Men's Basketball Tournament and Quick Facts
The 2015-2016 Empire 8 Athletic Conference (E8) Men's Basketball Playoff field has been set, with four teams battling for a chance to win the postseason conference championship and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship. The playoffs begin Friday, February 26, with St. John Fisher College hosting the two-day tournament.
Schedule
Friday, February 26 - Semifinals
No. 1 Fisher vs. No. 4 Stevens – 6 p.m.
Live Stats |
Video
No. 2 Nazareth v No. 3 Hartwick - 8 p.m.
Live Stats |
Video
Saturday, February 27 – Final
Stevens/Nazareth vs. Hartwick/Alfred – 4 p.m.
Live Stats |
Video
Tickets
Adults - $5
Students/Seniors - $3
Children Under 12 - Free
Participating Teams Twitter Coverage:
Hartwick
@HawkTalk
Nazareth
@Nazathletics
Fisher
@fisherathletics
Stevens
@StevensDucks
Empire 8
@Empire8
Tournament Webpage
Before the action begins, here are some quick facts you should know about the conference tournament. (
*Quick facts will be based on the current tournament format years 2004-2016).
The Empire 8 will employ a four-team tournament format for the 13
th straight year. Prior to the 2004 tournament, the E8 champion was determined based on the regular season finish.
The 2016 E8 Tournament features two newcomers (Nazareth and Stevens) and two returners from the 2015 tournament (Fisher and Hartwick).
Four E8 tournaments have played out according to seeding (2005, 2006, 2007, 2015).
The #1 seed is 8-4 in the semifinal game of the tournament. #2 seed (7-5), #3 seed (5-7), #4 seed (4-8).
The #4 seed has advanced to the championship game four times, winning the conference title for the only time in 2012.
The #3 seed has won the title three times (2008, 2010, 2011).
The #2 seed has won the title twice (2009, 2013).
The #1 seed has won the last two titles in addition to four straight titles from 2004-2007.
Fisher is hosting the tournament for the second straight year and is serving as the top seed for the seventh time. The Cardinals have a 5-3 record in the title game and are the defending champions.
Nazareth has advanced to the Championship game all five times they have made the tournament (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014), winning the title twice (2008, 2010).
Hartwick is playing in its third straight E8 tournament and fifth time overall. The Hawks won the championship in 2011 and 2014.
The Ducks have made the postseason every year but two (2009 and 2015) since joining the conference in 07-08
. Stevens has never won an E8 title and has only played in the championship game once (2013).
E8 Tournament History |
Past E8 Champions