MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

y_jack_lok · March 18, 2016, 11:57:14 PM

Quote from: WUH on March 18, 2016, 11:19:01 PM
March Madness has a Fontbonne connection. The NCAA did not have regulation nets for the games played today in St. Louis, so they borrowed nets from Fontbonne.

http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2016/03/ncaa_has_to_find_new_nets_before_syracuse_basketballs_game_against_dayton.html

I was watching the NCAA's livestream of the Michigan State/Middle Tennessee game and when they had a problem with one of the nets late in the game and had to re-string it, the NCAA's announcers mentioned that they had to get "regulation" nets from a division 3 school, but didn't specify which one. I was guessing it was Fontbonne, however, because Michigan State practiced there yesterday -- as they have in several prior seasons when the tournament has brought them to STL. I know about MSU practicing at FU thanks to Denny McKinney.

WUPHF · March 19, 2016, 08:42:39 AM

That is what prompted me to look for that article. I did not realize that Fontbonne opened up their gym.

Titan Q · March 19, 2016, 08:55:58 AM

Quote from: y_jack_lok on March 18, 2016, 11:57:14 PM
I was watching the NCAA's livestream of the Michigan State/Middle Tennessee game and when they had a problem with one of the nets late in the game and had to re-string it, the NCAA's announcers mentioned that they had to get "regulation" nets from a division 3 school, but didn't specify which one. I was guessing it was Fontbonne, however, because Michigan State practiced there yesterday -- as they have in several prior seasons when the tournament has brought them to STL. I know about MSU practicing at FU thanks to Denny McKinney.

They actually did specify which one...

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/710866771180261376

y_jack_lok · March 19, 2016, 09:58:29 AM

^^^ Good for them. Thanks for sharing that. I just heard what the two male NCAA announcers sitting at the broadcast table said late in the game when they had to restring the net at one end of the court because it came loose as a result of game action. Not sure exactly what caused that to happen because they didn't show a replay, but a player probably grabbed it inadvertently.

WUPHF · March 19, 2016, 10:53:13 AM

Yeah, I missed that mention as well.

hopefan · March 27, 2016, 09:17:17 PM

SLIAC Coaching Records... Each Coach has been a head coach only at their present SLIAC college...

Bunch Webster 217 148 .595

Gray Spalding 283 223 .559

Mitchell Westminster 238 226 .513

Lorensen Iowa Wesleyan 25 25 .500

Barber Greenville 213 219 .493

Creal MacMurray 109 123 .470

Wilde Eureka 103 127 ,448

Kollar Blackburn 10 15 .400

Thornhill Fontbonne 8 17 .320

Bushong Principia 64 182 .260 Retired at end of current season

WUPHF · March 30, 2016, 03:44:24 PM

I started reading a history of Westminster College written in 1971.

The book discusses the early history of Westminster athletics in details, though it talks much more about football. For anyone who may be interested, here are a few fun facts.

Westminster played varsity basketball for the first time in 1909. They had to play in the Fulton City Hall auditorium as the building that housed the Westminster gymnasium had burned down. At that time, a Hannibal businessman nearly convinced the board to move Westminster to Hannibal, offering them $75,000 and land to do so, but the Board stayed after the citizens of Fulton raised money to begin the rebuilding process.

The first full season of basketball was played in 1917. They played in the William Woods College gymnasium until the Westminster Historic Gymnasium was opened in 1929.

Westminster was a founding member of the MIAA conference and did very well in the early years, winning five conference championships in their first 12 seasons. The team was undefeated in 1920 and had only one loss in 1921. The starters from the 1921 squad were convinced by Phog Allen to transfer to the University of Kansas and the Jayhawks would win the Missouri Valley Conference the following season.

In 1922, Westminster held a meeting with the other religiously affiliated schools in the MIAA to discuss concerns that the publics had an unfair advantage. They agreed to form a new conference known as the Missouri College Athletic Union. The MCAU would eventually become the Heart of America conference in the NAIA.

Henry Iba would lead the team to two conference championships. Fan support was at an all time high during this era The gymnasium regularly sold out with support from the students and the community. A fan club known as the "Razzberries" led the way. Westminster organized bus trips for fans attending most road games.

Iba purposefully scheduled Westminster when he was coaching at Oklahoma. He was welcomed back with open arms.

Westminster was invited to the NAIA in 1943 and defeated Loyola University Chicago. Westminster athletics would struggle for a while after that.

Incidentally, I learned that Missouri did once have a Missouri Wesleyan College, but it closed in 1930. I also learned that the Westminster board asked the other Westminster (UT) to consider another name, but they politely declined.

Gregory Sager · March 30, 2016, 09:08:27 PM

I wonder if the Westminster board had that same conversation with Westminster (PA), the other D3 Westminster, which has been around since 1852. I don't know how long the Titans have been playing basketball, bu they've been playing football since 1891, and for most of those seasons they were NAIA like the Missouri school, so I'm sure that the two schools were well aware of each other in terms of athletics.

WUPHF · March 30, 2016, 10:15:09 PM

I'll have to check!

Westminster (MO) was founded by the Fulton Presbyterian Church in 1851 as Fulton College and chartered that year but they did not decide on Westminster until the Synod agreed to sponsor the college in October 1852. The name changed in 1853 with a new state charter.

Next up: history of MacMurray College written 50-60 years ago.

y_jack_lok · March 31, 2016, 10:46:50 AM

Quote from: hopefan on March 27, 2016, 09:17:17 PM
SLIAC Coaching Records... Each Coach has been a head coach only at their present SLIAC college...

Bunch Webster 217 148 .595

Gray Spalding 283 223 .559

Mitchell Westminster 238 226 .513

Lorensen Iowa Wesleyan 25 25 .500

Barber Greenville 213 219 .493

Creal MacMurray 109 123 .470

Wilde Eureka 103 127 ,448

Kollar Blackburn 10 15 .400

Thornhill Fontbonne 8 17 .320

Bushong Principia 64 182 .260 Retired at end of current season

These are overall coaching records as opposed to conference game only records, right?

hopefan · March 31, 2016, 05:41:44 PM

Quote from: y_jack_lok on March 31, 2016, 10:46:50 AM
Quote from: hopefan on March 27, 2016, 09:17:17 PM
SLIAC Coaching Records... Each Coach has been a head coach only at their present SLIAC college...

Bunch Webster 217 148 .595

Gray Spalding 283 223 .559

Mitchell Westminster 238 226 .513

Lorensen Iowa Wesleyan 25 25 .500

Barber Greenville 213 219 .493

Creal MacMurray 109 123 .470

Wilde Eureka 103 127 ,448

Kollar Blackburn 10 15 .400

Thornhill Fontbonne 8 17 .320

Bushong Principia 64 182 .260 Retired at end of current season

These are overall coaching records as opposed to conference game only records, right?

Correct....but a good point.... I'll take a look at conference records in the near (very near) future....

hopefan · March 31, 2016, 10:45:14 PM

ok Y Jack... you owe me

Bunch Webster 14 seasons 165 59 .737 1st in conf 5 times (including 2 ties)
made conf tourney 11 of 12 years
won conf tourney 2 times (4-0)
won loss in other 9 conf tourneys is (1-9) ouch

Gray Spalding 7 seasons 86 32 .729 1st in conf 4 times (including 2 ties)
made conf tourney 4 of 4 years
won conf tourney 2 of 4 years, made finals other two years
tourney record 6-2

Creal MacMurray 9 seasons 88 62 .587 note, throw out Creals first 2 years, not having his recruits,
then he is 82-36 .695
1st in conference 2 times (both tied for first)
made conf tourney 6 of 9 seasons, record a dismal 1-6

Mitchell Westminster 18 seasons 147 133 .525 note, Mitchell's first 7 seasons were losers.. but since 2005/2006,
Mitchell is 118-64 .648
1st in conf 3 times (2 were ties)
made conference tournament 10 times, record is 9-7
Won conference tournament 3 times

Barber Greenville 17 seasons 139 127 .523 1st in conference once (tied)
made tourney twice, 0-2

Wilde Eureka 9 seasons 75 75 .500 no 1st place finishes
made conference tourney 3 times, no tourney championship
2-3 record in tourney

Kollar Blackburn 1 season 9 9 .500

Lorensen IWU*** 2 seasons 17 18 .486

Thornhill Fontbonne 1 season 6 12 .333

Bushong Principia 5 seasons 9 76 .106 good guy, but gone.....

y_jack_lok · April 01, 2016, 04:31:34 PM

^^^ Impressive work. But I don't owe you anything.

hopefan · April 04, 2016, 08:23:20 PM

you know, the data regarding coaching performance in conference games and post season is really quite revealing... superlative in some instances, embarrassing in others...

let's throw out the bottom 4 guys, 3 of whom are babes in the woods as far as head coaching jobs, and Prin whom we know has had a rough time winning..

so rating the 6 veteran coaches in various manners:

% of years 1st in conference
1 Gray Spalding 57% (4 of 7)
2 Bunch Webster 36% (5 of 14)
3 Creal MacMurray 22% (2 of 9)
4 Mitchell Westmin 17% (3 of 18)
5 Barber Greenville 6% (1 of 17)
6 Wilde Eureka 0% (0 of 9)

% of years made conf tourney
1 Gray Spalding 100% (4 of 4)
2 Bunch Webster 92% (11 of 12)
3 Creal MacMurray 67% (6 of 9)
4 Mitchell Westmin 56% (10 of 18)
5 Wilde Eureka 33% (3 of 9)
6 Barber Greenville 12% (2 of 17)

% of times won conf tourney
1 Gray Spalding 50% (2 of 4)
2 Mitchell Westmin 30% (3 of 10)
3 Bunch Webster 22% (2 of 9)
4 Barber Greenville 0% (0 of 2)
5 Wilde Eureka 0% (0 of 3)
6 Creal MacMurray 0% (0 of 6)

W-L in tournament
1 Gray Spalding 75% (6-2)
2 Mitchell Westmin 56% (9-7)
3 Wilde Eureka 40% (2-3)
4 Bunch Webster 36% (5-9)
5 Creal MacMurray 14% (1-6)
6 Barber Greenville 0% (0-2)

of course, one last stat uglier than any... none of our coaches have come up a winner in the NCAA tourney

WUPHF · April 05, 2016, 02:15:22 PM

I finally started reading the History of MacMurray College: the First 100 Years. I should warn readers that there is probably one other poster on D3Boards.com who find any interest in this.

I have read many histories of colleges and universities but this is the largest volume I have ever seen at 596 pages. 596 pages for the first 100 years.

It is very well written but has almost nothing to offer for this thread as MacMurray was a women's college. For some reason or another, I thought MacMurray was the men's college of Jacksonville. MacMurray was founded as an academy and then as Illinois Women's College. Incidentally, at least three SLIAC colleges were started as women's colleges.

The notion of varsity athletics at MacMurray dates back to 1901 thanks in part to the campus YWCA.

Fundraising for the first gymnasium began in 1909 with a pledge of $25,000 by wealthy benefactor. The President was hoping to use money from the Carnegie Foundation as well, but it is not clear if he had a combined gymnasium-library in mind, but I love that idea.

A second gymnasium was built in 1916-1917 though I imagine this is not in use as a gymnasium now.

Whereas the 200 or so pages of the history of Westminster was full of stories related to varsity sports, the MacMurray College book has no specific references to basketball in the table of contents.

There is a reference that seems to suggest that MacMurray played varsity basketball against the following teams in 1902: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Midgets and Brownies. They did play games against their crosstown rivals throughout the 1920's.

Tennis, Hiking and equestrian sports were far more popular. Not unusual at all for a women's college.

The books is a real joy to read with lines like: the Victorian lady had been supplanted by the sports girl rather thoroughly in World War I. When I read that line, I cannot help but think of our resident red head, even if our sports girl is not from that era.