MBB: Liberty League

[Bartman]

Ithaca has to beat Vassar to get in, Hobart couldn't lose to Bard even if they suited up the soccer team instead.

I almost always say good luck, but for the Bombers tonight, I'd rather say .....may the best team win.BTW, the Bard soccer team is very athletic, I'll take our chances with basketball team as planned.

[stlawus]

Final regular season standings:

1) RPI
2) Union
3) Vassar
4) SLU
5) Ithaca
6) Skidmore
7) Hobart
8) Clarkson
9) RIT
10) Bard

Tuesday: Vassar vs. Skidmore
               SLU vs. Ithaca
Last night SLU shoots 1-22 from 3.  Today shoots 14-20.  What goes up must come down I guess.  Ultimately it didn't matter with Skidmore losing, but SLU picked the right time to play their best and most complete game of the year.

*Ithaca finishes ahead of Skidmore

[stlawus]

* I edited my previous comment to reflect the final standings according to the website, but I'm pretty sure it's wrong. They have Ithaca as the 5 seed but Skidmore should have the tiebreaker by virtue of a win against RPI.

**All teams on their writeups and schedules are showing Skidmore at Vassar and Ithaca at SLU.  This can't be right.  Ithaca and Skidmore split, and the tie breaker is comparing results from the top down.  Skidmore has a win against RPI, Ithaca lost both to RPI.

[stlawus]

I've always believed that the 2nd tie breaker was common results against opponents starting from the top down.  If these seedings are locked in that means the second tie breaker is cumulative record against all opponents above in the standings.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

You can google "Liberty League MBB tiebreakers" and get a link to the minutes where tournament expansion was approved in 2012, along with the approved tiebreakers.  It does show, cumulative record against all teams above you is No. 2.

[stlawus]

You can google "Liberty League MBB tiebreakers" and get a link to the minutes where tournament expansion was approved in 2012, along with the approved tiebreakers.  It does show, cumulative record against all teams above you is No. 2.

I saw that, but tournament expansion didn't happen until 2017-2018, which according to those minutes should have been effective in 2012-2013 if I read it correctly so was not sure about the tie breakers being applicable.

[Bartman]

I now realize based on the tiebreaker, Hobart never had a chance to make the tournament this last weekend given that they had fewer wins above them in the standings than either Ithaca or Skidmore, so beating Vassar on Friday felt good, but meant nothing for the tournament. Oh well, that eight game losing streak was a killer. I do think they will be better next year as Bergeron , although a solid performer and captain, is our only starter we lose. Everyone needs to get better and be more consistent as I really thought this team was at least a LL playoff team. Good luck to everyone in the LL playoffs. Although RPI has the defense, I think Union should prevail with one of those last second shots in the final.