MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GU1999]

Yes!  Isn't it so nice to have quality play by play and commmentary as part of the broadcast.  😉

[GU1999]

Wednesday Games

Webster at GU
GU by 3

Blackburn at Westmin
Westmin by 2

Thursday Games

MUW at Fontbonne
MUW by 5

Spalding at Eureka
Spalding by 10

Lyon at Prin
Lyon by 24

Clearly got the Fontbonne/MUW game wrong. 

The Lyon game was much closer than I thought it would be.  Still got the winner but missed the margin by a lot. Principia can be a hard place to play with those huge open spaces behind the backboard. 

GU/Webster and Westmin/Blackburn were pretty accurate

The EU/Spalding game was interesting. I checked in at the beginning of the game and turned it off with 7 minutes to go in the 1st half.  At that time the score was 21 - 2.  Yes, Eureka, at home, had 2 points 13 minutes into the game.  Spalding who is a top 40 scoring defense (despite haveing 10 percent of their games played against a system team), who have held opponants to 52 points or less 6 times this year, looked on pace to hold Eureka even lower total than the 37 allowed to MUW.  But, something happened after I left...  Eureka scored 59 in the last 27 minutes.  That is a massive number against Spalding. Eureka really turned it on.   Given all the technical fouls (4 combined) in the second half, I can only imagine that Eurekas coach challenged his players to fight back in the second half.  Anyway, Spalding does what was expected and won easily by 14. 

HopeFan Standings going into the final 5:
Spalding +1
GU 0
Lyon -1
Webster -2

[hopefan]

Gu1999... Lyon is still at 0 in hopefan standings..

Spalding at +1
Lyon 0
Gville 0
Webster -2

[GU1999]

Hopefan - Thank you for keeping an eye on me.  Probably should not be trusted with such things.  😀

Todays Games:

Westminster at Greenville:
GU is rolling and despite Westmin winning their last game, I don't think they have the athletic depth to play with GU.  Especially in HJ Long.  Also, happy Nicholas Morrow (GU '17) is in the Superbowl week to all who celebrate.

GU by 27

Spalding at Blackburn
Spalding will suffocate the beavers this afternoon. 

Spalding by 12. Blackburn won't score more than 52. 

Eureka at Webster
Webster is at a cross roads.  Season is not over, but the three game losing streak could be weighing on them.  This one is either a Webster blow out or a down to the last shot type game.  Give me Webster by a lot. 

Webster by 15.


Lyon at Fontbonne
In a game that sounds like it could be played on the banks of the banks of the Seine, Lyon's size will be too much for scrappy Fontbonne.  No Lee McKinney magic today. 

Lyon by 8

MUW at Prin
Prin showed well earlier in the week.  I think they will stack good outings and clip MUW in a down to the last shot affair.

Prin by 1

[GU1999]

GU by 33 not 27
Lyon by 9 not 8
Webster by 34 not 15
Spalding by 10 not 12. But Blackburn got to 58.
Prin doesn't win by 1, they miss a layup at the buzzer and lose by 1. 

[GU1999]

Super Bowl Champion Nicholas Morrow! 

#Attaway
#d3
#Greenville

[GU1999]

Looks like there is still just one game on the schedule for tonight despite the big storm coming through.  Although, it would not surprise me if the Webster at Spalding game were moved to this evening.  The storm is slated to hit the SLIAC footprint tomorrow.  The freezing line is projected to run from OCK - > STL -> Indy.  So Websters travel may be worst leaving and reentering their home city with the rest being rain.   

So tonight (as it stands):
GU goes to Prin.  GU scored 150 last time.  They are playing better now than they were then.  Give me GU by 25. 

[GU1999]

2/2/25 NCAA NPI ratings (SLIAC edition):

173 - Spalding
206 - Greenville
238 - Lyon
251 - Webster
299 - MUW
353 - Eureka
355 - Fontbonne
383 - Blackburn
388 - Prin
401 - Westminster

As it stands, of all the conferences in the country, only one league has their highest rated team below the SLIACs highest rated team.  That is Region IX's UMAC, with North Central (MN) checking in at 196.  A few SLIAC teams crossover with the UMAC for football.

UPDATED NPI Ratings (2/9):
Spalding - 166 
Greenville - 197 
Lyon - 226   
Webster - 262 
MUW - 303 
Fontbonne - 343 
Eureka - 357 
Blackburn - 389 
Principia - 391 
Westmin - 397 

  = climbing
  = falling

[GU1999]

Looks like there is still just one game on the schedule for tonight despite the big storm coming through.  Although, it would not surprise me if the Webster at Spalding game were moved to this evening.  The storm is slated to hit the SLIAC footprint tomorrow.  The freezing line is projected to run from OCK - > STL -> Indy.  So Websters travel may be worst leaving and reentering their home city with the rest being rain.   

So tonight (as it stands):
GU goes to Prin.  GU scored 150 last time.  They are playing better now than they were then.  Give me GU by 25. 

GU by 27 (134-107)

GU:

- forced 51 turnovers (+31)
- 41 steals
- GU had 32 offensive rebounds

Prin:

- Nolan Simon - 30 pts, 12 assists (1.5 a/to), 11 rebs, 5 steals 

[GU1999]

Spalding holds serve beating Webster.  They are firmly in the drivers seat with three to play.

With three to play it looks likely that either Spalding or GU will likely be the hosts.  And either team, if they host, will have a huge advantage.  GU would pack the place.  Last time they hosted there were temp bleachers behind the baskets and the place was jammed.  Spalding gym poses its own unique advantages.  With the balcony style seating, and a gym that seems hard to figure out for road teams.

[hopefan]

Yes per hopefan standings, Spalding is in great shape....  they wont lose at home to Westminster (sorry Todd), then face the key road trip to Lyon and MUW... they can lose to Lyon, cannot afford to lose to noncontender MUW. 2 losses (to Lyon and MUW) brings Spalding back to 0, and a potential 3 way tie with Greenville and Lyon.  A win at Lyon just about clinches...

[hopefan]

Very interesting duel for 6th place in the conference standings.... and I am assuming that is the last spot available for the conference tourney..
Fontbonne, with their "stunning" lost to Westminster, falls to 6-9.  Eureka is at 5-10, but beat Fontbonne at Eureka by 1 earlier.   Fontbonne hosts Eureka on Feb 19.   Each have 2 other games, and none are given wins, in fact, all tough games.
The Eureka at Fontbonne game is Huge....

By the way.... while I am familiar with virtually no individual players, it has been fun getting closer to the games and standings the last several weeks through these boards... Greenville 1999, thank YOU!!!  I've been pulled back in!!!!!!
The SLIAC room was one of the most active rooms on the boards a number of years ago...Between me, Dennis McKinney, YJack, and regular posters at one time or another from MacMurray, Greenville, and Eureka, these pages were very active.  Though words became somewhat harsh now and then, all of our activity showed that the competition within a low level D3 conference is just as exciting and fun to follow as in the top level conferences.

[GU1999]

I think that they both will get in this year as Lyon is still ineligible for NCAA play, I think that they are also not included in the conf tournaments.  What would be really fun is if Westminster made a push and snuck into the 6 spot, they would have to win atleast 2 of their last 3.  If they were to do the unthinkable in Louisville, I think they end up with 6 wins.  Regardless, I am impressed with their resilience.  They really started the season in terrible shape and have held together.  Big credit to Coach Creal for holding them together. 

[GU1999]

And I am glad you are back HOPE.  Should be a fun sprint to the end of conf play.

[GU1999]

I am really glad you are back HOPE.