MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

The SLIAC, because of its annual lowest possible rating and because of its location in the breadbasket of the country, has become an NCAA "filler" - they really could get sent anywhere.   To a lesser extent, especially when they were a little less highly rated, Wash U fit the same bill...

A SLIAC team could go anywhere - staying amongst Midwest teams, (which inthe recent past usually means a local game at Wash U or a trip to a CCIW gym), or South ( we've played at Mississippi College and Milsaps), and even possibly West -(Wash U has gone up to Nebraska Wesleyan)

This year, Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan, and Wash U are currently leading the Midwest Region, there is noone geographicly close from the South (the NCAA will not send the SLIAC to Texas or Virginia where south leaders are), and several of the Wisconsin schools are leaders in the west (Stevens Point, Whitewater). 

I would also think that the SLIAC would draw a highly rated home team the first night.....  though I suppose that if Westmin wins out, the NCAA could throw us a bone and give us somebody - anybody else.....

[hopefan]

The first regional ratings are out  and they follow what I had written before:

Midwest Region
1. Washington-St. Louis 13-2 16-2
2. Carthage 11-2 15-4
3. St. Norbert 15-1 16-1
4. Illinois Wesleyan 14-4 15-4
5. Anderson (Indiana) 15-2 17-2
6. Wheaton (Illinois) 12-6 13-6
7. Augustana (Illinois) 12-6 12-7
8. Westminster (Missouri) 12-1 15-4

South Region
1. Guilford 18-1 18-1
2. Virginia Wesleyan 15-2 17-2
3. Texas-Dallas 15-2 16-3
4. Eastern Mennonite 11-2 15-3
5. Maryville (Tennessee) 11-3 16-4
6. Austin 14-5 14-5
7. Mary Hardin-Baylor 14-4 14-5
8. Mississippi College 11-3 15-3

West Region
1. Wisconsin-Whitewater 16-3 16-3
2. Wisconsin-Stevens Point 17-2 18-2
3. St. Thomas (Minnesota) 14-2 17-2
4. Whitworth 15-2 17-2
5. Wisconsin-La Crosse 13-5 14-6
6. Gustavus Adolphus 12-4 12-6
7. Chapman 15-1 18-2
8. Central (Iowa) 14-2 16-4
9. Augsburg 12-5 13-5

[Gregory Sager]

Westminster isn't within 500 miles of any of the schools currently ranked in the South Region, so it's not likely that the Blue Jays would be sent south. If I had to guess where they'd end up, it'd be as the visiting team in a Thursday night opening-round matchup, with the winner heading off to St. Louis to play Wash U. on Saturday.

[Into_the_Blue]

Thanks for info guys. Did someone (Fu) play mary hb a few years ago too?

Staying in Midwest might be a good thing?!?

[hopefan]

uuuuhhhhh all I can say is, the fans are STUNNED.....wish I would have seen it....  Fontbonne beats Westmin      badly...


Webster dominates Greenville in 2nd half  -  more tomorrow....

[hopefan]

Just a brief writeup on Webster - Greenville  

Greenville started out fast, got a 10 point lead early, and beyond that.....   well, didn't do much positive, whether it was their offensive shortcomings or great defense by Webster.   Having seen Greenville 3 times now, they are not a good outside shooting club - Ellis is steaky, the rest are not good perimeter shooters and need to be going to the basket to score, and Webster seemed to prevent that.  No official box yet, but I had Greenville at 6 for 24 from 3's.

Webster caught Gville by half, Nick jones started the 2nd half on fire to give Webster a double digit lead, and Greenville really was never in it after....  Solid game from Drew Moore, Kevin Miller dominated around the basket when he was in....

Fontbonne over Westmin...First thing I noticed in Box  -  Fontbonne beat them badly on the boards....  where has that been all season?   Millard has a tough game....  great win for the Griffs...

Eureka sneaks by BC.... Bell gets 21 points, 16 boards,    and ANOTHER T  .....   It's got to be driving the coach nuts.... maybe time to take action?

[Into_the_Blue]

Wow....what a night for FU.  Maybe Zoellner awoke the sleeper with his buzzer beater.

With 5 games left Mac has to start thinking about trying to make a push to host the tournament, but I think it's too late for them to catch WC.  This weekends games will be a huge barometer for each team I think.


Mac schedule: @ Spalding and Blackburn, and the other three at home, WC Greenville and fontbonne.

predicted finish 11-5, 2 seed (wins over Webster are tiebreaker)  

Eureka has WC and Webster at home, and goes to Prin Spalding and Greenville

predicted finish 11-5, 3 seed (losses to Webster tiebreaker)

Webster goes to WC and EC and FU (tough road games) and has Spalding and Prin at home.  

predicted finish 10-6, 4 seed

WC goes to EC, Mac and Greenville and hosts WU and Prin.  

predicted finish 14-2, 1 seed


Of course I might be way off....this is where it gets fun, right Hope?

[hopefan]

right Blue.....   I'm not sure how the wins and losses will end up, but I'm inclined to agree with your assessment of Westmin - Webster being 1-4 and Eureka Mac being 2-3.  I also feel that of the 3 , Webster could give Westminster the best game on Semifinal night, if for no other reason that once again, I place high value on Coach Bunch's game plan abilities.

This Saturday the big game is Webster up at Eureka....   Westmin at Greenville has lost its lustre with Greenville's loss last night.   I've gone up to Eureka before, a fun place to watch hoops, but not sure I can afford the time this weekend....  I actually may just stay home!!!!

[I_HAD_GAME]

Well it was a tough decision. But, I wanted a chance to see Westminster this year. I was not expecting the game I saw.

After being back and forth early, win Fontbonne took the lead they never looked back. With the season Fontbonne has had I didn't expect the effort they put on the floor.

Fontbonne was not the most talented team, it just seems they wanted it more. Every last player on the Fontbonne squad contributed energy. Foresst was very steady through out. Did most of his scoring around the basket. Zeollner hit some big shots to stop runs. Thomas is a heck of an athlete, needs more touches. It was a team rebounding effort.

Westminster's Visalay is a very talented player. I could see him as POY. Millard's night was tough because Foresst played some tough D. A good match up to watch. Westminster still has way more talent then any team I've seen this year. And probably would make the best team to represent the SLIAC in the NCAA's. They need to bounce back though. Don't let this loss linger.

if for no other reason that once again, I place high value on Coach Bunch's game plan abilities.

Sorry Hopefan. But, Coach Bunch has yet to prove to me that he is a big game coach. Mac may be the team Westminster would least like to meet.

Wish the tourney was going to be in St. Louis.

Congrats Coach McKinney. One more to go.

[hopefan]

Game   -  seems to me last night was a big game

[HCACBBALL]

Any possible way MacMurray catches Westmin?  Mac would have to run the table including beating Westmin at home.  And Westmin would have to drop another one?  Not sure that is likely but I would like to see that happen.  Coach Creal is one of the up and coming coaches!

[y_jack_lok]

Another shout out to KSDK Channel 5. Last night on the 10 p.m. sports they showed footage of the following local/area college basketball games: Mizzou v Texas A&M (or was it Tech?), SLU vs St. Bonaventure, SIU-Carbondale vs , AND WEBSTER VS GREENVILLE.

I guess I need to watch the 10 p.m. news more often and Channel 5 in particular. Thanks, Rene Knott, for keeping the St. Louis D3 programs on the radar.

Interestingly, the footage showed two plays, one of which was Webster's Reggie Smith hitting the only shot he's made in the only game he's been in for Webster this season.

[ec_fan14]

Good game at Eureka yesterday.  Blackburn started out the game on fire.  Sykes and West made a number of tough shots helping Blackburn build an early lead.  Eureka stayed with it though behind Zasada and Leppard to go into the half with down 4 because Roberts hit a 3 at the horn of the first half.

2nd half was very evenly matched.  Both teams traded baskets for awhile.  Eureka took the lead after a 3 by Nicholas with about 10 min left.  Lead was traded back and forth until the final 3 min of the game when Black hit a 3.  

Kindred had a rough game.  Leppard was phenomenal with 17pts 7reb 5ast. Sykes and West are both really nice players to watch.  Zasada and Bell both had big games with 25 n 13 and 21 n 16.   Eureka only had 5 to's for the game which is another plus.  One thing i'd like to mention is the emergence of Josh Wagner this year.  Seems to always give the Red Devils a spark of the bench.  Last year saw no minutes and this year plays about 10 and seems to always be in the right spot at the right time.

Eureka sneaks by BC.... Bell gets 21 points, 16 boards,    and ANOTHER T  .....   It's got to be driving the coach nuts.... maybe time to take action?

In regards to Bell's T, there was about 10 sec left and Bell was dribbling the ball up court to run the clock out.  Obie Farmer shoves Bell to the ground and gets called for an intentional foul.  Bell got up and gave Farmer a shove and thats what earned him the T.  Farmer was way out of line but Bell should try to keep his emotions down at that point of the game.

Big win for the griffs.  Makes me feel a little bit better about the heartbreaker in Eureka last week  

[I_HAD_GAME]

Hopefan you were discussing the post season tourney. And, I have yet to see him win a big game. Meaning to get to the game for a shot at a berth. Bunch does a great job. But, in this conference it all rides on the tourney. And, so far he hasn't faired well. Alot of that could fall to players also.

I want to see Coach Bunch get his chance as much as the next guy.

[I_HAD_GAME]

Into the Blue - previous post. I wasn't saying I knew where Westminster was going. I meant they could go to Iowa, Neb. Wesleyan or Ark. if one of those teams were to host. Not this year on all three.