MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

Would love to do a comparison or discussion of SLIAC teams' non conference schedules, but unfortunately Blackburn, Mac and Principia have not yet posted their schedules   

  Thus far there are some very challenging schedules out there, as well as some that border on being embarrassing.  I guess each coach has their own agenda - some obviously to provide extreme challenges in order to prep for the conference, other to get "sure" wins and playing time for the bench in scheduling the St Louis Christians, Concordia St Ls and Logan Chiros.   Fortunately St Louis Mortuary Prep has not yet found their way on to anyone's schedule.

[fcnews]

Hopefan - Same discussion different year. Until the SLIAC reaches the level that would warrant an At Large Bid, non - conf. scheduling is irrevelent to me. Last year Maryville played one of the tougher and FU ( by this boards standards ) one of the weakest. Results show no indication of how a team will fair come conference time. A good coach can get his team ready either way.

First year in awhile that FU has a senior class. Fournie and Dressler will lend some maturity to this squad.

[FU Fan]

Don't you think a non-conference schedule should contain both teams above and below your level ? Seems to me you want your team to build confidence by a win here and there and build strength by playing teams that should stomp a mud hole in you.You can't get better if you don't play better. I think some of this plays around where your own team is by virtue of their age, or the teams skill level or lack there of, and by even injuries your guys need to recover from. Travel even plays in there. You can't always pick and chose exactly who you play. There has to be a lot of mutual agreements. With an at large bid maybe being at stake it makes you search for that type of scheduling that makes you stand out. If your in the win column at the end.

[pantherpride06]

Haha FU fan.  You are asking for a slobberknocker with that question/comment.  Where is our good buddy that likes to stir up the brew here.  Sager... time for your comments on this issue.

Greenville takes that stand.  Most posters here think otherwise.  Lots of cracks on the NCCAA schools (which we are apart of at Greenville... or I should say they since I'm a logger now.)  For Greenville, there are mutual agreements with schools.  STL Pharmacy, McKendree, STL Christian occasionally.  Those are schools are because Coach has a good relationship with those institutions.  Take of it what you will.  We want to better ourselves but realize getting hammered by CCIW schools will not improve our guys.  Letting Wash U, Elmhurst, IWU, North Central pound us isn't exately a great way to go into SLIAC play for the Panthers of Greenville.

I'm know I'll get comments.   I'm ready!

[Gregory Sager]

Haha FU fan.  You are asking for a slobberknocker with that question/comment.  Where is our good buddy that likes to stir up the brew here.  Sager... time for your comments on this issue.

I've said my piece on this subject. The people who read this room regularly already know my opinion about the various approaches to SLIAC non-conference scheduling.

There, I've offered my comment. Happy now?

[sully309]

There has been an emphasis in recent years at Eureka to try to schedule all (or at least as many as possible) D3 opponents for non-conference games in all sports. It doesn't always happen and maybe it shouldn't. I am a fan of this policy, but there are many other factors at play besides just what kind of schedule best prepares a team for the season. It is obvious the NCAA is trying to push schools toward playing other schools within their division and in most cases region. I think this is a good move in general, but is tough to through a blanket over everyone in D3. There are a wide variety schools involved.

Eureka's non-conference schedule is not the best this year:

UW-Whitewater Tourney
@ North Park
@ Elmhurst
Dominican
Millikin
@ Knox

Challenging, yes, but there are some problems with it. For starters, North Park is also in the UWW tourney, so we could end up playing them back-to-back. The Elmhurst game sticks out of course, but Coach Scherer is a Eureka grad. In my opinion, this would be a great schedule for a veteran team to play. Unfortunately, EC will not be as experienced as last year's squad was. My final concern is that EC jumps right back into SLIAC play on Jan. 5 after a 22 day break. A warm up game would have been nice. Last year, Eureka was blitzed by Dominican in a warm up game on Jan. 3 after a similar break, but came back 3 days later to top Maryville.

The last 3 games on the list should be pretty fair match ups, which are the most fan (and SID) friendly.

[fcnews]

OK !!! FU opens up with William Penn ( 25-9 last season, back to back MWC champs, NAIA II ) has RHIT and Wash U. A tough game against Robert Morris of Chicago. Also Hope International beat FU two years ago. Remaining schedule non conf schedule are 2nd game at Big 4 Classic and of course CalTech. It isn't pie and it isn't devestating.

Then opens conference play in early Dec. w/ WU and Mac.

[Gregory Sager]

Fontbonne's obviously resisting the D3 emphasis that Eureka SID mentioned regarding scheduling other D3 schools, since only Rose-Hulman, Wash U, and Caltech are fellow D3 members -- or perhaps Fontbonne's simply been unable to secure contracts with more D3 schools. Either way, fcnews is right about the mixed-bag nature of that schedule. Hope International (4-26 last season) is awful, Rose-Hulman (three of their top four scorers graduated from last season's 9-16 team) will probably struggle just to reach mediocrity, and Caltech traditionally fields the worst men's basketball team in all of D3. However, no schedule that includes RMC-Chicago, William Penn, and Wash U can be considered to be weak. William Penn loses two 1,000-point scorers from last year's team, so it remains to be seen how good the Statesmen will be coming into 2007-08; however, Wash U and RMC-Chicago will probably be favored against any D3 team that either will happen to play next season. The Bears will be ranked somewhere in the top three in the d3hoops.com preseason poll (perhaps even #1), and the Eagles have made a habit out of going deep into the NAIA-1 tournament every season over the past few years.

Strictly in terms of competitive level, that's a well-balanced schedule for Fontbonne.

[hopefan]

I had written a similar paragraph regarding Fontbonne's schedule, but somehow lost it during work and failed to post it -   However, I was not as impressed with William Penn as Greg, as I found that there 26 - 9 record included 3 Division 3 games, all losses, to Knox, Monmouth, and UW River Falls.  That Iowa NAIA league that seems to have had several schools go under in recent years may not provide the level of competition that the NCAA D3 Iowa league provides - that Wm Penn left....

[fcnews]

Not resisting the DIII emphasis. Fontbonne's schedule has some tradition. We always spend the opening weekend in Chicago. Let the kids and fans enjoy all the fun that is the "lighting of the lights on Michigan Ave.". FU has taken a Christmas trip since the program started, we try to schedule DIII although sometimes thats not possible. The FU v. RHIT has been a series that goes back awhile do to the two coach's relationship.

[Wydown Blvd.]

Quite honestly, I think Webster is a candidate for having the best non conference schedule in the country   ---  ALL d3 games, all solid teams
Hanover, Transy, Augie, Platteville, Ill Wesleyan, MSOE, and Wash U...

i agree with hopefan, and figured id throw them into the mix. no one seems to be pointing out this strong schedule.

[Gregory Sager]

I had written a similar paragraph regarding Fontbonne's schedule, but somehow lost it during work and failed to post it -   However, I was not as impressed with William Penn as Greg, as I found that there 26 - 9 record included 3 Division 3 games, all losses, to Knox, Monmouth, and UW River Falls.  That Iowa NAIA league that seems to have had several schools go under in recent years may not provide the level of competition that the NCAA D3 Iowa league provides - that Wm Penn left....

Nice catch, Hopefan. If I had bothered to look at how William Penn got that 26-9 mark I wouldn't have given them the honor of being named alongside Wash U and RMC-Chicago. Knox (5-18) was terrible, and Monmouth (11-11) and UWRF (10-16, 5-11 WIAC) were average at best for D3 teams, so losing to those teams significantly downgraded William Penn's accomplishments last season.

As for the conference in which the Statesmen play, the Midwest Classic Conference, it isn't particularly strong by small-college standards ... although their former conference, D3's IIAC, really isn't, either. It's worth noting, though, that the MCC team that finished runner-up to William Penn, St. Ambrose, was the only outfit that put the wood to CCIW champion Augustana last season. The Bees thrashed their cross-river rival by 23, and nobody else managed to beat Augie by more than 11.

Still, as I said, William Penn lost a couple members of the school's Thousand Point Club to graduation, so my guess was that the Statesmen won't be quite as good in 2007-08 as they were in 2006-07. I still think that Fontbonne can hang its hat on RMC-Chicago and Wash U as giving the Griffins sufficient legitimacy in terms of the competitive level of their non-conference schedule.

[y_jack_lok]

Interesting article about what may be in store for Division III.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18059546/site/newsweek/page/0/

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I like the idea of an A and a AA playing to one championship.

[pantherpride06]

I like the Divison III A & AA.  I'll be able to attend the convention in 2008 & 09 and I am excited to see what is going to happen.