Winter sports are entering the final week of the regular season, which means it’s time to break out the pen and paper and try to figure out where exactly Buffalo State athletics fit in the playoff picture.
Winter sports are entering the final week of the regular season, which means it’s time to break out the pen and paper and try to figure out where exactly Buffalo State athletics fit in the playoff picture.
While men’s and women’s hockey already clinched post season berths, men’s basketball needs a win to get in, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving are competing in the SUNYAC Championships through the end of the week.
So without further ado, here’s what’s on the schedule this weekend for Buffalo State athletics:
Men’s Basketball
Coming into the last weekend of the season, three teams are battling for the last two SUNYAC playoff spots, including Buffalo State.
The Bengals (15-8/9-8), who currently are in fourth-place, can guarantee itself a playoff berth with a win this Saturday in its conference matchup with Fredonia at 3 p.m. at the Sports Arena, but can also get in with some outside help.
A victory will push Buffalo State’s conference record to 10-8, and no matter what happens will clinch the Bengals a playoff appearance for the third-consecutive season.
Geneseo (13-10/8-8) and Plattsburgh (11-12/7-9) are the other two teams fighting for the SUNYAC’s. A loss to either New Paltz or Oneonta will officially eliminate the Cardinals. Geneseo hosts Oswego and Cortland on Friday and Saturday, with a win in either game securing them a playoff berth.
All three teams split its season-series against one another, so if it were to end in a two or three-way tie, then head-to-head winning percentage vs. conference opponents beginning with the top of the standings and comparing in descending order of finish will be used to determine who advances.
Because of this, it is still up in the air as to who would make it because the top of the conference standings could change over the course of the weekend as well.
Both Cortland (16-7/11-5) and Oneonta (14-9/11-5) could switch positions. Cortland enters the weekend in third while Oneonta is in fourth due to tiebreakers.
For Buffalo State fans, the easiest thing to root for is a Bengal win or any Plattsburgh loss for the team to advance to the playoffs.
Fans can watch Saturday’s important showdown with Fredonia live on buffalostateathletics.com.
Men’s Hockey
Buffalo State (16-6-1/8-5-1) enters the weekend as the No. 13 team in the country and currently sits fourth in the SUNYAC, already punching its ticket to the post season for the seventh-straight year.
The Bengals travel to Cortland on Friday and No. 2/3 Oswego on Saturday to close out its regular season.
Buffalo State is looking to keep a hold on its fourth-place conference standing which would give the Bengals a home playoff game on Wednesday, Feb. 22.
Fredonia, who is fifth in the conference, enters the weekend with a SUNYAC mark of 7-6-1. The Blue Devils can only pass the Bengals if they get earn two more points than them this weekend (as they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker). Fredonia is also on the road, at Oswego on Friday and Cortland on Saturday, to close out the season.
Buffalo State can do no worse than fifth in the standings no matter what happens this weekend.
Fans can watch Friday’s game against Cortland here, and Saturday’s showdown with Oswego at this link.
Women’s Hockey
Buffalo State (16-6-1/11-5-0) is third in the ECAC West and will look to hang onto one of the top four seeds so that it too can host a home playoff game, with its occurring on Thursday, Feb. 23.
The Bengals host the No. 1 team in the nation, Plattsburgh (22-1-0/15-1-0) this Friday and Saturday at the Ice Arena. Friday’s game will get underway at 7 p.m. while Saturday’s faces off at 2 p.m.
Buffalo State can fall no lower than fifth in the standings, while a single win this weekend will automatically clinch the team a top-four finish. The Bengals are already guaranteed to make the playoffs for the fourth-consecutive season.
Fans can watch both Friday’s and Saturday’s contest against the top team in the nation, right here on buffalostateathletics.com.
Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving
Buffalo State will continue to compete at the SUNYAC Championships at the Burt Flickinger Aquatic Center at Erie Community College thru Saturday, Feb. 18.
Fans can get a preview of the event here (including a full schedule and ticket information) and can watch the entire event live off of SUNYACSports.com.
Women’s Basketball
Buffalo State (7-17/4-13) closes out its regular season with a conference showdown with Fredonia this Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Sports Arena.
The Bengals have been led this year by Princella McCullough (Rochester/Bishop Kearney) and Caleh McLean (New Rochelle/New Rochelle). McCullough (11 points/11.3 rebounds) is the only player in the SUNYAC to average a double-double this season, and is 36th in the entire nation in rebounding. McLean leads the Bengals with 11.2 points per game, to go with averages of 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assist per contest.
Buffalo State will look to end on a two-game winning streak after knocking off Oswego last Saturday at the buzzer, 65-63.
Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field
Buffalo State closes out its regular season this Saturday with the Golden Eagle Invitational at Brockport College.
It is the final tune up before the SUNYAC Championships which take place Feb. 24-25, also at Brockport.
Fans can find the results after the competition on buffalostateathletics.com.
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