MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[pantherpride]

First of all, i have come to find out a lot more people than I though from Greenville read this board. How do I know this, I had many laughters about my egg comment! So, to my fellow Greenville people, hello!

Westminster (Mo.) d. Greenville 75-71

Greenville was out of the gate early on Westminster building at 12 point lead midway through the 1st half.  The 15 points Greenville lead was never steady as Westminster cut it as low at 7, but stood at 11 at halftime. 

In the second half, Coach Mitchell had the Blue Jays ready to play as they come out on a big run and took the lead from Greenville quick and it was the Panthers playing catch up. Robert Davis came of the bench from Westminster and play 20 huge minutes, hitting two three's in crutial points down the stretch for the blue jays.

Westminster has about a 8 points lead with under a minute to play in the contest and it looked all but over, but a couple quick steals and baskets/free throws off of Coach Barbers press pulled the Panthers back within 3 at one point, but Westminster was on from the line, shooing 8-12 (66.7) in the 2nd half while Greenville struggled at 11-19 (57.9).  The Blue Jay's held on for a 75-71 win.

I think this probably eliminates us from Tournament contention with two losses to the fourth place team.  We'd have to have to go 4-0 and Westmin and Mac to lose which seems difficult.  Another good crowd on hand for the Greenville game though.

[fcnews]

Hopefan - I've been waiting on your post of last nites game between MU v. FU.
Any takes?

[hopefan]

FC  I should say age before beauty  -  I was waiting to hear from you - disappointed you didn't introduce yourself at the game - I meandered several times past the Fontbonne bench during the evening with my newly purchased Hope College hat on - Also visited with Coach Porter for most of half time.

My take on the game - Why in the world FC didn't exploit Bash's absence, I'll never know.  You saw our 2 big freshmen; no match for your big guys.  Rezebeck was playing virtually first game this season, totally out of kilter - if you get McCarthy in foul trouble, we're dead ducks.  Instead, FC played perimeter the whole first half -by the end of the half, I was almost yelling, "shoot it again Andrew, shoot it again!!!"  your second half comeback was keyed by Storant, Fogarty, and Sheppard - if they see the ball in the first half, you're not down 16 at half - and Kirkpatrick, an animal, about 30% of the time - someone needs to light a fire under him, or he needs more bench time.

The flow of the game was similar to many of Maryville's games  - early lead, comfortable with 10 minutes left, then hang on for dear life.  Regan missing about 8 shots in a row, including foul shots didn't help -  just one of those things. 

Incidently, I thought your ladies made a great effort - ran out of steam in last 10 minutes, but made MU's defense look sad for a large part of the game, getting layup after layup.

Carlinville  -  ugh

[hopefan]

Just looked at stats and play by play of Webster - Blackburn

Webster up 8 with 4:30 left  -   ouch

Bigger ouch  Spinner, 1 for 5 in 37 minutes??
Kuhn  2 for 7      8 points between them???

ouch - big free throw differential  -  hmmm, same thing Maryville experienced there.

The best thing that can happen is that Maryville beats Blackburn bad at home next Wednesday  -  otherwise, I'm afraid there will be some psyched out teams travelling to Carlinville for the conference.  I'd go, but I'm not sure if I'll get a seat - hey, if I bring a folding chair can I sit at the end 

Maybe Eagle would save me a spot?

[yjacklok]

One comment about the environment in the Blackburn gym. I don't think it is the size of the gym that affects other teams. I think it is the lighting, which is very poor. Blackburn gets to practice in it every day, and play half their games there. Their opponents get there once a year. Familiarity with an environment is part of what creates a home court advantage. I also think it affects the visibility of the refs who, based on the experience of at least two teams now, seem to believe the good guys wear white.

[yjacklok]

hopefan. Regarding the number of rows of seats at Blackburn, I counted them last night. There are 6 -- that's 50% more than you are giving them credit for.

[yjacklok]

pantherpride. I know Greenville  has a loyal following. I've been very impressed the last five years with the support your team gets. However, I was at Greenville a few weeks ago for the Webster games and I feel pretty darn sure that you had nowhere close to 600 fans (combined -- Webster & Greenville) at those games.

[pantherpride]

Last week when we played FU, we had 600 here and we are 5-14. 

yjacklok, maybe you should re-read the post.  I never said at the Webster/Greenville game there was 600 people there.  There was at the Fontbonne game.  At the Greenville/Webster game, there was 250 people there.  

[fcnews]

You saw our 2 big freshmen; no match for your big guys.  Rezebeck was playing virtually first game this season, totally out of kilter - if you get McCarthy in foul trouble, we're dead ducks.

Hopefan - your two freshmen? FU's whole team is freshmen. You didn't mention Klein, and McCarthy had a better game then Bash's four points in the first meeting. The freshmen had pretty fair games Storandt double - double (15 boards) and Kirkpatrick did have a double also with 11 boards. You are right on about the effort issue. He's a freshmen that was bigger then opponents in HS and was taught 0 post moves, so it has been a learning year for Ryan. Alot of the time he is just pacing himself instead of giving 110% for 5 or 6 and then getting a rest.

FU's plan going in was not to allow MU to hit 15 3's. Goal accomplished. Defensively a great job on Hebl. Regan is Regan and we tried to make him take as difficult a shot as possible.
FU's halftime adjustments worked great at both ends of the floor. Just to much ground to cover.
The game was officiated in two halves again. 1st, both teams combined to shoot 5 ft's. They were leting the kids play. 2nd half, combined 36 ft's (MU 27 FU 9) I know there were four to six ft's at the end due to fouling to stop the clock, but that is still 21-9. It was the steady play of Regan that kept FU from getting over the hump. I don't think Coach Rogers enjoyed playing the seniors that much, but MU's bench couldn't hold a lead. This may be the only thing stopping MU's chances. I would expect a big recruiting class for MU next year. After you get through the five seniors things appear to be a little slim.

Great to hear Bash may see time Saturday, no way for any kid to finish a great career. Sorry I missed ya. Was looking for a Hope Sweatshirt, don't pay much attention to hats. Great atmosphere also.

[yjacklok]

pantherpride. I know you said the 600 in attendance was for the Fontbonne game. You also said "win or lose the whole campus come out to support the team." A total of 250 at the Webster games doesn't constitute the whoel campus, does it?

[hopefan]

ok  time to run down tomorrow's games :

Fontbonne at Prin - FCnews comes home with a smile on his face

Maryville at Westminster - This game scares me big time - Westminster played very well at Maryville - they match up well against the Saints size and quickness.  Maryville can't be looking forward to the Wednesday Blackburn game....  Bash said he felt he would be ready for this game, but I wonder if he won't sit til Blackburn.
McDormand has his best games against MU - gotta shut him down.

Blackburn at Greenville - A win by Greenville would make their season, and everyone in the conference is probably rooting for the upset.  Two smaller quick shooting teams.  But has Greenville packed it in?
Come on pantherpride, get us ONE game out of these guys!!!

Mac at Webster - Crucial game for Mac - if they win, they could be tied for the 4th conference spot.  They've really turned it around, and the upset at Blackburn was tremendous, but I just can't see it happening at Webster.

[20eagle31]

yea i can see how the lighting would affect an opponent at blackburn. you're prolly talkin about the shadow that is cast at the goal that makes the rim invisible. and it is almost impossible for the official to make a call when that same mysterious shadow follows blackburns players on defence so they get to hold and push somethin awful. that is prolly why there is such a foul differential or maybe it is because the boys of bc are a little more aggressive when playing at home because of the pride they have on their home court. i don't know just throwin stuff out. come on man come up with better stuff than that. next i'll be reading about the goal that moves when maryville or webster shoots. o yea and zach allen mvp. also that match up with spinner and allen real nail bitter.
keep it up beavers.
in all seriousness though blackburn does need new facilities somethin fierce. but we're proud of what lil we do have.
and why can't mac win at webster. they did it at bc. go get'em mac
eagle out.......see ya on the fly by

[pantherpride]

pantherpride. I know you said the 600 in attendance was for the Fontbonne game. You also said "win or lose the whole campus come out to support the team." A total of 250 at the Webster games doesn't constitute the whoel campus, does it?

yjaclok, the student body was not completely back on campus for the Webster game.

[pantherpride]

Now that I look back at my calendar, the student body wasn't back for the MacMurray game.  Bottom line is, there isn't too many schools if any in the SLIAC that brings the crowd out like Greenville.  And don't begin to say Webster, because it's not close.

[yjacklok]

pantherpride. As I said in my very first post on this subject, I have been impressed with the following Greenville has. That was said sincerely, not satirically. Webster does not come close to matching the support Greenville gets. The fact that many students were not back on campus helps me understand the smaller than usual crowd when Webster played up there.