SLIAC

[y_jack_lok]

Is that the Millikin women's coach (Lori Kerans) I see reading our board? If so, it's an honor to have you visiting, even though you beat my alma mater, Randolph-Macon in the national championship game a few seasons ago -- 2005 I believe.

[sully309]

Eureka won the first road game of the season Wednesday over MacMurray 80-77.  The athletic trainer stayed busy in this game as several players left with injury. Abby Lowe got Mac off to a great start by hitting 5 3s in the first 9 minutes for a 25-12 lead. Lowe then left shortly after that with an ankle injury. She came back to play almost of the 2nd half, but she was not 100%. She is an amazing athlete and a tough player to defend healthy or not.

Eureka came back from 9 down at halftime to tie the game less than 5 minutes into the 2nd half. Mac went back ahead by 9, but EC came back again to take the lead for the 1st time with 1 minute to go. Lisa Byard put EC ahead and Lauren Snopek hit a jumper to give EC a 3 point lead with 33 seconds. Lowe pulled Mac back within 1, but Lindsey Crum hit a layup with 10 seconds left and Lowe missed a desperation 3 at the end.

The Red Devils shot 59 percent for their highest field goal percentage in a game in 5 years. Crum scored 34, which is the most in a game for an EC player in over 16 years. Eureka basically had 5 healthy players in the game in the 2nd half and still pulled it out. EC keeps falling behind by double digits early and then fighting back into it. Is that a sign of a great team? No, but it makes covering their games more enjoyable.

Mac is much imporoved and is playing very hard for their new coach.

[sully309]

Also, to clear up a few things. Collier of Fontbonne is a sophomore I believe. Not a frosh.

Blackburn has actually moved the bleachers behind the benches to the end by the doors with a set on both sides. There's more room down there so it works out better I think. There were no bleachers behind the benches when we were there in January.

[hopefan]

correct on Collier  -  My mistake....

[Coach Will]

The schedule maker was not very nice to Blackburn College, as Blackburn had to play Maryville with Wilhelm and  then Principia with Speer. Blackburn with 1 and 1 with in these two games, but both big girls had a double double against them. The Blackburn Coach surely will not be upset to see the both of them graduate, as they both are great player, and great young ladies!

[hopefan]

katie Myers hits a 3 pointer in final seconds for Webster to beat Greenville by 2

[y_jack_lok]

Gotcha, hopefan  . (He'll know what this means, but if others don't, go read the men's board.) Katie Myers hit a 3 to put Webster up by one, then stole a pass at mid court, got fouled and made one free throw for the two point margin. The devil is in the details.

[HCACBBALL]

On Wednesday, it looks like we have two good games especially in determining the tournament teams. 

Westmin at Webster and Fontbone at Blackburn. 

I know it is still early but Webster can not get too far behind the pack.  My best guess is there will be Westmin and Blackburn wins.

[y_jack_lok]

HCAC, I'm  not much into predictions, but I think you've made a pretty bold one that Blackburn will beat Fontbonne. I rate the WC - WU game a toss up

[y_jack_lok]

HCAC, I'm  not much into predictions, but I think you've made a pretty bold one that Blackburn will beat Fontbonne. I rate the WC - WU game a toss up

When I wrote the above I forgot that I was on the women's board, not the men's. I'll go with Blackburn. The Lady Beavers lost at Fontbonne, but the Beaver Dome is not friendly to outsiders and I think BC is a bit more improved at this stage of the season than FU. I'll leave the WC - WU game a toss-up, even though the Gorloks lost their point guard to injury in the Eureka game.

[HCACBBALL]

Y-Jack that would be a bold prediction for Blackburn's Men to beat Fontbonne.  I will not take that one.   

[sully309]

Eureka almost pulled one out over Westminster Saturday, but lost 62-58. Westminster's depth was a big factor as Eureka's top 3 scoring options all picked up 3 fouls in the 1st half and all had their 4th less than 7 minutes into the second half.  Eureka still fought valiently and stayed close enough to have a possession at the end to tie.

Both teams missed some key free throws.  Eureka had Kim Downs at the line with 34 second left down by 2, but ended up with 2 misses. Then, Westminster went 1-4 at the line to keep EC alive. After 2 misses with 8.5 seconds left, Eureka grabbed the rebound down by 2, but had a long pass intercepted.

Westminster always seems to make a bunch of three-pointers against EC and that was the case again.  EC got outscored 24-3 behind the arc.  With Eureka's 3 tallest players all in foul trouble, Westminster was able to grab 16 offensive rebounds in the second half to overcome 27.5% shooting.

Interesting to see the 4 teams at 2-5 going into Saturday all playing teams ahead of them in the standings and we ended up with 3 games decided by 4 points or less. It was probably the last hurrah for those 4 to get back in the race, but I would expect each to keep playing close games with the upper division teams (except for MU) the rest of the way.

[sully309]

HCAC, I'm  not much into predictions, but I think you've made a pretty bold one that Blackburn will beat Fontbonne. I rate the WC - WU game a toss up

When I wrote the above I forgot that I was on the women's board, not the men's. I'll go with Blackburn. The Lady Beavers lost at Fontbonne, but the Beaver Dome is not friendly to outsiders and I think BC is a bit more improved at this stage of the season than FU. I'll leave the WC - WU game a toss-up, even though the Gorloks lost their point guard to injury in the Eureka game.

Wow! Rare prediction by Y_Jak. I think he's being a tad conservative in talking about his Gorloks though. I can only base this off the games they recently played against Eureka, but I think Webster will handle things at home against Westminster.  They are coming off a dramitic win and those things have a way of carrying over to the next game.

[hopefan]

Predictions make for good discussion - When I saw the prediction of a Webster win over Westmin by Yjak, I was surprised for 2 reasons - No 1, I don't think yjak has seen Westmin yet this year, though I may be wrong...  no 2, Yjak and Furbug were both really down on Webster's performance vs Greenville, despite the last second heroics to win the game - I missed all but the last minute of that game, but evidently Webster just had a horrible time with Greenville's full court pressure.  I also note that Myrt Riley had a weak game -something that is confusing to me as I see the potential in her to dominate in the SLIAC given the proper motivation and technical know how.

Westminster has a number of very athletic guards who seem capable of playing that same kind of pressing defense . their inside people are not that strong, but do benefit from good penetration and passing by the guards.  The guards did not shoot well at all in the games I saw them(losses to Maryville and Fontbonne), so if they have that capability as Eureka SID tells us, they are that more of an offensive threat. 

To me Riley is the key to Webster winning this game, and moreso Defensively than offensively.  If Westmins guards can't penetrate and score and their big people don't contribute much because of Riley's presence in the middle, it will be a huge plus for Webster..... that and Webster must take much better care of the ball than they did vs Greenville....

[theoneandonly]

The girls game at blackburn this weekend was actually fairly packed. Speer played a good game but it just wasnt quite enough to hold off blackburn. my question is, with 20 second left how can you let Speer dribble right down court uncontested and lay the ball up to tie the game, it was a little rediculous. but good game played by both teams. congrats blackburn girls