Big 4 Season In Review

[GG8407]

A few months ago I posted a preview of the Big 4 season (on my old SN, thesabresite). Taking a look at it now I notice I've been wrong on some counts:
Canisius--I called them pretty average before...however, the men have just not been able to get it going, with a 10-19 overall record and a 5-13 conference record. The women have been a big surprise, with a 12-6 MAAC record and a first-round bye in the tourney.
Niagara--The best team in the Big 4 right now; men are 13-5 in the MAAC and will get a bye throught the first round of the tournament. Women are 12-6 after a loss to Canisius yesterday and also get a bye through round 1.
UB--I was completely wrong about them...the men having their best season in a while with a 9-7 record in the MAC. The women have been very disapointing (4-11 MAC), when you look at how good they were just a few short years ago.
Bona--Men and women have both been a disappointment. It doesn't get easier for the men as they face St. Joes tonight. The women are done and are waiting for the A10 tourney.

Given all this...remember that anything can happen in the tournaments. As it stands now, there's a possibility of us seeing 2 teams in the Big Dance in a few weeks if Niagara's men takes MAACs, and UB's men take the MAC title. Possibly even 3 if Canisius's women can go through in their conference.

Any thoughts?

[BanditsRock11]

I think UB can really pull it of in their tourney. They've showed what they can do. The purple eagles are the same. I don't know about the Giffs women, i don't really like womens basketball nor do i follow it.

[GG8407]

I agree with the Niagara and UB comments...although I really want the Griff men to win MAACS, but it might not happen...
Sorry for the bias:)

[bledsoe4gov]

Being a UB student it is nice to see some excitement for UB sporting events. I think UB has a chance to make some noise in the MAC tourney. Next year they can be even better since they don't have a single senior on their team.
First MAC playoff game is @ Alumni Arena Monday night. It would be nice to fill it up. So if you are a UB student, grad, or fan try to make your way to Amherst

[thegame]

My favorite part of this season has been the great play by the Canisius women. They've had a great season.

[GG8407]

Admittedly, I think that the Niagara men have the best chance of any team in the Big 4 to go to the Dance, and even if they lose in the MAAC tourney (probably to Manhattan in the finals) there's an outside chance of an NIT bid. However, there's no guarantee that they'll get tacked to the Buffalo subregional if they do win MAACs; in fact, there may be no way, given that ESPN's Bracketology placed the Jaspers in the Milwaukee subregional, apparently hinting that they'll win the conference.

However, given that, UB has as good a chance as anyone else in the MAC to go through; they don't have a shot at the NIT though. Like Niagara, too, there's no guarantee that they'll be put in the Buffalo subregional. Factor in ESPN's bracketology, though, and unless Kent State gets an at-large bid (which is unlikely because of the small size of the conference), UB might be at home against Florida.

Canisius, I think, has a very long shot of winning the MAAC. However, if they do (and someone here at Canisius brought this up to me), they'd be going in sub-500 overall, which will most likely force them into a play-in game. If they win that, they're doomed to play the 1 seed in the Midwest (which looks like Kentucky at this point).

Bona isn't going to make it in the A10. They or any of the other teams in the conference (not even Temple) won't be able to match up to St. Joe's, because the entire conference (except for the Hawks) is terrible, as the person I mentioned in the previous comment brought up to me.

As for the women, Canisius and Niagara have the best teams in the Big 4; in fact, I'll go out on a limb and predict the Griffs over the Eagles in the MAAC final. UB and Bona have no chance in the MAC and A10 tourneys, respectively.

Any feedback?

[thegame]

I like how Niagara plays defence. I give them a real shot to win the MAAC tourney, or at least place #2. If they get to #2 I think they make the NIT.

The Canisius women will win their MAAC tourney!

[bledsoe4gov]

Niagara plays defense? that's news to me

[thegame]

Thats just it. I thought they'd do nothing of the sorts, but they've actually turned it around with some solid performances this season, especially in the last 15 games.

[GG8407]

Originally posted by thegame
The Canisius women will win their MAAC tourney!
...which almost did not happen. If not for Becky Zak it would have been a long bus ride back to Buffalo.
Right now they're glad to survive Loyola. Now they can relax before facing #1 seeded Siena (which they beat in the regular season).
I'm still looking at a Niagara-Canisius women's final which would be a classic.

[GG8407]

Update...
The Canisius men are done for the year, losing to Iona. The women won a game that went down to the wire today against Loyola (MD).
The Niagara women lost, ending hopes of a Canisius-Niagara final. Huge for the Lady Griffs if they can win tomorrow and get to the finals to take on Marist/St. Peter's. I think Canisius is very capable of beating both Siena and the Marist/St. Peter's winner.
The Niagara men are back on the court tomorrow against Iona...while UB's men still has a game left for tomorrow before entering tournament play.
Bona's men still have a game left (also tomorrow)...the women are done--they've lost in the A10 tourney.
So now we're down to a possibility of 3 men's teams--Niagara (probably the most likely to make it), UB, and Bona (a very long shot)--and 2 women's teams--Canisius and UB (another long shot)--representing WNY in the NCAA tournament.

[thegame]

Lets go Griffs!

[GG8407]

One more win and the Griffs are in the NCAA's for the first time in program history.
Canisius is sponsoring a free trip over to Albany for the MAAC Championship...if I could go I'd definitely be there, but unfortunately Tops wants me...

[LaxBandit]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by GoGriffs8407
[B]Admittedly, I think that the Niagara men have the best chance of any team in the Big 4 to go to the Dance, and even if they lose in the MAAC tourney (probably to Manhattan in the finals) there's an outside chance of an NIT bid. However, there's no guarantee that they'll get tacked to the Buffalo subregional if they do win MAACs; in fact, there may be no way, given that ESPN's Bracketology placed the Jaspers in the Milwaukee subregional, apparently hinting that they'll win the conference.

LB: If they win the MAAC Tourney, Niagara will not be place in the Buffalo subregional since they are co-hosts with Canisius. (Hopefully if Niagara makes it, they are placed somewhere where they play Friday-Sunday so it doesn't interfere with the games in Buffalo.) Now should the University Of Buffalo win the MAC, they can be placed in the Buffalo subregional. Although I doubt the NCAA will be that nice. (Like Niagara-at least place them where they would be playing Friday-Sunday.)

As for NIT's, I think Niagara will get a spot, UB as well should they get to the final. (UB will be 19-12 and with the great support they had tonight, they should get a home game. Niagara will probably be on the road. Humm, would the NIT be nice and say have a doubleheader at HSBC?)

LB..

[GG8407]

I forgot about regulations that conferences hosting NCAA subs can't have the host team playing on their "home court".
Looks like we won't have to worry about that, though, since Niagara is losing by 14 with about 10 min. to go in the 2nd, unless they can make a huge comeback. Hopefully an NIT bid is in store for them if they end up losing.

[thegame]

What a heartbreaker for the Griffs.

[LaxBandit]

Post Script:

Well Niagara lost to Manhattan in the MAAC Tourney finals. However all was not lost for the Purple Eagles as they made the NIT's and will be hosting Troy State this Wednesday night at 7:00 pm ET at the University Of Buffalo's Alumni Arena. The winner of that game goes on to play at the Creighton-Nebraska winner, probably on Friday.

The University Of Buffalo lost to Toledo in the MAC Quarterfinals last Thursday. That game turned out to be a "If you don't make the NCAA's, at least you are in the NIT" game as the Toledo Rockets (who lost to eventual MAC Tourney winner, Western Michigan in the semis) are in the NIT's. (They play at Marquette this evening-8:00 pm ET on ESPN.) At least the Bulls court is NIT bound!! See above ^

LB...

[whkfc]

And Niagara won thier opening round NIT game ans will be heading to Nebraska to face the Huskers tommorow.