MBB: Great South Athletic Conference

[scottiedoug]

Here is the link to Marcus' article about the Scots and Hawks.

http://thedailytimes.com/article/20080127/SPORTS/454186993

I agree with Randy Lambert's assessment...the Scots were only as good as they had to be. 

[Ralph Turner]

Marcus puts in his plug from Coach Lambert about getting love in the polls for the Scots on the Hoopsville broadcast.

In the South Region, we see these teams that are on the national radar.

Centre, UMHB, VWC, Randy Mac, and Millsaps are under consideration.

Coach Jones is back on the bench for the Choctaws, coming back from his heart surgery.  Mississippi College is putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the East.

I see the good in-region wins that Murvil has.  The Transy win is looking good.  The Scots have a split with Emory. A win at Centre would be nice now (and we understand.)  The split with Averett will help, if the Cougars win the USA South.

Chasing Top 25 is one thing, but fans must remember that the Top 25 and the South Region Rankings are completely different!  The South Region rankings come out week after next.

I think that Maryville has a Pool B bid.

What I really hope is that the USA South will "acquire" the GSAC en bloc.

[mattgrubb]

i agree with you ralph, I would like to see the scots in a bigger conference.

I also think the split with Emory looks a lot better now after their defeat of good ole #1.  I don't care if they ever make the top 25, just the final four
I just hope they are not thinking they are better than they are, but they are a good team, but nothing special, if i was pollster would not have them in my top 25 yet.  I am not that impressed with Transy this year or Averett.  I am impressed with MC, Guilford, UMHB, VWC, Wash U, Wooster, and Roanoke.

[batteredbard]

I think its interesting and in my mind a positive thing that
1) Methodist and Greensboro coaches have made statements that playing Maryville is natural as they see them eventually being an in conf game. Not always said that direct but it was the gist of the statement
2) That Lambert's take on the conf on the postgame show is that it is seen as weak because with four teams it is weak. Nature of the beast I think is how he said it.

Those to me look like the opening softeners and feelers towards a merger, but devil in the details. Same 2 problems, geography distance from LaGrange and Huntingdon  to Va. schools and that those two are essential to fixing football as Piedmont doesn't bring that to the table.

From looking at the numbers I think Averett is coming around (tied for lead in USAC now affter downing Shenandoah) and that split will look good by year's end. To insure that Murvul fans should be pulling for AU to beat Ferrum first week of Feb. Emory's win got a lot of attention and they have such a tough conference slate that the Rochester win could be lost in two weeks, but  maybe not. Emory getting hot only helps MC.

However, I don't really see Maryville as a justifiable top 25 team right now either. Schedule, and again its a question of who is willing to travel to East Tenn in a home and away, just doesn't warrant it. That's not to say that Maryville may not win its way to the top 16 that matter in March. That's entirely possible.

Stat of note Laverdiere 16 assists, 1 turn over in last three games. See if he does that well against Tenn Wesleyan tonight, but still that's impressive for a sophomore point.

[MCScotsFan]

Laverdiere had 16 assists?! Wow! Isn't the record 17 set by Raul?

[old_lion]

Stat of note Laverdiere 16 assists, 1 turn over in last three games.

Very impressive!

Posted by: MCScotsFan
Laverdiere had 16 assists?! Wow! Isn't the record 17 set by Raul?

Reading comprehension ... very important.  (3 games)     Still, very impressive ...

[batteredbard]

Went to 19 against 1 tonight as he added three with no tos at TN Wesleyan. I haven't looked to see if he's moved up but the sophomore was No. 5 in the nation last week for his season a to t.

Greg Hernandez totally reaffirmed me tonight going against a big man his own size (and speed) he goes 6 of 8 for 15 pts.(And he runs the floor! GH gets a transition basket ala Orr by beating everyone down court!) Watson had 5 dishes to one turnover and that came when he was stripped, not to say mugged, for the ball while driving the lane. Big difference in the win was Scots 2:1 assists to turnover ratio, Bulldogs 1:2.

Bowers crosses 600 point line for career by my figures he's at 613 after the win.

Big win for bragging rights with all the area recruiting rivals now losing to MC this year, D2 Carson-Newman, and NAIA's King, Covenant and now Wesleyan. If only Tusculumn would agree to play MC they could have swept them all.

[mcalumnifan]

It totally amazes me how Maryville College who has played and beat every schlorship school this year and split with Emory who just beat the #1 team Rochester gets ZERO respect.   They beat Transylvania (who beat Whittenburg), who now Whittenburg is praised for their new found streak.  They lost only two games and both were splits: Averett who is very highly ranked in their conference and Emory.  I have watched MC play many times this year and talked to Coach Lambert several times this year and Maryville has at least two solid equally matched teams of 5 players each.  I know Maryvilles conference is very weak; however, they play and beat EVERY division 2 and NAIA schlorship college around: Carson Newman( who opened up against Georgia Tech and Virginia); King College, Tennessee Wesleyan, and etc.  This is my prediction.  Maryville will get to at least the sweet 16 and maybe the final 4 and hopefully then they will get some respect.  Go Scots!!! Coach Lambert sorry (WE) missed the Saturday game, but (We'll) be there next home game, good talking with you last week.  Go Scots!!!!!

[Ralph Turner]

It totally amazes me how Maryville College who has played and beat every scholarship school this year and split with Emory who just beat the #1 team Rochester gets ZERO respect.   They beat Transylvania (who beat Wittenberg), who now Wittenberg is praised for their new found streak.  They lost only two games and both were splits: Averett who is very highly ranked in their conference and Emory.  I have watched MC play many times this year and talked to Coach Lambert several times this year and Maryville has at least two solid equally matched teams of 5 players each.  I know Maryville's conference is very weak; however, they play and beat EVERY division 2 and NAIA scholarship college around: Carson Newman( who opened up against Georgia Tech and Virginia); King College, Tennessee Wesleyan, and etc.  This is my prediction.  Maryville will get to at least the sweet 16 and maybe the final 4 and hopefully then they will get some respect.  Go Scots!!! Coach Lambert sorry (WE) missed the Saturday game, but (We'll) be there next home game, good talking with you last week.  Go Scots!!!!!

It is a leap year this year.  They do lose in the Sweet 16 in leap years. 

[wilburt]

As a MC grad I don't understand how MC never gets any respect from D3hoops.  Maryville is 6-0 and they beat all these teams away except one home game.  Maryville also has a tough schedule outside of the conference.  Maryville beat Centre (at Centre), which many predicted Centre to go far this year.  Maryville also plays many Schlorship NAIA and division II schools.  They play King College (NAIA) this week; Carson Newman division II and Tennessee Wesleyan this season.  Carson Newman lost to The University of Tennessee in their second game this season.  I would also love to know the age old question?  How can all of these Wisconsin schools with thousands of students and other Universities not colleges like Christopher Newport with over 5000 students fairly be in division III category with the likes of normal 1000 student colleges like Maryville or the other 95 percent of true division III schools?  Can anyone answer that question? 

We have been hearing this for at least 2+ years now...

[MCScotsFan]

Stat of note Laverdiere 16 assists, 1 turn over in last three games.

Very impressive!

Posted by: MCScotsFan
Laverdiere had 16 assists?! Wow! Isn't the record 17 set by Raul?

Reading comprehension ... very important.  (3 games)     Still, very impressive ...

Oh, whoops! I did not catch that. I think I saw 16 assists and my brain shut down.  And I agree, it is still impressive. Thanks for setting me straight.

[scotswin]

No Wilburt, you have not heard this for two years.  You have heard it twice.  Look at his post count.  Obviously not a consistent poster on the board...

Please read the comments from the regular Maryville posters.  It is clear and admitted that this team has plenty of limitations.  They might deserve a low spot in the top 25 or simply a "others receiving votes" mention.  They are very good.  They could make a run, but they are nothing special compared to past Maryville squads.

BTW, you have also been hearing for 9 years that Maryville has qualified for the tournament and won at least one game.  Who else can say that?

[wilburt]

This is a comment from the Maryville poster I respect the most.

The lack of national respect for the Scots is an old issue.  It will not be "fixed" until MC beats some respected teams, even if they beat everybody else. 

[mattgrubb]

well, lets be honest, there is a big difference in beating scholarship schools and good D3 schools, typically the scholarship schools the scots have beaten have more talent than most D3 schools, i.e. quickness, size, dunks, etc., but not the discipline or structure that good D3 teams like the scots have.  Fortunately, this is not football and it looks like the scots are going back to the tournament, so it will work itself out naturally.  the only good coach at those scholarship schools was Pitts at King, the other 2 aren't worth anything, look at their career records.  Good to see wilburt.

Scots Fans,
Patience is a virtue, don't be impatient wanting a subjective ranking, if you finish in the sweet 16 it is objective, you were one fo the best 16 teams in the country.
Please have faith, that, RDL will get us back to the promised land, he always does.

Go Scots

[mattgrubb]

Bard,
don't forget LMU, who RDL lost a recruit to at the last minute this year.  I tell people everyday that "if you want to win, come to Murvul"-Dee Bell

Looks like MC had more problems with Huntingdon than Wesleyan