Key player in win over Utica
The men's basketball team will meet an old friend as the Dutchmen look for their first Eastern College Athletic Association Upstate New York Tournament championship Saturday (March 6) and Sunday (March 7) at Memorial Field house. Geneseo will battle Clarkson in Saturday 1:00 p.m. semi-final while the Dutchmen get reacquainted with UCAA travel partner, Skidmore, in the 3:00 contest.
Sunday's championship game will tip-off at 2 p.m. in Memorial Fieldhouse.
The 18-7 Dutchmen, who have enjoyed winning seasons each of the last six years (for the first time in over 30 years), are playing their 13th ECAC tournament since the event made its debut in 1973. Union, which won the tournament's initial title, last captured a championship in 1975. The Dutchmen last advanced to the title game in 2003, losing to Ithaca, 77-76, when their final shot rolled around the rim and fell off at the buzzer.
In order to get to the championship, Union must get by a Skidmore that is looking for revenge after being beaten twice (74-65 and 78-74) during the regular season. The Dutchmen had to rally back in both those contests.
A third game vs. Skidmore brings with it some challenges, said Union head coach Bob Montana. “While the “third game in a season” might concern some people, that does not matter to me. What does concern me is a very skilled team that runs excellent motion offense, has a good assist-to-turnover ratio, and defends very well. They will present some match-up problems for us defense.
Dutchmen's “Court General”
“Skidmore is a very good team; they are the only team in our league to beat Hamilton twice this season.”
The Dutchmen have a chance to tie the all-time program record for wins in a season. Should they come away with the ECAC crown, Union's 21 wins would equal the standard first set by the 1982-83 team and equaled by the 2001-02 squad.
“It's great for us to have the opportunity to host the ECAC championship this weekend,” said Montana. “All four teams are capable of winning the championship, and whoever does will have had to survive a couple hard fought games. I'm sure those in attendance will be treated to outstanding basketball.”
Geneseo, the only non-UCAA team in the field, comes into the weekend with an 18-9 record after defeating Rensselaer, 80-67, in the quarter-final round. Clarkson, which defeated Oswego, 72-65, is 16-11 and Skidmore, a 65-49 victor over Cortland, enters the weekend at 16-9.