MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

Hate to barge in on the lovefest... my reaction was if Ahmad Smith doesn't have the game of his life, hitting 20 foot fadeaways like they were layups, Webster loses by 30... Effort may get a place in the SLIAC tourney, but I was hoping to see a higher competitive level out of the Gorlocks...  I wanted to say Webster's starters could play even with Wash U's starters... but it wasn't even close... and Webster's bench? Ouch...   And hoping Jonathon Odjo was just out with an exam or the bug, as his absence cut into the limited bench deeply...

Right now, I'd have to say that Greenville is the best SLIAC team I've seen this year... don't pinch me, I might wake up.....

[y_jack_lok]

if Ahmad Smith doesn't have the game of his life, hitting 20 foot fadeaways like they were layups, Webster loses by 30...

Against Wash U those fadeways were easier to make than layups, and Smith did finish on some drives to the hoop. Depth is a problem for both teams. Wash U's bench outperformed Webster's, but it's not like they had a second set of 5 guys who were nearly as good as the first five. Having said that, the players on Wash U's bench will be solid starters in the coming years, but we can't say that about the guys on Webster's bench. Webster has three sophomore starters coming back next year but will have to replace Smith and Griffin, likely with new players unless there are some surprises on the jv roster. 

[SliacChamp]

Thought I heard someone from Webster say Odjo had the flu and couldn't shake it by game time. I've also seen Ahmad Smith make those fadeaways and "lucky" floaters since high school. Makes me angry every time I see them but they seem to go in... A lot.

[hopefan]

Greenville lost last night to D2 McKendree by 4 last night.. had cut it to 2 in the last minute.. Score is not yet posted on D3hoops Scoreboard (come on GC SID, SLIAC office!!!).....McKendree was undefeated in regular season games coming in (albeit against a VERY soft schedule)... still, anytime a SLIAC school can keep pace with a D2 school, it's a huge positive..

Silly, but I'm torn between seeing the BIG game in St Louis on Saturday IWU at Wash U, or going over to Greenville to See Prin play GC... any other year, surely the Wash U game, but this year in the wacky world of SLIAC hoops, the Prin GC game could be very meaningful to the SLIAC playoff picture....

[y_jack_lok]

Greenville lost last night to D2 McKendree by 4 last night.. had cut it to 2 in the last minute.. Score is not yet posted on D3hoops Scoreboard (come on GC SID, SLIAC office!!!).....McKendree was undefeated in regular season games coming in (albeit against a VERY soft schedule)... still, anytime a SLIAC school can keep pace with a D2 school, it's a huge positive..

Silly, but I'm torn between seeing the BIG game in St Louis on Saturday IWU at Wash U, or going over to Greenville to See Prin play GC... any other year, surely the Wash U game, but this year in the wacky world of SLIAC hoops, the Prin GC game could be very meaningful to the SLIAC playoff picture....

You go to Greenville, I'll go to Wash U.   

[WUPHF]

If Greenville is a level above most of the rest and possibly best in the conference, then you should save your long drives and plan to see Principia when they play Fontbonne and the other teams that will need to compete for the final spots.

The Washington University-IWU rivalry is one of the best in the Central Region in almost every sport, in my opinion.  Add in the postseason implications and you have one big game just 20 minutes away from home.  And, the price is certainly right.

Incidentally, Massey Ratings is giving Principia a 5% shot at a win.  Massey is giving Washington University a 54% chance at a two point win.  The story is just too compelling to pass up.

[hopefan]

Incidentally, Massey Ratings is giving Principia a 5% shot at a win.  Massey is giving Washington University a 54% chance at a two point win.  The story is just too compelling to pass up.

Good Point

[Denny McKinney]

Hate to barge in on the lovefest...

First a Big Thanks to my Good Friend Yjak. And for all the Prayers. They removed a 10" section of the lowest part of my colon and all the fat and everything it was incased in. Sent off 22 lymph nodes and 22 came back negative. I also woke up to a colostomy that I will where for 6 to 8 weeks, while everything heals. My Surgeon, although early 60's, reminds me of Tom Cruise in Top Gun. It ain't Cocky if you can back it up. He has 700+ Da Vinci procedures under his belt and is one of the best in the Midwest.

Now to the topic at hand. I think the Fans Hyped the Gorlock's beyond belief. This was a team that did not win their own conference and after winning their way to the NCAA, had one incredible half against a high ranked opponent. And I was so proud of the Boys. They brought in no size.

Let me say this which is the kind of statement my Friend Yjak was looking for. Webster last year doesn't beat FU's 08 or 09 team. Know one labeled them as a possible PreSeason top 50. Facts to back this up. Balance scoring. Four players averaged 14 or more pts. Rebounding. Two Big Men averaged 20+ bords a game.

Ranking on a National Level; Scoring 84.7 (9th) Field Goal % 52.3 (3rd) 3pt % 41.5 (5th) Rebounding Margin 6.9 (14th) and on. What I'm getting at is a one man show makes it tough. Your Biggest Player Aaron Griffin plays 29 mins and gets 3 shots. HuH!!! Be hard for me to keep running down to the offensive end. Hunter Ward is a possible AA talent. But, doesn't get the ball in the right position score. Unless he goes all "Trevor White" in the last few minutes and runs off 4 in a row from 22 feet.

And, if your counting FU in the top 4. Based on what?!?! 2 wins, one over Prin and one over EC. Two of the same four teams they got their 8 total wins from last year.

But it could be an exciting season for the Hopefan Chances Scale. Hopefan to make it Public. The kind words of encouragement where taken to Heart. Truly!!!!

This is the Sliac. Sit back and enjoy the free entertainment.

[y_jack_lok]

Denny, I'm having a hard time finding anything to disagree with. I'm sure others will weigh in with differing opinions, however. Oh, wait. The part about Griffin only getting three shots was in reference to last night's game only, I believe. And I will say that if memory serves me correctly, the FU teams you are referring to didn't fare too well against Wash U.

[iwumichigander]

Denny - good to have you back in the board

[Denny McKinney]

Thank you IWUmich.

So true Yjak.. I think it was 08 with Fournie that we played them the Best. Your also talking Ruth, Thompson, Wallis, Naeding......

But again we're comparing Big 10 vs OVC.

[Gregory Sager]

Denny, I'm having a hard time finding anything to disagree with. I'm sure others will weigh in with differing opinions, however. Oh, wait. The part about Griffin only getting three shots was in reference to last night's game only, I believe. And I will say that if memory serves me correctly, the FU teams you are referring to didn't fare too well against Wash U.

What I want to know is this: How much is the unexpected absence of the big man, Kevin Miller, hurting Webster this season? He averaged 14.6 ppg and 8.4 rpg last season, and that ain't chicken feed.

[hopefan]

What I want to know is this: How much is the unexpected absence of the big man, Kevin Miller, hurting Webster this season? He averaged 14.6 ppg and 8.4 rpg last season, and that ain't chicken feed.

It's KILLING them.... Only one person with size left, Aaron Griffin, and his forte is quickness, not strength... he seems to be playing hurt... his replacement?.. generally a 6"2" kid who can't jump....Griffin and Miller together along with Ward would have been super on the boards.. without big Kev, they're missing the inside game TOTALLY

[Denny McKinney]

What about JV players the past couple of years? Who was there to replace Huskey? What happened to th Big Kid from Ohio. Webster still good enough to win a very weak Sliac.

[hopefan]

What about JV players the past couple of years? Who was there to replace Huskey? What happened to th Big Kid from Ohio. Webster still good enough to win a very weak Sliac.

The kid from Ohio was off the roster about a week after practice started... don't know what happened to him....I thought Leonard Smith might help, at 6"4", strong, plays mean, but he's slow defensively and can't play 5 minutes without picking up fouls and getting in Coach's doghouse... so we see Danny Zehner in the middle....