MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[y_jack_lok]

I thought the SLIAC tourney was a Friday-Saturday affair last season.  Did they change things?

I'm pretty sure it rotates every year. Next year it will go back to Fri/Sat. The women get Fri/Sat this year.

I believe Greek is correct. I think it makes it simpler this year, for schools that have both men's and women's teams in the tournament, that the Webster women also clinched the #1 seed after coming from 21 down at halftime to beat Eureka last njght and will also be hosting as they have the tie breaker over Fontbonne should they be tied in the standings after Saturday.. (As an aside, the EC women only had six players last njght and one fouled out. If they'd had even one more player to give the others some rest, that comeback might have fallen short.). So Grant Gym will be busy next Thursday - Saturday.

From the SLIAC website on the women's tournament:

Tournament Hosted by Webster University

Friday, February 28

Game 1: #2 Fontbonne vs. #3 Seed, 6 p.m.
Game 2: #1 Webster vs. #4 Seed, 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 29

Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 7 p.m.

Spalding and Greenville are the other two teams, but both have 12-5 records, so the 3 & 4  seeds will be determind Saturday.

[WUPHF]

So, as an addendum to my previous comment, I guess Grant Gymnasium is too small to make a big deal out of it, but I think there would be a number of basketball fans who would come to the games on Saturday, knowing that they get two conference championships.

I hope this gets good coverage on the local media.

[GU1999]

Playoff teams are set:

Webster
Greenville
Fontbonne
Blackburn

[GU1999]

Also,  Eureka's YouTube channel started out super glitchy and with an operator rarely following the ball.  But even that was better to the full in FZrpzen that it is now.  There were 100+ people tuned in too.  Very disappointing. 

[WUPHF]

I have to give a shot out to the Blackburn coaching staff.

Blackburn returned players that made the SLIAC tournament last season, but still...

Kirby graduated in 2017, Rusten in 2018.  Both had limited full-time coaching experience.

[y_jack_lok]

^^^ Yes, very impressive what those young coaches have accomplished.

Also worth noting is the work of the Webster coaching staff and players. After losing two games in the first half of conference play, Webster won all its games in the second half. The team kept getting better as the season progressed. Well done.

[WUPHF]

That is so true about Webster and the coaching staff.

They look like the team we thought they would be.

[y_jack_lok]

That is so true about Webster and the coaching staff.

They look like the team we thought they would be.

At the beginning of the season I underestimated what the absence of Nigel Wilcox would mean for the team. I don't think I fully understood what is involved in putting the pieces together to play well consistently.

[Greek Tragedy]

I have no doubt that was a huge loss, but they obviously adjusted to that loss. I suppose it's easier to adjust when you know he's not coming back rather than lose him mid-season due to an injury. For them and the SLIAC, I really hope they make the NCAAs and get a win.

[GU1999]

I have no doubt that was a huge loss, but they obviously adjusted to that loss. I suppose it's easier to adjust when you know he's not coming back rather than lose him mid-season due to an injury. For them and the SLIAC, I really hope they make the NCAAs and get a win.

I too really HOPE to see the SLIAC get a win in the NCAAs.    But alas, hope and reality are not in the same zip code for the eventual SLIAC champ this year.  Even with a surging Webster, who should waltz through the SLIAC tourney, they will run into some buzz saw on the road.  Best case scenario would be for Webster to catch Wash U for a rematch of their 22 pt loss earlier this year.  (A game which I watched and left  thinking that Webster greatly over performed in the first half and that the final score was roughly commensurate to the talent level) 

I would suspect that Wash U will not end up being the region top team and that the SLIAC winner will get the top team.  Could end up being much worse and  like UW-Platteville at Platteville or NCC at NCC. 

Remember the SLIAC mens hoops have never won a game in the NCAAs.  Furthermore, the average loss difference in the 23 games is 23.13ppg.  YIKES!  And yes I know that Webster had WashU down to the last possession once and Fontbonne has the 3 pts game to MHB. 

[WUPHF]

I am not sure Webster will waltz through the SLIAC, but I do think they will win.

In regards to the postseason, Webster had IWU down to one possession once.

I am not sure if the two teams have met in the postseason.

[GU1999]

Since 1995 SLIAC games where the outcome difference is less than 15 points:

2018 - GU v .Augie (12)
2017 - Westmin v. Hanover (8)
2014 - Webster v. IWU (1)*
2013 - Spaulding v. WUSTL (9)
2010 - Westmin v. WUSTL (8)
2008 - Fontbonne v. MH-B (3)
2004 - Maryville v. IWU (9)

So SLIAC is 0 - 23 in tourney games, but they have managed to keep it under a 15 point difference on 7 occasions. 

*I noted that this was WashU in error in my post earlier. 

[WUPHF]

I did not realize Greenville was that close at Augustana.

That 2017 Westminster team was so good as was that 2010 Westminster team.

By the way, I guess it is up to you to take the lead on the SLIAC all-conference team.

[GU1999]

I did not realize Greenville was that close at Augustana.

GU had a 19 point lead in the first.  Had a 12 point lead at half and was in the lead until the final 8 minutes.  Dix fouled out very early.  Augie stopped taking contested mid-range shots. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11rEyZ2A1_4

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It took Augie a very long time to figure out what they needed to do, but once they got disciplined and figured it out, they managed.  Great performance from Greenville, though - a very strong team.