MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GU1999]

Final from Redbird Arena was 177-108.  If you missed it.  Where have you been?  It has been everywhere.  SVP even did a few minutes on it last night.  It was on the ESPN scroll many many times.  Twitter was blowing up about it.  Even the CCIW board is talking about it.  A couple of hot takes about the system that GU has apparently using and how its bad for the pristine d3 basketball reputation.  Quite cute.

Having watched all four games to date.  Last night was GUs best game yet.   
Forcing 24 turnovers was a big upgrade. 

Cooley and Bell finishing at the rim around guys MUCH larger than them really looked good.  By much larger, I think that there was no less than a 6 inch difference and in certain player matchups it could have been as much as 14 inches.  Others, like Dicky and K. Johnson, look like they can shoot it a bit. We know Vinsel can too, but had a tough one last night.  Also, it looks like some things are clicking for Justin Cross.  He looks more comfortable with the ball in his hands than I recall.  Almost had a tip dunk and one.  Of course, not having Henry Johnson, Marvin Bateman and Austyn Contreras  makes a difference.  Not that they would have won, but they would have scored more. 

The ability to break the press by passing over it continues to be a huge difference maker when playing these very long and athletic D1 teams.  Last night there were numerous examples where GU players had their feet in the right spot for what would be a steal against SLIAC or better d3 competition, but the pass was simply to high for the GU player to touch or if they did get their hand on it there was just not leverage to wrestle it away.  GUs pressure defense is wholly RELIANT on steals.  They work really hard to take it away in the back court.  Once you get past the first wave of traps in the aggressive presses, you are toast, by design.  That design has limitations when the talent gap is that big. 

I just hope this is not the last game until conference.

[y_jack_lok]

 Pantagraph article on last night's GU/ISU game.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-state/watch-now-illinois-state-races-to-ncaa-school-records-in-rout-over-division-iii-greenville/article_7378d1b3-5052-54f3-8b7b-1cb04fac6207.amp.html

[GU1999]

The Panthers have rescheduled their game against Lincoln Memorial.  LMU is currently the #2 ranked DII program in the country and is currently riding a 34 game win streak dating back to November 2, 2019.  LMU has made the NCAA tourney in each of the twelve years they have been led by Coach Schertz.  During that time they are playing .830 basketball.  This team is a monster. 

[GU1999]

Things happen fast in 2020.  The game for Saturday against LMU has now been cancelled per LMU Basketball twitter.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Things happen fast in 2020.  The game for Saturday against LMU has now been cancelled per LMU Basketball twitter.

I can confirm - I actually read your message several times this morning knowing the information.

[GU1999]

Unfortunate the game is off. 

It was fun to look up the Railsplitters.  What a team.  12 years of hard core success.  Hard to believe the way their season went last year.  They lost their first game.  Then won 32 straight.  They were ranked #2 in the country.  Had a 1 seed in the NCAA tourney and then Covid cancellations hit.  Just so darn devastating.  They had four seniors Scott Van Pelt recognized on his Senior Night segment. 

[hopefan]

Things happen fast in 2020.  The game for Saturday against LMU has now been cancelled per LMU Basketball twitter.

I can confirm - I actually read your message several times this morning knowing the information.

Wondering why this game was cancelled....

[Pat Coleman]

Things happen fast in 2020.  The game for Saturday against LMU has now been cancelled per LMU Basketball twitter.

I can confirm - I actually read your message several times this morning knowing the information.

Wondering why this game was cancelled....

Like with most of these things, it will certainly be because someone somewhere had a positive test.

[hopefan]

Things happen fast in 2020.  The game for Saturday against LMU has now been cancelled per LMU Basketball twitter.

I can confirm - I actually read your message several times this morning knowing the information.

Wondering why this game was cancelled....

Like with most of these things, it will certainly be because someone somewhere had a positive test.

Yes, but I'm just curious as to which school might have had an illness... as I've been concerned about (and critical of) Greenville's travels....

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Things happen fast in 2020.  The game for Saturday against LMU has now been cancelled per LMU Basketball twitter.

I can confirm - I actually read your message several times this morning knowing the information.

Wondering why this game was cancelled....

Like with most of these things, it will certainly be because someone somewhere had a positive test.

I'm wondering if Greenville's testing program ended with the semester?  If they're not still getting their regular tests, the D1s aren't going to play them anymore.

[WUPHF]

I noticed that Lincoln Memorial played today so I looked a the schedule.

This is so crazy, the extent to which a team will go to get a game.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

It has been awhile since we had a show - we apologize. The basketball season technically started as scheduled on November 6, but not a lot of teams took the court thanks to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic. So how are those who are playing getting on the floor?

This marks the first of three podcasts tackling the challenge of COVID-19 for college across the county in Division III. In the trio of shows, we will talk to those who are playing, who have had seasons canceled, and who are making decisions behind the scenes at institutions.

In this first podcast, Dave McHugh chat with two coaches who are currently playing games, Greenville men's coach Dr. George Barber and Hardin-Simmons' women's coach Kendra Hassell. Hear how each program, along with athletic department and institution, is getting their teams on the court in competition. What steps each are taking to play, stay safe from the coronavirus, and even find games to play.

We also get a reminder of The System utilized by Barber at Greenville and the experience of playing four Division I programs in just a week.

You can listen to the podcast here: https://bit.ly/3mkbzAj

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. We hope to start live, video, shows sometime in January.

If you have questions, ideas, or want to interact with the show, feel free to send them to hoopsville@d3sports.com or use any of the social media options available.

If you enjoy the show via the podcasts, choose your favorite avenue to listen and/or subscribe via the the following four avenues (click on the images when necessary):
SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/hoopsville


 
   
We also have the podcast now on Tune-In and others coming. We will update them once we have better abilities to do so.

Don't forget you can always interact with us:
Website: www.d3hoopsville.com
Twitter: @d3hoopsville or #Hoopsville
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hoopsville
Email: hoopsville@d3sports.com
Hoopsville Season Archive: www.team1sports.com/Hoopsville
YouTube: www.youtube.com/d3hoopsville

[GU1999]

Great interview.  Thank you Dave! 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Great interview.  Thank you Dave!

Thank you for listening! And the kind words.

[y_jack_lok]

As one who has been frequenting several D3Sports.com sites and posting on the boards for over 15 years this seemed like a worthwhile thing to do to keep the site alive.

https://d3sports.com/notables/2020/12/d3sports-needs-your-help