MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

Note.... the previously postponed MacMurray at Blackburn game is now definitely scheduled for 1:00 on Dec. 31 at BC... the Women's game does not yet show as being rescheduled....

[y_jack_lok]

Westmin takes a trip and loses to Marymount Va. 56-50 in Memphis... Disappointing, as it was an opportunity to get a win vs a half decent team from another region.  I'm still very confused at the downturn of Jimmy Villabalos... the exciting guard had a great game vs Webster on Dec 10, Starting, scoring 23 points, 10 rebounds, getting Player of the Week for his efforts, next two games, doesn't start, goes 1 for 10, 4 turnovers... I hope whatever is the problem it gets solved quickly... Westmin needs that perimeter threat to go with their great inside combo of Sean O'Brien and Romo Tabb...

In the loss to Marywood, O'brien gets 15 points, the other 4 starters combine for 11 points total!!!  Baffles me...these guys are better than that...

Not that it matters, but I think the game was in or around Nashville. I read the write-ups from both schools and Marymount's said Nashville while Westmin's said Murfreesboro, which is a bit southeast of Nashville. Today Westmin plays Shennandoah, an ODAC school. I think this is the first time in my 16 seasons following D3 hoops that a SLIAC school has played and ODAC school in men's basketball, although Shennandoah has only been in the ODAC for about the past 5 or 6 years. This is only significant to me because my alma mater is also in the ODAC.

[y_jack_lok]

Westminster wins by 15 over Shennandoah. A good win for the SLIAC. Thank you, Blue Jays.

[sac]

Westmin takes a trip and loses to Marymount Va. 56-50 in Memphis... Disappointing, as it was an opportunity to get a win vs a half decent team from another region.  I'm still very confused at the downturn of Jimmy Villabalos... the exciting guard had a great game vs Webster on Dec 10, Starting, scoring 23 points, 10 rebounds, getting Player of the Week for his efforts, next two games, doesn't start, goes 1 for 10, 4 turnovers... I hope whatever is the problem it gets solved quickly... Westmin needs that perimeter threat to go with their great inside combo of Sean O'Brien and Romo Tabb...

In the loss to Marywood, O'brien gets 15 points, the other 4 starters combine for 11 points total!!!  Baffles me...these guys are better than that...

Not that it matters, but I think the game was in or around Nashville. I read the write-ups from both schools and Marymount's said Nashville while Westmin's said Murfreesboro, which is a bit southeast of Nashville. Today Westmin plays Shennandoah, an ODAC school. I think this is the first time in my 16 seasons following D3 hoops that a SLIAC school has played and ODAC school in men's basketball, although Shennandoah has only been in the ODAC for about the past 5 or 6 years. This is only significant to me because my alma mater is also in the ODAC.

I think this was a multi-site "tournament".  Hendrix played in the same event and lists its games played in Lebanon, Tn (Cumberland Univ) and Nashville (Trevecca Nazarene Univ.)  John Carroll also played a game in Lebanon and Nashville while Marysville played both games at Trevecca, while Shenandoah also played one game at both venues.

"Murfreesboro" appears to just be an error that has been corrected.

[hopefan]

yeah.. I got Memphis mixed up with Nashville.. sorry

As I looked at boxscores from yesterday, noticed two interesting things

1)  Westmin several starting lineup changes
2) Jahmad Wilburn doesn't play vs Morthland..... Yjack, let me know when you can.... injury? ill? academics? doghouse?  I view him as an imprtant role player... would be a meaningful loss for Webster if it's a lengthy deal....

[hopefan]

Prin loses by 10 to Maryville (Mo).... Adaku Anumu relocates the 3 point range and finishes with 34 points

Nervous though... TreVaughn Goodman and Brennan Paulson both missing from Prin Boxscore... I always get nervous when this kind of thing happens between semesters... two guys that are huge to the future of Prin hoops... and it sure made for a short, and ineffective bench vs Maryville...

Also... BC crushes Mac 95-71  Mac hangs with them in first half, never close in 2nd half...BC 5 starters in double figures, 17 more points from Rusten and Lockheed off the bench....Mac, well, looks forward to rematch with Fontbonne....

No Fontbonne score yet vs Webber International, but game yesterday vs Warner was ugly 35 point loss...

I see Transy vs Spalding starting later due to "replacement officials"... tipoff 6:30

[hopefan]

Interesting, and important, game to start the conference New Year off... Blackburn vs Principia... This will give us a strong indication as to what happened with the two missing Prin frosh... if they are missing again, bodes pretty bad...hoping they are back.

Without the depth that those two present, Blackburn is a clear favorite to me... if they are back, this game is a toss up...I think Justin Ball could dominate in this game if he ever gets the ball near the basket....but if the Prin 5 has to play 35-40 minutes each with no bench against Blackburn's depth and speed, they are in trouble.

[Greek Tragedy]

Nice work in here, hopefan. I've taken an interest in the SLIAC this year due to having 3 guys on my regular season fantasy league. However, I was a little shy to draft anyone for the future's tourney draft league because the generally weak view of the conference in NCAA tourney play. So, you think Webster will come out on top this year?

[hopefan]

Greek right now I like Webster as Westminster seems to have taken a step back. Still,  it's a 6 team crapshoot.

[WUPHF]

Wait, Westminster takes one bad loss against a non-conference foe and they have taken a step back? 

[hopefan]

Wait, Westminster takes one bad loss against a non-conference foe and they have taken a step back? 

I'm concerned about lineup changes and downturn of Villabalos.

[hopefan]

A sigh of relief from hopefan... Trevaughn Goodman playing for Prin, and drives to the hoop first time he touches the ball.

[hopefan]

BC pulls away in last 5 minutes 85-77
Jake Maestranzi shows why he's the best point guard in the conference... did everything necessary... really controls the ball, gets it where it needs to be.

[hopefan]

First time I've watched a full game thru streaming last night BC vs Prin... but comparing what I did see vs the little I've seen in the past, the student (I assume) who announced the game did a FANTASTIC job.. I know all the players from both teams, but at times hard to see who did something, the announcer was right on top of it... and those his analysis was a bit overboard, he generally had things right... my thought, just say nothing rather than overdo it..ie, we were told Maestranzi was a 93% ft shooter umpteen times... but he did give the score, the time, consistently... GREAT JOB!

The game was a good game, but in the long run, Prin's short bench really hurt them... Justin Ball started out great, but then disappeared, some guys forced things, but couldn't be given a break to get coached... and both teams pressed much of the game...Blackburn's bench played almost half the game, Prin came nowhere near that... another good game from Parker Davidson, again going to the basket rather than hanging on the perimeter.. unfortunately, Adaku Anumu never got started, stupid fouls in 2nd half, was gone when needed.  Biggest basket of game was 3 pointer from Chris Davis, as Prin was rallying at 1:38, BC 2 point lead, Davis 3 pointer was a dagger. BC gets 29 points from SIX bench players in a game where the lead swiched hands several times in the 2nd half... gotta love it....

[hopefan]

Today

Fontbonne at Eureka... can't see how Fontbonne can keep this one close

Westmin at MacMurray... I keep thinking that the firey Coach Creal is going to be able to pull more out of his players, but if it isn't there, not much can be done... If Westmin is ok (See my concerns earlier), this one should be a given)

Webster at Iowa Wesleyan... I may get the streaming machine out again... should be a very good game.. I'd only give nod to Iowa Wes because of the long bus ride for Webster... it's tougher than many realize to sit on the bus for 4 or 5 hours, then through a ladies game, then step on the court and play your best...