MBB: American Southwest Conference

[golden_dome]

Chris, let's follow this line of thinking...

1)  MC had a great experience last year, and I think that they are back where they need to be.  This is not to disparage Coach Lofton...

(My high school teammate was Ray(mond) Rhodes of Green Bay/Philly Iggles fame and formerly Mike Holmgren's defensive co-ordinator.  I have the greatest respect for Raymond, but I think that his greatest contribution to his professional football teams was as a defensive coordinator.  In a team game where one must use one's talents ultimately to what the team needs, I think that Raymond was most successful in his role as defensive co-ordinator.)

...Likewise, I think that MC has the Jones-Lofton team going again, and they will be formidable.

2)  Those players remember what happened in the Sweet 16.  I think that you have such a core of players from that experience that they will not make those mistakes again.

3)  They have whipped themsleves into shape since the Wesley MI game.  They are a mature team that is intent on winning.  I can see great things out of this team.  The experience of last year, and the desire not to fail is driving them hard.

1. There is a lot of truth to that, Coach Lofton has been a great assistant for years and knows how to sell MC and get players. Anytime you can add someone like Coach Jones it obviously makes you better. You could argue that Coach Jones, who is the 4th active winningest DIII coach in the nation, has been the best coach in Mississippi the last 20 years in any level, period. But know this about Coach Lofton. He was head coach four years and the NCAA only recognizes head coaches with at least five years on the winnnig percentage list. If Coach Lofton had one more year his record of 92-23 (.800) would rank 2nd in the nation among all coaches in all divisions entering this season behind only Mark Few of Gonzaga and directly ahead of Roy Williams of NC. That is impressive.

2.No question last year was bitter for the players. We have had NCAA losses when we felt we were outmatched but we just played poorly last year and did not seem to get any breaks. Transy banked in about three 3's and it was just their night. I know our kids are very motivated by that loss.

3. If there was a chance of the players getting to far ahead of themselves Wesley ended it quickly. I have not researched this, but the 31 turnovers we had in that game I believe are the most we have ever had in DIII and Wesley still needed a last second 3 to send it to OT, but I think it could be a good loss in the grand scheme.

The kids we have this year are experienced and they know how important every game is in the regular season if you want to set yourself up in the NCAA Tourney. We might be better this year with these players more experienced now but last year was a special year. To lose one game all season is amazing in this league and this team will have to be ready every night and gets some breaks along the way to do it. To repeat that kind of season a lot of things have to go your way.

[gccfan]

It has been fun reading the posts today.  With no LETU game tomorrow night I'm looking forward to trying to keep track of all the action.

[Ralph Turner]

McMurry will be on the radio, both men and women (UMHB).

I think that MissCollege is on the radio, too. (UT-D)  Chris, can you confirm that feed for those national fans who might have an interest?     (UTD is webcasting their home games on the UTD site.)

Check TLU vs SRSU.

ETBU broadcasts their games.

With all of the engineering types at LeTU, I am surprised that they have not rigged a webcast, too.

HPU is on the road.

[diehardfan]

The starting backcourt for the 2005 national champs would have been one year out of school in most D3 leagues. 

On the other hand, the 2004 National Champs did it when they weren't using their eligibility. I think that's just further evidence that the WIAC will still be good no matter what... just not as good.

Incidentally, if it comes down to a choice between Mississippi College getting the hosting nod as a higher seed and the NCAA paying less, I hope they make the right choice and send the sectionals down there... as they did for Puget Sound a few years back. Those things about bracketology drive the part of me that has a strong sense of fairness absolutely crazy! The same way I'm tired of seeing the NWC and the SCIAC play a first round game every single time.... and two Texas teams play in the first round, etc. 

[Ralph Turner]

The starting backcourt for the 2005 national champs would have been one year out of school in most D3 leagues. 

On the other hand, the 2004 National Champs did it when they weren't using their eligibility. I think that's just further evidence that the WIAC will still be good no matter what... just not as good.

Incidentally, if it comes down to a choice between Mississippi College getting the hosting nod as a higher seed and the NCAA paying less, I hope they make the right choice and send the sectionals down there... as they did for Puget Sound a few years back. Those things about bracketology drive the part of me that has a strong sense of fairness absolutely crazy! The same way I'm tired of seeing the NWC and the SCIAC play a first round game every single time.... and two Texas teams play in the first round, etc. 

UPS really earned it that year, and you had another travel orphan that needed to be flown, SRSU. That was the year that 13-12 UDallas earned a Pool B bid, and I suspect that part of that was that they were 497 miles by bus to the ASC Pool A bid, SRSU.  Both UDallas and SRSU were also bussing distance to Trinity TX.  In the old bye/home/away philosophy,  Trinity deserved a bye, SRSU deserved a home game and UDallas should have been grateful to be playing. 

[golden_dome]

McMurry will be on the radio, both men and women (UMHB).

I think that MissCollege is on the radio, too. (UT-D)  Chris, can you confirm that feed for those national fans who might have an interest?     (UTD is webcasting their home games on the UTD site.)

Yes, we webcast all of our games through stretch internet and we also will be streaming live stats tomorrow. Just so everyone knows, we also have live video for all of our home games. I wish we were able to do it free but it is part of a subscription service we offer through our internet provider, Internet Consulting Services. It is $9.95 for a monthly subscription of games and you cancel your subscription anytime. I will put links on here in the morning when I get everything set up.

[Bearkat00]

With all of the engineering types at LeTU, I am surprised that they have not rigged a webcast, too.

Ralph obviously knows A LOT about LETU! 

[CUAfan]

Don't forget Hardin-Simmons @ Concordia! Webcast available through audiosportsonline.com, there's a link on the CUA athletics website.

Pity I can't make the game tonight, I wanted to see if we could topple Pickelman (sp?) and Jean. Speaking of which, is Dan Jean brother to Mardochee?

[Bearkat00]

Pity I can't make the game tonight, I wanted to see if we could topple Pickelman (sp?) and Jean. Speaking of which, is Dan Jean brother to Mardochee?

Yessir.  Asked the same question when came and played LETU.  Mardochee is definitley the better player.

How's Maxwell doing?

[gccfan]

Ralph, LeTourneau does do a free audio webcast at audiosportsonline.net same as Concordia, Schreiner and ETBU.  Plus we also have a live feed for home games.  Unfortunately, it is included in a whole LETU Athletics package that costs 99 bucks a year for live home basketball and volleyball games plus archived away games for basketball and volleyball plus home softball and baseball and all soccer games.  Those games are available at www.summitticket.com.  I'm pretty sure that they could do it on an individual game basis, but there hasn't been any outcry for that yet. 

[gccfan]

Just thought I would update everyone on the Player Ratings heading into the Division Schedule

1. Chris Isom, ETBU, 46.73
2. Mardochee Jean, HSU, 46.04
3. Tim Broomfield, MC, 44.00
4. Joel McDonald, CUA, 43.91
5. Josh Johnson, LC, 40.17
6. Martin Salinas, UTD, 39.65
7. Kendrick Johnson, HPU, 39.33
8. Habeeb Kareem, UO, 38.04
9. Jonathan Young, SU, 35.96
10. Jordan Eppink, UTD, 35.62

I have either seen or am familiar with every player other than Josh Johnson at Louisiana.  For those of you that have seen him, how good is he and does he deserve consideration for player of the year honors?

[diehardfan]

I know we're basically done with the redshirting issue, but I thought this was too interesting not to mention... From the bio of Chris Martin, Commissioner of the CCIW...

"created a proposal to eliminate redshirting at the Division III level"
http://www.cciw.org/general/Martin_Bio.php

Interesting that a proposal that ended up helping the CCIW ended up originating with our own commish! 

[Warren Thompson]

What a minute! Is this actually the real diehardfan posting in the ASC room? Mercy! Might a relocation to Alpine be in the works?

[golden_dome]

For the MC/UTD games tonight.

Live stats at http://www.gochoctaws.com/live/mbball/xlive.htm
I have had some trouble with our stat computer connecting to our FTP site. Just a heads up if there is a problem but it should be fine.

Live audio at http://www.gochoctaws.com/Sports/admin/2006/Broadcast.asp

[Ralph Turner]

I have created a separate message board for in-game updates.

Let's move our in-game postings over there.

(This has been successful in ASC football and other conferences use in-game update boards for basketball as well.)

ASC In-game updates