MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

Thanks so much, Buncher....

[Denny McKinney]

Thanks so much, from this old man.

[WU FAN]

Final here, Webster wins 78-67.  Game times on Fri. at 6 and 8. Webster vs Fontbonne at 8. Championship game at 1 on Sat.

Actually the championship game will be Saturday at 7.  As I said a few days ago this was Hopefan's dream scenario.  Everything came down to the last few minutes of the season.  Complete chaos.

[y_jack_lok]

Box score shows Webster 12-29 from the free throw line. Looks like this could have been a more lopsided win with made FTs. On the flip side, that can lose you a really close game.

Wish I could be here for the tournament, but family obligations come first.

GO GORLOKS!

[WU FAN]

The Gorloks FT shooting was less than outstanding last night.  There were several times that they went to the line to shoot 2 and missed both.  As you said yjack this could have been a very lopsided game had it not been for the the FT's.  Both teams played with great intensity making it fun to watch.

[hopefan]

I look at the box score of WU-GC... and my gosh... it's the same old story of SLIAC games all year... teams not using an obvious advantage to win a game.... Last night, Greenville outrebounded Webster 53-38... Webster's only big man played far below best as he is hampered by injury... Scott and Harris both have good games in the paint.. BUT, GC shoots 21 3 pointers, missing 16 of them.... 16 times that if the ball had found its way inside, there was a better than 50% chance of scoring.. and Nick Trisko, what a disappointment this year.. He could have been unstoppable against a team with no size.. instead, he hardly played...pt is earned... how anyone could not give 100% for a guy like George Barber is beyond me....

WU fan is right, I love the scenario of everything coming down to the final night.... but this season has been as low as it goes as far as the level of play of the conference reaching my expectations... A lot of guys playing very hard, only to have inept 3 point shooting and decision making deciding the result of far too many games.... 

[BunchTime]

2 things to add here: I think Webster's zone tends to force teams to settle for 3s.  When the Gorloks play with energy and are active in the zone, it can be very difficult to get the ball inside or even to the middle of the zone. Lots of dribbling and passing around the perimeter. Webster is very quick and athletic and they get their hands on a lot of passes, and when they're playing the zone right, it can be difficult to score on.  With that said, I agree, hopefan, still can't force up that many 3s. But credit Webster for forcing them to do so.

Rebounding: the bad part of zone is rebounding is much more difficult because you're obviously not matched up with a man and accountable for that person. Being assigned to an area, it makes for a much easier time for an offensive rebounder to find his way to the ball. 

These two things will be interesting developments this weekend.  If memory serves me correct, Fontbonne went 5-22 from 3 in the last matchup with Webster. We'll see what adjustments they make come Friday.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Final public men's basketball regional rankings are out: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2015/02/25/final-public-ncaa-regional-rankings-released/

[BunchTime]

Thanks for posting.  So, what are some of the candidates where the SLIAC rep will get sent this year? I assume Augustana, the UW schools or Wash U? 

[GC Panther 01]

Hope, agree 100% on the comment of how anyone could not give it all for a guy like Coach Barber. I cannot imagine he has been harder on anyone than he ever was on myself. (deservedly so).  I would have, and still would run through a brick wall for the man.    What a disappointing finish for the GC team that led the conference at the halfway point. 

[Denny McKinney]

Congrats to Coach Hall and his Griffin's. Back in the tourney after a 5 year absence. May garner first COY award in school history. So happy for those men.

Agree whole heartedly with Hope and GC. Should be some young men taking a long look in the mirror today.

Good Luck to all four teams!

[BunchTime]

Should be a helluva tourney, folks!  Not counting FU as a win for my Gorloks by any means, but who does Webster match up better with, Mac or Spalding? Hopefan? Anybody? Haven't seen them enough to know who to root for in the first game on Fri.

[y_jack_lok]

Should be a helluva tourney, folks!  Not counting FU as a win for my Gorloks by any means, but who does Webster match up better with, Mac or Spalding? Hopefan? Anybody? Haven't seen them enough to know who to root for in the first game on Fri.

Haven't seen Spalding, but based on the game up at Mac I think Mac presents tougher match up problems now that they have Deavis Johnson..

[hopefan]

Agreeing with Yjack, the better matchup for Webster, if they get by Fontbonne, will be Spalding... Mac is so much bigger than Webster, though Webster's zone smothered Mac (sans Deavis Johnson) earlier in the year...
Spalding/ Webster are very similar..limited size, good quickness, pride in defense... A Webster-Spalding final could be a real nail biter....

On the other hand, Spalding-Mac game is the most intriguing matchup of the weekend..... Mac should win this game if they attack the basket, but if once again they fall into the perimeter game, well.......

[BunchTime]

Thanks, guys!  Welp, lets go Spalding and Webster!