WBB: American Southwest Conference

[dballa]

Great day for HPU athletics but a sad day for the ASC.  The first ASC Commissioner Fred Jacoby past away yesterday.  He did a lot for this conference.

http://www.ascsports.org/

[David Collinge]

Congratulations to HPU, who played a fine couple of games to defeat two good opponents and earn their way to the Final Four.  Congratulations also to the players, coaches, and fans of Hope, DeSales, and George Fox, all of whom represented their schools quite well.

It was a great event, and I'm glad I made the trip.  It was nice to meet so many folks and attach faces to names, including Gordon Mann, Ralph Turner, dballa, mcmfan & family, and Rick Akins (and I hope I haven't missed anyone!) 

Good luck to the Lady Jackets as they buzz around the tulips of Holland this weekend!

[golfniz1]

HPU played a hard game against a very good Hope basketball team.  I thank that was the  best front line game that our girls played to date. Granite we got out rebounded but they played tough and dished what was given to them.  Hey mcmfan why cant you give our girls some props I read your post on Hopes site I cant believe you cant give the foul calling a rest.  Our girls played hard last night and very much deserved to win the game they made plays when they needed to make them and Hope did not they had their chances just as we did.  So please just show us some support, our conference needs the exposure in these NCAA playoffs so our conference can get get  the respect it deserves.

[mcmfan]

What I was trying to do in those posts, golfniz1, was to correct the notion that Hope somehow got a raw deal at the Coliseum because of the disparity in the foul calls.  If you read the Hope write-up on their webpage at http://www.hope.edu/pr/athletics/wbb/, you'll notice they go into great detail about the fouls, though they admit that they had "no answer" for Meia.  My point was that if you get the same disparities at all the places HPU played this season, and not just the Coliseum, you can't imply that they got favored treatment last night from the refs. 

[voice]

From the sound of it, Whitewater won't be nearly as tough as Hope was for HPU

[golfniz1]

Maybe I stand to be corrected, but it seems like anytime you make a post when it comes to the HPU girls their is always some form of negativity towards them.  Why? I do not see  it when it comes to anyone else.  Is it because we beat Mc ?  You can go back on my posts and I never say anything bad about McMurry and praised Tara for accomplishments.

[mcmfan]

As I said before, you should reread what I have posted.   Suffice it to say that I was at the game Saturday wearing blue and yellow.

[Ralph Turner]

From the sound of it, Whitewater won't be nearly as tough as Hope was for HPU

UWW 2008 season record

Analyzing the UWW regular season schedule shows that the Warhawks has this regular season record versus 2008 Playoff teams.


Nov. 17    4:00 PM    Maryville (Mo.) @ Millikin •    W, 93-74    
      
Nov. 28    7:00 PM    at Chicago •    W, 62-53    
      
Dec. 1    3:00 PM    UW-Stevens Point * •    W, 75-71    

Dec. 30    4:00 PM    at Mary Washington @ Irvine, Calif.    W, 70-67    
      
Jan. 12    3:00 PM    at UW-Eau Claire * •    L, 63-60    
      
Feb. 2    3:00 PM    UW-Eau Claire * •    W, 60-50    
            
Feb. 16    3:00 PM    at UW-Stevens Point * •    L, 64-62    
      
Feb. 28    7:00 PM    UW-Stevens Point •    L, 79-71    

That is an excellent record versus tournament teams.

By contrast, HPU was only able to schedule 4 games versus playoff teams (as hard as Coach Kielsmeir tried).
      

   
      
   

[Pat Coleman]

Congratulations to HPU, who played a fine couple of games to defeat two good opponents and earn their way to the Final Four.  Congratulations also to the players, coaches, and fans of Hope, DeSales, and George Fox, all of whom represented their schools quite well.

It was a great event, and I'm glad I made the trip.  It was nice to meet so many folks and attach faces to names, including Gordon Mann, Ralph Turner, dballa, mcmfan & family, and Rick Akins (and I hope I haven't missed anyone!) 

Good luck to the Lady Jackets as they buzz around the tulips of Holland this weekend!

David -- glad you went and glad you enjoyed it!

[inthepaint]

I watched Glory Road last night, the story of Texas Western, now the University of Texas at El Paso, and the run toward what was almost a perfect season as they captured the national title against the University of Kentucky.

I could not help but compare the story to what will be a perfect record as HPU captures the national DIII title.  All the way, Jackets! 

[JACKET84]

Does anyone know who has won the national championship in DIII and gone undefeated?

[Rick Akins]

I do not have time to say much since I am going to Holland Michigan later in the week!!  One comment about the HPU foul shots in the Hope game. I am afraid to read what the Hope fans have said, but remember 4 of the 18 were in the last 25 seconds when Hope had to foul. Also, remember 8 (including 2 of those last four) were by a person who had the best individual performance I have ever seen and who LITERALLY could not and would not be stopped Saturday night.

In the first half neither team had many fouls at all, and in the second half Boles made 5 3's so no fouls on those. Hope may have had a few bad calls but they are a very physical team, IMHO, and should expect more fouls. Hope was a great team, and I am sure on a neutral floor it might take another amazing performance from Meia to beat them; however, I just had a little bit of the feeling from Hope on both days really that --"we are Hope"--things should always go our way.  I guess when you are undefeated this year, have the players and coaches they do, and were the 2006 national champs, it would be hard not to have that attitude.  I really thought our whole team (and I understand it is easier with 95% of the fans on your side) handled the excruciating pressure of that game incredibly well, especially at the end. Hope had a couple of turnovers at the end  that hurt them.

Enought of that!! I am so proud of our team!  What an amazing weekend!  If we play our game, I am confident we can play with anyone up there and can win it all.  I do not care if we were at home---that game with Hope was as pressure packed as any  could be and we handled it well. On to Holland!!

[Ralph Turner]

Does anyone know who has won the national championship in DIII and gone undefeated?

Here is a place to start.

[golfniz1]

Looks like HPU will be in for another physical game just looking at the UW@WW roster.  they have 6 girls that are 6ft to 6ft 1'' and seems to be Hope size girls.  They have 2 or 3 girls that can light it up from the outside the Lady Jackets are going to have to rebound better than the Hope game if they want to advance to the finals.  UW@WW on paper looks to be a very good basketball team.  Does anyone else have any info on these girls?

[calhsu]

Great win for HPU.  Right now they can say with no doubt they are as good as any team or better than any team in the DIII world.  Will they win the championship?   They certainly have the talent, experience.  The only thing is how will they handle the pressure of the big weekend.  It made a big impact on the HSU team two years ago.  I have to admit this HPU team is better than the Cowgirls were. 
But as I looked at the HPU schedule this year the only wins they have out of the south is the wins in California. 

The calls will be different.  First, I think there is no doubt having the regional game at HPU made a difference, it always does.  But HPU earned the right to have it at home.  It was up to Hope to figure out how to deal with the calls.  But the final four refs will call an eastern type game and it will be up to HPU to deal with it.  An advantage HPU does have is that they should be the favorite.   They have to be the team to beat.