Downstate_RIT_Fan
New member
Nice bounce back, great to see all the RIT fans in the stands.
Four huge series coming up to wrap up the regular season..
Four huge series coming up to wrap up the regular season..
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>>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
- Thread starter Ed Trefzger
- Start date
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Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
Good win. Can't say I was thrilled with the 3rd period, especially given that HC had taken it to them for come back wins in the last two 3rd periods the teams played against each other, but at least they held on - by the skin of their teeth. I don't think going to a 1-4 in the 3rd period against a heavy forechecking team like Holy Cross was a good decision - they want to dump the puck in and wear you down, and they're not a team that's going to try to force it through the neutral zone creating turnovers you can pounce on. I suspect that's what got them in trouble in the two games RIT lost to them as well. Hopefully Drackett can get some much needed confidence from holding them off.
Regarding the near future schedule and the AHA standings, RIT (and the top-heavy nature of the conference this year) has really put themselves in a good position for home ice in the 2nd round and the accompanying first round bye. Manage to sweep Robert Morris, and I believe that RIT can clinch a home ice bye with just splits in their remaining 3 series after that (depends on tiebreakers, but if the first tiebreaker is H2H they should be in good shape), and frankly they should do better than that with two home series and a home and home against Niagara.
I think the regular season title is pretty much out of reach at this point though - meaning this senior class is going to have to win the tournament to keep RIT's streak of every class leaving with a championship of some kind, and without any upsets getting through both Sacred Heart and AIC on Championship weekend is going to be a tall order. Sacred Heart in particular seems to be one of the better teams the AHA has produced of late. If you're a believer in GF/GA being a better indicator of team strength than raw record, you have to go back all the way to the Frozen Four Tigers team to find a team with a better conference GF/GA ratio than either Sacred Heart or AIC has currently.
Good win. Can't say I was thrilled with the 3rd period, especially given that HC had taken it to them for come back wins in the last two 3rd periods the teams played against each other, but at least they held on - by the skin of their teeth. I don't think going to a 1-4 in the 3rd period against a heavy forechecking team like Holy Cross was a good decision - they want to dump the puck in and wear you down, and they're not a team that's going to try to force it through the neutral zone creating turnovers you can pounce on. I suspect that's what got them in trouble in the two games RIT lost to them as well. Hopefully Drackett can get some much needed confidence from holding them off.
Regarding the near future schedule and the AHA standings, RIT (and the top-heavy nature of the conference this year) has really put themselves in a good position for home ice in the 2nd round and the accompanying first round bye. Manage to sweep Robert Morris, and I believe that RIT can clinch a home ice bye with just splits in their remaining 3 series after that (depends on tiebreakers, but if the first tiebreaker is H2H they should be in good shape), and frankly they should do better than that with two home series and a home and home against Niagara.
I think the regular season title is pretty much out of reach at this point though - meaning this senior class is going to have to win the tournament to keep RIT's streak of every class leaving with a championship of some kind, and without any upsets getting through both Sacred Heart and AIC on Championship weekend is going to be a tall order. Sacred Heart in particular seems to be one of the better teams the AHA has produced of late. If you're a believer in GF/GA being a better indicator of team strength than raw record, you have to go back all the way to the Frozen Four Tigers team to find a team with a better conference GF/GA ratio than either Sacred Heart or AIC has currently.
Downstate_RIT_Fan
New member
Good synopsis. If 5-3 the rest of the way gets RIT a first round bye and second round home ice I’d take that any day. I also agree that Sacred Heart looks like the real deal. Got to watch them in that CT tournament as all the games were on TV down here. They took Yale and QPAC behind the wood shed. Their speed seemed to catch both of those teams by surprise. Watched their coach mention their loss in the playoffs last year to RIT as a catalyst to having a successful season this year. They certainly have looked good as of late but we all know how the Atlantic Hockey playoffs work once they get to Buffalo. One bad game and you’re out. If RIT gets to Buffalo they have as much of a chance as any other AHA team.
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
This overtime system SUCKS. It has no place in college hockey. Why should a skills competition be worth extra points in the standings?
In the pros, sure. But in the college game, it's essentially a coin toss for an extra point.
Powers &8^]
This overtime system SUCKS. It has no place in college hockey. Why should a skills competition be worth extra points in the standings?
In the pros, sure. But in the college game, it's essentially a coin toss for an extra point.
Powers &8^]
Don’t give up a two goal lead and score in the extra time instead of always giving up a goal in the second frame and it would be okay.
Still, getting points on the road is never a bad thing,
unscarred76
New member
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
I'm probably in the minority here, but I like it and hate ties. Its not a coin flip at all, RIT sucks at 3 on 3 and they need to practice it and get a basic strategy. With our speed and skill we should never lose 3 on 3. Same with shootout, guys (shooters AND goalies) can develop better techniques or moves to score and strategy for shutting down shooters. I don't buy this complaint from people that its a coin flip or like one NHL goalie who is just bad at it says its like the lottery. No, just work at it a little the extra point makes it worth it big time.
I'm probably in the minority here, but I like it and hate ties. Its not a coin flip at all, RIT sucks at 3 on 3 and they need to practice it and get a basic strategy. With our speed and skill we should never lose 3 on 3. Same with shootout, guys (shooters AND goalies) can develop better techniques or moves to score and strategy for shutting down shooters. I don't buy this complaint from people that its a coin flip or like one NHL goalie who is just bad at it says its like the lottery. No, just work at it a little the extra point makes it worth it big time.
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
Even if this were true, it'd hardly be a ringing endorsement for the format, if you could confidently predict the winner every time.
But moreover, these are college kids. Adding 3-on-3 and shootout practice to the regimen takes time away from practice designed for the other 98% of ice time.
Powers &8^]
Even if this were true, it'd hardly be a ringing endorsement for the format, if you could confidently predict the winner every time.
But moreover, these are college kids. Adding 3-on-3 and shootout practice to the regimen takes time away from practice designed for the other 98% of ice time.
Powers &8^]
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
These kids have likely been messing around with 3 on 3 pick up games and breakaway challenges their entire hockey lives. I'm not someone who needs to have ties decided, but that's the way hockey is going and to me as long as they aren't going to start giving out more total points for games decided in the 3 on 3 or in the shootout like they do in the NHL (and like a couple of the uscho columnists suggested on the home page a few weeks ago :facepalm: ) it's a non-issue to me.
And yeah, the angst over Saturday's game should be focused on blowing a 3rd period lead for the 2nd straight weekend, and blowing a 2 goal lead where they had complete control over the game (I think shots were something like 27-9 when they made it 3-1?), although I think the refs taking over the game a little bit in the 2nd period had something to do with the momentum changing as well. Not who got credit for an extra third of a win in the 3x3. It's not likely to affect RIT significantly (as in decide a bye or home ice) unless they struggle down the stretch anyway - and at that point they'll have no one to blame but themselves anyway.
These kids have likely been messing around with 3 on 3 pick up games and breakaway challenges their entire hockey lives. I'm not someone who needs to have ties decided, but that's the way hockey is going and to me as long as they aren't going to start giving out more total points for games decided in the 3 on 3 or in the shootout like they do in the NHL (and like a couple of the uscho columnists suggested on the home page a few weeks ago :facepalm: ) it's a non-issue to me.
And yeah, the angst over Saturday's game should be focused on blowing a 3rd period lead for the 2nd straight weekend, and blowing a 2 goal lead where they had complete control over the game (I think shots were something like 27-9 when they made it 3-1?), although I think the refs taking over the game a little bit in the 2nd period had something to do with the momentum changing as well. Not who got credit for an extra third of a win in the 3x3. It's not likely to affect RIT significantly (as in decide a bye or home ice) unless they struggle down the stretch anyway - and at that point they'll have no one to blame but themselves anyway.
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
This is about the time of year that I like to look at clinching scenarios, but there's not really much going on in that respect this weekend. Mercyhurst has already clinched the 11th seed in the conference tournament, AIC has clinched a 1st round bye and can clinch home ice in the 2nd round of the playoffs with a win or a Robert Morris loss (or combined results that combine to 3 points either gained by AIC or lost by RMU). Bad weekends by Army or RIT could also clinch them home ice even if they get less than 3 points this weekend as well. Sacred Heart only has one game this weekend but they can similarly clinch home ice in the 2nd round with a win and a RMU loss. They haven't quite clinched the 1st round bye, but a combination of two points gained or dropped by Bentley will get them there. Here's the current standings, sorted by winning %, with a note for where each team can possibly finish:
1. AIC 16-5-1(0); .742; Can finish from 1st to 5th
2. SHU 15-7-1(0); .667; Can finish from 1st to 8th (mathematically all teams except MH and AF can catch them, but H2H matchups among the lower teams means they can't all get there at once)
3. Army 12-9-2(2); .580; Can finish from 1st to 10th
4. RIT 11-7-4(1); .576; Can finish from 1st to 10th
5. RMU 9-9-4(2); .500; Can finish from 1st to 10th
6. BENT 10-11-2(0); .464; Can finish from 2nd to 10th
7. AFA 8-11-5(4); .458; Can finish from 3rd to 10th
8. NIA 8-10-4(2); .455; Can finish from 2nd to 10th
9. HC 8-11-3(2); .439; Can finish from 2nd to 10th
10. CAN 7-10-5(3); .439; Can finish from 2nd to 10th
11. MH 3-18-1(0); .152; Will finish 11th
RIT's still in a good spot - there's a cluster of teams from 5th to 10th, but by winning% 5th place Robert Morris is closer to 10th place than they are to us in 4th place. Ultimately 3 splits for us to end the year would force RMU to gain 15 points over 6 games to pass us. Bentley and Niagara would not be able to catch RIT in this scenario since they both would have another loss from splitting with RIT. Holy Cross and Canisius could win out to tie our total in this scenario, but I'd have to imagine our tiebreakers would be good here since we would have less shootout/OT points and series wins against both those teams.
Speaking of tiebreakers, anyone know what the AHA tiebreakers are going to be for seeding? I can't imagine they weren't decided on before the season started, but I haven't seen them posted anywhere, and the new OT system should neccessitate some changes (for example: a 14-10-4(2) team should place better than a 14-11-3(3) team, IMO, but a tiebreaker that looks solely at wins wouldn't be able to make that distinction).
This is about the time of year that I like to look at clinching scenarios, but there's not really much going on in that respect this weekend. Mercyhurst has already clinched the 11th seed in the conference tournament, AIC has clinched a 1st round bye and can clinch home ice in the 2nd round of the playoffs with a win or a Robert Morris loss (or combined results that combine to 3 points either gained by AIC or lost by RMU). Bad weekends by Army or RIT could also clinch them home ice even if they get less than 3 points this weekend as well. Sacred Heart only has one game this weekend but they can similarly clinch home ice in the 2nd round with a win and a RMU loss. They haven't quite clinched the 1st round bye, but a combination of two points gained or dropped by Bentley will get them there. Here's the current standings, sorted by winning %, with a note for where each team can possibly finish:
1. AIC 16-5-1(0); .742; Can finish from 1st to 5th
2. SHU 15-7-1(0); .667; Can finish from 1st to 8th (mathematically all teams except MH and AF can catch them, but H2H matchups among the lower teams means they can't all get there at once)
3. Army 12-9-2(2); .580; Can finish from 1st to 10th
4. RIT 11-7-4(1); .576; Can finish from 1st to 10th
5. RMU 9-9-4(2); .500; Can finish from 1st to 10th
6. BENT 10-11-2(0); .464; Can finish from 2nd to 10th
7. AFA 8-11-5(4); .458; Can finish from 3rd to 10th
8. NIA 8-10-4(2); .455; Can finish from 2nd to 10th
9. HC 8-11-3(2); .439; Can finish from 2nd to 10th
10. CAN 7-10-5(3); .439; Can finish from 2nd to 10th
11. MH 3-18-1(0); .152; Will finish 11th
RIT's still in a good spot - there's a cluster of teams from 5th to 10th, but by winning% 5th place Robert Morris is closer to 10th place than they are to us in 4th place. Ultimately 3 splits for us to end the year would force RMU to gain 15 points over 6 games to pass us. Bentley and Niagara would not be able to catch RIT in this scenario since they both would have another loss from splitting with RIT. Holy Cross and Canisius could win out to tie our total in this scenario, but I'd have to imagine our tiebreakers would be good here since we would have less shootout/OT points and series wins against both those teams.
Speaking of tiebreakers, anyone know what the AHA tiebreakers are going to be for seeding? I can't imagine they weren't decided on before the season started, but I haven't seen them posted anywhere, and the new OT system should neccessitate some changes (for example: a 14-10-4(2) team should place better than a 14-11-3(3) team, IMO, but a tiebreaker that looks solely at wins wouldn't be able to make that distinction).
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Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
That was as complete of a weekend they've had in a long, long time, at least inside the conference, and really puts them in good position down the stretch. Drackett seems to have gotten his mojo back, the defense was on top of their gaps (the goal tonight notwithstanding), good with the puck in their own end, the special teams were lights out, and this is as deep as they've been in talented forwards since the Frozen Four team. Obviously they don't have a top line like the Garbowsky line or the Lynch-Favot-Brenner line that can take over games, but they're getting near top-line level scoring from 3 different lines, which more than makes up for it. Well positioned going forward too, as they're only losing Cameron out of the top 9 forwards. They're gonna need a couple guys to step up on defense (be it one of the reserve d-men this year or a freshman being able to handle steady minutes like Nicholson has been able to do this year) but I'm pretty high on the future going forward. This is a great freshman class to build off of. Of course the last time I said that about a forward group they stagnated in their upperclassman years, so obviously nothing's guaranteed in this respect.
Standings wise, they could very easily locked into a first round bye with no chance to catch 1st place as early as next Saturday. With that being said, how much do you prioritize a high seed (#2 or #3 as opposed to the #4)? I'm not sure there's much of a difference between the 5th and 10th positions in the league, although I suppose there is an advantage ending up at #3 or higher in that your opposition has to play the week before instead of your opposition also getting the week off as happens in the #4 vs #5 matchup. That all said, would you be looking to get Matthews into a game and give Drackett a night off during the last weekend if they clinch the bye and can't get to #1? Or would you ride Drackett and try to get into a roll heading into the playoffs, keeping in mind the Tigers will already have a bye week before their first playoff series?
I think a modest goal for the rest of the year is to post their best regular season record since what really was the end of the glory days - they need to split the rest of the way to put up a better record than the Garbowsky team, and they need 9 points the rest of the way to top the 2011-12 team that finished tied for 3rd but just two points out of a conference title (they actually got the 5th seed in the playoffs that year - the top of the conference was quite messy). If they win out, they'll come up just short of the 2010-11 team that was the last RIT team to win the regular season title (and their non-conference play was much better this season than that one).
Even better, they finally seem to be defending home ice. 4 points in their remaining 3 home games would give them their highest conference home winning % since the Ritter when they went 8-0-6 during that 2011-12 season. This isn't even solely a switching buildings thing either - the Tigers were below .500 at home over their last 2 seasons at the Ritter (and were actually 7-4-3 during the first season at the Pollesini before dropping below .500 for the next three seasons.) But over the last two years they've gone a combined 14-7-4 (with a 1-2 tiebreaker record) for a healthy .633 combined winning %. It would do wonders for getting people (and especially students, IMO) into the building if they win most of the time at home. I missed the attendence number Ed announced on the air, but it sounded like a pretty good number tonight, especially for an early start.
EDIT: 3,357. Nice crowd indeed.
That was as complete of a weekend they've had in a long, long time, at least inside the conference, and really puts them in good position down the stretch. Drackett seems to have gotten his mojo back, the defense was on top of their gaps (the goal tonight notwithstanding), good with the puck in their own end, the special teams were lights out, and this is as deep as they've been in talented forwards since the Frozen Four team. Obviously they don't have a top line like the Garbowsky line or the Lynch-Favot-Brenner line that can take over games, but they're getting near top-line level scoring from 3 different lines, which more than makes up for it. Well positioned going forward too, as they're only losing Cameron out of the top 9 forwards. They're gonna need a couple guys to step up on defense (be it one of the reserve d-men this year or a freshman being able to handle steady minutes like Nicholson has been able to do this year) but I'm pretty high on the future going forward. This is a great freshman class to build off of. Of course the last time I said that about a forward group they stagnated in their upperclassman years, so obviously nothing's guaranteed in this respect.
Standings wise, they could very easily locked into a first round bye with no chance to catch 1st place as early as next Saturday. With that being said, how much do you prioritize a high seed (#2 or #3 as opposed to the #4)? I'm not sure there's much of a difference between the 5th and 10th positions in the league, although I suppose there is an advantage ending up at #3 or higher in that your opposition has to play the week before instead of your opposition also getting the week off as happens in the #4 vs #5 matchup. That all said, would you be looking to get Matthews into a game and give Drackett a night off during the last weekend if they clinch the bye and can't get to #1? Or would you ride Drackett and try to get into a roll heading into the playoffs, keeping in mind the Tigers will already have a bye week before their first playoff series?
I think a modest goal for the rest of the year is to post their best regular season record since what really was the end of the glory days - they need to split the rest of the way to put up a better record than the Garbowsky team, and they need 9 points the rest of the way to top the 2011-12 team that finished tied for 3rd but just two points out of a conference title (they actually got the 5th seed in the playoffs that year - the top of the conference was quite messy). If they win out, they'll come up just short of the 2010-11 team that was the last RIT team to win the regular season title (and their non-conference play was much better this season than that one).
Even better, they finally seem to be defending home ice. 4 points in their remaining 3 home games would give them their highest conference home winning % since the Ritter when they went 8-0-6 during that 2011-12 season. This isn't even solely a switching buildings thing either - the Tigers were below .500 at home over their last 2 seasons at the Ritter (and were actually 7-4-3 during the first season at the Pollesini before dropping below .500 for the next three seasons.) But over the last two years they've gone a combined 14-7-4 (with a 1-2 tiebreaker record) for a healthy .633 combined winning %. It would do wonders for getting people (and especially students, IMO) into the building if they win most of the time at home. I missed the attendence number Ed announced on the air, but it sounded like a pretty good number tonight, especially for an early start.
EDIT: 3,357. Nice crowd indeed.
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Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
Agreed 100%. Terrific to see the Tigers playing to their potential this weekend.
Agreed 100%. Terrific to see the Tigers playing to their potential this weekend.
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
Just thought I'd bump this up to the first page. RIT can clinch a first-round bye and home ice this weekend with two wins. A win either night and a loss either night by Robert Morris would also do it. (There are other combinations that work, but RIT controls its own destiny with wins.)
Just thought I'd bump this up to the first page. RIT can clinch a first-round bye and home ice this weekend with two wins. A win either night and a loss either night by Robert Morris would also do it. (There are other combinations that work, but RIT controls its own destiny with wins.)
Destiny is one of the hardest things to control, especially when it’s your own. Here’s to hoping!
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
One point clinches the bye for RIT. Any kind of Air Force result that is not a regulation Air Force win also clinches a bye for RIT, because while both Niagara and Robert Morris could catch RIT right now, they can't both catch RIT because they have to play each other twice on the last weekend.
To clinch home ice in the 2nd round, the Tigers need to earn one more point in their game than Robert Morris does in theirs. A Robert Morris regulation win means RIT would have to wait until next week to clinch home ice.
One point clinches the bye for RIT. Any kind of Air Force result that is not a regulation Air Force win also clinches a bye for RIT, because while both Niagara and Robert Morris could catch RIT right now, they can't both catch RIT because they have to play each other twice on the last weekend.
To clinch home ice in the 2nd round, the Tigers need to earn one more point in their game than Robert Morris does in theirs. A Robert Morris regulation win means RIT would have to wait until next week to clinch home ice.
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
Yeah, they probably have the tiebreakers to clinch 4th tonight, but without seeing an updated list of tiebreakers I wasn't really keen to looking up possible 3-way ties with Army and Robert Morris at 47 points that would be the last piece of the clinching puzzle. Turns out that assuming H2H is the first tiebreaker, we don't have to go deeper than that to wrap up the 4th seed. RIT won the head to head series with Robert Morris, and even if Army loses out to end at 47 points as well, they would win the three way tiebreaker for 3rd, and then you're left with the same RIT-Robert Morris tiebreaker that RIT wins for 4th. So unless the AHA has dramatically changed the tiebrekears, RIT should have it. *If Army wins in the OT/shootout tonight, they're out of this tiebreaker talk anyway, as they'll be at 48 points.
Anyway, they really need to work on that 5 on 3. They're way too perimeter and don't move the puck quickly enough, and the result is eventually they waste a handful of seconds to just take a low percentage chance with shot blockers in the shooting lanes. Their 5 on 4 was a little better, but they obviously came up with the big goal on the 6 on 4. Huge goals from Brubacher. Exciting wins in front of a relatively big crowd are always nice to see.
Big series with Air Force next weekend. RIT still controls their own destiny for 3rd, but they're gonna have to play better than they did in Colorado Springs one would think to pull the season sweep. EDIT: With Army's SO win, it will take 5* points to clinch the 3rd seed next week. Four if RIT controls the tiebreaker with Army (which they could - they split H2H, would likely end up tied in wins, and then RIT would have less losses, which I think should be the 3rd tiebreaker. Actually, RIT owns the goal diffential tiebreaker too, so simply winning the weekend series should clinch RIT 3rd.
Yeah, they probably have the tiebreakers to clinch 4th tonight, but without seeing an updated list of tiebreakers I wasn't really keen to looking up possible 3-way ties with Army and Robert Morris at 47 points that would be the last piece of the clinching puzzle. Turns out that assuming H2H is the first tiebreaker, we don't have to go deeper than that to wrap up the 4th seed. RIT won the head to head series with Robert Morris, and even if Army loses out to end at 47 points as well, they would win the three way tiebreaker for 3rd, and then you're left with the same RIT-Robert Morris tiebreaker that RIT wins for 4th. So unless the AHA has dramatically changed the tiebrekears, RIT should have it. *If Army wins in the OT/shootout tonight, they're out of this tiebreaker talk anyway, as they'll be at 48 points.
Anyway, they really need to work on that 5 on 3. They're way too perimeter and don't move the puck quickly enough, and the result is eventually they waste a handful of seconds to just take a low percentage chance with shot blockers in the shooting lanes. Their 5 on 4 was a little better, but they obviously came up with the big goal on the 6 on 4. Huge goals from Brubacher. Exciting wins in front of a relatively big crowd are always nice to see.
Big series with Air Force next weekend. RIT still controls their own destiny for 3rd, but they're gonna have to play better than they did in Colorado Springs one would think to pull the season sweep. EDIT: With Army's SO win, it will take 5* points to clinch the 3rd seed next week. Four if RIT controls the tiebreaker with Army (which they could - they split H2H, would likely end up tied in wins, and then RIT would have less losses, which I think should be the 3rd tiebreaker. Actually, RIT owns the goal diffential tiebreaker too, so simply winning the weekend series should clinch RIT 3rd.
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Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2019-2020: "We're on the clock" <<<
RIT will finish as either the third or fourth seed overall. RIT can tie Sacred Heart for second place in the standings, but lose the tiebreaker.
If RIT is the 4th seed it's against either Robert Morris, Air Force, or Niagara in the quarterfinals as nobody else can get there. Third seed could mean anyone except AIC, Sacred Heart, or Army and whichever of those above three finishes fifth. Robert Morris is at Niagara this weekend and RIT has Air Force. Only Robert Morris controls its destiny for fifth, which it can clinch with four points. An Air Force loss and at least one point for Robert Morris means Air Force can't finish fifth. Niagara can take fifth with a sweep and Air Force getting no more than three points against RIT.
RIT will finish as either the third or fourth seed overall. RIT can tie Sacred Heart for second place in the standings, but lose the tiebreaker.
If RIT is the 4th seed it's against either Robert Morris, Air Force, or Niagara in the quarterfinals as nobody else can get there. Third seed could mean anyone except AIC, Sacred Heart, or Army and whichever of those above three finishes fifth. Robert Morris is at Niagara this weekend and RIT has Air Force. Only Robert Morris controls its destiny for fifth, which it can clinch with four points. An Air Force loss and at least one point for Robert Morris means Air Force can't finish fifth. Niagara can take fifth with a sweep and Air Force getting no more than three points against RIT.
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