MBB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[tarheelfan]

Speaking of D3 competition, I believe the SCAC West will the most competitive it has been in years with Trinity losing 4 out of 5 starters.  I can't put the six teams in any particular order. It looks to me like a toss up for the 4 top spots.  Any thoughts?

[pbrooks3]

SCAC West might be a toss-up as you've speculated. Still have confidence that Pat Cunningham will figure ways to get wins via defense and rebounding. I do believe Hendrix might be the team to pay close attention to this coming season. Southwestern will be a factor too with their point guard and a decent mix of other players. Hope we might get some early readings in the fall on some of the potential impact freshmen in the SCAC.

[Ralph Turner]

Gordon Mann found this report in the Shreveport Times (online)and posted the link on the Daily Dose.

http://d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2009/06/04/making-the-case-for-centenary-la-and-d-iii/

In May 2009, Centenary LA gave its official 2-year notice that it is leaving the Summit League after the 2010-11 season.

[frank_ezelle]

Speaking of D3 competition, I believe the SCAC West will the most competitive it has been in years with Trinity losing 4 out of 5 starters.  I can't put the six teams in any particular order. It looks to me like a toss up for the 4 top spots.  Any thoughts?

Unless a change has been made, thinking about the top 4 spots in the SCAC is a thing of the past.  The SCAC Presidents got together and made the decision that only the top 2 in a sport would go to the SCAC Tournament in the various sports.  It's such a flawed decision and maybe it will be reversed, but I doubt it.  It's like the SCAC Presidents going with men's basketball first last year followed by the women--20 of 24 SCAC coaches voted to do the opposite, but heck, what do coaches know about athletics?

[Ralph Turner]

Speaking of D3 competition, I believe the SCAC West will the most competitive it has been in years with Trinity losing 4 out of 5 starters.  I can't put the six teams in any particular order. It looks to me like a toss up for the 4 top spots.  Any thoughts?

Unless a change has been made, thinking about the top 4 spots in the SCAC is a thing of the past.  The SCAC Presidents got together and made the decision that only the top 2 in a sport would go to the SCAC Tournament in the various sports.  It's such a flawed decision and maybe it will be reversed, but I doubt it.  It's like the SCAC Presidents going with men's basketball first last year followed by the women--20 of 24 SCAC coaches voted to do the opposite, but heck, what do coaches know about athletics?

Frank, I think that the decision was made in consideration of the financial constraints that are facing the budgets of the various institutions.

Cutting from 8 to four shortens the playoffs by a whole day for the teams that make it.

I don't think that we can imagine how bad this economy is going to get.

[tarheelfan]

I heard from a reliable source at Hendrix that the SCAC recently voted to keep the tournament at 8 teams for basketball. 

[Hendrix2009]

Tarheelfan you are correct.   My son heard on 6/23 from an extremely reliable source that the tournament is going to be kept at 8 teams. 

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've got basketball withdrawal! 

[tarheelfan]

The site of the 2010 SCAC tournament is still being decided but word is that Millsaps is likely to get it.  I don't see why the SCAC would want to have the tourney at a below average gym.  (Old Grove gym was never the site of the tournament!)      I would suggest Rhodes as hosts once again after the two year stint in Conway.

[tarheelfan]

Here is the official word of keeping ALL SCAC tournaments at their original size.
http://www.scacsports.com/news/scac_announces_cost_containment_plan

[Tennessee_papa]

Here is the official word of keeping ALL SCAC tournaments at their original size.
http://www.scacsports.com/news/scac_announces_cost_containment_plan

All-in-all pretty reasonable, and the decision as to the conference tournaments is good news.

For basketball, does a 10% reduction mean 23 games or 22?  Or are they just going to play a half in one game?

My daughter is not going to be so excited about the eating in school dining halls thingy.  I think I'll let that news come from her athletic department rather than telling her I saw this press release......

[pbrooks3]

Tennessee_papa, perhaps parents and alumni can pitch in from-time-to-time to feed teams traveling so that cafeteria-style feeding doesn't become the norm. 

I am pleased the SCAC presidents saw the wisdom in retaining a post-season experience worthy of note for the student-athletes.  This will help attendance which contributes to the championship run experience, too.

[Tennessee_papa]

Tennessee_papa, perhaps parents and alumni can pitch in from-time-to-time to feed teams traveling so that cafeteria-style feeding doesn't become the norm. 

Honestly, pbrooks, my attitude about that particular change is "she'll live".  I think, no, I know that she was looking forward to road trips in part as a break from dining hall food.  But it's a minor thing.

Does bring up a question, though - does the conference pay for team travel for conference games out of a conference pot of money?  I would have thought that each school would have been responsible for its own travel expenses.....

[Ralph Turner]

Tennessee_papa, perhaps parents and alumni can pitch in from-time-to-time to feed teams traveling so that cafeteria-style feeding doesn't become the norm. 

Honestly, pbrooks, my attitude about that particular change is "she'll live".  I think, no, I know that she was looking forward to road trips in part as a break from dining hall food.  But it's a minor thing.

Does bring up a question, though - does the conference pay for team travel for conference games out of a conference pot of money?  I would have thought that each school would have been responsible for its own travel expenses.....

The reduction in games levels the playing field among conference members with respect to post-season awards and other considerations.

the Midwest Conference has had this 10% season reduction in place for years.

This is almost the equivalent to one week of the season.

[Ralph Turner]

From the cost containment strategy...

Increase in Friday-Saturday competition. Conference mandated scheduling adjustments - when travel distances permit - of more Friday/Saturday competitions will allow for often less expensive Sunday morning air travel. In addition, there will be the added benefit of students returning to campus on Sunday afternoon or early evening.

One more cost containment strategy to increase the number of Friday Saturday competitions...

Add four more schools to the conference...

UDallas, Centenary LA, Berry and someone else on the east.

[pbrooks3]

If I may ask, Tennessee_papa, what school does your daughter play for?