MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WUPHF]

I looked at Big men and chose Dorethy over Davidson and Stewart.... I looked at small forward/ shooting guard and chose Milsteadt over Rice....   No point guard compared to Clark

I see your thought process..  Got it.

[y_jack_lok]

Nice to see SLIAC.org Recognize Westminster Coach Matt Mitchell for career win No. 300!!!

Now... next step.... Coach Mitchell now sits at a career record of 300 - 300.  One regular season game left, against conference leader Fontbonne...
Fontbonne is clearly the best team in the SLIAC, but the teams are close to evenly matched from the top of the conference to the bottom (see 8th place Greenville knocking off 2nd place Eureka 2 days ago).. Westminster can be competitive in this game, and an upset win would assure Coach Mitchell of a .500 career record, no matter what happens in the conference tourney.   

Now then... one other solution... Mitch retires today at 300-300, new Head Coach Todd Creal starts tomorrow at Fontbonne

It happened!

[hopefan]

Saw much of Westmin - Font game on internet...

Interesting story... when I signed on to watch, it appeared the game was not going to be video on the net... no link on Fonbonne site, SLIAC site, or D3hoops.   I didn't think it would do any good, as it was mid Saturday afternoon, but I called and left a message for Maria Buckel, VP of Athletics at Fontbonne... I went directly to the point, expressing my disappointment that the game was not being broadcast, a game important to the standings, important especially to fans of Westminster and Matt Mitchell... I was in no way rude, and made use of the word disappointed 2 or 3 times rather than reverting to slurring anybody connected to the program

10 minutes later, my phone rings, showing a call from FONTBONNE... low and behold, Ms Buckel had checked her messages prior to tipoff, apologized and thanked me, because Fontbonne had no idea the video link to the game had not been posted...  the link had been put up immediately after receiving my call and the game was on...her last words were "enjoy the game!!! "  Well Ms Buckel, I did, and I'm sure other Font and Westmin fans did too...

Glad I made the call, glad (and amazed) that Ms Buckel got the message, And SO GLAD I didn't act like a raving lunatic when I left the message!!!!!!!

[hopefan]

Spalding at Fontbonne    will start shortly on this Sunday afternoon... will determine seedings 3-6 in conference tourney

Tiebreakers taken into account

If Fontbonne beats Spalding             *BC 3rd along at 7-7, WU, WC, SU tied at 6-8... SU is 6th 1-3 against WC and WU.. WC 4th with win vs Fontbonne,
                                                          WU 5th
Tourney looks like this:
N0 8 Greenville at No 1 Fontbonne
No 7 Principia at No 2 Eureka
No 6 Spalding at No 3 Blackburn
No 5 Webster  at No 4 Westminster


If Spalding beats Fontbonne  * SU, BC tied 3rd at 7-7, 1-1 vs each other, both 1-1 vs Font, Spalding beat Eureka.. Spalding gets 3rd
Tourney looks like this:                  *WU, WC tied for 5th, 1-1 vs each other, WC beat Fontbonne... Westmin gets 5th
N0 8 Greenville at No 1 Fontbonne
No 7 Principia at No 2 Eureka
No 6 Webster at No 3 Spalding
No 5 Westminster at No 4 Blackburn

[y_jack_lok]

So the first scenario above is now in effect. I feel like both Webster and Westminster are playing better late in the season, so whoever wins that game could pull out a surprise -- or two. But, given what Westmin did to Webster in Fulton on Feb 5th, I suspect Westmin will be the team to have a chamce at an upset or two. But really, I think all of the first round games are up for grabs.

[WUPHF]

After struggling mightily for most of the season, Greenville is riding a three-game win streak and is 4-2 in February.

If I were Fontbonne, the Panthers might be the last team I would want to play to start the tournament, but that is how it goes.  I have not watched Greenville play at all this season and hence the might.

[hopefan]

Something to think about as we enter Conference Tourney

Each Team's record, last 4 games............. who's hot, who's not

Fontbonne  3-1   
Greenville   3-1     
Westminster   3-1
Webster    3-1
Eureka   2-2
Spalding   1-3
Blackburn   0-4
Principia   0-4

Matchups
Greenville 8 at Fontbonne 1   Fontbonne beat Greenville badly twice, but Greenville getting better in last 4 games

Principia  7  at Eureka  2        Eureka won over Prin twice, but EC needed a last second shot to tie and won by 3 in OT on Saturday vs Prin

Spalding  6  at BC  3     Each team won close at home... both teams faltering in last 4 games

Webster   5  at Westminster  4   Each team won BIG at home.... Both teams on uptick over last 4 games

[hopefan]

One little last second note... Again on Prin's Jake Kampf... he made what could have been another game winning shot for Prin at Eureka this last Saturday.... made the 3 to put Prin up 3 with 10 seconds left... Eureka came down and missed a tying 3, but recovered long rebound to allow EC Jalen Hosea to make a game tying shot at the buzzer...EC went on to win in OT (when the ball did not get to Kampf for a potential game tier)

Gotta figure out how to get Kampf 5 more shot attempts per game.....  Finished conf season at 53.4% on 3's   3.4/6.3 per game

[y_jack_lok]

Just checked -- Kampf ranks 12th in D3 for 3 pt fg % for ALL games at 45.31%. But that conference only percentage is insane.

[hopefan]

It will be a fun night of watching SLIAC hoops tonight.... wish the starting times were staggered a little... hoping all don't come down to close finishes all the same time... difficult to watch all four at once!!!

In reality, a 15 minute stagger over an hour for four games would not impact live attendance or any team's travel plans..
It COULD be considered for next year...

OKOK... I am thinking of my viewing habits....

[GU1999]

After struggling mightily for most of the season, Greenville is riding a three-game win streak and is 4-2 in February.

If I were Fontbonne, the Panthers might be the last team I would want to play to start the tournament, but that is how it goes.  I have not watched Greenville play at all this season and hence the might.

GU is a HEAVY underdog tonight, despite their current streak of better play. 

That said anything can happen.   

In what can only be regarded as the best SLIAC Tournament of all time, GU emerged as the lowest seed to ever with the event.  In 1998, GU won as the 5 seed.  They did so on their home floor against #7 seed, Fontbonne.  Following that game, a one point classic which was won on a Nick Reich steal and layup in the waning seconds, Coach McKinney went apoplectic.  Stomping around.  Shouting at everyone.  Accusing refs of being in on a fix.  It was awesome.  He was VERY passionate.  A truly endearing coaching personality. 

Also, it should be noted the 1998 tournament, there was a CLEAR #1 seed.  Maryville was 13-1 in the league and featured the best SLIAC player of all time (Henry Shannon) and a very good #2 in Jon Jones [between them 7 all conferences (6 first teams) in their 7 years in the league].  No other team had less than 5 losses that season.  But GU, led by Barry Payne, beat them by 2 on the road which set the stage for the match up with Fontbonne.  Greenville won their three games by a combined total of 7 points.   

1998
First Round Score
#1 Maryville def. #8 Principia 86-53
#5 Greenville def. #4 Westminster 79-75
#7 Fontbonne def. #2 Blackburn 75-65
#3 Webster def. #6 MacMurray 77-62
Semifinals
Greenville def. Maryville 91-89 (OT)
Fontbonne def. Webster 79-68
Championship
Greenville def. Fontbonne 80-79

A few notes about the SLIAC tournament:
- From 1991 - 99 all teams participated (the SLIAC did not send a rep to the NCAAs in 1998 or 1999)
- the SLIAC did not have a tournament between 2000 and 2004, resuming in 2005 (but with only the top four teams represented)
- In 1998-9, the SLIAC student advisory council advocated that it would be better to not have a league tournament if the league tournament would determine the NCAA bid.  This was predicated on the notion that in a league that is already an underdog did not send its best representative, the likelihood for NCAA success would be ever further diminished.  This was on the heels of having a #5 host a #7 for the Chip in 1998.
- Westminster and Fontbonne have the most tourney wins at 5

GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE SLIAC TEAMS, BUT ESPECIALLY MY PANTHERS. 

[WUPHF]

GU is a HEAVY underdog tonight, despite their current streak of better play. 

I think you are right and I think Fontbonne wins.

But if the No. 1 seed allowed them to choose their opponent, my guess is that they would choose someone else.

I have seen others here say that playing a The System game requires more mental and physical recovery time, so there is that.

My guess is that the games will be postponed to Friday regardless.

[WUPHF]

That said anything can happen.   

In what can only be regarded as the best SLIAC Tournament of all time, GU emerged as the lowest seed to ever with the event.  In 1998, GU won as the 5 seed.  They did so on their home floor against #7 seed, Fontbonne.  Following that game, a one point classic which was won on a Nick Reich steal and layup in the waning seconds, Coach McKinney went apoplectic.  Stomping around.  Shouting at everyone.  Accusing refs of being in on a fix.  It was awesome.  He was VERY passionate.  A truly endearing coaching personality. 

This and the rest is an awesome, so thanks for sharing.  Is it safe to say that you graduated in 1999 and therefore experienced this all first hand?

[GU1999]

1999 indeed.  And yes I experienced it all first hand.  We loved Coach McKinney. 

Now Blackburn on the other hand...  we'd gladly throw hands with those guys.

[hopefan]

No surprises last night...
Webster Westmin was a toss up and was very competitive most of the way, Websters Karl Moore dominated in the 2nd half as Webster pulled away in last 5 minutes
People dreamed, but Greenville was no match for Fontbonne.
Prin simply ran out of gas with there 6 man rotation, they weren't going to beat Eureka.
Spalding's bus ride was way too much for them to play at a competitive level at Blackburn.

So semis are Webster at Fontbonne, Blackburn at Eureka.

Right off the bat, I'd predict double digit wins for the home teams....but Webster-Fontbonne could surprise....