WBB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ron Boerger]

HC has a cold shooting night and Southwestern's inside couldn't miss. HC goes down hard tonight after getting beat up last night.  It should have been an easy win but if the ball won't go through the basket not going to win many. It means a showdown with AC will be huge

Had Hendrix not shot nearly 50% from beyond the arc in San Antonio they would have lost that game, too.  It didn't hurt that Trinity only got 2 FTs in the second half and never sniffed the bonus all night.  Hendrix has to consider themselves fortunate to get a split on the road trip. 

[DPU3619]

When playing their game there is no one better in the conference.

Alright.  You've perked my interest.  I'm going to bite on this one for discussion's sake, if nothing else. 

Despite losing in their gymnasium to DePauw in a game that neither team played particularly well, despite not beating DePauw in any contest (postseason included) since they won in OT at the Grove Gynmasium in the 03-04 season, and despite losing to DePauw by an average of 15 points in every meeting since that win, you're claiming that Hendrix is better?

[Blaster]

I have seen all but CC play and DePauw is far and away better than the rest.  HC has had several close calls but pulled them out.  That's what good teams do.  But I dare say that DePauw would win 8 out of 10 times played vs. any of the SCAC teams.  HC depends on great shooting and tough defeanse to win and in a gym like SU where there is no back walls or stands, the shooting depth perception is tough.  If HC was a "pound it inside team" it wouldn't have been a factor but when outside shooting goes away, it spells trouble.  My question remains, with the SCAC being DePauw and everybody else and only DePauw having any national attention, if DePauw wins the tournament, will another SCAC team get an at-large bid to the national tournament?

[Ralph Turner]

I have seen all but CC play and DePauw is far and away better than the rest.  HC has had several close calls but pulled them out.  That's what good teams do.  But I dare say that DePauw would win 8 out of 10 times played vs. any of the SCAC teams.  HC depends on great shooting and tough defeanse to win and in a gym like SU where there is no back walls or stands, the shooting depth perception is tough.  If HC was a "pound it inside team" it wouldn't have been a factor but when outside shooting goes away, it spells trouble.  My question remains, with the SCAC being DePauw and everybody else and only DePauw having any national attention, if DePauw wins the tournament, will another SCAC team get an at-large bid to the national tournament?

We will be following the Regional Rankings to see if the SCAC gets a Pool C team.  Currently Hendrix and Trinity are in good position to do that.

http://d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2010/02/03/womens-regional-rankings-feb-3rd/

[Ron Boerger]

Unfortunately that was before Hendrix beat Trinity, so for TU it's probably win the tourney or stay home.   But next year ... basically everyone is back.   

[Blaster]

"We will be following the Regional Rankings to see if the SCAC gets a Pool C team"

Please enlighten me on the Pools.  I looked at last year and it looks like a tournament bracket similar to any other tournament.  Are there pools in which you have to play into the tournament or what??  I am new at DIII operations.  Thanks.

[DPU3619]

Please enlighten me on the Pools.  I looked at last year and it looks like a tournament bracket similar to any other tournament.  Are there pools in which you have to play into the tournament or what??  I am new at DIII operations.  Thanks.

Start here.  That'll give you a basic understanding of all the fancy-pants terminology we're using.

EDIT: Do note that when we talk about regionally related stuff, the DePauw women are in the Great Lakes Region, not the South.  If you go hunting for DePauw in the regional rankings, you won't find them in the south.

[pbrooks3]

Unfortunately that was before Hendrix beat Trinity, so for TU it's probably win the tourney or stay home.   But next year ... basically everyone is back.  

I see it as DePauw and one other, and that one is either Trinity or Hendrix depending on who finishes strong. If neither plays well these final 2 weeks and drops an opening round SCAC tournament game, I think DePauw is probably the only one that dances. I'm assuming DePauw runs the table in the SCAC which I am predicting will happen. If DePauw loses in the SCAC tournament, we'll have a guaranteed 2 teams.

[Tennessee_papa]

Unfortunately that was before Hendrix beat Trinity, so for TU it's probably win the tourney or stay home.   But next year ... basically everyone is back.  

I see it as DePauw and one other, and that one is either Trinity or Hendrix depending on who finishes strong. If neither plays well these final 2 weeks and drops an opening round SCAC tournament game, I think DePauw is probably the only one that dances. I'm assuming DePauw runs the table in the SCAC which I am predicting will happen. If DePauw loses in the SCAC tournament, we'll have a guaranteed 2 teams.

You're right, DePauw is in absent a direct meteor hit on Greencastle.  I'm not sure there'll be a second team unless somebody takes out DePauw in the tournament.  Hendrix probably makes it if they don't lose again til the conference finals (and maybe if they don't lose again until the semis).    I don't see Trinity (or Austin or Centre) making it unless they win out through the tournament.  Each of them has 6 or 7 losses and would get one more in the conference tournament in the scenario in which they don't win the conference tournament.  As Ralph says, the South is a bit weaker this year and I don't think a 7 or 8 loss team from the South gets in - Trinity was 20-8 last year and didn't get there.

And it's not that Hendrix is head and shoulders above the latter three, they've just got a better profile because of their record.  The best thing Hendrix did was beat Centre - gives them the head-to-head over Centre and neither Trinity or Austin was able to do it.  Sweeping Trinity doesn't hurt either.

[Blaster]

Thanks Wes for the link.  I agree that HX can control their own destiny by winning out and going deep in the tournament.  I would also think Trinity could make the same argument because two of their losses are to the same team.  AC incurred some of their losses while short-handed.  Does that come into the decision process?  From the link it doesn't look like it. 

HX doesn't "dominate" but wins with tough defeanse and good shooting as evident by the lower scores vs. good teams.  SCAC teams has performed well in the past tournaments. 

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks Wes for the link.  I agree that HX can control their own destiny by winning out and going deep in the tournament.  I would also think Trinity could make the same argument because two of their losses are to the same team.  AC incurred some of their losses while short-handed.  Does that come into the decision process?  From the link it doesn't look like it. 

HX doesn't "dominate" but wins with tough defeanse and good shooting as evident by the lower scores vs. good teams.  SCAC teams has performed well in the past tournaments. 

Short handed doesn't count.   

[DPU3619]

Hendrix is in right now for me, but we're still a good distance from Selection Sunday. They need to keep winning and give the selection committee no choice. Their OWP won't get them in if it gets close.

[pbrooks3]

Hendrix is in right now for me, but we're still a good distance from Selection Sunday. They need to keep winning and give the selection committee no choice. Their OWP won't get them in if it gets close.

Not a good loss @ Southwestern even though a road game. 

[Blaster]

Is Birmingham Southern eligible to participate in the conference tournament this year?  I know they were "provisional" last year.

[Tennessee_papa]

Is Birmingham Southern eligible to participate in the conference tournament this year?  I know they were "provisional" last year.

No.  Not eligible until year after next.