WBB: American Southwest Conference

[golden_dome]

A couple comments on MC's 99-70 win over Millsaps tonight. Senior transfer Brittany Dukes had a great game to lead the Lady Choctaws. Dukes line from tonight looked like this:
29 PTS, 10-12 FG, 5-6 3FG, 4-4 FT, 6 RB, 3 AS, 0 TO, 4 ST
She's one of the best newcomers in the nation this year in my opinion and will probably remind ASC fans a little of former UTT guard Sarah Stanley who led the Patriots to a couple ASC East titles. Wish we had her for more than one season.

Four players finished in double digits tonight as MC shot 61 percent. Rose Green had 14. MC still had 20 turnovers though, which was a problem last year. If they can control the turnovers, they can hang with anyone in the league this year.

[Ralph Turner]

UT Tyler was without Marzetta Shepard (at a funeral) and Melissa Thomas was still feeling the effects of a tough hit from CSB in the UWP game.  Not excuses, just facts.  The Patriots had trouble finding a groove in the early part of the 2nd, and although they rallied late in the 2nd it was too late.  Ralph, I could not find a MIAC poll either, but I know CSB was ranked 20 in the WBCA poll and 23 in the D3hoops poll.  Also, I saw where MC trounced Millsaps, 99-70, tonight.  From the results so far, I too think we are in a horse race for the East title.

A couple comments on MC's 99-70 win over Millsaps tonight. Senior transfer Brittany Dukes had a great game to lead the Lady Choctaws. Dukes line from tonight looked like this:
29 PTS, 10-12 FG, 5-6 3FG, 4-4 FT, 6 RB, 3 AS, 0 TO, 4 ST
She's one of the best newcomers in the nation this year in my opinion and will probably remind ASC fans a little of former UTT guard Sarah Stanley who led the Patriots to a couple ASC East titles. Wish we had her for more than one season.

Four players finished in double digits tonight as MC shot 61 percent. Rose Green had 14. MC still had 20 turnovers though, which was a problem last year. If they can control the turnovers, they can hang with anyone in the league this year.

+1 guys! 

The West has always been solid.  I wrote last year that I roughly thought (trying to remember the exact numbers) that 4th place UMHB would win 15 (of 39) conferences in the country; 3rd place HSU would win 25 conferences; McM 30 and HPU 35.  Sure enough, HPU won the whole thing!

I think that UT-Tyler and Miss College are making the ASC one of the Top 8* Women's conferences in the Country.  I think that McMurry has re-loaded, HSU will be back strong and UMHB had talent last year.  The weak HPU showing at Colorado College and SRSU makes me think that HPU hasn't put it together yet.

They have a national championship banner that should be hanging from the rafters at the Mausoleum, so HPU will be tough at home.

*In the last 10 years, 8 conferences have had at least 2 teams make the Final Four.

[dballa]

HPU is 3-0 after playing 3 in-region road games in 5 days winning all of them by double digits.  I wouldn't exactly say that's a weak showing. 

They have some things they need to work on and improve on by the time the 2nd semester comes around but with no seniors and a lot of freshmen and sophomores playing, they will only get better and they'll be just fine.

[JACKET84]

New coach & new system, HPU has more of a transition to over come, unlike McMurry & HSU.   We'll know better how the teams are when they meet each other .  I thought HPU did pretty well, having to drive to Colorado Springs, play on Friday & Saturday.  Drive back to Brownwood that night, then drive to Alpine on Monday.  Most good teams would have lost one of those games. 

[Ralph Turner]

SCAC SCAC Media Guide.  Page 4

Thanks for the responses.  ColoColl is predicted to finish tied for 4th with Southwestern in the SCAC-West  They, too, have a new coach.

ColoColl may be the stronger of the opponents, but HPU beat SRSU by 20 in Alpine in 2008 and 33 in 2006.

I am more concerned with the expectations that HPU is playing at a Top 13 level.

I may not have the best concept of what is Top 10 at this time of the year, but I would have expected #13  HPU to have won by 20 at SRSU.

I will give HPU the chance to gel, and the battles in the West will be tough ones.  HPU seems to catch Miss College at home in game #9 and UT-Tyler in game #13.  That is well into the season.

Good luck!

[Ralph Turner]

HPU could be 14-0 going into UMHB game.

They then go HSU AND McM.   

They have plenty of talent returning.

HPU Roster

[JACKET84]

You know as well as I that the #13 ranking has to do with what happened last year.  That's the way all pre-season polls work, because nobody can logically be ranked until they play games.  In my opinion the first ranking should come out after approx. 10 games have been played.  I have no idea if HPU even deserves to be in the top 20, but time will tell.

ColoColl may be the stronger of the opponents, but HPU beat SRSU by 20 in Alpine in 2008 and 33 in 2006.

   It's hard to compare by scoring margin.  It may be Prock sent subs in earlier than Kielsmeir would have.  There are too many factors involved.

[Ralph Turner]

   It's hard to compare by scoring margin.  It may be Prock sent subs in earlier than Kielsmeir would have.  There are too many factors involved.

Thanks for bringing that up!

We can look at how Prock uses his bench as the season goes along.

I noticed that Pfiester and Jockers are getting equal playing time at the center.  It is nice to have that depth at that position.

[JACKET84]

I'm ready to see them play tomorrow.  Looks like Josh is playing several freshmen.  The future looks bright. 

[Ralph Turner]

The UMHB fans are still on the football pages.

The women have a great non-conference schedule.

They catch Southwestern and Trinity in November and then Baldwin-Wallace (defending champs from the OAC) and Southern Maine, the perennial power.

[SabineBBall]

HPU could be 14-0 going into UMHB game.

They then go HSU AND McM.   

They have plenty of talent returning.

HPU Roster

14-0?  No way HPU sweeps the top 4 from the east this year.  One or more of them will beat them.  IMHO

[golden_dome]

MS College won at Hardin-Simmons today, 69-68. Anesia McBride had 18 and Rose Green 16. MC won despite leading scorer Brittany Dukes having an off day going 0-10. Anytime you can beat the Cowgirls, especially at home, it's a great win.

[UNCLE]

At times the Lady Jackets looked sluggish, and other times like a machine.  The subs played over half the game, allowing agggressive Brittany Zamora, Fr. to score 20, and be high for the game.  The defense is still there.  Shooting is spotty, inside and outside, but enough to handle their competition so far.  I think there have been four different leading scorers for the Lady Jackets.  Having seen 28 of their 33 games last year, and 2 of the four so far this year,  IMO, I think they are reloaded, and ready to go, they just need to jell, and learn to work together better. 

[SabineBBall]

UTD 72 AT UMHB 64.  1ST utd game I have missed but my daughter says they started slow and were down big early but then go it going.  Looks like the top of the East had a pretty good showing today on the road.

[JACKET84]

     HPU has a lot of young talented Freshmen, and with no Seniors on this years team, they have a bright future ahead of them.  At this time, they have an aggressive defense, but they are lacking on they're outside shooting, follow ups, and free throws at this time.  Those are all correctable.