For Immediate Release: February 21, 2006

Contact: Janelle Feuz, SUNYAC Publicist

SUNYAC Men’s and Women’s Final Four Basketball Teams Head to Utica

Men’s semifinals tip-off at 1:00 p.m. Friday

FREDONIA, NY – Four men’s and four women’s basketball teams finalized their trip to Utica with wins in the quarterfinal round of the SUNYAC Tournament. All four men and women’s semifinal games are set for Friday, February 24 at the Utica War Memorial Auditorium, home of the SUNYAC Tournament for the ninth straight year. Both championship games will take place on Saturday.
Three of the top four seeds advanced in the women’s tournament with Cortland, Oswego, Geneseo and Brockport all recording victories. Top-seeded Cortland defeated eighth-seeded New Paltz 66-51, while fourth seeded Geneseo beat fifth-seeded Fredonia 63-51. Cortland and Geneseo will meet Friday at 8:00 p.m. in the first women’s semifinal. Second-seeded Oswego and sixth seeded Brockport are set to battle in the other semifinal at 6:00 p.m. The Lakers outlasted sixth-seeded Buffalo State 71-59 and the Golden Eagles defeated third seeded Oneonta 68-56. In regular season play, Cortland swept Geneseo, 68-51 and 73-46 and Brockport swept Oswego 54-44 and 75-66.
In the men’s bracket, three of the top four seeds will also advance to the semifinals in Utica. Top-seeded Cortland defeated eighth-seeded Buffalo State, 99-84 while fourth-seeded SUNYIT came out on top against fifth-seeded Potsdam, 97-96 in overtime. The Wildcats will take on the Red Dragons at 3:00 p.m. on Friday. In the other men’s quarterfinal games, sixth-seeded Plattsburgh edged third-seeded Brockport 88-86 and second-seeded Oswego defeated seventh-seeded Geneseo 66-62. The Cardinals will take on the Lakers Friday at 1:00 p.m. In the regular season, Cortland swept SUNYIT 76-70 and 74-67 and Plattsburgh defeated Oswego in their only face-off, 85-77.
Winners of Friday’s semifinal contests will meet in the finals Saturday. The men’s championship starts at 1:00 p.m. and the women’s follows at 4:00 p.m.

Men’s Tournament
Semifinals – Friday, Feb. 24 (Utica Memorial Auditorium)
#6 Plattsburgh vs. #2 Oswego – 1 p.m.
#4 SUNYIT vs. #1 Cortland – 3 p.m.

Finals – Saturday, Feb. 25 (Utica Memorial Auditorium)
Semifinal Winners – 1 p.m.
(winner receives automatic NCAA bid)

Women’s Tournament
Semifinals – Friday, Feb. 24 (Utica Memorial Auditorium)
#6 Brockport vs. #2 Oswego – 6 p.m.
#4 Geneseo vs. #1 Cortland – 8 p.m.

Finals – Saturday, Feb. 25 (Utica Memorial Auditorium)
Semifinal Winners – 4 p.m.
(winner receives automatic NCAA bid)
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