2014 Empire 8 Women's Basketball Tournament Page

ONEONTA, NY – The Hartwick Hawks, runners-up the past two seasons in the Empire 8, get their third crack at the conference title this weekend as they travel to Ithaca's Ben Light Gymnasium Friday. The Hawks are the #2 seed in the tournament and play #3 Stevens in the semifinals at 8 p.m. with the championship slated for Saturday at 4 p.m.

Head coach Missy West, who yesterday was named the conference Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons after leading the Hawks to a share of the regular season crown, likes her team's mentality and focus heading into the weekend.

"Our players have worked extremely hard over the season to get to this point and are ready for the tournament," said West. "We've improved after every game, changed what we feel needed to be changed, and gotten better at the fundamentals of the game. This year, our girls have been more focused than ever and seem to be on a mission with one goal in mind."

'Wick has played Stevens in the conference semifinals and Ithaca in the championship in each of the last two Empire 8 Tournaments. Both times the Hawks got past the Ducks but fell to the Bombers in the finals.

"The seniors and juniors have had a taste of this tournament for two years now so going into their third time, they are experienced and quite focused," West stated. "We have had good practices all week so now we just have to bring it this weekend."

This season, the Hawks sport a 21-4 overall record and have now reached the 20-win mark in each of the last three seasons. Hartwick's 65 victories over the last three campaigns are the most in any three-year span in program history.

"So far we have accomplished what we have planned to do," added West. "We set specific goals at the beginning of the season for ourselves and we worked hard to accomplish them. We did exactly what we said we wanted to do - finish in first place in the conference. Our expectations have been high the last few years but the difference is that our team this year has guts. They have stayed focused throughout the course of the season, and are more determined than ever."

On Friday, the Hawks play a Stevens team which they beat by a resounding 21 points just 10 days ago, something uncharacteristic of the rivalry which has had many close contests. Hartwick edged Stevens by one in their first meeting in New Jersey thanks to a buzzer beater.

"Stevens is a great team with a lot of lethal weapons," commented West. "Avis Benjamin has always been a big player for them that can put up big points and they have several other versatile players that can score from inside and out which makes their team dangerous. We are well aware that we cannot look back at the last game and think this is going to be easy. Stevens is never easy so we must respect them just like we have the last two times we faced them."

Hartwick will be in search of its first Empire 8 Championship since the league's inception and first outright conference title since the team won the Empire Athletic Association (EAA) crown back in 1995-96. Ithaca has won eight of 14 E8 conference titles and will look for its third straight championship. Stevens won in both 2009 and 2011 and Fisher claimed their titles in 2000, 2003, and 2006.

The Hawks are 5-1 this season against the rest of the tournament field. The Hawks rallied against then-#18 Ithaca in the late stages of the game in a 63-60 win at Lambros to open the conference season on January 3. The Bombers turned the tables on January 25 pulling the win out late after the Hawks had led for much of the game.

Sophomore Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) hit a shot from beyond the free-throw line in traffic with under two seconds left to lift Hartwick past the Ducks, 65-64, on January 14. Senior Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Central Catholic) dropped in 20 points in the rematch with the Hawks winning 71-50 on February 18.

Against Fisher, Hartwick trailed by as many as 12 points in Pittsford on January 10 but the Hawks' bench came up with a total of 22 points to lead them to a 71-68 triumph. Hartwick rolled in the second matchup 73-51 at Lambros with Foglia accumulating 18 points and 13 rebounds, and senior Kait Veit (Easthampton, NY/Holyoke Catholic) adding 17 points.

"We know we must play our best basketball this weekend in order to come out on top," West said. "We need our players to step up and make big plays for us. I think all the fundamentals of the game are crucial - boxing out, getting all the hustle plays, executing well, making free throws, defending to keep people out of the paint, and having poise. We believe this is our time and must do and not just say what we want to do. We are always saying 'No regrets.' We have to attack this weekend with this in mind."

Video and audio broadcasts as well as live stats will be available for all three women's games this weekend. Tickets are $5 for adults, and $3 for students and senior citizens. Children under the age of 12 will receive free admission.