MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Men's first regional rankings this season: http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2018/02/men-regional-rankings-first

[hopefan]

Quickly... with more to come tomorrow... Greenville over Blackburn, Mac over Fontbonne, Westminster over Iowa Wesleyan, Eureka over Prin last night. and Spalding at Webster on Thursday night

so Currently, Greenville has 4 losses, Eureka 5 losses, Westminster 5 losses, Webster 6 losses, Blackburn 7 losses, Mac, Prin and Spalding 8 losses...
Mac and Prin have to root for a Spalding win over Webster tomorrow night, as Webster is the only school they can realistically catch for 4th...Webster a tough remaining schedule after tomorrow vs Spalding with Mac at home, then at Blackburn and at Greenville... but if they beat Spalding and Mac, it's pretty much over....

[hopefan]

Huge game for Webster tonight, hosting Spalding... Webster now in 4th place alone, but obviously most susceptible to being caught by Blackburn and the rest...There is no reason in the world that they should lose this game, Enrique Tankins or not (Yjack, if Tankins remains out, we sure could use some detective work on this tonight.. what's wrong, will he be able to play in the next two weeks?   I'm calling you out!! )  Spalding is really down, but Webster can't let their guard down...As I continue to preach (usually on deaf ears), the major way for teams to get upset in this conference is coninued firing away from 3's on a bad night... let's hope Webster doesn't fall into that rut...

Last night... huge win for Mac, over Fontbonne... the Griffs had a 4 point lead with little time left, but couldn't hold on... Super night for Kendall Davis, 43 points on 18 for 29 from the field, Brent Long adds 19 points, 14 boards.....BUT Derek Bourke gets the game winner going to the hole with 2 seconds left...Jarred Woodcock puts in 23 points, 8 boards for the Griffs, as they lose another close one...interesting, Fontbonne has 13 conference losses, but only 3 have been by more than 10 points, 2 of the 3 vs Westminster...

Westminster handles Iowa Wesleyan, never very close in 2nd half... Kobe Wands leads the way with 20 points, 5 boards, 4 assists.... Brett Butler another big night for IWU, 33 points, 7 boards, but just not enough from the rest of the guys...

Greenville beats Blackburn badly, knocking BC into 5th place alone and now having to scramble to get into Conference tourney...30 turnovers for BC... not much more to be said, disappointing performance... Greenville, the opposite, great performance creating those turnovers, shooting well, 42% from 3's... led by Johari Dix, 21 points, 7 assists, 3 steals, great team effort with 6 in double figures, this game was a romp from the get go...

[hopefan]

Huge game for Webster tonight, hosting Spalding... Webster now in 4th place alone, but obviously most susceptible to being caught by Blackburn and the rest...There is no reason in the world that they should lose this game, Enrique Tankins or not (Yjack, if Tankins remains out, we sure could use some detective work on this tonight.. what's wrong, will he be able to play in the next two weeks?   I'm calling you out!! )  Spalding is really down, but Webster can't let their guard down...As I continue to preach (usually on deaf ears), the major way for teams to get upset in this conference is coninued firing away from 3's on a bad night... let's hope Webster doesn't fall into that rut...

oh no... forgot Yjack on vaca, can't help us... well, will find out tonight if Enrique is back on floor....

[Greek Tragedy]

http://www.websterathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?id=4704&path=mbball

No Tankins. Webster wins 75-64. Wilcox leads the way with 19 and 8

[hopefan]

Webster, without Enrique Tankins AND Josh Johnson beats Spalding 75-64... now one game ahead of Blackburn, 2 games up on Mac and Prin with 3 games left, for 4th spot in tourney.... anyone can beat anyone in this conference, but it was a big win for the Gorlocks, and makes next week's game with Blackburn absolutely HUGE... lets hope the missing Tankins and Johnson are able to return... But great job by others stepping up last night, Nation, Van Nest, and Etienne total 23 points off the bench, but the big surprise was Frosh Elijah Macais, who had hardly played since early in the season but had obviously kept himself ready, goes 4 for 4 from the field, a couple of them right in the midst of a Webster comeback, a critical 12 points... love to see a kid make the most of an opportunity!!
Webster really has to be ready now... 3 TOUGH games left... Mac, at BC, at GC...  needing probably 2 wins for the 4th spot....Blackburn still alive, with Spalding, Webster and at Westmin left... 

Coaches won't like it, but with the right combo of wins and losses the next two game days, EVERY game on the final day of the season, 2/17 could play a role in who makes the tourney, or positioning in the standings in top 4....fans can hope....

[Greek Tragedy]

Three games to go and it's time to start looking to next year in Fantasy Land.

We only lose three and a half big studs next year. The most productive senior is probably Iowa Wesleyan's Brock Butler. Part-timers Drey and Johnson also graduate. MacMurray loses Long and, to a lesser extent, Cameron. Davis only showed up for half the season, so I wonder if he can get a semester of eligiblity back! Probably not, but that's my "half" of the 3 1/2 I mentioned. Lastly, Principia loses Davidson, the only rebounder and double double threat they had.

Of the returning players, obviously Eureka's Feehan tops that list. Micah Paulson returns with Goodman for Principia. Kobe Wands hopes to be 100% next season for Westminster. The top 3 for Webster return, but Wilcox may be the only fantasy worthy player to grab. Blackburn's two leading scorers return in King and Hayes, but they need to significantly improve their numbers to make it in Fantasy Land. Lastly, Fontbonne's main guys, McCann and DeLine return. Greenville's Dix has to be more consistent to be considered.

[hopefan]

Three games to go and it's time to start looking to next year in Fantasy Land.

We only lose three and a half big studs next year. The most productive senior is probably Iowa Wesleyan's Brock Butler. Part-timers Drey and Johnson also graduate. MacMurray loses Long and, to a lesser extent, Cameron. Davis only showed up for half the season, so I wonder if he can get a semester of eligiblity back! Probably not, but that's my "half" of the 3 1/2 I mentioned. Lastly, Principia loses Davidson, the only rebounder and double double threat they had.

Of the returning players, obviously Eureka's Feehan tops that list. Micah Paulson returns with Goodman for Principia. Kobe Wands hopes to be 100% next season for Westminster. The top 3 for Webster return, but Wilcox may be the only fantasy worthy player to grab. Blackburn's two leading scorers return in King and Hayes, but they need to significantly improve their numbers to make it in Fantasy Land. Lastly, Fontbonne's main guys, McCann and DeLine return. Greenville's Dix has to be more consistent to be considered.

I assume you are joking/being sarcastic about Davis... but just in case, he was there first semester, but was less than fantasy land level.....

[Greek Tragedy]

Definitely a joke. Was it Tabb or Villalobos that may return for Westminster next year?

[hopefan]

Romo Tabb.... not a definite though... heard it was a possibility very early in the season.....O'brien, no.....  Villabalos who knows.....

[hopefan]

Saturday in the SLIAC..

Quickly

Westmin at Eureka.... huge game for both teams... winner stays 1 game behind Greenville, or tied if Greenville gets upset by Prin... Loser has virtually no chance at finishing first and hosting the tourney... will Feehan be back?  no word from Eureka buddies....??

Greenville at Prin... this is one where I say no way can Prin stay with them, and then Prin scores the upset.... last time I said Goodman should get 60... he did get 43 with 15 boards and 14 assists... now if Prin cuts those 31 turnovers down to 15 or 20....all up to Micah Paulson to make good decisions....

Mac at Webster... Webster need this one badly, Mac still with the slightest of chances, but if they win their last 3, they had a great season tourney or not....wonder if Tankins/Johnson will be playing?   Just as I felt about the Iowa Wes gme, watch out for this one...

Iowa Wes at Font... I like how both teams have played so hard despite the records... wish neither had to come away with a loss

Spalding at Blackburn... hoping BC can get this one.... they should... to keep the competition active for the tourney spot....

[Greek Tragedy]

No Shea Feehan...

[y_jack_lok]

I was able to follow the live stats of the last nine minutes of Webster vs Mac. Appears to have been a wild ending. If anyone was watching, I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

[hopefan]

Yjack... the video is still out there if you go to the box score on the D3hoops scoreboard, hit it, when you get to box, in upper left, it has an option to go to the video...
here's my take... some bad plays, one very questionable call, one call that I did not think questionable..

at 1:06, Mac down 8... Mac's Mike Cameron drives to basket, loses control, attempts to put ball up from a low position, and it's blocked by the MUCH taller Nigel Wilcox..Questionable Call #1 a foul is called, I've Watched, can't see contact...makes 2, Mac down 6

Then Bad Play #1  Etienne, for no reason, carelessly throws the inbounds pass off Mike Dunn's knee/leg... Mac gets ball back immediately, Cameron misses a 3, but Mac retrieves long rebound passes out to Cameron who makes his 2nd try, now Mac down 3, 57.5 left on clock

after a time out, Webster again takes ball out, into Crespo who immediately falls down (questionable call #2), it looks like he was fouled, and he throws the ball into the middle where Mac gets it, but (questionable call #3), Mac's Cameron is called for fouling Webster Dunne... again, I'm looking at video, the ball is already in Mac possession, virtually no contact... maybe Cameron was going to foul, but not after Crespo basically put the ball up for grabs..

so now at :51, Dunne makes 1 of 2..., but Cameron comes down and immediately makes another 3 (I could say bad play #2 here) as Webster defender Austin Nation goes behind first pick allowing Cameron the uncontested 3 point attempt.

so Webster up 1 at :42, panic time out of bounds, (bad play #3) Dunne throws it from OB to absolutely nobody but Mac players... so they have ball down 1, full shot clock, use some time, Kendall Davis drives base line, beautiful pass to Zach Hibbert who puts it in... Mac up by 1, :23 on clock

BUt Then.. ultimate Bad Play #4.. Mac's Wade Fox attempts to intercept in bounds pass(remember UP 1) and runs right through Websters Parker Van Nest... Van Nest makes 2, Webster up 1

Mac comes down, misses, but Hibbert has good position for rebound and is clearly fouled by Nation (though Nation objects) as they go for rebound.. Hibbert makes 2 at :9.5, Mac up 1

Webster has trouble inbounding, gets it to Parker Van Nest who goes the length of the court, stumbles in the paint, and the ball goes out with a second on the clock.. (We'll assign a bad play #5.. was Parker Van Nest full court drive what the Gorlocks wanted?)... but wow.. Webster Ball...Questionable call #3, it looks like Van Nest could have been called for either traveling, or double dribble as he fell and lost control of the ball... for a while, I also thought that no Mac player touched the ball either, meaning Mac's ball out, but the ball may have glanced off Derick Bourke, who was standing out of bounds...

Now most controversial call 1 second left, ball ob under basket to Webster... no time outs, nothing set up...Van nest comes from wing to just above foul line and sets a screen for Austin Nation coming to the left elbow... POW.. (bad play #6)Kendall Davis, guarding Nation runs right through Van Nest as the ball comes in... not an acting job by Van Nest, Davis saw it coming, his head is turned, he puts shoulder down, forearm up, Bang...sorry Mac folks, my opinion, a legitimate good play by Webster, a legitimate foul.. if Davis pulls up, or turns his body to slide over or behind the screen, no whistle should come, but he didn't...Square right through it... to me, it was a foul...

Van Nest makes 2, from a goat to a hero in no time off the clock....Webster win....

[hopefan]

and so, you gotta love D3hoops....