MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WUPHF]

I will be there for the second game, probably behind the south-side basket.  I need to negotiate with my wife for permission to attend the first game.  If that works, I will find you upstairs.

Tall, balding, brownish-red hair, glass, half-beard, in long-sleeve brown polo shirt.   I have a way of making my self sound so cool.

The Field House is going to be bumping tonight!

[Into_the_Blue]

Hope, I cant make it tonight.  Golf practice qualifier, I couldnt get away til about 6.

Im looking forward to writeups from either or both you and WUH.  And Ill have plenty of friends in attendance who will update me Im sure.  Is it being broadcast on WashU's website?

WUH you'll have to watch and see if any of the WC alums give Coach Sodemann any friendly razzing.  What a fun night for him!  How many times do you get to coach against the team you played for in the national tournament?  Very happy for him. 

[Into_the_Blue]

Just saw this on the CCIW board 

For the games tonight in St. Louis, Wash U has links for live video and live stats on their site...

http://bearsports.wustl.edu/mensbball/mensbball.html

[WUPHF]

...you'll have to watch and see if any of the WC alums give Coach Sodemann any friendly razzing.  What a fun night for him!  How many times do you get to coach against the team you played for in the national tournament?  Very happy for him. 

I will.  Regardless of how the evening goes, this will likely be an exciting and maybe even an emotional night for Coach Sodemann and the Sodemann family who will probably be in attendance.  His father recently retired after a long career as a high school coach.

Does anyone know if his brother coaches at some level?  His brother was one of the best players ever to wear a Truman State University Bulldog jersey.

[hopefan]

WUH  .  don't be so quick to retire Coach Sodeman...  his Parkway West Team plays in the State quarters tomorrow vs Oakville.   BIG weekend for the family....   He has announced his retirement at the end of this season.....

I see Chip is listed as a Teacher's Assistant in the Parkway West school district.... not sure if he's on the coaching staff.....

[Titan Q]

I saw Patrick Sodemann, the PG at Parkway West, play earlier this year.  He'd be a really good D3 PG.

[y_jack_lok]

I will not be at Wash U tonight. I'll stay home and follow my alma mater's game vs Cabrini which is being played at Albright College in Reading, PA. I'll also keep tabs on what's happening at Wash U.

The Wash U video broadcasts are very easy to access and generally have few problems. Anyone who hasn't accessed one before, I highly recommend it.

[WUPHF]

don't be so quick to retire Coach Sodemann...  his Parkway West Team plays in the State quarters tomorrow vs Oakville. 

Retired, retiring, at my age, it all means the same as I will likely never be able to retire.  And, not with a defined-benefit, state-guaranteed pension anyway.  I do stand corrected: he announced his retirement.

I did count him out of the playoffs.  With all due respect to Coach Sodemann and his Parkway North squad, I think they may have had the easiest run so far and have very little chance of taking down Oakville.  That is the consensus position.

I wish him well though.  I love upsets, as long as its not my team.

[Into_the_Blue]

Wash U wins 79-71. Westminster with a great effort. Held the lead 54-53 with about 12 minutes left. Every time Westminster got close or took the lead Wash U would hit a huge shot. That's the reason they win those big games. Coach Mitchell has to be proud of his team. They should return a great team next year too. Congrats to Ky Millard and Stan Crawford for a great season and great careers at Westminster!!

 Westminster College (20-7) 
Player       FG   3FG   FT   Reb    A    F   Pts
Gilmore, Justin   f   3-7   1-5   4-4   2   0   4   11
Millard, Ky   f   1-4   0-2   0-0   2   6   0   2
Mallette, Adam   c   1-3   1-2   0-0   1   0   1   3
Crawford, Stanley   g   6-16   1-6   7-8   5   1   3   20
Kovach, Kurt   g   4-13   2-5   5-6   6   4   1   15
Tolson, Skylar      5-8   5-8   0-0   2   2   1   15
Rudd, Briton      2-2   0-0   1-2   1   0   4   5
 Washington University (23-2) 
Player       FG   3FG   FT   Reb    A    F   Pts
Smith, Cameron   f   3-4   1-1   0-0   2   3   2   7
Gay, Spencer   f   5-7   0-0   0-0   8   1   4   10
Kelly, Zach   c   2-4   0-0   3-4   8   2   2   7
Wallis, Sean   g   9-12   3-4   0-0   1   13   0   21
Thompson, Aaron   g   5-14   0-5   3-3   5   4   5   13
Kelley, Ross      0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0   1   0
Richter, Dylan      3-4   2-2   5-6   3   2   0   13
Knepper, Caleb      2-4   2-4   0-1   5   1   2   6
Toth, Alex      1-1   0-0   0-1   0   0   0   2

[Into_the_Blue]

                    WCMB   Washum
Field goals   22-53   41.5%       30-50   60.0%
3-point FGs   10-28   35.7%       8-16   50.0%
Free throws   17-20   85.0%       11-15   73.3%
Reb      (O-D)   20 (4-16)   36 (6-30)
Turnovers     10       14
Last FG           2nd-06:59. 2nd-00:33
Large lead   5 (1st-12:18) 8 (2nd-00:24)

wc doesn't score a field goal in last seven minutes. Attribute that to wash u making it tough for wc to get great looks but if a couple of those go down think what the outcome could have been.

Very proud of the way WC represented the Sliac. I'd think that's one of the better showings the sliac has had in the national tournament. At least lately for a while....

Interested to hear what Hope and WUH have to say.

A friend there thinks wash u will get past illinois Wesleyan. Wash u is so precise and efficient.  Should be a good game.

[Into_the_Blue]

Wallis Wash U vs Kovach Westmin...   not as big of a difference as one might expect...  Kovach has to value the ball if Wallis is defending him... Wallis sneaky quick, anticipates.  And good defense against Wallis is absolutely critical for Westmin... make him shoot from outside and hope he isn't hot... prevent the dribble penetration and pass to open man in the offense.  Heck... lots of luck, Wallis is just really good

you nailed it Hope. What a game wallis had. That's no slight to Kovach or Tolson, wallis is just that good. 9-12 shooting, 21 PTs, 13 assists.  Great game by him.

I think tolson kept wc in it in the first half and Crawford played awesome in the second. But it's nearly impossible to beat the number one team when they shoot 60%. Wc gave the Bears all they wanted. 

[WUPHF]

Westminster is as good as advertised.  The Blue Jays gave the Bears everything they could handle.  Athletic for sure...and maybe even acrobatic.  Not the type of team that the Bears have been playing week in and week out in the UAA.

Offensively and defensively, the Bears are more sophisticated.  But Westminster shot lights out, particularly in the first half, and ran with the Bears all night long.  One of the best offensive teams to visit the Field House this year.  Very patient, very confident.  Clutch from the line.

Stanley Crawford is a dynamo and yet so smooth.  Like butter.  Tolson and Kovach with great games.  Good team, obviously a good coach.

In the end, the Blue Jays had the best seats in the house to the Sean Wallis Show!  Wallis has proved time and time again that he could take over the game and that happened tonight.  Great all around.  

Fouls and free throw shooting (again) was an issue.  Aaron Thompson went 0-5 from three point range and fouled out, including a foul from three point range.  He also fouled out which may have been a first.  Or possibly second.  Spencer Gay had a good game, but was saddled with fouls early, finishing with four.  Zach Kelly with maybe his best game of the season.  Richter, sporting a Chism-style headband yet again, and Cameron Smith with great efforts.  The three pointer by Smith may have been one of the most important plays of the game.

One very interesting and relevant statistic: Washington University won the battle of the boards, 36-20.

Hopefan: glad we had a chance to meet up tonight.  I would be interested to hear if you have any additional thoughts.

[Titan Q]

Wow did Westminster play great last night.  Their athleticism and ability to knock down 3's gave the #1-ranked team in Division III trouble.

Congratulations to the Blue Jays on a great showing...you did the SLIAC proud.

[hopefan]

Company this morning, a spring graduation this afternnon... little time to write...

3 big pluses for Wash U won the game

1) Sean Wallis dominates the second half offensively

2)  check my pregame notes... critical matchup Cam Smith - Ky Millard    Smith was as unbelievable defensively as Wallis was offensively

3) super job on the boards by Gay and Kelly


see you tonight

[hopefan]

Save of the nite  -  you had to be there to see it  - Ms. TQ saves TQ from a line drive kicked ball into the stands - cat like reflexes catch the ball preventing the sloth like TQ from taking one in the chops....  I swear, it happened just like that!!!!