MBB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[DPU_radio_guy]

I think I heard somewhere along the line that there was a plan that the tournament might move from place to place in the next couple of years.  I don't think it was ever made official, but I heard it mentioned a couple of times over the last year or two.

If I remember right, it'd be held in a different region (like north, south, & central) every year.  So at a South school like Trinity or Millsaps or something, then at a central school like Hendrix or Sewanee, then at a North school like DPU or Centre.  Not sure if that ever went anywhere or not. 

On another note Frank, if I was Trinity I'd sure rather play the home team who isn't very good compared to Oglethorpe or even Sewanee.  With Ben Campbell healthy, Sewanee is dangerous.  I'd be quite content to play Rhodes.  Shut down Almefty and you've got yourself a good situation.

[Sewanee#24]

Well, we got one last weekend against Rose-Hulman.  Luckily for us, Rose-Hulman's offense was perhaps the most stagnant offense I have ever seen from that team.  Basically, they passed the ball to Munchie and then stood around to watch what would happen.  Thus, allowing our defense to key on their best player.  I was really expecting more from them.  Anyway, as far as this weekend goes, I am predicting a Sewanee win over a Trinity team that, basically, has the conference locked up and is looking forward to the SCAC tournament and/or Centre.  Thus, we go to the conference tournament as both Rhodes and Hendrix are playing teams that are desperate to improve their tournament seed and will be playing hard.  I hope it is a good weekend for those attending the games.

[frank_ezelle]

Just to help you out Sewanee #24, I'm going to say that Sewanee's chances of winning a game this weekend and their chances of going to the SCAC Tournament are just about totally nil.  Since my predictions are almost always totally wrong, you should take great hope in my forecast. 

In another prediction, giving the importance of the games this weekend for Hendrix and Rhodes, I think those will be very tough road games for Millsaps and OU.  I saw the Millsaps team leaving campus at lunch yesterday so I hope they got into Conway before the bad weather hit.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity needs both wins this weekend to have a good shot at a Pool C should they lose in the tournament.  I don't think they'll overlook anyone. 

Gonna be a cold weekend in Texas (like just about everywhere else) this weekend, everyone stay warm. 

[Ralph Turner]

When was the last time the tournament was not held in Memphis?  Has there been any thought given to rotating the tourney around? 

Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages to having it in the same location each year, and Memphis is probably as close to a "central" location as the SCAC can find. 

Excellent airport connections, too.

[carlweathers]

Unfortunately the Memphis Airport can be quite expensive to fly into. 

Don't think Trinity is losing tonight on Senior Night. 

[frank_ezelle]

Lots of things from last night--I thought someone would have added a post prior to now:

--Centre beats SW and Centre will take over the #2 seed if they win at Trinity.  The Centre win guarantees that these two teams will be the 2nd and 3rd seeds.
--Trinity doesn't have to share the SCAC regular season title after last night.  Their winning margin of only 6 over Sewanee is a little surprising but it got the job done and it was the biggest "blowout" of the night.
--Millsaps, DePauw and RHIT will be the 4-6th seeds and they are all tied at 7-6 right now.  DePauw and RHIT play tonight which will leave give us an 8-6 team and a 7-7 team.  Millsaps plays Rhodes and could obviously finish either 8-6 or 7-7.  So any way that you go, Millsaps will be tied with one of the Indiana teams and Millsaps has the tiebreaker over DePauw and RHIT has it over Millsaps.
--Hendrix started league play 2-0 and has gone 1-10 since with a lot of close losses.  Last night's results leaves them out of the SCAC Tournament with hopes of getting over the hump next year.  They aren't too far away from having that program turned around.
--Rhodes has a one-game lead over both Hendrix and Sewanee and the tiebreaker over Hendrix.  Sewanee holds the tiebreaker over Rhodes so they will get the 8th spot if they beat SW on the road and Rhodes falls at home to Millsaps. 

That's the wrapup and I'll end up with one final thought.  Love or hate the SCAC Tournament, you have to admit that it adds importance to the league games all the way to the end of conference play.  Without the tournament, the last couple of weeks would mostly have been about teams just finishing up the season.  See you in Memphis.

[Fan of the Game]

Frank,

Thanks for the analysis of where all teams in the SCAC stand.  I always enjoy your recaps.  We got home so late last night from the Trinity/Sewanee game that I couldn't gather up the energy to post to the board.  With a little under 9 minutes to play and a 19 point lead, Trinity went into a slump and Sewanee played very hard to make the game a close contest.  Without James Lake's game of his career (31 points), the outcome would have been different.   

We're looking forward to Memphis.  I hope we get to meet you while we're there.  Good luck to all teams in the SCAC. 

[frank_ezelle]

Fan,

Trinity is not alone in letting a big lead slip.  Millsaps was up by 15 at the half on Friday and that was up to 21 with 15 minutes to play.  Hendrix came back and the Millsaps lead was 1 with 52 seconds to play.  A Tyler Warren basket and 4 for 4 free throws by Lorenzo Bailey allowed Millsaps to maintain the lead.  Hendrix did the same thing to Southwestern in Georgetown earlier this season and you have to admire the never give up attitude of their program.

DePauw took a 13 point victory at home over RHIT last night.  If Millsaps wins against Rhodes today then they play DePauw to open up the tourney.  If Millsaps loses, then they open up with either Centre or Southwestern.  I don't think it is bulletin board material to say that I'd rather play DePauw.  DePauw is 12-12, the others are 17-6 and 17-7 so who would any rational person want to play?

Unfortunately, the team I'd most like to play is RHIT and that isn't possible.  RHIT lost 6 of their last 8 SCAC games with the two victories coming at home against Rhodes and Hendrix.  If you go back 9 SCAC games you get to their 1-point win at Millsaps where Millsaps lost a 16-point second half lead.  In that game it was all Munchie in the comeback and it seems like that has been RHIT's problem this year.  Munchie Muskeyvalley has been their leading scorer in 16 games of their 25 games (he missed 3-4 games early in the season) and that makes them very one-dimensional on offense.  In the comeback against Millsaps he was great but it seems like he has to be great for them to win and that is a lot to ask of a player (for the record they are 3-6 when he isn't the leading scorer, 8-8 when he is).

In Memphis, I'll be the Millsaps fan with a black and yellow backpack/camera bag.  Look for a black camera with a big white lens being held by a guy who needs to start back on his jogging/walking routine.

[scaccommish]

Trinity 70, Centre 65
Southwestern 98, Sewanee 88

Trinity No. 1 seed
Southwestern No. 2 seed
Centre No. 3 seed

Oglethorpe No. 7 seed
Rhodes No. 8 seed

Hendrix, Sewanee eliminated

No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 seeds still to be decided between DePauw, Millsaps and Rose-Hulman

[Ron Boerger]

@Rhodes 87, Millsaps 81
@Hendrix 81, 'thorpe 80

Therefore (I think):
DPU (8-6) is #4
RHIT (7-7, defeated Millsaps 81-80) #5
Millsaps (7-7) #6

The Hendrix-OU games saw six lead changes in the final 51 seconds.  Hendrix' Michael Bennett shot 19 FT's (hitting 12) in just 22 minutes.  The rest of his teammates totaled nine attempts ... and Bennett hit a jumper with 0:13 left to give Hendrix the lead ... and a layup with one second left for the final margin of victory.  Terry Bailey (23 pts on 8-of-13 shooting)had two threes and a jumper in the last 0:51 to keep Millsaps in the game.   Bennett and Matt Secrease both had 23 points to lead Hendrix. 

[scaccommish]

You are correct Ron

[frank_ezelle]

I know the tournament brackets will change somewhat after this weekend but the current standings make a great opening day of the tournament:

--Southwestern and OU meet again just 2 weeks after OU has thumped the Pirates.
--Centre would be looking to avenge their 3 point home loss to the Majors in the only meeting of the year between the teams.
--The Indiana teams matching up with a chance to end the season for their in-state rival.
--Trinity as the top seed gets the worst possible 8th seed by having to play the host team right off the bat.

It will be interesting to see what changes are produced by this final week of play.

The last weekend of play didn't change the matchups since the only change was DePauw and RHIT flipflopping on the final seeding in the #4 vs. #5 game.  Does anyone feel like giving their picks for the 1st round, semi's and championship?

[Ron Boerger]

I'll try:

Trinity (#1; 20-5/12-2) vs Rhodes (#8; 13-12/5-9)
Lynx played Trinity tough in San Antonio and Tigers must take them seriously to avoid the first round upset.   Lynx only 3-5 since that meeting; Tigers 8-1.  Pick:  Trinity

DePauw (#4; 12-12/8-6) vs Rose-Hulman (5; 11-14/7-7)
Grudge match; who knows when these two will play again.   Rose a bit one-dimensional.  Pick:  DePauw

Southwestern (#2; 18-7/10-4) v Oglethorpe (#7; 12-13/5-9)
Pirates have not played well the last half of the SCAC season (4-3) and are not a great road team. One of the losses was a 74-58 shellacking at the hands of the Stormy Petrels.   Pick:  Oglethorpe in another upset.

Centre (#3; 17-7/9-5) v Millsaps (#6; 14-11/7-7):  Majors upset the Colonels in Danville, but Centre's only loss since then a narrow defeat on the road against Trinity.  Pick:  Centre

Semis:

Trinity v. DePauw:  The homestanding Greencastle Tigers went on a 30-10 run to defeat the visitors from San Antonio in their first meeting.   Not going to happen again.  Pick:  Trinity

Centre v. Oglethorpe:  One upset's going to have to be enough for the Stormy Petrels.  Pick:  Centre

Finals:

Trinity v. Centre:  Colonels are 1-1 against the Tigers this season.  After the finals, it will be 2-1.  Pick:  Centre

Bids:

Pool A:  Centre (20-7)
Pool C:  Trinity (22-6)

[Rose Basketball]

I will give it a try.............

1st Round:

Trinity 77, Rhodes 56

Rose-Hulman 63, DePauw 60

Southwestern 87, Ogelthorpe 79

Centre 68, Millsaps 61

Semi-Finals:

Trinity 64, Rose-Hulman 51

Southwestern 81, Centre 75

Championship:


Trinity 87, Southwestern 80