WBB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Rufio]

Wow. I am surprised that Flight of the Petrel has not reported about the Oglethorpe's Womens game yet. 

So I will try to step in.

Oglethorpe defeated Methodist 92 - 70. 

Methodist is now 4 - 2 with both losses coming from the Lady Petrels.  The average margin  of those two losses is 29 points

I don't know all the great stats but I do know that Anna Findley had 31 points

and  more importantly Katie Kulavic scored her 1,000 point in the first half of this game.

Congratulations Katie!

Oglethorpe is now 8-0 and has 17 game winning streak at home.

[FlightofthePetrel]

My Appologies, I had to leave right after the game to work the Atlanta Slam/ I was busy watching Andy Roddick play tennis.  Rufio did a good job filling in on the update.

Just wanted to add- Anna Findley had an amazing 7 steals and shot lights out (12-17  and 6-9 from 3) and  is now only 54 points away from joining Katie at the 1,000 point plateau.

OU has 2 tough games in late Decemer, against Roanoke team who has had a lengthy layoff and with welcome the return of their All American Erin Hanson, as well as a grudge match against Wilmington who knocked OU out of last years NCAA tourney.

[Rufio]

New Polls.

WBCA.org USAToday/Espn Coaches Poll
Depauw 6th
Oglethorpe 15

D3hoops.com Poll
Depauw 6th
Oglehthorpe 17th

[petey.petrel]

I think this is OU's year.  I don't think they were ready for prime time last year but I think being a year older will put them over the top and unseat DePauw.  Last year they were still young and lost several games by 20 and 30+ points while beating the teams they were supposed to.  This year the Kulavic,Findley duo will take them to the top of the SCAC.  DePauw lost to much.

[vozdelospetrels]

Petey-petrel,

I hope you're right. I agree that DePauw lost a lot, but a program like that surely has the talent ready to step in. The Petrels do have a legit shot though, and if they stay healthy they can take the SCAC top spot away from DePauw. December 30th will be a big test for Oglethorpe as Wilmington comes to the Dorough Field House. 

www.ladypetrelshoops.blogspot.com

[FlightofthePetrel]

OU has been able to start off hard the past few years... but has fizzled towards the end of the season. 

15-1 in December (last 3 years)
14-3 in January  (last 2 years)
12-5 in February (last 2 years)

I know the talent level they have been playing against has been much better with most of those games falling in the conference and national tournament but if they want to be one of the elite teams that's when they need to pick it up.  Should be an interesting conference season with OU playing a home and home vs. Depauw and their only meeting with Trinity is at home.  F.Y.I. OU is only 2-6 against those teams, combined, in the last 3 years with the only wins coming at home.  Going 2-1 against them this year, in the regular season, would be a huge statement.

[vozdelospetrels]

Flightofthepetrel,

I too share your concerns about them finishing strong. A great regular season means less if you can't win in the conference and national tourneys. Yes, having a 23-2 regular season would be great, but I'd really love to see the Lady Petrels take home the SCAC title. On the women's side the SCAC has had 2 national champs in the last few years (DePauw & Trinity). It would mean a lot to win a SCAC title.

[petey.petrel]

That was my point about them not being ready for prime time last year.  Against elite teams, they struggled, while beating up on the rest.  Against teams that finished in the top 25 last year, they were 1-4 with a two point win, and losses of 42, 37, 23, and 13 points.  That's a scoring margin of -22.4.  Not the body of work of an elite team.  But there core was mostly sophomores.  I think them being a year older, better, and more experienced is going to take them to the top this year.  I would like to see them with a tougher schedule though to get them ready for the elite teams.  So far this year they have played one quality opponent (Bir-South) and that was at home.  That was a very good win though and is what gives me hope that they are ready to take it to the next level.  I wish they would test themselves on the road though.  DePauw has two losses against top 10 teams this year away from Greencastle.  Despite the losses, those games will prepare them for the postseason.  OU always plays a lot of home games and rarely plays anyone quality on the road.  Some more tough road games would get the girls prepared to win in the postseason.  We know they can win at home.

I still think this is the year though.  The home game vs. Wilmington and the game at DePauw in the next two weeks should tell us how good they can be.  I'm predicting the last game of the year in Dorough will be for the #1 seed, with OU coming out on top.

[FlightofthePetrel]

They did play and beat a Piedmont team, who went to the National Tournament and won their conference last year, at their place by 9 (should have been more but subs played good minutes)  QUALITY WIN

They've beaten a Methodist squad, whose only losses have been at the hands of the Petrels, twice.  Remember Methodist was picked to finish top 3 in their conference.  QUALITY WIN(s)

Birmingham Southern was a D-1 team last and returned their core.   QUALITY WIN

So far that's half of their wins against quality teams... give the girls a little more credit

The rest of the way we have...

Wilmington knocked us out of the Tournament last year....

We are a combined 2-6 against Trinity and Depauw in the last 2 years and we'll play them at minimum 3 times, combined, this year... more if we see them in the tournament.

Not to mention playing Maryville in January who is a perennial thorn in our side and went 25-5 last year.

That's 10 tough games out of 25...   13 of which are played at home...   Compare that to last year, they played 6 of their first 7 away and their last 6 away...  Playing alot of games at home this year would seem to be a reward for playing such a tough schedule away last year.  Also when you become a top 25 teams... other teams are willing to come to your place, because THEY want to play you.

Coach Sattele has dropped the cupcake teams off his schedule (i.e. Agnes Scott, Spellman)  The goal is to get to the National tournament and be prepared... with this schedule  we'll have enough South Region and Quality wins to ensure that... IF we don't happen to win the Conference.

[vozdelospetrels]

FlightofthePetrel,

You are right that they do have some quality wins according to season expectations, and the Piedmont victory was by 19 points but I still want them to prove themselves this season on the road. Piedmont did not impress me, I doubt they'll be making another run to the national tourney this season. The DePauw game in a couple of weeks will be a big one. You are right about them setting themselves up well for an at-large bid if they fail to win the tourney, those regional wins will look good, especially if Methodist goes on to have a good conference season in the USA South.

[petey.petrel]

"I think this is OU's year", "This year the kulavic,findley duo will take them to the top of the SCAC", "I think them being a year older, better, and more experienced is going to take them to the top this year", "That was a very good win and is what gives me hope that they are ready to take it to the next level", "I'm predicting the last game of the year in Dorough will be for the #1 seed, with OU coming out on top".

I think I am giving the girls plenty of credit, FOP.  I was just saying I think this team is able to rise to the challenge of a tougher schedule and would benefit from such a schedule.  You wrote something along the lines of them struggling late and if they want to be an elite team they needed to pick it up.  In my opinion, tougher non-conference games would help them in the post-season.  I still think they have only played one challenging game, and that was a conference game (Birm. South) and if I'm not mistaken the conference schedule is pre-arranged. 

If a team is 9-2 but hasn't beaten anyone, are they a quality team?  You have to look at not only opponents records, but who they have won and lost against.  The only game OU went into with the outcome in doubt was Birm. South.  As I stated, that was a very good win and beating a team of that caliber makes me think this is the year.  I think the girls are ready to take it to the next level, and I think challenging themselves in the non-conference schedule would help them do so.  DePauw has already played the #7, #9, and #11 teams in the country.  THAT is a schedule that challenges them and gets them ready for post-season.  OU hasn't played anyone in the top 25 or that is recieving votes. (Birm. South probably would be if they were eligible but again that's a conference game and doesn't count) Those type of teams are what I am talking about.  Not a 9-2 Piedmont team that went to the NCAA because they are in the GSAC.  OU is going to get a bid.  I have no doubt about that and never have.  I think the girls can go further than they ever have this year, but it's just my humble opinion that challenging oneself in the non-conference schedule is benefitial.  That is why I'm really looking forward to the Wilmington game.

VOZ, I like your posts, but one minor correction:  It's not lady petrels, it's petrels!
Go Petrels!

[frank_ezelle]

Millsaps had their first action after the Christmas break, falling to Belhaven 82-69 in a game that was just a 6-point game with 45 seconds to play before some fouls and desperation low percentage plays helped balloon the final margin.

In a case of looking at the glass half full, it's amazing that Millsaps stayed competitive till the end when so many things went wrong:
--Last year's leading scorer and rebounder, LaReina Adams, did not dress for the game.
--This year's leading scorer and rebounder, Crystal Dickerson, had 3 fouls after 4 minutes.
--Center Jessica Bowie also had foul trouble and only played 6+ minutes before fouling out.
--Millsaps had 37 turnovers (Belhaven had 31), in a game where the refs must have thought there was bonus pay for every walking call.
--Or maybe they thought there was a bonus just for blowing the whistle as the two teams shared 58 fouls, 27 on the Majors which is difficult to spread amongst just 9 players.
--And while hitting 22 of 45 FGs thanks greatly to Ronda Webb's 11 of 12 shooting (28 points total), Millsaps only made 23 of 40 FTs.

So many things went wrong and yet the Millsaps team stayed close enough to have a shot at winning all the way till the last 45 seconds.  It just repeats what I've said about the Millsaps team all year, namely that they have a lot of talent which allows them to stay in games even when their inexperience shows through in turnovers, unneccesary fouls, and streaky offense.  With just a little bit more control and composure, this group could be a pretty good team in the SCAC.

Link to boxscore:  http://blazers.belhaven.edu/w_basketball/stats/07-08/12.29.07_MILLSAPS.mht

[FlightofthePetrel]

Quality win tonight for the Lady Petrels against Roanoke College.

The Lady Petrels rock Roanoke  78-58.  Roanoke's Erin Hanson is as good as advertised as it was a battle of the All-Americans.

Katie Kulavic led OU with  17 pts and 4 reb.
Tina Grace chipped in 13 pts. and 6 reb.

OU plays Wilmington tomorrow and when I left they were only leading Bowdoin by 6... Wilmington looks like a real good team (reminded me alot of Depauw) but for some reason were not playing well at points against a marginal Bowdoin team at best.  Should be a great game tomorrow- it will tell us alot about our Lady Petrels!

Safe travels back to Atlanta tonight Pat.

[frank_ezelle]

An interesting stat while waiting for the SCAC season to resume.  In the Millsaps game vs. Belhaven last Saturday, Millsaps freshman Ronda Webb came within a shot of breaking an SCAC record.  She finished 11 of 12 from the field and the SCAC record for FG % in a game is 100% on 11 of 11 shooting by Jessica Dunlap of Millsaps, followed by 92.3% shooting (12 of 13) which was done twice by Jennifer Bulkekey of Sewanee.  There is a minimum of 10 field goals made on this particular record.

That's not bad for a player who fouled out of her first collegiate game early this year with just 4 minutes of playing time. 

[FlightofthePetrel]

An unfortunate week for the 2 SCAC teams featured in the Top 25 as both Depauw and Oglethorpe suffered a loss.

Depauw fell 6 spots to # 12 as they split games in the Cancun tournament falling to new #6 Messiah.

Oglethorpe fell 8 spots and hung on to the #25 spot as they fell in the Championship game of their Holiday Tournament to Wilmington who re-entered the polls this week at #24.

Oglethorpe and Depauw will face eachother this weekend in what will be the first time they meet as Top 25 teams.  The winner takes control of the SCAC for what could be the remainer of the season as these two teams won't see eachother again until the last game of the regular season.

Expectations:  Oglethorpe played a tough Wilmington team that reminded me alot of Depauw from last year.  I think Oglethorpe will be held under their scoring average for the second straight game but I hope the outcome will be different.  As mentioned before in others posts Depauw's strength of schedule might be the deciding factor.  OU proved they could play with a top 25 team, minus a cold 5 minutes to end the game, and this will be a good test for them as well.  Hopefully they can pull this one out, but if they can't they will come away with some valuable information.  It's hard to win on the Road- Good Luck Lady Petrels.