other; but Barton is the only indvidual player in the league who will get me to drive to Potsdam and back on a Tuesday night (5 hours drive time) to see the game live when it's  televised locally. You really need to see Barton to believe him.  In any given game he's likely to play any or every position on the floor from the point to the post - at 6'3" and maybe 185 lbs. No one can match up with him 1 on 1. He has explosive quickness, huge ups, and amazing strength for his size. And, as I've said before, even his turnovers are headscratchingly special. Top this off with a huge GPA, a consistenlt positive sportsman's attitiude on and off the court and you've got the student athlete of the year, most versitle player of the year, POY.


Serious props to several other team MVPs:

Lakers Nick Perioli. Individual stats have not been eye-catching except 37 min / game. Huge. Lakers can't play without him n the floor.

Cortland's Frank Raineri. Every set runs through him and he defines the character of the Dragons.

Clearly only 2 candidates for POY: B'ports Ben Bellucci and Potsdam's Edane Barton.

Here's a current league stat comparison:

                                            Barton                            Bellucci

Scoring                                    2nd                                 1st
Rebounding                             1st                                  13th
Off Reb                                    2nd                                  6th
Def Reb                                    1st                             Not in top 15
FG %                                       .512                                  .512
FT %                                        .71                                     .81
3 %                                    Not in top 15 (40%)              3rd (51.6%)
Assists                                     3.1 / gm                             4.0 / gm
Steals                                  3rd                     Not in top 15

No more predictions from this poster, at least not until I get some of those chickens thebear has been using.

Looking for BuffState to finally step up last Friday and they play the worst first half of ball imaginable. Talk about thinking long, thinking wrong. They started 3 big guards v. Potsdam in attempt to take advantage of the Bear's 5'7'' guard Scott Mitchell. The first two times they posted Mitchell up, he stole the ball and ignited fast breaks. Adding insult to injury, he canned two open threes in the first 5 minutes with a big guard playing off him to protect against the dribble. By the time Buff went to its usual lineup the Bears were up 10 and rolling. All that kept this thing from looking worse were 20 Bears second half turnovers.

Then, they wacked my "Plattsburg wins out" call by beating the Cards at home on Saturday. I dont even want to discusss Brockport at SUNYIT. Tuesday night the Wildcats were in shambles, Murphy grousing about everything. He even complained that too much time was allowed to remove an injured player from the floor (splinted and transported to the ER).  But, he to, must use chickens in his coaching magic to conjure a win 3 days later.

Good to hear C'State drew a decent crowd Saturday . Every Dragons game is a clinic in disciplined, half court, team ball played by a veteran squad.  Reminds me of Brockport 03-04. Experienced team , rolled through the regular season.  They did, however, lose to Potsdam by 8 in the championship game. Bears shot 51% from the field, 53% from the arc, 73% from the line, and were +4 on the boards. That's the kind of effort it's going to take for anyone to handle the C'Spanners in this year's tourney.

Any takers?