MBB: American Southwest Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Pete,
Both Schreiner and TLU were home court advantages.

[pistol pete 22]

Yes but UMHB should not have slipped up. They have played too good. They cant afford to lose any more if they want a chance at catching up to McM. The better teams in this league shouldnt slip up against SU and LC

[etbualum]

Ralph Turner

Congrats on the potw

[ASCfan237]

Ozarks with a huge win over UTT. Great wins this week over UTD and UTT. Puts us back in the playoff race. Two road wins for the Eagles is amazing.

[Ralph Turner]

LeTU dodges the bullet with a win over ETBU, 76-66.

Thanks to Buzz for reporting the score.

Schreiner beat TLU 78-69.

[pedh34]

LEtu beat etbu 76-66

Dale Vanwright 30 pts 8 boards
Jairus Rockmore 24 points 7 boards.

I am looking forward to Saturday when we get to play UTT.

[TheBuzz]

Wow.  We had a great game tonight in Longview.  There's nothing better than a rivalry game.  Both LETU and ETBU came to play tonight.  The first half involved a lot of lead changes.  LETU shot 34% in the first half compared to ETBU's 46% which landed ETBU a 39-34 lead at the half. 

LETU played good defense in the first half and GREAT defense in the second half.  We outscored ETBU by 15 after halftime holding them to 33% shooting.

LETU's Dale Vanwright had a career night with 30 points and 7 rebounds.  Vanwright went through a midseason slump but has turned it around scoring 22, 25 and 30 in the last three games.  Also, JJ Rockmore came off the bench (for the first time this year I think) and scored 24.  Great coaching move by Bob Davis bringing Rockmore and Josh Davis off the bench to provide a spark.  Rockmore had his best offensive game of the year and Davis had, in my opinion, his best defensive game of the year.  Kudos Coach.

Before I finish, I have to give some love to ETBU.  This team should not be 6-7 in conference.  They are much better than that.  I can see how they went to Mississippi College and left with a victory.  They are a very athletic squad and Turnipseed can shoot.  They have long, quick big men and Morman has great range.

I'm looking forward to LETU vs UT-Tyler on Saturday.  Should be a great one.  Then on Tuesday, LETU travels to ETBU.  This will be a tough one for the Yellowjackets.  Hopefully we can win a few more and possibly host the tournament.  Bearkat00 said he'll buy dinner for everyone who comes to Longview if LETU hosts the tourney.  J/K!!

-TheBuzz

[Bearkat00]

Bearkat00 said he'll buy dinner for everyone who comes to Longview if LETU hosts the tourney.  J/K!!

-TheBuzz

I better start getting promoted fast!  Nice analysis +1

Some thoughts on last night's game:
- I do agree, you can see how ETBU beat MC.  However, I can also see they lost to Lutheran and SRSU.  Very long, but it seemed like they tightened up towards the end and really didn't have someone to take control of the game.  Defensively, they are VERY tough on the inside, but they left too many guys open.
- Vanwright played a good game, both offensively and defensively.  Had some questionable turnovers and midway through the game, he seemed to be trying to hard.  Towards the end, he just let the game come to him and hit some major shots down the stretch
- Rockmore has played well all season.  He has really benefitted from Vanwright this year as Rockmore moves well without the ball.  He comes off screens better than anyone I've seen in the conference. 
- Davis and Rockmore didn't start b/c of match-ups.  Clark matched up better with ETBU's PG (Turnspiee) than Davis would've.  D.Smith matched up better than Rockmore with Mormon.  ETBU's length is unbeliveable.  I walked past Chambers and in street clothes he doesn't look imposing, but his wingspan makes him 2 feet taller. 
- LETU shoots 62% in second half, compared to ETBU's 33%. 
- LETU goes on 11-0 run at the 10:00 mark to put the game away, which was aided by a tech called on ETBU coach, who had made it up halfway up the court with the refs. 
- LETU was called for a tech - one of their players didn't get recorded in the book. 

[#1ascfanman]

38-26 with LeT victory.  Sounds like it was a good game.  Things may get interesting down the stretch. 

I like the idea of everyone going to the tournament, I know some Division 1 conferences do that.  It give teams like LC something to play for. 

[Ralph Turner]

38-26 with LeT victory.  Sounds like it was a good game.  Things may get interesting down the stretch. 

I like the idea of everyone going to the tournament, I know some Division 1 conferences do that.  It give teams like LC something to play for. 

That subject has come up in the conference before.  Missed class time and travel expenses are a major concern there.

However, I have long been a proponent of handling the conference games differently.  (Please show this to your coaches, AD's and Presidents!)

Please follow me.  This post will be long and full of data, but it will be exhaustive.

(I will waive my consultation fee to the conference.    )

I recommend that only intra-division games be counted for the division standings and the division seedings for the tourney.

McMurry has a 4 game lead on UMHB with 9 games to play, and to clinch the #1 slot.  (If the West were hosting the Tourney, it might almost be over.)

McMurry goes to UMHB on Thursday.  For UMHB to win the West, UMHB must:

--sweep McM and HSU. (D3Hoops.com #4 UMHB lost both games in Abilene last year.)
--must run the table versus CTX, TLU, Schreiner, HPU and SRSU.

In that case, all McMurry needs to do to win the West is win 6 of 7 games versus CTX twice, HSU, HPU, SRSU, TLU and Schreiner.

McMurry is in that position by virtue of a better crossover record.

ASC-West Crossover Game Record

Team.............	W/L.......	Key Outcome
McM	6-1	Lost at UTT 62-66
CTX	4-3	Lost to UTD; lost at LeTU, MissColl. Beat LaColl 85-74, beat UTT 98-83
UMHB	3-4	Lost to UTD, UTT; lost at LeTU, MissColl
HSU	2-5	*
HPU	2-5	*
SRSU	2-5	*
TLU	2-5	*
Schreiner	0-7	*

ASC-East Crossover Game Record.

Team.............	W/L.......	Key Outcome
UTD	7-1	Loss at McM 61-63
LeTU	7-1	Loss at McM 63-65
UTT	7-1	Loss at CUA 83-98
UOzarks	5-3	Loss at CUA 87-91, at UMHB 69-83, at McM 79-82
MissColl	5-3	Loss at HSU 82-88, at McM 73-84, at HPU 69-71
ETBU	3-5	Beat HPU, HSU, Schreiner
LaColl	1-7	Beat Schreiner

Current West Division Standings

Place  School.................	ASC...	Overall......	GB last tourney slot
1.    McMurry	11-1	12-4	3 from clinching
2.    Mary Hardin-Baylor	7-5	9-7	7 from clinching
3T    Concordia	5-7	6-10	-
3T    Hardin-Simmons	5-7	6-10	-
5T    Sul Ross State	4-9	4-12	2
5T   Howard Payne	4-9	4-13	2
5T   Schreiner	4-9	4-13	2
8.    Texas Lutheran	3-10	3-13	3

Every West Division school is still in the running.  Every team has hope of making the tourney, but McMurry has almost clinched the #1 tourney slot!  (As a McMurry fan, that is nice, but I don't think that is the best way to run the conference.)

If we only count intra-division games in those standings...

Place  School..............	West Div...	ASC...	Overall......	GB last tourney slot
1.    McM	5-0	11-1	12-4	5 from clinching
2.    UMHB	4-1	7-5	9-7	6 from clinching
3.   Schr.	4-2	4-9	4-13	6 from clinching
4.    HSU	3-2	5-7	6-10	-
5T    SRSU	2-4	4-9	4-12	2 with 7 left
5T   HPU	2-4	4-9	4-13	2 with 7 left
7.    CTX	1-4	5-7	6-10	2 with 8 left
8.    TLU	1-5	3-10	3-13	3 with 7 left

Every team is in the running.  CTX has hit a tough streak, but even they can get hot and make the tourney as of this minute.  Every team has hope!

Let's look at the ASC-East which will host the Tourney this year.   

Current ASC-East Standings

School.........	ASC.....	Overall...	GB last tourney slot
1. UTD	10-2	15-2	7 from clinching
2. LeTU	10-3	12-6	7 from clinching
3T MissColl	8-4	12-4	8 from clinching
3T UTT	8-4	8-9	8 from clinching
5. Ozarks	7-5	9-8	1
6. ETBU	6-7	9-9	3
7. LaColl	1-11	3-13	7

With the current way that the conference was voted this year, Louisiana College can be mathematically eliminated by Jan 31st!  THAT IS NOT FAIR!


If we only count intra-dvision games in the ASC-East Standings, then this is the way that they look as of today.

Rank/ School...	ASC-East...	ASC...	Overall...	GB last tourney slot
1T UTD	3-1	10-2	15-2	7 from clinching
1T MissColl	3-1	8-4	12-4	8 from clinching
3T LeTU	3-2	10-3	12-6	-
3T ETBU	3-2	6-7	9-9	-
5. Ozarks	2-2	7-5	9-8	0.5 with 7 games left
6. UTT	1-3	8-4	8-9	1.5 with 8 games left
7. LaColl	0-4	1-11	3-13	2.5 with 8 games left

The biggest change is that UTT had a hot start, but look who is in the chase in this scenario.  Everyone!

I believe that a team needs about 10-12 games to work on the chemistry issues and other things.  New players get to prove themselves, and the teams get a second chance when they come back for the spring semester.

The student-athletes and student-fans need hope.

It is a fallacy to think that you must count crossover games in the season standings.  Later in the season, those crossover games may determine at-large Pool C NCAA bids and even hosting the NCAA.  The NCAA states that we have to play a certain number of South Region opponents and other in-region games.  You can follow those discussions on the Pool C board.

I feel sorry for the LaCollege players and fans. They played well, but dug a big hole early.  When they came back from the holidays, they and the other 14 teams needed to have a fresh start.

Please!  Next season, all coaches and AD's and Presidents, let's only count intra-division games towards the divisional crown...just like the baseball coaches have voted!

[Bearkat00]

Doesn't the East host this year?

[pedh34]

Let's look at the ASC-East which will host the Tourney this year.   

Current ASC-East Standings

School.........	ASC.....	Overall...	GB last tourney slot
1. UTD	10-2	15-2	7 from clinching
2. LeTU	10-3	12-6	7 from clinching
3T MissColl	8-4	12-4	8 from clinching
3T UTT	8-4	8-9	8 from clinching
5. Ozarks	7-5	9-8	1
6. ETBU	6-7	9-9	3
7. LaColl	1-11	3-13	7

With the current way that the conference was voted this year, Louisiana College can be mathematically eliminated by Jan 31st!  THAT IS NOT FAIR!


If we only count intra-dvision games in the ASC-East Standings, then this is the way that they look as of today.

Rank/ School...	ASC-East...	ASC...	Overall...	GB last tourney slot
1T UTD	3-1	10-2	15-2	7 from clinching
1T LeTU	3-1	10-3	12-6	7 from clinching
1T MissColl	3-1	8-4	12-4	8 from clinching
4. ETBU	3-2	6-7	9-9	-
5. Ozarks	2-2	7-5	9-8	0.5 with 7 games left
6. UTT	1-3	8-4	8-9	1.5 with 8 games left
7. LaColl	0-4	1-11	3-13	2.5 with 8 games left

The biggest change is that UTT had a hot start, but look who is in the chase in this scenario.  Everyone!

I believe that a team needs about 10-12 games to work on the chemistry issues and other things.  New players get to prove themselves, and the teams get a second chance when they come back for the spring semester.

The student-athletes and student-fans need hope.

It is a fallacy to think that you must count crossover games in the season standings.  Later in the season, those crossover games may determine at-large Pool C NCAA bids and even hosting the NCAA.  The NCAA states that we have to play a certain number of South Region opponents and other in-region games.  You can follow those discussions on the Pool C board.

I feel sorry for the LaCollege players and fans. They played well, but dug a big hole early.  When they came back from the holidays, they and the other 14 teams needed to have a fresh start.

Please!  Next season, all coaches and AD's and Presidents, let's only count intra-division games towards the divisional crown...just like the baseball coaches have voted!


[/quote]

Yes the East side will Host the Tournament.

[Bearkat00]

LETU is 3-2 in ASC EAST Play

Wins against - Ozarks, LC and ETBU
Losses against - MC & UTD

[Ralph Turner]

LETU is 3-2 in ASC EAST Play

Wins against - Ozarks, LC and ETBU
Losses against - MC & UTD

+1, and thanks for proofreading! 

I also noticed that Tuesday's  LeTU-ETBU score has not been reported to D3hoops.com.

[#1ascfanman]

I am currently sitting at  37-26.  Could not get my picks in for Thursdays action but here are my pics for Saturday:


LC over UO-We finally are going to get one at home!
McMurry over CUA-McMurry bounces back from the loss
TLU over HPU
UMHB over HSU
MC over UT-D-Tough one to call, MC struggled with UO, hard to see MC lose at home twice in one season.
SU over SRSU-SU is on a roll right now it seems
LeT over Tyler