MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mac Attack]

Good call, BeaverSID - need to go buy a lottery ticket real quick!

[Sportsjunky]

With the season coming up to the half way point.  I just was wondering what everyones top four were. 

The teams I have in the final 4 would be
     - MacMurray finishing 13-5
              - showed alot so far this year.  Winning three BIG games in the first set.  They would be at Webster, and at Eureka (after two game skid), and the win at home vs. Westminister.  Game at Greenville was something unreal...enough said. 

    - Webster finishing 13-5
             - After looking at the last four games for the Gorlocks, I have to believe they are starting to play to their potential besides the mishap at Blackburn (which anyone who plays Blackburn is in for a treat, that is a good team that has capability of beating any team in the conference, many weapons.). With Webster winning the last two games by a combined 28 points to two of the other good teams in the conference Greenville and Fontbonne. 

      - Westminister finishing 11-7
             -Another tough squad.  Has had big wins against Webster and Eureka, but they have both been at home.  Westminister goes on the road a little more in the second half so they are going to need to pull out some big Ws on the road and take care of Fontbonne, MacMurray, and Greenville at home to be successful. 

      - Fontbonne finishing 11-7
             - Yet again a very talented team.  Has had two nice victories at home against Westminister and MacMurray.  Pulled off a nice W at Blackburn.  They started off the conference on the wrong foot, losing to Greenville at Greenville by 2, and a home game to Eureka by 1.  Thats a tough break.  One possesion during either one of those games and we could be looking at a 6-1 Fontbonne team. 

-----------------------

No disrespect to any Greenville or Eureka fans because I feel those teams will be right there at the end as well.  Both very good squads but so far i just am not sold on Greenvilles game.  Good team though, dont get me wrong I just dont feel they are gonna be top four.  Now I could be very easily wrong, but thats why these are just called opinions i guess!

Eureka is another tough squad that will end up towards the top of the board also.  They ran into a bad week last week going 0-3 but they were all against high powered teams, Webster, Westminister, and MacMurray.  Webster and Westminister both being away. But now have Conference leading Greenville at home so they could in all reality end up on a four game skid.

Just one persons opinion, just thought id throw it out there.

[hopefan]

sports junky   -  for a premier post, that's quite a post!!!    Welcome!

I'm going to reserve my selection until after tomorrow, when I see Mac at Maryville   -   after then, I will have seen everyone in the conference play but Prin, and despite their win streak, I don't think they will make the playoffs.

However I will say that no matter what I see out of Mac tomorrow, one of the teams you don't have in your final four would definitely be in mine!

stay tuned......

[FU_Pride]

I see Westminster struggling to get into the tournament this year.  The loss of Kurz has really hurt them.  Even when he comes back, im still not sure how effective he will be. 

My top 4 projections are:
1.  Webster- Experienced team.  Spinner's last go around.
2.  MacMurray- Alot of hype as of late.  Will see them play Saturday.
3.  Fontbonne- Early losses may come back to haunt, but if they get hot, watch out!
4.  Maryville-  A good coach with a young bunch...I'm calling their sneak in right now!!


-Those are just my predictions.  Greenville and Eureka are two teams that are also capable of making the tournament.  If Kurz was healthy for the entire season, Westminster would be my number 1, and he would be my prediction for MVP.

[fcnews]

FU_Pride - nice post but it is Buxton that is out for WC.

GC has got themselves into a position of only needing 5 wins the rest of the way to get in. It would take a heck of a slide considering they 2 in Prin. and LCC.

For most cases, the bottom four teams are going to have to score some wins. Look at the schedule and say where can they steal a win.

I think 13 wins will win and maybe 12. But, most likely your safe at 11. 10 wins puts you in a position where you better own all the tie breakers.

[FU_Pride]

-had a hunch I may have had the wrong name.  Kurz is a good player.  If Buxton was healthy, he would be my MVP selection.  Sorry for any confusion!

[pantherpride06]

SLIAC Top 4

1. Greenville - Come on boys.  Two post up and Greenvile is in neither top 4.  We took care of Blackburn and Maryville on the road (defending SLIAC Champs the last 4 years), Fontbonne, and MacMurray.  MacMurray didn't play well down the stretch and Greenville did.  You can't take that away from us.  Mac choked at the end.  Plain and Simple.  When a team goes on a 36-15 run to end a game, then that other team just fell apart.

2. MacMurray - With all that said above, I think Mac is a great all around team.  Played great v. us until the last 5 mins. The Mac/Greenville game at MacMurray may be a great game at Jacksonville.  May have playoff implications!

3. Webster - Great win for Coach Bunch's crew over Greenville on Tuesday.  Just remember, 1) 33 fouls / 6 foul-outs were called v. Webster, 2) Coach Barber was sick & couldn't attend, and 3) You have to come to Greenville for the other game!

4. Westminster (Mo.) - I haven's seen Coach Mitchell and his team play, but I understand they are a decent squad.  Losing one of their players hurt them early but I understand he may be back later in the season (what I heard earlier.)  We'll see how we compare later next week when we travel to Westminster.

5-8.  Could be a toss-up with everyone really.   Fontbonne, Blackburn, Maryville, and Eureka can all make runs to get into the final four.  Don't count any of those teams out.

I just have a hard time seeing Greenville not making the tournament after starting 6-1.  You can almost mark up at least two more wins v. PC & LC.  Plus five more games at Greenville (Blackburn, Maryville, Eureka, Webster, Westminster).  The good teams find a way to win.  In the Maryville game, we battled until the end, got the steal and the basket to win.  In the Fontbonne game, LaPhonso knocked down a big three when we needed it to win that game.  The entire team, lead by Antonio, battled back from 21 down to get MacMurray.  Just because we have had 3 close games, down count us out.  The Might Panthers are fighting to host the SLIAC Tourney at the fabulous HJ Long Gymnasium where I am sure the Orange Crush will be in full effect!

As for Tomorrow's game at Eureka, as I have said before, A big game for Greenville.  After the WU game, the boys were a little down.  But, I watched them practice the last few days and they are firing on all pistons and ready to take back the loss they received at the hands on Webster on Tuesday.  Watch out Devils because the Panthers are a coming!!!

As for my Greenville boys who are reading this, remember that the COLTS are going to dominate the Pats!!!   Have a good weekend all and travel safe!

[the godfather]

I talked with a source from WEstminster.  Sounds like Buxton is really chomping at the bit to get back in there, tough little lad that he is.  Let's just say that loss last night was a nail in the coffin but not the straw that broke the camels back.  The game against blackburn is big, but not a must win in my eyes.  Conference isnt won until February, those boys just have to stay the course, keep their eyes on the prize and their nose to the grindstone.  Just gotta get in that top 4, gotta be in it to win it.  It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.  In the words of Churchill, I think this is the qoute the Jays are living by right now, "an appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."  At least until the return of Buxton, then they become the Crocodile.  I'm willing to bet my farm against yours FU that no one in conference, and I mean no one, will end this year undefeated in conference. 

[Sportsjunky]

Panterpride Greenville is a good team, I just am not completly sold on them yet.  Yes the wins vs Maryville and the wins vs Blackburn are nice wins on the road and yeah in the past they have won the conference but this is totally different than the past.  Maryville and Blackburn are a combined 5-8 in conference and a they are combined 2-4 at home (wins vs Principia and Lincoln Christian), where as it used to  be you were lucky to walk away from either one of those places with a W.  If you guys go up and  get one from Eureka (which is 2-1 at home, only loss coming from MacMurray) then that will be a big W.  Your guys are solid, not trying to take anything away from leading the conference, because you have to be a good team to even be there, i just want to see them go on the road some.


Top 6-7 teams are in for a battle, from the top to the bottom.  Should be interesting to have this good of a race!

I wish all the teams well, its a lot more fun this way!

[fcnews]

Pride - You can purchase your tickets now for the post season tourney. There is no way they don't win 5 of the next 11. Enjoy Pal.

[Mac Attack]

Put me down as saying 12 wins gets you in the post-season. Maybe 11 if the bottom falls out on one or more teams. But not 10. And to make it, teams are going to have win some tough games (more than one) on the road. Webster has proven it can do that. So has MacMurray. Blackburn's win at Webster and Maryville's win at Westminster tells all of us this is going to a white-knuckle ride. Between now and the end of the month, Greenville plays at Eureka, Westminster, and Fontbonne. And they have a February 8 date at MacMurray. That my friends, is rough road for any team in the conference. Teams that can steal wins on the road -like Webster, Maryville, and MacMurray did Thursday night - will be the teams that when the smoke clears, will be playing on Friday, February 23. By this time next Saturday night, I think we'll have some solid answers to who is really a contender. Hang on to your hats.

[Gregory Sager]

Ah another visit from Sager.  Isn't life grand?

Was I talking to you?

If you don't like what I have to say, use your scrollbar and go right past it.

General question for anyone in the know: Does the host of the SLIAC tourney get to keep the gate receipts, or is it split among the participating teams? Or does it all go to the league? It isn't made clear in the SLIAC manual.

[the godfather]

I think he was being sincere Sager.  Ive never known Pride to post something like that and not mean it.  There are some very sensitive people here. 

[hopefan]

Greg  - Don't know the answer to your question  -  will ask around and find out  -  likely later this afternoon....

[sully309]

GC 34, EC 32, halftime.

Conquest 17 pts for GC

McComb 19 pts for EC

Richard and Tarpley didn't start and Peffer is out with injury for Eureka.