MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

 QUOTE FROM BC SID    Anyone that has the nerve to compare the recruiting programs of Webster or Fontbonne or any other large D3 school in the St. Louis area to BC's is being completely ignorant to the fact.

I'm not going to get into the debate  Blackburn SID; these subjects are driving people away from this board (FCnews, Bunchtime - please come back), because people coming here during the season want to hear about games and players and coaches, and possibilities and probabilities.  During the offseason, We can share some thoughts on recruiting, scheduling, and the aspirations of some to see the SLIAC rise beyond their current level of play, which top to bottom could possibly be defined as one of the  weakest D3 conferences in the country outside of several conferences in the Northeast Region and the Atlantic Region.  I will try to rise above the ignorance that you feel casts a shadow on my 39 years of playing , coaching and following Division 3 Basketball. (Hint -back when I played, there was no NCAA D3, just NCAA College Division, and my first year of coaching was the 2nd year D3 was defined)

Ballhog01, your question is a bit undefined, but I assume you meant 2 St Louis teams (of the 3) into the SLIAC Conference tourney, not the national tournament.  Yes, I personally believe that 2 of Fontbonne, Webster, and Maryville could make the top 4 of the SLIAC.  This conference is so level - as I said before - that's why I enjoy it so much. I think all 3 StL teams will compete along with Westmin, Eureka, Mac, Gville, and BBurn - leaving out only Prin and LCC.   

Right now it appears that Westmin and Eureka are slightly ahead of the others, and I feel Webster should be up there too, though an opinion has been shared with me that so far, Webster just hasn't put it together yet.  That's different than saying Fontbonne and Maryville haven't got their games together yet, because both clearly have Frosh playing significant roles, while Webster's players have been there before.  Mac and Gville are the early surprises, and that's a good thing-  it makes the conference better.  Blackburn is the disappointment - maybe they just lost too much from a very good SLIAC team last year, or maybe there is a tough time adapting to the new coach - but who would have thought they would be 0-2, 2-6 at this stage?

Just looking way ahead - when there are 8 competitive teams of 10, every leage game day has big games - first leage day back, Saturday, Jan 6, has FU at BC, MU at EC and WC at Mac, with Webster and Gville getting LCC and Prin.  Mac can show they're real by holding homecourt ad vs Westmin, an MU win at Eureka would be a huge upset, and whoever loses the FU - BC game will have a long climb back at 0-3.

[ballhog01]

Thanks Hopefan - I tried to get to yesterdays Fontbonne v. Wash U. game. But, decided it would be along drive for a bad game (condering WU beat MU by 34). I'm trying to pick a better spot to get to town and see a double header of SLIAC match ups. I was pleasently suprised by FU's score, although you never know how much Wash U's starters get to play in a game like this.

[hopefan]

Ballhog  -  the FU WashU game was a tad strange - had FU shot a little better, it could have been a pretty good game - but no one except Branch was hitting, and even he got cold in the 2nd half.  Biggest factor, as in the Maryville game, was that Fontbonne could not defend Wash U's offense - the combination of a large number of off the ball cuts and passes for layups, Ruth's dominating presence inside, and some decent perimeter shooting was too much for the SLIAC kids to defend
That being said Fontbonne made it a closer game than Maryville was able to.

Another interesting point Andrew Almany left the Fontbonne team - Here is someone who started last year but was seeing limited time this year.  I guess classroom and work related interests were a major part of the reason, but just as I said with Jason Rezebeck at MU, it's really a let down to the team and the people who follow it....

[ballhog01]

From BeaverSID-
Of course Webster and fontbonne have never had a problem with recruits, "Its Webster and Fontbonne"!!!!
I guarentee that some of the smaller schools of this conference have had these problems. I know ,as a fact, that only 2 of BC's players were recruited if you could call it that, Zak Allen and Zeb Hammond. Every other player on BC's roster was pulled from the student body.

I find it very hard to beleive that BC has only 2 players and the rest is only students. This doesn't happrn in this day and age. Unless the BC program is in serious trouble.

[pantherpride06]

Wow, take a few days off and you find the board in shambles again and Pride not being in the center of the issue.  I'll let you guys resolve this one.  How about MacAttack?  When are pics due and what's the updated total?

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.  SLIAC teams didn't fair too well this week...  I am just looking forward to January 6 for the SLIAC stretch run!

[Mac Attack]

Still trying to find a Westminster-Illinois College score. Not including that game, everyone is five for five this week, so nothing's changed.

According to the SLIAC master schedule, there aren't any games involving SLIAC schools for the next 11 days, so no "Pick 'em" for this week.

[Pat Coleman]

Long time reader first time poster.
On the subject of student body size. Of the 1000 or so under grads attending Fontbonne only about 20% are male. Basically if your a guy attending this school and your not a student athlete you are in the minority.

This is only a slight exaggeration, by the way.

General information      Unit ID: 177418
Fontbonne University    Number of Full-time Undergraduates: 1,549
6800 Wydown Blvd    Men: 431
Saint Louis    Women: 1,118

[Gregory Sager]

Still trying to find a Westminster-Illinois College score. Not including that game, everyone is five for five this week, so nothing's changed.

I've noticed that Illinois College has a nasty habit of not telling anyone about the outcomes of IC basketball games until a day or two later. Seriously, it's not that hard to pick up a telephone and make a couple of calls, or to post the box score onto the team website.

[Mac Attack]

Illinois College 59  Westminster 56

Week #5 Pick 'em Results

PantherPride 6-6
BeaverSID 6-6
Mac Attack 6-6
Hope Fan/FCNews 5-6

To Date:

Hope Fan/FCNews - 47
BeaverSID - 45
PantherPride - 45
Mac Attack - 43

No Pick 'em next week because of Christmas break. Just a few games the following week. Please have picks in by noon, December 29.

December 28  
Fontbonne @ U of Tampa 7:30 PM
  
December 29  
MacMurray vs Huntingdon (Ala)  5:00 PM
  
December 30  
MacMurray vs LaGrange (Ga)  4:00 PM
Blackburn @ UMSL 7:00 PM

[Mac Attack]

Just a little bit of information about MacMurray's basketball team, in terms of where it is today, what's ahead, and where it's been. The Highlanders have a chance to win its first game (against Huntingdon College) in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic on December 29. This would give MacMurray a 3-3 record. It's been at least four years, and maybe longer, since MacMurray has been .500. Check this out:

In 2002-2003, they started out 1-5 and had had to win four of their last five games to finish 8-17. In 2003-2004, they started out 0-15. In 2004-2005, they started out 2-3, but then lost six of their next seven. Last year, they started out 0-5. So a 3-3 start this season, with at least a split in Georgia and three home games in early January that the Highlanders have a chance of winning (Rockford, Westminster, Principia), this could be one of the best starts for the Highlanders in many years.

When you consider that since 1970, MacMurray has had 10 winning seasons and 26 losing seasons, you get the idea how difficult it has been for the basketball program to compete. But it can be done and I have a feeling that this year's team will get the team back on the winning track and keep it there for several years to come. Of course Coach Steve Hettinga and our AD, Kevin Haslam, deserve a ton of credit for putting the pieces in place to make this happen - and so do the outstanding young men who are working so hard to get things turned around.

Just wanted the folks on this board to know a little macMurray history so they can appreciate the success that we will hopefully have during the 2006-2007 season.

[hopefan]

Mac - please recruit FCnews back to the pick em - I do not intend to continue to pick each week....  Glad to help this past week though....

[Mac Attack]

FCNews.....

We need you to jump back in the Pick 'em contest. You can't let BeaverSID, PantherPride, and me slug it out for the next two months - besides, you're in first place (in spite of Hope Fan picking Westminster yesterday over IC).....

Need your input, insight, and participation.....

Thanks,

Mac Attack

[hopefan]

Mac  -  I took a quick look at your opponents down south  -  Huntingdon looks awful - almost Principia level  -  only one win, over Atlanta Christian, and pretty much hammered elsewhere.  LaGrange should be a good test, with a 7-4 record against a reasonable schedule.  Are you going down  -  would think it would be a fun trip.

[Mac Attack]

Huntingdon was 20-7 last year and lost in the finals of the conference post-season tournament. Been a long time since MacMurray was able to breathe that kind of air. A poor record is a poor record - but if you've had a brutal pre-conference schedule, it could explain an awful start. But as I'm not familiar with the GSAC conference or their area, I really have no clue. But here's an interesting piece of information - Huntingdon lost to Rhodes 50-49. That same Rhodes team lost to Westminster earlier this season 77-74. Not sure what we can read into that, but if the Highlanders can play well and escape with a win against Huntingdon, it might give us a read of where the Highlanders are right now. LaGrange is very good, very athletic, and play a rugged schedule. The GSAC only has four teams in its conference - so it looks like they only play six conference games per season. Everything else is non-conference. Whew....

Won't be making the trip. Would be fun, but it's too far for these old legs, old eyes, and old everything else....wish the games were webcast, but I don't think they will be. Would love for MacMurray to webcast all of their games next season, but that's another topic for another time...

Right now I'm just praying that MacMurray has everyone back for the second semester. Last year the Highlanders were gutted by academic and health-related issues at about this same time. Hopefully Coach Hettinga has been on top of this from Day #1.....

[Beaver_SID]

-I'm going to agree to disagree on the issue at hand-

Hopefan-
The conversation was never meant to down anyones experience or thoughts. I apologize if I seemed to go a little to far.

Ballhog-
I was unaware of the drastic difference at Fontbonne. Still Fontbonne's 36% of males almost equals BC enrollment.

Did anyone get a chance to watch the Milikin vs. BC game? I am surprised to see the score so close with 3 players sitting especially Howard.