MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WUPHF]

Junior transfer Aron Hopp.

And, we figured, he starts just about every game.

[hopefan]

Junior transfer Aron Hopp.

And, we figured, he starts just about every game.

Darn thought he was a frosh....

[WUPHF]

Darn thought he was a frosh....

I know the feeling...

[hopefan]

ugh, ugly box score for Spalding vs Thomas More... they score only 17 in the first half..Spalding Coach Kevin Grey must have seen enough at that point, as only one of the starters got more than 13 minutes of court time...
AND... SLIAC player of the week Robert Bendinfeld doesn't play?   
Tough being a SLIAC fan because no one communicates on these pages... so with a conference schedule coming up on Saturday, no idea whether Bendingfeld of Spalding or DeLine of Fontbonne are playing...

Wouldn't it be nice.....

Also... Blackburn does a very nice job vs Mckendree... lose due to a ridiculous delta in FT shooting.. Blackburn goes 6 for 9, McKendree 26 for 35... Blackburn called for 25 fouls, McKendree only 11...
Turnovers however were likely a factor... McK only 4, BC 16.. Surprisingly BC dominated the boards.....

[Greek Tragedy]

Tough sledding for the SLIAC boys. It would be great if this was D1 and I could just check ESPN to see if someone was hurt or playing or what they had for dinner last night. Trust me, it's not just this league where communication is lacking. Still cheering for Eureka and Principia, but it's hard to sometimes because they can be so bad. I have one player left from the SLIAC in my fantasy leagues, so here's to Hank Thomas!

[ecreddevils]

Moral victories: BC only loses by 12 to McKendree. 18-40 from 3 pt. range. 

Prin loses by 22 at WashU but only loses second half by a point.

This weekend:

Spalding over IWU -- Typical bizarre SLIAC matchup, Spalding wins two then implodes against Thomas More.  Where is Bendingfield?  Only the universe knows.  All of that said, Louisville is a tough road trip and IWU won't get it done in that gym.

Fontbonne over Prin  --  Deline looks like a player to watch.  Close game but home court wins out.

GC over BC --  System is starting to roll.  So tough to beat at home.  20+ win for Panthers.

EC over Westmin -- Westmin reeling from BC loss.  Goes on the road into raucous Bonati-Bollwinkle Arena.  EC must have this win.  They'll get it back on home court.

Mac over Webster --  History tells the wise fan to never take a slate of chalk in the SLIAC.  Mac steals a much needed road win in a close one.

[WUPHF]

Prin loses by 22 at WashU but only loses second half by a point.

As impressive as Prin was last season when these two teams played in Elsah and as impressive as Micah Paulson and Trevaugh Goodman are, this was more of a let's give the first-year (averaging 5 minutes per game) 15 minutes on Goodman-type of game.

[hopefan]

Interesting take by ECRED...  but from my favorite movie line... Allow me to retort...

Wash U wins by as much as they want to vs Prin. Ball movement got them open layups most of the first half. 2nd half numbers were nothing more than Wash U taking it easy. It's a no contest.

Spalding with Bendingfield should beat IWU. Without him, this game could be very close, but I agree, Spalding should still beat a travel weary team.

If Deline plays, Fontbonne over Prin easily... without Deline it's closer, but Fontbonne still wins.

GC over BC...I think BC stays with them, but GC prevails in the long run

EC OVER Westmin...  I Agree.. what I'll say is the loser might want to start redesigning things. Two conference favorites can't figure out how to win.

Mac vs Webster... Goodness, Webster in this one, double digits. If ECred figures this one out and Mac wins, HE IS THE MAN!!!!

[hopefan]

Hopefan off to Greenville today... can't stay away from the system!!!!

[Greek Tragedy]

Hopefan off to Greenville today... can't stay away from the system!!!!

I don't know where home base is for you, but Grinnell hosts Colorado College tomorrow.

[hopefan]

Hopefan off to Greenville today... can't stay away from the system!!!!

I don't know where home base is for you, but Grinnell hosts Colorado College tomorrow.

St L. That would be a bit far, though did go up for Grinnell-Greenville 2 years ago. If memory serves me right had a very successful visit to a casino on the way home from there. 

[hopefan]

The joke is on hopefan today....normal SLIAC scheduling for conference games is the ladies playing first, then the men. I never mind watching the ladies play, so usually arrange my travel time to get me there for most of ladies game. Unfortunately, for the first time I know of, today, scheduling is NOT normal. Ladies are not playing conference schedule, and in most cases are not the prelim to the men. Greenville is a nice town but I'm not aware of how to kill close to 2 hours here before the men tip on. Well, the coffee at McDonalds is fine....

[y_jack_lok]

Mac at Webster was a good game. Mac got out rebounded and whistled for a lot more fouls and Webster took advantage making 23 of 25 free throws. But I thought Mac played well. They pass well -- maybe too much. Webster played well on defense but turned the ball over several times in their haste to take advantage of some steals. A fun game to watch.

[hopefan]

A quick comment on each game yesterday:

Spalding oveR Iowa Wesleyan... Spalding needed every bit of Robert Bendingfield to post a 68-65 win... he goes for 22 points, 13 board, 6 assists...Down 1 with under a minute, he gets a steal, feeds Brendon Holt for the go ahead basket, and clinches it with 2 fts in final seconds.

Webster over Mac...Mac never closer than 7 in 2nd half, Webster pulls away in final 5 minutes... all 5 starters for Webster in double figures, Josh Johnson a nice game with 22 points, 5 boards, 5 assists...

Westmin over Eureka.... by a lot... at Eureka.... wow... Very disappointing for Eureka... hard to understand, and I feel for ECred...  On the other hand, what a performance off the bench by Westmin's Nolan Huot... 29 points, 5 boards for the 6'4" Junior...6 for 13 from 3 point land... get this, in 7 previous games, he had a total of 16 points, 2 3pointers....,

Greenville over Blackburn... ugly, ugly, ugly  but fun, fun, fun... AT HALF, Blackburn had 25 turnovers, Greenville 19... just crazy pace...leading the way for Greenville was 6'4" Junior Eric Williams... 6 for 8 from 3 point land, 24 points, 7 boards, 4 steals (but, ugh 7 turnovers)....He is a player....  I give BC all the credit in the world, they stayed with them the whole way....

Finally Fontbonne beats Prin... Prin was down by 20+ and cut it to 10, but is just too short handed to maintain that effort...Luke DeLine leads Fontbonne with 24..

So... read the descriptions... who is my player of the week  (I'll give no credit for the mid week nonconference losses).. It has to be the guy who got his team a close win with almost a triple double... for the 2nd week in a row Robert Bendingfield, Spalding... 22/13/6... I don't think SLIAC.org will see it that way, but he's my pick.... obvious props to runners up Eric Williams, Luke DeLine, Josh Johnson and especially Nolan Huot....

[hopefan]

Hoping to see Fontbonne-Wash U tomorrow night... If Fontbonne plays to their potential, this could be a very competitive game... Key will be Fontbonne frosh big men up against Wash U's experienced big men... if the youngsters don't get taken advantage of... I like the perimeter matchups....

Tonight Iowa Wesleyan has a good shot at a win over Knox.....