WBB: Northwest Conference

[swiss]

Greetings from Abilene!  It appears that we will be playing y'all (as they say out here) this Friday.  Should be interesting: you call yourself the Loggers, and  McMurry's located in a part of the country with practically no trees.  We're orienting our players to dealing with those funny things that fill up the sky so that you can't see the sun.  I guess we also need to orient them about things like clouds and rain.  We just had a major dust storm out here (what you get for not having enough trees and rain).  We've played everyone in our conference at least twice, and one team (Howard Payne) three times, so I think everyone's looking forward so someone different.

Since no one else has replied to your greeting, I reckon I will with a "howdy do."  I spent seven great years in Texas and will always miss the food and culture (but not the heat, dust, or the crawlin' critters).  I'm also looking forward to seeing some other teams (3 times banging with UPS is enough for me as a fan in one year but I'll still probably root for them against y'all.)  The Bruins saw Trinity (Texas) play in Richmond at the sectionals a couple of years ago and played against St. Benedict and Randolph-Macon.  They let that R-M game slip through their fingers in the Elite Eight so don't expect them to go easy on you if they should meet you in the second round on Saturday.   Expect good basketball when you face a Northwest Conference team and you shouldn't be disappointed.

As long as I'm at it... welcome to the "Gusties" too.   I hope you don't think us too inhospitable if we only let you play one game while you're here. 

[parklandpride]

"The Lutes never finished below .500 under Rigell, who leaves with a 196-69 record and five Northwest Conference titles in his 10 seasons."

...So i guess it isnt just about wins and losses. I spent some time today talking to folks around the program, folks I trust a great deal. I figure that my history of posting on this site has always circled around the best available facts i can get and the best i can do to squash rumor. Worth noting, i haven't spoken to Ms. Turner or Coach Rigell, so anything i say here is based completely off sources (or opinion) and not the two actually in the meeting.

#1. Gil is an amazing coach and teacher. He loved the game, taught it well and gave as much or more to his program and players as he expected from it. Players that flourished under him were players with heart and mental toughness, his gym was not for the weak. He turned this program into an instant winner, taking amazing individual talent (Corbray, Millet, Hampton) and created a team, a winning team. He was also an amazing recruiter. His first recruiting class consisted of Franza, Iserman, Keatts and continued on with players like C. Johnson, Nikki Johnson, Turner and Mann. He ended with a winning record against every NWC team except Fox, which as a rival, are some of the most memorable games in NWC history.

Gil followed NCAA rules to a T. Didnt believe in short cuts and surrounded himself with coaches that had the same passion and respect for the game as he did. What impressed me most was how Gil would actually step away from basketball, for an entire summer, and focus on his real love, tennis. Taking a break from the game kept him fresh and inspired, and even more impressive when you consider his peer group is known for year round obsessing over the game and their team. He let his players do their thing over the summer, and every one of them came back ready to go, day one of practice, because they knew that once the season started, he was going to work them harder than anyone else.

Gil was loyal. He had several chances to take on higher profile, scholarship school jobs. He passed on Seattle Pacific to stay with PLU and was even pressured twice to jump over and take on the mens program at PLU. But his loyalty was to his players, his staff, and the fans that had once again fallen in love with PLU Women's Basketball.

[parklandpride]

...so with that said, W's and L's arent everything, there must be a reason.

For all the success Gil had at PLU, he very much did things his way. From what i understand, Ms. Turner is far more strict and has very different expectations of her coaching staff than previous AD's. She is very driven by alumni relations (specifically those with money) and expects fund raising to be a large part of the coaches tasks. Gil doesnt fund raise, he coaches basketball.

The same goes for his disconnect with the coaching staff during the summer when he retreats to his own world of tennis and doesnt take part in any additional curricular events, such as coaching meetings or department events.

From what i understand, Ms Tuner has different expectations and it is possible these differences led to a parting of ways.

Its pretty rare to see a coach with his success and resume be let go without visible court antics (Gil got one Technical in his PLU career), or NCAA violations. So it leaves most of us scratching our heads wondering how it is possible he is leaving on someone's terms other than his own.

It goes to show you that it takes a lot to be a head coach and handle success. So many hats to wear, so many people to answer too, so many rules to follow, and ultimately, that might be what brought an end. Gil wanted to do one thing....be on the court, and he wanted to do it on his terms. It brough PLU ten years of great basektball, most likely the ten best years this program will ever see...and for that, to Coach Gil Rigell, I say thank you.

"Together Lutes"

[skokomish]

Parkland,

I used to coach for the Lutes in another sport, and these days I can only follow from afar.  This is absolutely stunning.  I have to believe it's more than a personality conflict, although I must admit I know next to nothing about the Turner regime.  I didn't even necessarily get along with Gil completely, but he had my absolute respect and admiration as a coach. 

PLU is not the athletic powerhouse it once was, to many people's great dismay.  Lute women's basketball used to be a joke, the weak hitter in an amazing lineup of nationally recognized programs.  Gil changed all that, and did it in a very short time.  I was there to witness that, and it was impressive.  He was a winner, and with Lute Athletics at an all-time low, he was still carrying that flag of excellence, a flag seems to have been dropped and forgotten lately.  Unfortunately we are seeing the dismantling of only PLU team that is still playing at an elite level.  It is indeed a sad day for Lute athletics. 

[thejungle]

McMfan wasn't lying...Our girls are gonna freak out when they see those pine trees up yall's way!  (Not that we really talk that way.)

We ASC fans have a favor to ask:  Let us know a little something about Puget Sound.  What kind of game do they play?  Who should we listen for on the radio, and why?   Are they up-tempo or grind-it-out?  That kind of thing.

Anyone up to the challenge?  We McM fan's would love to have a little insight into what to expect this weekend.

[mcmfan]

Wish I could be there.  We've played the same teams several times too, and this will be something different and exciting.  From what we can tell, it should be a weekend of good games: you guys look pretty solid and the four teams seem well matched.  I'm feeling for whoever wins tonight between La Verne and Chapman; they're going to fly all the way to Brownwood (about an hour from Abilene, where McMurry is located) and be eaten alive by Howard Payne, victims, I suppose, of the NCAA's convoluted scheduling requirements.

[swiss]

Wish I could be there.  We've played the same teams several times too, and this will be something different and exciting.  From what we can tell, it should be a weekend of good games: you guys look pretty solid and the four teams seem well matched.  I'm feeling for whoever wins tonight between La Verne and Chapman; they're going to fly all the way to Brownwood (about an hour from Abilene, where McMurry is located) and be eaten alive by Howard Payne, victims, I suppose, of the NCAA's convoluted scheduling requirements.

I wouldn't feel too sorry for them.  The'll get a free trip to Texas and maybe some good steaks or brisket and ribs.  Chapman beat LaVerne twice this year already but lost to Puget Sound and Linfield (another NWC team) by a combined score of 31 points in the two games.  It should be a walk anyway you look at it for HP.  I suspect they'll be well rested by the time they meet any of us.

[swiss]

We ASC fans have a favor to ask:  Let us know a little something about Puget Sound.  What kind of game do they play?  Who should we listen for on the radio, and why?   Are they up-tempo or grind-it-out?  That kind of thing.

Anyone up to the challenge?  We McM fan's would love to have a little insight into what to expect this weekend.

I wouldn't want to give away any conference secrets, would I ?  So... this isn't much more than what you could pick up off the Logger's own website.  Number 5, Allison Craven, is the one I'd look/listen for.  I was pretty impressed with her, especially in our last game with them.  She, along with Laura Hirsh, number 14, were  first team all-conf.  Laura had at least one strong game against us as I recall.  Marissa Cain got HM all conf. and players like Karen Chase and Brie Adderlie had moments when they looked strong too.  UPS scores 65 points a game and gives up 53 and change.  They hit the boards pretty hard, especially on the offensive end.  Other than the first half of their tournament game with Fox, I didn't think they shot particularly well, in fact you could even say "poorly."  It's my view that you can attribute that to the Bruin inside defense but they would probably just say it was poor shooting on their part during those games.  I don't think that overall their shooting percentage is all that bad but you can look it up.  I suspect it will be a hard fought game.  I wouldn't take them lightly.  If you do, we may end up playing them for the fourth time.  In the meantime, I'm sure the Bruins are entirely focused on the Gusties.  At this time of year, it just doesn't pay to look too far ahead.

[swiss]

WOW... Looks like Chapman really wanted this one.  Came from quite a way back to force OT and ended up winning 108 to 97.  What a great start to this Dance.

[thejungle]

Swiss....You officially rock!

Thanks for that insight.  Maybe we should look for a fairly low scoring affair in Oregon.

[mcmfan]

Let's hope the folks from Chapman like Texas barbecue!   

[Ralph Turner]

Congratulations UPS, 69-57.

[mcmfan]

Yep, congratulations!  Let's see, if you win tomorrow, do I read the brackets right that you could be coming out to West Texas for a sectional?

[parklandpride]

NWC 2-0 so far. Nice work folks.

Question of the day. When was the last time a MIAC team defeated a NWC team in Tourney play?

[Ralph Turner]

NWC 2-0 so far. Nice work folks.

Question of the day. When was the last time a MIAC team defeated a NWC team in Tourney play?

Ans.-- 2001  St Thomas 64, GFU 52 in the second round.