MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[y_jack_lok]

Congratulations to MacMurray on selecting an outstanding leader for the future. I counted the number of former presidents at the bottom of the press release. Dr. Hester will be only the 15th president in the nearly 160 year history of the college. That speaks very highly of MacMurray. I think Mac Attack's confidence was well placed and validated by the search result. I know something about one of the members of the search committee which gave me a feeling of assurance that a well defined process and excellent evaluation of candidates would occur. I sense stability returning to the MacMurray campus and the benefits of that should begin to show in all phases of institutional life in the very near future.

[y_jack_lok]

BunchTime, thanks for the schedule and recruiting info. Since you seem to have a pipeline to the source, I look forward to future updates.

[hopefan]

Wow - I thought Maryville's schedule was tough, but I think Webster's even surpasses it. 

When looking at the schedule, I was particularly intrigued by the Gorlock Classic - it appears that Wash U and Webster will each play UW Platteville and Augustana - great doubleheaders both nights - I already look forward to that weekend!  Going up to the Shirk and playing Illinois Wesleyan will be a challenge, but also the tops in D3 college basketball atmosphere - will be a great experiences for the kids to play in front of a crowd like that.

Webster will clearly be forecasted as a contender in the SLIAC - the schedule that Coach Bunch has arranged provides an opportunity for a top  SLIAC team to show the D3 world that the SLIAC has attracted enough talent to start climbing a rung or two on the D3 pecking order.  Unfortunately, it could also lead to a dismal preseason, because with a schedule like that, an 0-7 non conference record could jump up and bite the Gorlocks.  But with 3 or 4 wins, Webster would be on the map!!!!

3 SLIAC teams have now exposed their schedules on these pages Maryville, Webster, and Eureka), and each are extremely challenging  -  CCIW, WIAC, HCAC, D2 games across the board - some outstanding hoops to be watched if our kids can be competitive at that level.
Now, if only Fontbonne would get SLpharm, SLchristian, slchiro, and slministry off their schedule....  oops, sorry FC, just had to make sure i keep you on your toes.

As a sidelight, I noticed Andrew James was Eureka High School's Scholar Athlete in today's Post Dispatch (my local high school)- I know he was considering playing ball at several of the SLIAC schools as well as some of the NAIA programs - hope he goes SLIAC!!!!  6-7, shoot well moves well, not strong enough to go big time, but should be a good D3 player.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I know Fontbonne is bringing back a good crew, but are all these SLIAC schools really at the level where playing a schedule with that difficulty will help?

I know you want to schedule ambitiously, but that's quite the gauntlet.

[y_jack_lok]

As BunchTime said when he posted Webster's non-conference opponents, it is primarily about getting ready for conference play. Wash U has been on the schedule every year for many years. Hanover and Transy have been on the schedule for the past four years, at least. Milkwaukee School of Engineering was on the schedule last year. Augie, UW-Platteville, and IWU are newcomers. Last year Webster beat Hanover, lost to Milwaukww SoE by 3 points, and lost to Transy and Wash U by about 16 points each. Two years ago Webster came within a fraction of a second of beating Hanover in regulation, but a last minute 3 pointer that would have won the game got off a wee bit too late. Hanover then won that game in overtime.

Who's to say what will happen this year. As hopefan points out, Webster could lose all seven of those games. Time will tell.

[hopefan]

for whatever reason, I went through the 160+ scholar athletes in today's Post Dispatch to see how the SLIAC did for Bball players.  Of those students who put down their intended schools (about 75% of the group), only 3 potential hoopers chose SLIAC schools  (Basketball appeared to be their no 1 sport).

They were  :  Jake Mydlo - Kennedy HS  to Westminster - was the dominant player on his team, fair program, averaged 14+ points per game

Andrew Toeben - Warrenton  - to Maryville - I think I remember seeing this young man with his Dad at a Maryville game - stats arent much 6 points per game

Johanna Myers - Tower Grove Christian - Maryville - ok SHE is a hooper too  - big time stats for a very tiny private school.

Very few other athletes picked SLIAC schools  maybe another 10.  One that caught my eye was Sam Evans of Vashon going to Blackburn.  I assume he'll be playing football, as he was a National Football Foundation Scholarship winner (a very nice program that gives some small scholarship dollars to students with outstanding academic records who also acheived on the football field).Congrats to Sam and BC.

oh one other basketball player on the list is Michael Krane from Pattonville, who will be going to Wash U. - He averaged 12+ points, which is saying something in the ultra tough Sub North Conf.

[y_jack_lok]

It's hard to know how the Post-Dispatch gets that information on college choices of local scholar athletes. Just because SLIAC schools don't appear on the list doesn't mean local athletes won't be attending and playing for them. Surely there are more than 160 students graduating from Saint Louis area high schools who are going to be playing sports for the colleges they attend.

[hopefan]

Yjak - you misunderstood - there is only 1 post dispatch scholar athlete per school  - they are, so to speak, the cream of the crop - the best in their school using a combination of academic and athletic measures.  Yes, there are obviously many more student athletes out there, many of whom will be going to SLIAC schools.  It's fun to read about each of these kids to see what they've acheived academicly and athletically, and what their aspirations are.

[BunchTime]

Hoops Fan, I understand what you are saying, and by no means, am I telling every school to go out and play the type of schedule Webster has assembled for next season.  However, it would be beneficial for each team to raise the bar each season.  It would be counterproductive, I believe, for the lower end SLIAC teams to play Webster's schedule.

Webster has consistently proved itself to be among the top teams in the SLIAC.  Therefore, Coach Bunch believes his kids can handle this type of schedule.  They will have a veteran ballclub next season and even if they stumble into conference at 1-6 or 0-7, he probably feels the lack of wins will not affect his team's confidence, but instead prepare them for the rigors of conference play.

Like I have said in the past, its not like SLIAC teams are playing for an at-large bid in which the scheduling would perhaps be more balanced.  The only way to get to the tourney -- which is Webster's goal every season (and a legitimate one at that) -- is to win conference and the benefit of playing increased level of competition outweighs the benefit of stomping on weak foes to pad the record.

[fcnews]

Here comes the schedule debate again. FC had the worst non-conf. schedule in the league last year (based on comments on this site). FC was obviously prepared for the late season run. Scheduling is a choice coaches make for various reasons. FC's schedule will be strenghten this year. But, remember the only Senior on the Griffin squad will be Chad Fournie. The Junior or Sophmore class will be strong and add probably two true freshmen that will see a lot of time. A few transfers have strenghten the Griffins depth chart.

You need to challenge these young teams and at the same time teach them a measure of success. After FC's 2-7 start last year, it took alot of heart to get back up off the canvas to win a split decision. I for one know that last years squad got real close to losing their confidence in late December. I truly think last year was one of the best jobs of coaching that the FC staff has had in a few years. They made those kids believe in themselves and and the system.

What I'm trying to say is that the schedule has to have a purpose. And that's winning the post season tourney.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Hoops Fan, I understand what you are saying, and by no means, am I telling every school to go out and play the type of schedule Webster has assembled for next season.  However, it would be beneficial for each team to raise the bar each season.  It would be counterproductive, I believe, for the lower end SLIAC teams to play Webster's schedule.

Webster has consistently proved itself to be among the top teams in the SLIAC.  Therefore, Coach Bunch believes his kids can handle this type of schedule.  They will have a veteran ballclub next season and even if they stumble into conference at 1-6 or 0-7, he probably feels the lack of wins will not affect his team's confidence, but instead prepare them for the rigors of conference play.

Like I have said in the past, its not like SLIAC teams are playing for an at-large bid in which the scheduling would perhaps be more balanced.  The only way to get to the tourney -- which is Webster's goal every season (and a legitimate one at that) -- is to win conference and the benefit of playing increased level of competition outweighs the benefit of stomping on weak foes to pad the record.

Thanks; that's what I was looking for.  I didn't realize Webster was ready to compete on that level for the entire non-conference season.

[pantherpride06]

I'll research to see what our Pre-Conference schedule is.  I'll aready tell you that we have 1 CCIW school.  I'll see what I can dig up.  I'm off to Los Vegas for a job interview with UNLV my SLIAC Board posters.  Ill be back with some updates this weekend or Monday.

[y_jack_lok]

The only way to get to the tourney -- which is Webster's goal every season (and a legitimate one at that) -- is to win conference

That is absolutely the goal. And in the SLIAC the only way to get to the NCAA tournament is to win the SLIAC tournament. I have mixed feelings about that. But that's the way it is in almost every sport at every level.

And pantherpride06, a possible job at UNLV. Good luck. Don't abandon us if you become a D1 Runnin' Rebel.

[hopefan]

ok trivia experts - a season pass to all SLIAC basketball games to the person who can identify the nearest D3 school to UNLV - so panther can get a D3 fix if he gets a job at UNLV.

[fcnews]

FU has the following games on their non-conf. schedule. (2) games at Big 4 Classic - first game will be D3, second game Host Moody or the other d3 team. Will update the other two teams when they are assigned. Wash U and Rose Hulman at home. @ Cal Tech. Two games still open. One probably will be D1 contest. These two games where to be at a classic, but rescheduling was necessasary. FU @ SLU exhibition game is still on at this time.