MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

The University of Kentucky played an exhibition game vs Centre, last year, and I see that they are going up against Transylvania this year....

Regular readers know my next hypothesis...

Kentucky vs Spalding, November 2019??   

They've played Thomas More and Berea before, too - it could happen.

[hopefan]

SLIAC schedules

I'm going to go lighter on the reasoning this year...rating the 7 game non conference schedules...

From worst to first:

10) Eureka    Rating :  Pitiful       Highlight:  Monmouth      When Monmouth is the highlight of your schedule, you know it's sad

9)  Iowa Wesleyan    Rating  :  Almost Pitiful   Highlight: Colorado College Tourney     IWU is likely bad this year, a mediocre schedule will help them

8)   Fontbonne   Rating  : Better than Less than Decent   Highlight :  Wash U, Rose Hulman... trip to middle of no where Florida to play 2 non NCAA schools  Why?   D1 Eastern Ill...  2 others.... rather see a solid D3 schedule

6T)   Blackburn    Rating  :  Less than decent   Highlight:  Rhodes Tourney, includes Rhodes, Augie, Centre.... also Loras

6T)   Principia     Rating  :  Less than decent    Highlight : West Coast Trip vs Caltech, Oxy.... also Wash U

5)    MacMurray   Rating  : Almost Decent   Highlight  :  Music City Tourney vs Ripon, Hampden-Sydney...also Augie, Monmouth... a couple non NCAA teams dropped their rating

3t)  Spalding    Rating  :  Decent    Highlight: Hanover, Thomas More, Centre     Spalding no longer at top of conference, has lightened their schedule... nice mix of strong and average teams...

3t)  Westminster   Rating  : Decent    Highlight: Illinois Wesleyan, Buena Vista, Wash U.... but the rest is mediocre...nice mix

2)  Greenville    Rating  : Good   Highlight :  Nebraska Wesleyan Tourney, North Park Tourney... also Loras      7 D3 games, diverse regional locations, no top 10 teams, but most are very solid

1)  Webster   Rating : Very Good... Webster No 1 by far.... Highlight: Wash U, Emory and Henry, Ill Wesleyan, good local Mo Bap,  Eastern....Five solids, 2 others

[Greek Tragedy]

Eureka does get Grinnell too. They weren't very good last year, only 8-10 in conference, but I think they could surprise some teams this season and make the conference tournament.

[ecreddevils]

SLIAC schedules

I'm going to go lighter on the reasoning this year...rating the 7 game non conference schedules...

From worst to first:

10) Eureka    Rating :  Pitiful       Highlight:  Monmouth      When Monmouth is the highlight of your schedule, you know it's sad

I'd say Grinnell is, but point taken.  On the other hand, playing three good teams on a Canadian trip, EIU and McKendree, and prepping for the conference schedule with what should be good competition at U of St. Francis isn't exactly pitiful, even if not awe-inspiring.  Oh, and EC did swap out the Robert Morris twins for bible colleges--cmon, Hopefan!

[hopefan]

SLIAC schedules

I'm going to go lighter on the reasoning this year...rating the 7 game non conference schedules...

From worst to first:

10) Eureka    Rating :  Pitiful       Highlight:  Monmouth      When Monmouth is the highlight of your schedule, you know it's sad

I'd say Grinnell is, but point taken.  On the other hand, playing three good teams on a Canadian trip, EIU and McKendree, and prepping for the conference schedule with what should be good competition at U of St. Francis isn't exactly pitiful, even if not awe-inspiring.  Oh, and EC did swap out the Robert Morris twins for bible colleges--cmon, Hopefan!

Now wait...3 good teams on a Canadian trip?  My point of reference indeed, is back in the day.... but back in the day, my college team had a 4 game trip to Canada... one of the games was against the top ranked team in Canada, Carlton (yes, there is a Carlton University, I think in Ottawa)...we beat them by 15.... and of course they were pre-season games for Eureka.... looking at Eureka's schedule in detail... Monmouth, yes, good last year; Grinnell, always fun, but sub 500 last year; Knox 7 wins last year; Berea 7 wins last year;  St. Francis tourney 3 non NCAA teams with zero interest to SLIAC fans; that's the official schedule... EIU is exhibition, McKendree is listed as exhibition..... so those 6 games, well, see where I'm coming from

[hopefan]

Many times I wish I was a fly on the wall.... to find out WHAT HAPPENED

Just pointed out that Webster's Christian Crespo has left the SLIAC for .... Hiram....   

Crespo averaged 13.4 ppg as a frosh at Webster last year, and really wasn't "discovered" during the first part of the season.. he came on very strong in the final 2/3 of the year... smallish (listed 6') shooting guard who shot very well, quick active... would have fit in superbly with returning teammates at Webster... why does he transfer?    Note, no obvious Ohio background, he's from Florida!!!  How did Hiram find out about him, or what attracted him to Hiram?  Like I said, I'd love to hear the details.... Webster has lost at least 3 SUPERB SLIAC players in the last 7 or 8 years, but all three of them moved to D2, where there may have been scholarship $, and the obvious lure to play at a higher level... Crespo's motives though, are theoretically coming from a different direction...

Now then, of interest to me... I consider Hiram and the NCAC a large step ahead of the SLIAC in talent level.. it will be very interesting to see how Crespo fits in with his new team...

[y_jack_lok]

^^^ Hmmm...Go figure. Just checked the Hiram roster. Crespo is from Royal Palm Beach, FL. There is a freshman on the roster from West Palm Beach, FL. Friends, perhaps???

[y_jack_lok]

Okay SLIAC fans, coaches poll has been released: https://www.sliac.org/sports/mbkb/2018-19/releases/20181025oe6o6n

Also, article on Webster: https://websterathletics.com/news/2018/10/24/mens-basketball-tabbed-third-in-preseason-sliac-coaches-poll.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1DrZcE8n7b50SbOCCirB_moRwpPfx5EV0WIp3Fm67Ie7MzZiPxtnTyE-0

[Greek Tragedy]

Okay SLIAC fans, coaches poll has been released: https://www.sliac.org/sports/mbkb/2018-19/releases/20181025oe6o6n

Also, article on Webster: https://websterathletics.com/news/2018/10/24/mens-basketball-tabbed-third-in-preseason-sliac-coaches-poll.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1DrZcE8n7b50SbOCCirB_moRwpPfx5EV0WIp3Fm67Ie7MzZiPxtnTyE-0

I had to check to make sure Nigel Wilcox didn't actually average 19.9 and 8.3 a game. Indeed he only averaged 13.9 and 8.3, which is still pretty good.

[hopefan]

My first impressions, this could be a 7 team race for four Conference Tourney spots....  Iowa Wesleyan, MacMurray and (gasp) Spalding would surprise me if they were in the mix... Prin is borderline...time for Fontbonne to stop losing, they should move up to contender...  No mention of Greenville's loss of underclassmen Grady and Bonney in SLIAC article, so they don't really return 5 starters.  Big question for Westminster is can Romo Tabb come back at top level after sitting out a year.. it can be tough... Webster will miss the consistency that Crespo gave in conference last year.. Johnson's game is more of a rollercoaster... Despite the loss of Shea Feehan (gotta remember to follow him at Evansville), I really like what Eureka returns, guys will really have the opportunity to shine with a more balanced offense....at Prin, Paulson and Goodman may be the two best Offensive players in the conference, and Sellers showed positive signs as a frosh, big question is if 3 promising frosh can come in and contribute right away....Blackburn Coach Steve Kollar got so much out of his guys last year, they can't be overlooked this season...

[ecreddevils]

Okay SLIAC fans, coaches poll has been released: https://www.sliac.org/sports/mbkb/2018-19/releases/20181025oe6o6n

Also, article on Webster: https://websterathletics.com/news/2018/10/24/mens-basketball-tabbed-third-in-preseason-sliac-coaches-poll.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1DrZcE8n7b50SbOCCirB_moRwpPfx5EV0WIp3Fm67Ie7MzZiPxtnTyE-0

Another ridiculous preseason poll.  Sure these are fun to look at, but give me a break.  EC goes 13-5 in conference, loses one starter, albeit Shea Feehan, and still gets picked behind Blackburn, a team with three seniors on its roster.

Eureka returns Hank Thomas 17.4 ppg and  Dakota Bennington 16.8 ppg as big time scorers in this conference.  Add in four year starter and energy guy Alex Wiegand, top 10 conference rebounder Jordan Dehm, and rapidly improving wing, Austin Juergens, and you're looking at a very experienced and balanced squad. 

Other new players to watch are Fr. guard Jalen Hosea out of Peoria Richwoods and 6' 7" Fr. Drew Yonker out of Normal West where he was hidden behind U of Oregon Fr. Francis Okoro.  Also, football quarterback Drew Barth joins the team for the first time.  Barth was a 1000 point scorer in high school, is a very skilled and physical 6' 4"--will be an interesting experiment to watch.

[hopefan]

Okay SLIAC fans, coaches poll has been released: https://www.sliac.org/sports/mbkb/2018-19/releases/20181025oe6o6n

Also, article on Webster: https://websterathletics.com/news/2018/10/24/mens-basketball-tabbed-third-in-preseason-sliac-coaches-poll.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1DrZcE8n7b50SbOCCirB_moRwpPfx5EV0WIp3Fm67Ie7MzZiPxtnTyE-0

Another ridiculous preseason poll.  Sure these are fun to look at, but give me a break.  EC goes 13-5 in conference, loses one starter, albeit Shea Feehan, and still gets picked behind Blackburn, a team with three seniors on its roster.

Eureka returns Hank Thomas 17.4 ppg and  Dakota Bennington 16.8 ppg as big time scorers in this conference.  Add in four year starter and energy guy Alex Wiegand, top 10 conference rebounder Jordan Dehm, and rapidly improving wing, Austin Juergens, and you're looking at a very experienced and balanced squad. 

Other new players to watch are Fr. guard Jalen Hosea out of Peoria Richwoods and 6' 7" Fr. Drew Yonker out of Normal West where he was hidden behind U of Oregon Fr. Francis Okoro.  Also, football quarterback Drew Barth joins the team for the first time.  Barth was a 1000 point scorer in high school, is a very skilled and physical 6' 4"--will be an interesting experiment to watch.

Well then, hope you noticed my positive spin too... I agree....

[y_jack_lok]

The great thing about pre-season polls is that everyone has a chance to prove them wrong. I've gotta say that ecreddevils makes a strong case for the poll being wrong about Eureka.

[hopefan]

Pre season activity listed on schools' schedules

Eureka Canada trip in Oct.  :

Western Ontario over Eureka   100-76
Lambton over Eureka  94-89  (Dakota Bennington 35 points)
Windsor vs Eureka..  not sure this one was played, not posted on Windsor site

Nov. 1    Iowa Wesleyan at Western Illinois
Nov. 2    Eureka at Eastern Illinois
Nov. 3     MacMurray at Illinois College
Nov. 6    Iowa Wesleyan at Central  (listed as scrimmage)
Nov. 7     Westminster at Columbia College

These are the only PRE season exhibitions posted... there are also several in season exhibitions scheduled that can be mentioned at the time they are played... several schools did not list exhibitions.. so there are likely more taking place over the next week..(Fontbonne, Blackburn, Principia, Greenville??)

[ecreddevils]

Pre season activity listed on schools' schedules

Eureka Canada trip in Oct.  :

Western Ontario over Eureka   100-76
Lambton over Eureka  94-89  (Dakota Bennington 35 points)
Windsor vs Eureka..  not sure this one was played, not posted on Windsor site

EC over Windsor by 30+. Bennington with another 30 point performance