Men's Basketball | 2/21/2024 4:06:00 PM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher University men's basketball team has a chance to to reach its second consecutive Empire 8 final game. Standing in their way: arch-rival Nazareth University, who host the Cardinals on Thursday in the conference semi-finals. Tipoff is 7:30 P.M. down the street at Nazareth. 
 
Here's what you need to know:
 
Last Time Out
Entering the conference tournament as the No. 3 seed, the Cardinals beat Houghton in the first round on Tuesday night, 79-65. 
 
Fifth-year forward Daniel Cook led the way with a 16 point, 11 rebound double-double, while adding four assists, two blocks, and two steals for good measure. Brendan McRoy added 11 points, six rebounds, and six assists. 
 
Know Your Foe
Separated by less than two miles, St. John Fisher and Nazareth have been natural rivals ever since both schools went co-ed in the 1970s. Since their first matchups in the 1978-79 season, Fisher leads the all-time rivalry, 69-39, and is 27-20 since 2006. 
 
The schools split this year's regular season series, with each team winning their home game against the other. The Golden Flyers won their home game against Fisher, 79-66, while the Cardinals won the regular season finale, 77-76. 
 
Nazareth is led by Logan Blankenburg, who has averaged 17.7 points per game this season. 
 
Fun fact: Nazareth is the alma mater of former NBA coach and broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy.
 
Tournament History
This is the sixth straight season that the Cardinals have reached the Empire 8 tournament, and the 17th overall. 
 
Fisher entered last season's conference tournament as a four-seed. After beating Hartwick at home to open the tournament, the Cards then went on the road and upset Utica and Nazareth for the school's 10th Empire 8 title. 
 
"Big Cozy" Heats Up
Junior forward Connor Williams is on perhaps the hottest streak of his career. Despite playing off the bench, the 7'0'' Victor native has reached double digits in scoring for three consecutive games, including a 16-point, 14-rebound double-double on Feb. 8 against Houghton that set career highs in both categories. He's also had recent success against Nazareth, scoring 13 points in 13 minutes against them in the Feb. 17 regular season finale.
 
Player to Watch
The player to watch on the Cardinals is, of course, Cook. Now in his final year of eligibility and with every game potentially his last, the perennial Empire 8 Player of the Year finished the regular season tops in the conference in scoring (20.6 points per game) and blocks (1.5 per game). Cook was also second in rebounding (9.4 per game), steals (2.0 per game) and in field goal percentage among qualifying conference players (.546). The Honeoye Falls native was fifth in assists (3.1 per game). 
 
What Comes Next
If the Cardinals beat Nazareth, their opponent in and the location of the conference finals will depend on the result of Thursday's game between No. 5 Alfred and No. 1 Utica. Should Utica win, the Cardinals will have to travel to face the Pioneers on their home court on Saturday. Should Alfred pull off an upset, St. John Fisher will host the Saxons at Manning & Napier Varsity Gym with a trip to the NCAA Division III tournament on the line. 
 
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