WBB: American Southwest Conference

[fanstand]

Excuse me.....calhsu, let me make myself a little clearer. In this conference you better not count any one out. I didn't say they could win the championship, but on any given day anyone can be beaten by ANYONE. You better bring your "A" game everytime. I probably see 3 basketball games a week (yes, I have a life), I just happen to enjoy basketball season. I have followed this conference closely for 6 years and games aren't always won by the ones who are suppose to win. Ask your football team! Teams let their guard down on games they think are easy, sometimes they recover, sometimes they don't, sometimes they look ahead and get beat by someone they shouldn't.  There is talent on every team and you better be ready is all I am saying.

[calhsu]

Just had to get the football comment in didn't you.   Well that proves my point.  In the last ten years how many times has HSU football been beat by anyone in the lower tier of the conference.  It has not happened.  The loss to TLU is as close as it comes to that, and TLU is the middle of the pack not a bottom group.   And by the way I never made any personal comments concerning you in the post.  My comments are about saying that teams that are year in and year out bad don't beat the top teams.  Over a period of years they can build the program and after a couple of years winning the big games is possible. 
I do not doubt you know the players more than I do.  Being in California I haven't made a HSU basketball game in thirty years.  But for at least the last ten years I have known about every game in the conference on the day of its being played,  when the Cowgirls are on radio I listen.  Not once have they ever lost to a team that is not at least in the top four of the conference.     Facts I do know and the wins and losses are not in question.   
Of course they do have to play the game.  And on a given night with bad officials,  injuries,  poor shooting an upset could happen.  HSU,  HPU,  MHB,  McMurry can beat each other at any time.  But I can tell you right now Sul Ross is not going to beat HSU this year.  They could have  a better team this year and play a good game with them.  But it would take at least two years before they could make that kind of step. 
HSU football and women's basketball lose more game than they did five years ago.  I don't think they are worst than they use to be,  other teams have improved their programs. 
I have no idea if the Cowgirls have championship quality yet.   But they are not going to drop to the bottom in one year.  Anymore than losing teams are going to the top in one year.

[fanstand]

You asked me what universe I was from? I took that personal, that implied I might be out of touch (alienated?) I was just trying to clarify what I meant by not counting teams out in this conference.  Who would of thought that last year HPU women would lose to TLU in their final game and the tourney came to Abilene. I wasn't calling the football team losers, I think they were looking ahead to the playoffs, sure it was a good game, you know stuff happens, you just can't let your guard down ever..........

[calhsu]

point taken....

[mcmfan]

"Anymore than losing teams are going to the top in one year."

Are you sure?  It seems to me HSU volleyball was run over by everyone last year, and this year they made the ASC tournament!

[calhsu]

That team is exactly what I am speaking about.
2002 the volleyball team couldn't beat anyone.  The fact is in 2003 and 2004 they had records of 8-18 and 9-17 (technically a losing team but not a bottom team.) then this year they win west.  In a year or two they might be ready for the NCAA big dance.  But it was a  process of more than one season.  In other words they didn't  go from last to first in one season.   

I know that happens  in professional sports often.  Sometimes even in high  school.   

This horse has been beaten to death.

On a real basketball note,the trimmed down roster for HSU is now complete with new pictures of all the ladies.

[Rob Don]

Such heated conversation!!! I Like it!!! 

But lets not get too carried away...

"But I can tell you right now Sul Ross is not going to beat HSU this year." (calhsu)

Now I completely agree that HSU is much better than Sul Ross.  The chances of taking a lost to Sul Ross is very small.  But lets not start making promises!!!  Have you ever been to Sul Ross???  That's like WAY west Texas!  And everybody knows that the trip there always takes a toll on players.  Lots of teams have trouble playing there..even HSU. 

Who had a comfortable win at home vs Sul Ross (82-50 last season) but when going to Sul Ross won 70-65.  I would have to say that that game was very much a win-able game for either team.  But hey... what do i know?

GO HOWARD PAYNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[baddog]

fanstand -- calhsu's point (I think) was that, even though "on any given day . . .", it is rare when a lower echelon team is going to seriously challenge a top 1 or 2 team in the league for a win.
Using your football example ( and, come on, sure you intended the cheap shot):
UMHB was beaten by HPU (not the champs, but certainly not on the level of AC or MC)
HSU was beaten by TLU (again, not the champs, but not of the lower echelon and, arguably, they were not performing up to their expected level of play until the last game of the season).
If you are a gambler, that is the way to bet. Will you lose every now and then? Sure. But in the long run you'll make money.

[calhsu]

Thanks for making the point I was trying to make. 

[fanstand]

I agree with most of what was said and those points are also well taken.  It was not a cheap shot though. It is unfair that because I support a certain team you think comments on others are spiteful, I have supported other teams in this conference and have attended lots of games and supported HSU, MCM, HPU in more than just basketball and football. There are many intangibles in the game of baskeball, home court advantage, homer officials, and I say the underdog is a dangerous foe. I was just trying to stir things up till the season started. Mission accomplished!

[Rob Don]

i agree with you fanstand, and thanks for the stir! makes things more interesting. 

[dballa]

HPU defeated Clarkson 65-50 tonight in the Hunter College tournament.

They will play against Hunter in the final tomorrow who beat Mt St Vincent
64-45.

Looks like it might be a good final.

[dballa]

Ralph looks like your McMurry women started it off right tonight.

They beat Southwestern 84-50

[Rob Don]

Way to go JACKETS!!!  Good job girls! 

[dballa]

a few stats from HPU's game, didn't have the full box score yet.

HPU scoring:  Hoertz 13 Blalock 13 Daniels 12 and Hoffman 10 leading scorers

HPU shot 50% from 3 point land and out rebounded Clarkson 38-26.