MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Denny McKinney]

Thanks, WuH and Yjak. Sounds like Webster represented well. As they usually do. Didn't have to wait till tomorrow to get the Scoop.

Congrats to IWC on their non - conf road win. Greenville is running. But, not getting the results we All kind of thought they might. A lot of season left to go.

I wonder. After setting out of the IWC. Were the 10 days enough to get FU's Jared Greenlee the time need to get over the rolled ankle. I usually never would say this, SU appears to vulnerable this year. That being said, FU will need Dorhaur to start knocking down some shots. And, Gentry will need to score enough to match what he gives up. To come out equal. And, Ben Kissing needs to keep playing like Ben Kissing. FU can't dig themselves any deeper, to still have a chance.

[hopefan]

ouch... just felt a little pin prick in the rear end from prior post

Thoughts on last night...

Webster played really well....seems like I have my doubts coming into the season with Webster... often... and Coach Bunch brings them along beyond my expectations... they have already come so far this year....From me questioning whether they might even make conference tourney, to now, they may be pushing for the 1-2 seed.  They really do have guys that can create their own shots when necessary... Evans, Dortch, Moore, Ward..... trouble is, the shots are difficult shots, not impossible, but difficult... maybe a little too often. 

Taylor Walton, may have been best game,career... good to see

Webster, only 7 turnovers for the game.. outstanding

Webster outrebounded 36-27... but it didn't seem like it... they worked extremely hard on the boards vs much bigger Wash U.

Highsmith first half, Silverman lloyd 2nd half just killed the Gorlocks... Highsmith will be an all Conference player when he earns a starting role...I don't think he had been starting prior.... just a pleasure to watch his short jump shots....

Tie game with 5:30 left... Lead switched often first 35 minutes....

The real dagger was at just under 2 minutes, Webster down four, Wash U misses, Davian Joseph rebounds, takes it downcourt himself, fires a 3 pointer from the top of the key that goes halfway down, but rattles out... would have cut it to one... instead, Wash U comes back, gets a 3 point play, up 7, and it's over...

[hopefan]

Chris Fowler does it again... 17 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists.. in IWC 2 point win over Cornell (Iowa)... Marquis Jones makes 2 free throws with 1 second on the clock for the win....

[Denny McKinney]

ouch... just felt a little pin prick in the rear end from prior post

What is your complaint now? I was polite. I thank two posters for giving me details on a game I didn't see. They were good reads before falling back to sleep after taking care of some self nursing needs.
Congratulated IWC. Shared some thoughts on FU. Didn't even write a single word regarding you!?!

I just gave you a +1K to hopefully make your rear end feel better. You just amaze me sometimes.

[hopefan]

Tough decision for Saturday.. Prin at Mac, or Blackburn at Greenville... both should be really entertaining... All four games Saturday are CRITICAL... Wonder why the IWC-Westmin game has a 6:00 start - maybe exam schedule? Spalding at Font, neither can afford a loss, wonder if Font's experience can overcome Spalding quicks...

That's the fun of the conference this season.. hard to call anyone a sure thing in virtually any matchup... take out the Webster - Greenville score, and the other 9 conference games to date have an average scoring margin of only 5 points, 8 of 9 games with single digit scoring margin....

[WUPHF]

Webster, only 7 turnovers for the game.. outstanding

Webster outrebounded 36-27... but it didn't seem like it... they worked extremely hard on the boards vs much bigger Wash U.

Highsmith first half, Silverman lloyd 2nd half just killed the Gorlocks... Highsmith will be an all Conference player when he earns a starting role...I don't think he had been starting prior.... just a pleasure to watch his short jump shots....

7 turnovers compared to 12 by Washington University, including several Gorlock steals.

Rebounds were tied or nearly tied at the half, but the Bears had several key rebounds down the stretch.

Highsmith, it seems, was coming off the bench as Schmelter has a few inches on him and was tasked with taking the tip, but both were playing comparable minutes.  Not sure if Highsmith holds the starting spot this season, but he is very, very good.  His performance last night reminded me of a stat I had read: he set a record at Parkway South for field goal percentage at 57.7 percent.  Last night, he shot 58 percent.

Webster definitely made many of their more difficult shots, and while Washington University is bigger, the Gorlocks fearlessly attacked the basket time and time again.  That was probably the most impressive part in my mind, as I was already aware of how well they defend the zone.

[WUPHF]

I know we talked about this last night, but one more thing Webster did well was guarding the three point line.  Washington University had shot OK from range through the first five games, but last night they went 5-17 (29%).

[BunchTime]

Good recaps from the Webster-Wash U game.  I too was there and will throw in my two cents.  First off, helluva effort by the Gorloks.  When WU is as active in the zone and plays with energy like they did last night, they should find themselves competing for another league title.  The question will be do they bring that effort each night, including against some of the lesser teams in the SLIAC. Their quickness and athleticism gave the Bears some problems throughout the night. Lots of deflections and tipped passes.  The thing that strikes me about the final score (which doesn't indicate how close the game was) is that the Gorloks played far from a perfect game and still almost pulled off the upset.  As I mentioned, many deflections and tipped passes by the Gorloks, many of which bounced the way of the Bears for an easy bucket several times. Many of easy buckets and missed layup opportunities for Webster.  Finish 1 or two of those, it very well could have been a different result.  Anyway, credit the Bears...they're a very good team and did what they had to do to win the game. 

On a somewhat unrelated note, it's been a while since I have been to Wash U.  I was immediately struck by how big of a difference not only the campus is compared to SLIAC schools but also the basketball/athletics facilities are.  Obviously, Wash U is generally getting a different kind of play than a SLIAC school; nevertheless, it is a HUGE advantage for them to have markedly better facilities than a school like Webster.  A huge credit goes to Coach Bunch and Co. to get the level of players he has brought in despite the less-than-ideal facilities he deals with. 

[hopefan]

On a somewhat unrelated note, it's been a while since I have been to Wash U.  I was immediately struck by how big of a difference not only the campus is compared to SLIAC schools but also the basketball/athletics facilities are.  Obviously, Wash U is generally getting a different kind of play than a SLIAC school; nevertheless, it is a HUGE advantage for them to have markedly better facilities than a school like Webster.  A huge credit goes to Coach Bunch and Co. to get the level of players he has brought in despite the less-than-ideal facilities he deals with.

You would not believe the difference between SLIAC facilities and schools that the SLIAC DOES compete with for players... I recently saw games at Monmouth and at Illinois College... just incredible facilities compared to anything the SLIAC offers with the exception of Principia and maybe Fontbonne... and of course the CCIW, my old tromping grounds up in Michigan like Hope and Calvin, shoot, our places look like practice gyms....

[BunchTime]

Agree, Hopefan.  I have played at every current SLIAC school with the exception of Iowa Wesleyan and Spalding, have played at Monmouth and Illinois College (the two you mentioned) and several other CCIW schools, so believe me, I know what a different the facilities are.  And folks wonder why SLIAC schools have a hard time competing with the CCIW schools.  It is HUGE advantage for those schools. 

Take Webster for example: WU has a weight room that's open to all students and faculty and is about the size of a classroom, the locker room is probably equipped for about 4-5 players (not 15), have one gym that is also used for intramurals, school events, and by other sports, etc.  It makes the fact that Webster can compete with many of the CCIW schools in most years even more incredible. 

It is what it is, though, and doesn't seem like anything will change soon.  Once again, credit to Bunch and staff for getting the players in to compete with the likes of a Wash U and some of the CCIW schools.

[WUPHF]

It has been build or die for a lot of schools over the past two decades and yet schools such as Westminster and Webster persist.  And, the wealthiest keep getting wealthier.

The Washington University Field House does not even compare well with what they have at Illinois College, but that will change next Fall.  The actual Field House gymnasium will remain the same, but the locker rooms, weight rooms and everything else will look first class starting next Fall.

Webster has come a long way facilities wise but I guess any changes to the athletic facilities are a long way off.  Too expensive and the school has no room to grow.

[y_jack_lok]

Webster has come a long way facilities wise but I guess any changes to the athletic facilities are a long way off.  Too expensive and the school has no room to grow.

Maybe Webster could find a way to grow vertically rather than horizontally. I know any expansion or growth is expensive, but the parking lot outside the gym is prime territory for adding facilities -- with parking underneath perhaps (i.e. just build above the existing parking lot and improve upon it but leave it in place, there is even a little "undeveloped" ground in that area that could be co-opted for some more parking spaces). This would also avoid the dreaded (by the city of Webster Groves) incursion of the university beyond the current parameters of the campus.

[BunchTime]

Y_jack, good observations.  Could expand using the existing parking lot or how about the very seldom used pool, which would give you plenty of space to add state-of-the art locker rooms and expanded growth to the weight room....or, perhaps a weight room exclusively for athletes.

Again, speaking solely about Webster, the facilities are abysmal.  Grant Gymnasium was built in 1985, 30 years ago.  I don't believe the locker rooms have EVER been updated.  The fitness center has been once.  There have been a few minor cosmetic changes to the gym.  Though I think the gym is fine as it is.  No need to expand that. That's 30 years with very little upgrades to the basketball facilities. 

In 1985, when Webster began it's athletic department, the facilities were probably adequate.  Back then, you had about 80 or 90 athletes.  Now, the AD brings in about 80 or 90 athletes EVERY YEAR....at the price tag of $37k (granted, many athletes are getting aid, academic scholarships, etc.).  The student-athletes deserve better. Just wish the higher-ups felt the same way.  I don't know if they truly understand how well the athletic department serves the university in terms of bringing in kids.  The university's enrollment has continued to go down, while the athletic department continues to grow.  Hmmm...

[y_jack_lok]

Y_jack, good observations.  Could expand using the existing parking lot or how about the very seldom used pool, which would give you plenty of space to add state-of-the art locker rooms and expanded growth to the weight room....or, perhaps a weight room exclusively for athletes.

From what I've seen, the pool gets enough use. Seems like a nice thing to have.

[BunchTime]

I respectfully disagree, y_jack.  Sure, in a perfect world with ample amounts of space and money, the pool is nice to have.  However, under the current situation, the fitness center is used by so many more students and athletes than the pool.  From my understanding, the pool serves a high school swim team and local swim lessons for the community.  Very, very few faculty and students use it.  Not to mention, the operational costs of the pool is hefty, especially in light of the limited use of it.  Like I said, if space and money weren't at a premium, I'd say keep it.  However, the university must prioritize it's use of real estate and financial resources.