BB: ASC: American Southwest Conference

[tloc14]

I dont agree with much Ballme posted, but I do agree that UTT is probably overrated...maybe not in the West Region or ASC, but nationally.  I am dumbfounded with the love they are getting in the polls considering they are basically brand new.

I sincerely doubt they get "pounded" by any team in the top 15.  UTT has lost 6 games this season by a combined 16 runs for an average margin of defeat of 2.5 runs per loss (four of their losses have been by 2 runs or less).  Their largest margin of defeat was 5 runs in their recent loss to UTD.  I wouldnt consider that "getting pounded."

On the flip side, UTT has won 27 games by a combined margin of 168 runs.  That comes out to a little over 6.2 runs in average margin of victory.  I could understand an argument about UTT being unable to win close games (looking at the stats, they are 5-4 in games decided by 2 runs or less).

Kinda funny comment on Zeigler though.  You wouldnt happen to be one of the players he picked off of 2nd base would you?

[Warren Thompson]

Ralph:

Thanks for the information on junior colleges. Apparently, none of the JUCO venues in San Antonio, all part of the same system, now has varsity sports (though at one time, San Antonio College, the first of the JUCOs in that city, competed in men's basketball and perhaps other sports -- but, of course, that was back when I was a college freshman and the world was young.)

[Just_Some_Guy]

McMurry has won 9 in a row, so it appears as if a current player can now get on here and talk some trash. It adds some flavor to this board!

Everyone is entitled their opinion, and I don't mind a little trash talk, but it carries more weight coming from someone who has thrown more than 2 innings this year. (Not that there's any shame in that. I admire all student athletes who stick it out for the love the game, teammates, etc. -- I won't pretend to know someone else's circumstances.)

I would be proud of my team too, but perhaps a better approach is to talk up McMurry's achievements as opposed to bashing on a team that's played pretty good baseball thus far this year.

JSG

[dp643]

I completely agree JSG. I can also assure you McMurry does not want to get 4th and have to go to UT Tyler in the first round.

[TexasBB]

There is still two weeks of good conference baseball to play and things are still not decided. McMurry is playing better but TLU is still in front and if either of them slips others are on their heels. MC is making noise in the East and it may come down to the last weekend to decide the East champion. MC has really picked it up recently, peaking at the right time.

Only 2 weekends left - time is flying bye too fast. I wish they allowed more than 40 games at the DIII level.

[ballme]

Just throwing out some meat.  Love to get some talk going and nothing better than spitting a little trash!  No, never been picked by Ziegler.  If that's legal it's gotta be the sickest pick in the game to 2nd base.

Maybe they would not get "pounded" by top teams.  But I would like to see them play some tougher opponents to see where they really stack up.  I want to see how good other areas in the nation stack up to our conference.  No better way than have our best team battle the other best out there(see I have love for 'em, just wanna spice it up and love the great comments back).

[Dawgsdad]

I completely agree JSG. I can also assure you McMurry does not want to get 4th and have to go to UT Tyler in the first round.

Given that I'm new in this conference I don't have a good view of how things work post season wise. I infer from what you're saying dp643 that W1 vs E4; W2 vs E3 and vis-a-versa? Or do they stay separated for the fist round?

I also read that TLU is one of five teams that potentially are being batted around in reference of the Top 6 teams within the West Region. Not sure if I fully understand all the regional post season factorials - but assume that if one wins the ASC that would be a sure bet for a regional bid. But what if you don't win; are there any avenues for another ASC team to get in?

The other question I have is what factors into conference awards? I assume that mainly the regular season is what drives such awards - but one never knows...I have been wrong before here as well.

Anyone care to educate an old man on these finer points?

[Just_Some_Guy]

First Round (Best of 3):

E1 vs. W4
E2 vs. W3
W2 vs. E3
W1 vs. E4

1 & 2 seeds host.

Second Round:

The four teams that win play a double elimination tournament for the ASC title. If the East #1 seed, presumably UT Tyler, wins their best of three, they'll host the championship tourney.

With Chapman losing 2 of 3 to East Bay, it potentially opens the door for another team.

If you made me say today, I would venture that you're probably looking at UT Tyler, Pomona, Cal Lutheran, Linfield, and George Fox with a few other teams in the mix for the 6th spot. If another team wins the ASC tournament, that opens the door for Tyler to still probably get a nod.  That said, there's lots of baseball left to be played.

JSG

[Ralph Turner]

I completely agree JSG. I can also assure you McMurry does not want to get 4th and have to go to UT Tyler in the first round.

Given that I'm new in this conference I don't have a good view of how things work post season wise. I infer from what you're saying dp643 that W1 vs E4; W2 vs E3 and vis-a-versa? Or do they stay separated for the fist round?

I also read that TLU is one of five teams that potentially are being batted around in reference of the Top 6 teams within the West Region. Not sure if I fully understand all the regional post season factorials - but assume that if one wins the ASC that would be a sure bet for a regional bid. But what if you don't win; are there any avenues for another ASC team to get in?

The other question I have is what factors into conference awards? I assume that mainly the regular season is what drives such awards - but one never knows...I have been wrong before here as well.

Anyone care to educate an old man on these finer points?

NCAA Handbook

The winner of the Conference Tourney gets the automatic bid.

There are 35 Pool A bids; 6 Pool B bids to independents and to conferences that do not have Pool A status.

The remaining schools go into Pool C, if they did not get a Pool A or B bid.

There are 13 Pool C bids for the at-large pool, those teams that are left over after the automatic bids are given.

IMHO, the only team which stands a good chance of getting a Pool C bid is UT-Tyler.

Everyone else should count on winning the tourney.

FAQ

[dp643]

Dawgsdad,

JSG and Ralph pretty much summed it up your first two questions. This year is a unique year with the west having alot of parity. Chapman Sweeps McMurry, McMurry wins 2 of 3 from TLU, TLU takes 2 of 3 from East Bay who takes 2 of 3 from Chapman. Makes little sense, but thats the way the region is this year.

Last year there were I believe 3 teams with over 30 wins (Tyler, Ozarks, Concordia) and UMHB with 28 who didnt get an at large bid. That alone should show you how tough it is to get one. It would be hard to imagine a TLU team with 11+ losses falling into that spot, but I guess you could say weirder things have happened. Like we have all been saying all along, UT Tyler not winning the conference would be the only chance the ASC has of getting 2 teams into the regional.

Im not doubting the fact that TLUs name might be thrown around here or there, but I dont think our conference is going to get much credit come selection time.  It has been a funny year, and I would expect nothing less than another wild finish this year.

[tloc14]

The ASC doesnt get much love when it comes to at large bids.  I do not remember when the conference got 2 bids...maybe in 2004, I think TLU won the tourney and UTD also got a bid.

Anyhow, I do not believe any ASC team has made the World Series Tournament.  That being said, when it comes down to picking at large bids, they usually go to teams that have a history of post season success if it is a tossup decision.  Obviously, if a team like UTT does not get an automatic bid but has an amazing record and ranking, they may very well get an atlarge bid.  But, if it turns out like last year, and a couple ASC teams were in the mix with no real clear-cut favorite, the atlarge goes elsewhere.

It is frustrating because there are so many quality teams and players in the West Region with so few bids....but like anything else, if you are the one left out you will always think the system needs to expand.

The ONLY guarantee is to win the conference tournament.  A couple years back, I think in 2002 or 2003 (the year after Vilade left UDallas), the University of Dallas went something like 31-3 and were up to #3 in national polls.  They were independent and had no conference tournament.  They were left out of the post season completely.  So, even the most deserving teams can be left out.  If you dont win the tourney, dont expect a bid because you will be lucky to get one.

[Ralph Turner]

UTD got a Pool C bid in 2007.

We need to split into 2 conferences.  That would double our bids.

As I look at McMurry's Pool C chances, I see these "ugly" losses.

One Chapman loss -- you don't get swept at home.
LeTU
Austin College
One of the UMHB home losses -- you always win the home series.

A great team worthy of a Pool C bid probably doesn't even lose its conference tourney.  Nevertheless McMurry is 16-11 (West Region).  Were they 20-7 in West Region games, with the chance to finish the regular season at 29-7 (West Region), then McMurry is close to Pool C bid.

Sweeping the opening series and losing two games of three in the tourney finals would make them 32-9. (West Region).  That is close.

I think that the conference has 6-7 teams that are somewhere between #30-#100 nationwide.  That is a lot of parity.

[tloc14]

If the ASC split into 2 conferences, the East side would be terribly weak....atleast going on the way it has been shaping up the past couple years.  IF the ASC split, in a perfect world, maybe it could pick up Austin College, UDallas, Trinity, and Southwestern; and have 2 solid sides.   Wont ever happen, but it would be interesting.  I think the East side would be ok with swapping out Ozarks, MC, and LC for 3 Texas schools....Maybe rename itself the Eastern Texas Conference where the other side would be Western Texas Conference.     

[tloc14]

Just throwing out some meat.  Love to get some talk going and nothing better than spitting a little trash!  No, never been picked by Ziegler.  If that's legal it's gotta be the sickest pick in the game to 2nd base.

Maybe they would not get "pounded" by top teams.  But I would like to see them play some tougher opponents to see where they really stack up.  I want to see how good other areas in the nation stack up to our conference.  No better way than have our best team battle the other best out there(see I have love for 'em, just wanna spice it up and love the great comments back).

Honestly, UTT has significantly improved their non-conference schedule in the past couple years.  During the first 2-3 years of the program, Tyler's non-conf schedule consisted of Central Arkansas Baptist (or something like that), Jarvis Christian, SAGU, and Texas College.  It was completely creampuff to say the least.  This season they hosted a little round robin in Tyler where they played CTX and Trinity 2x, then they went to Abeline and played Marietta, HSU, and Southwestern, and finally picked up single games vs UTD and UDallas.  Their series vs Hendrix and Castelton (VT) werent really difficult matches, but you can see the obvious steps that have been made.

I have heard rumors of a future trip to Cali to play some of the big boys out there in the coming years.

It is difficult to get top notch opponents when you are starting a program from scratch because no one has heard of you, and NO ONE wants to lose to a new program.  Now that UTTyler has made a name for themselves, they are having a much easier time setting up good non-conference games.  I would like to see them dump Hendrix for Millsaps though.   

[Just_Some_Guy]

I could also make an educated arguement that anyone in the top 15 nationally ranked could put a beating on UTT.  No strength of schedule.  Play someone other than Phoenix Online and DeVry.  Plus homefield advantage for UTT, I hear, is like putting Game Genie into your Sega, because it becomes lopsided.  Ziegler can perform balks anytime everytime, that's Game Genie itself.  Let's crown them after the Conference Tourny, if they can come out of it. 

While certainly not pinpoint accurate, Boyd's World has UT Tyler with a strength of schedule of 12 in the nation. Seems there doing okay compared to other West Region teams:


Austin 3
McMurry 5
UT Dallas 11
La Verne 14
Mary Hardin Baylor 18
Chapman 19
Trinity 21
Pac Lutheran 23
Hardin Simmons 28
Redlands 33
Texas Lutheran 34
Cal Lutheran 37
Pomona Pitzer 60
George Fox 76
Mississippi College 86
Linfield 130

http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/isr/d3_isr.html


JSG