SLIAC

[hopefan]

SLIAC LEGEND  -  the point is, only Maryville will be playing Div 2 competition next year in order to get crushed by them.....

[Coach Will]

I am so sick of hearing how bad the SLIAC conference is a whole. I do believe that this conference is on the rise, and the reason that many of the teams have subpar records is because of their tough non-conference schedules. Many of the teams play against one or two D-2 school as well as NAIA schools that offer full scholarships. It is very tough to beat those school, but the teams in this conference schedule those games to help prepare them for conference.
Every school could schedule 6 non-conference cup cakes, but them me how that would get them prepared for conference? It won't! There are also good coaches in this conference:
Quigley, Mulholland, Purdy, Braden and Hearns, not to mention the new coaches that are adding excitment to the conference. The other issue is budgets, how can the school in the SLIAC match up with schools in the CCIW? Example, every other year, Millikin women go to the virgin Islands. So as a recruit, where would you go, to Millikin and go to the virgins Islands or go to Blackburn and go to Franklin college in Indiana? That's a no brainer.

Give this conference a few years, and watch to see the cream rise to the top!!!

Go SLIAC

Lastly, I think that Coach Ellis is a great coach, and a pretty good guy. He has always shown respect to me as a person. Although, me personally, would not try to embarrass team by having my starters run them into the ground. With that said, I have been in that situation before being up a lot and wanting to play my starters for a few more minutes in the second half to work on something that they did not do well earlier.

[SLIAC LEGEND]

Coach Dubb,
I totally agree with you on many points.  The SLIAC has drawbacks in facilities and budgets, I understand it's hard to fundraise when you are teaching/coaching full time.  Kids don't want to raise $20k for a trip when they are paying $30k to go to school.  The conference is on the rise, but it is still one of the weakest in D3, and has been since inception.  I agree that the conference is getting better, but as a whole, they need to recruit better and play better vs non-conference opponents (CCIW, WIAC, Midwestern, etc).  I do believe Fontbonne had a good run in the 90s, and Maryville has since Coach Ellis 3rd year or so-college bball is 90% recruiting!! 

I do agree you can't have 6 cupcakes, but I think 3 of them could be, and then play 1 or 2 good teams as a measuring stick.  I would hardly call Stephens, Robert Morris, and others NAIA powerhouses.  If you were playing McKendree, Columbia College, or William Jewell, then I could understand. 

I totally agree-people make judgements on Coach Ellis unfairly.  Other coaches leave in their starters or want them to work on a different D when up 20 and no one says a word.  Just think some of the criticism is just due to jealousy.  I wish you all the best of luck and to watching more exciting games.

[hopefan]

SLIAC LEGEND  -  I have no tie to any SLIAC school, I have no kids, relatives, or acquaintances on any team.  I love the SLIAC for the great competition on the men's side between the teams, not outside the conference  -  with Maryville leaving next year, I look forward to that same level of competition for the conference championship on the ladies' side

JEALOUSY - you've got to be kidding me...  Some poor parent is out there, having travelled several hours to watch their kid play...  their kid is getting beat by 30, The first team has been pulled with 15 minutes left, the second team plays 5 minutes and they come off the floor still up 30 points with 10 minutes left in the game...    there are 9 girls on Maryville's bench who haven't played at all  -  BUT....  the first team reenters the game, then after 3 minutes the second team reenters.  To work on something new?  Give me a break- it's 5 seniors who have played and started 3 or 4 years  plus 3 more seniors in the second unit-  they weren't working on anything..."new"

Believe me, If I had been a Westmin parent, I would have been hollering, and I would have made sure he heard me......... Coach Dubb, if that substitution pattern is showing respect in some way, either to Westmin, or to the 9 girls who weren't getting a chance to play, I'd like to know how.....
incidently, of the 9, as I mentioned, two were hurt...  the other 7 got to split the final 5 minutes of the game......

or do we think that the guy who beat the Dallas Christian school 100-0 was also working on something new......

Do I think Coach Ellis is a good coach, given that I'm the one criticizing - YES - he's tough on this players and constantly on them to improve- there are no unearned pats on the back or good game comments from him unless they play to that level  -  he is a demanding coach.  However, a couple weeks ago when I brought up his behavior for abusing referees and scorekeepers, I believe it was just, and when I bring up substituting as he did last night, I believe that too was just.

[Coach Will]

Hopefan, I was not there, so I can't argue what Coach Ellis motives were, but I was saying in the past, I had a young high school team that was winning a game buy 20 and the other school got upset with me because I played my starters in the at the beginning of the 4th quarter. The school did not know that I told my players that they could not shoot 3-pointers, not could they press or trap. We had not played much zone, and I wanted to work on it as we were playing a team that had a 6'5 girl soon, and we were working on packing it in. I was only giving an account from being in that position.
Last year, we scored 98 points vs Lincoln Christian, and the fans wanted me to break the school record of 103, and I told my players that they needed to make at least 10 passes before they shot, and this was with 10 minutes to go in the game, and I had all of my starters out.

Lastly, I think that the guy that coached that 100 to 0 game is a complete idiot, and an awful mentor!!!1

[jdoug2]

Since this is my niece's final year in the the SLIAC , I'm sure my interest will slip. As for Maryville, I wish them well in D2. I'm sure it will be tough for the first few years. In regards to scheduling, Fontbonne always plays a murderous schedule. Of the top of my head I know they played Ill Wey, Wash U, a D2 school in Hawaii. Not that a tough sched guarantees much. Overall in the womens side it should be really close knit games.

Since I didn't see the Maryville game, if the startes only played a couple of minutes.... I have no issue with that. It is up to every coach to determine when it is running it up. A coach has to realize when  to call off the dogs. There's my 2 cents.

[sully309]

EurekaSID,

I assume that you are the one responsible for getting those frequent score postings on the SLIAC site while the games are in progress. Great job!!!  8)

Thanks, furbug. Unfortunately, this is the best we can do at this point. I would love to be able to have streaming audio of our games online, but I don't think we have the manpower to do it right now. I hope to have live stats available next year for EC home games.

As for the game, Webster wanted it more than Eureka. This was evident by the rebounds in the 1st half: 31 for Webster, 12 for Eureka. Downs and Knight played well for EC, but overall it was a lackluster team effort, which has not happened very often at home this year.

In the 1st meeting, Byard neutralized Reilly fairly well, but this time Byard was very sick and Reilly took advantage with a monster game. Megan Willett played well of the bench too for Webster. They will need to keep it up if Webster wants to get back into playoff position.

We'll see what the Red Devils have left in the tank Saturday against a hot Principia team. Prin has won 4 out of 6 (with 1 of the losses by just 2 points at Blackburn), but is it too late to get back in the race. Meanwhile, Mac completes the sweep of Greenville. I for one didn't see that happening at the beginning of the season. Mac has to be kicking themselves for letting one get away against Eureka at home right now.

[HCACBBALL]

Coach Dubb,

Just want to set the record straight.  When Millikin goes on these trips to Virgin Islands, San Diego, etc it is not paid by the athletic department.  The players themselves either fund raise or they pay out of their own pocket.  I know for San Diego they were asked to pay alot of money.

They also get team shoes that are paid by the student.  So, their budget may be a tad bigger but it does not pay for trips.  You could do the same thing if you wanted. 

[NO RESPECT]

HCACBALL, the ladies at blackburn has raised over 4 grand this year in fundraising, its all we do. I wish that we could raise that much to go to san diego or to the virgin islands. I am not knocking Millikin, nor their great coach (Kerans), taking them trips, even if you have to pay for them is more appealing. We bought two new sets of uniforms, shooting shirts and shoe this year with all the money that we have raised. Thank GOD that our tuition is affordable.
With that said, I make no excuses for our record, nor will I stop playing a tough non conference schedule. The CCIW is what it is, a great conference (I graduated from North Park). In a couple of years, I feel that the SLIAC top teams will be able to compete with the top teams in the CCIW.
Lastly, as for recruiting, I agree that we all have to turn up the heat in the recruiting kitchen; if this is done, watch out! Good luck to Maryville next year. We played two of the teams that they will play next year in confernce (Missouri S&T and Lewis).

[DukeDevil]

SLIAC Legend:

I think it is bit presumptuous to say the SLIAC is the worst conference in the country, at least as far as women's basketball is concerned. 

If I am not mistaken, I recall posters on this board discussing recent victories over quality teams from the "power" conferences including: WashU, Millikin, IWU, etc.  (I don't remember exactly)

Further, I believe at least 3 teams in the past 5-6 years have won NCAA tournament games and at least 2 (maybe 3) have advanced as far as the Sweet 16.  Granted the SLIAC top-bottom is not at strong as the CCIW, UAA, MWC, but let's at the very least give credit to those top squads before dismissing the entire conference.

Afterall, even the "best" conferences have their own dogs!


As for the Coach Ellis debate, I think it is unfair to criticize his coaching decisions.  None of us are in the gym during practices, so maybe he had a good reason for giving those kids only a few minutes of playing time.  In addition, I would imagine this time of the year, his main focus MUST be on preparing the team for the SLIAC/NCAA tournaments.  In that light, maybe he felt he needed to give his top 8-10 players more minutes from a conditioning standpoint.  Given the number of lopsided victories Maryville has this season, a real concern might be keeping his players in "game condition."  I am not saying he made the right decision, but I think before everyone dismisses his actions as being a "jerk move," we need to consider it from all angles.

Additionally, I think there is a huge difference between high school and college basketball, so comparing him to that coach is unwarranted.  The high school coaches must deal with the players given them, however if college coaches dont enjoy being beaten by 40 pts. then as Coach Dubb put it, "Do a better job recruiting."  It's not fair to tell kids who work hard all weak in practice to not play hard because the other team is bad.  That said, I acknowledge there is some consideration for sportsmanship necessary.

[hopefan]

While I was at the game and have a better feeling for the conditions as they were, I appreciate each of your opinions.  One misconception though, is that I would not want Coach Ellis to tell his kids to go out and not play hard - RATHER - give his last 7 more than a split of 5 minutes in a 30 point situation.  He does a pretty good job of rotating his top 10 - the second 5, even down to 11 and 12, see action in just about every game - this was an opportunity for more than three minutes for each of them....
Just as the top 12 are hitting practice every day, so are those ladies - and don't forget - they are the future of the program

[furbug]

Maryville continues to roll up the victories.  As they say, the good teams win the close ones. They had a real scare from Fontbonne today in their 3-point victory, and from Blackburn a couple of weeks ago in double overtime.  Even Webster's 67-60 loss last season was one in which a much inferior, fired up Lady Gorlok team came close to breaking the streak. Coach Ellis may be controversial, and may not be the most likeable guy to the referees and some of the fans, but I have heard first hand that the ladies love to play for him, and it shows in the results.

I  know that moral victories do not count in the records, but these women on the teams that have come so close deserve a lot of credit. They need to take a lot of satisfaction in knowing that they went out there and played their hearts out, even if they did come up short to an excellent team that knows how to pull out the win at the end. There are such things as moral victories, and I think they are very meaningful in life and learning. Loss or not, the ladies need to be proud of how they played. Congratulations to Fontbonne for their effort today, and to Blackburn for that superb double overtime effort two weeks ago. Congratulations also to Maryville and Coach Ellis on their continued success.

[hopefan]

VERY good lady's game at Fontbonne with Maryville  -  several big time comebacks by both teams  --  in the end, Maryville's superior depth  had the saints using fresher players at the end of the game, and that's when the saints won it. A new hero emerged at the end of the game for the Griffs - using some players off the bench because of foul trouble whom I hadn't seen before, Fontbonne found Frosh Jill Wilmas who had little action all season - She hits 4 of 5 from the floor with 3 3's, all crucial , and darn near wins it!!!!
On the other hand, Maryville Coach Ellis clearly had the ball going in to Allie Wilhelm at the end of the game- her play in the last 5 minutes helped win it... Reserve point guard Mikal Bencomo did a great job off the bench for the saints.   

Just a REAL GOOD GAME

I know I liked Webster as a team to watch next year, but they seem to be running out of gas....  with Shilli, Bramel,  Collier, Ludwig, and Wilmas, Fontbonne has a nice group of Freshmen and Sophs to carry things on too......

[jdoug2]

I'm already back in Dallas, but the Font vs Mary game was very good. As hopefan mentioned, a couple of comebacks from both teams. Then from about 5 minutes on neither team could pull away. Font does have very good fresh and sophs. Once again, I thought the refs were too involved. Well, one ref was too involved. Not saying that's why Font lost. Not at all. Font had too many to's and missed a few chippies. And Maryville was very solid. I was very impressed with #5. Plus, they just have more depth.  Overall, very exciting game. I hope Font gets one more shot at them.

[GorlokFan]

Now i do not want to sound like I am a Maryville Fan. I am amused how that everyone complains about how Maryville's Coach complains and does all his antics but no one has mentioned the antics of Fontbonne's Coach yesterday. 

I had the pleasure of making it to the game since my gorloks did not play until 6pm and was appalled at how FU coach got into the officials face after a call towards the end of the game.  He lit up the official. Now he should have received  a Technical.  I was amazed at the composure of the official.  Now that was not the end of it, after the game the FU coach RAN AFTER THE OFFICIAL DOWN THE HALL.  This is unacceptable.  So I think if we are going to complain about one coaches antics we have to complain about this too.  At least Maryville's coach does not pull that crap.  Just my opinion. 

On a more positive note, it was a very intense game.  Two teams putting everyone out on the floor.  It was great to watch. 

On a sad note, my Gorloks looked horrible.  Without a true point guard they are going to have trouble down the stretch this year.  I hope they can find a PG for next year.