Good Luck tonight Hope... from a Hope oldtimer

Back in the Day (the 80's), there would have been no question... "honey, I'm going to LaCrosse... wanna come?"

So many great days back then, but unfortunately, so many end of the season disappointments.... 

Hint to basketball players at all levels... if a ball is going out of bounds, and you are going to attempt to save it...DON'T FLING IT BACK TOWARDS YOUR OPPONENT'S OFFENSIVE BASKET!!!

MUW win, Webster loss

So here is the ugly truth..

Webster is running away with the conference championship...they could finish 23-2, 16-0

BUT... what happens if they get upset in the conference tourney... highly unlikely that they will get a NCAA tourney bid

What happens if they run the table... they get the tourney bid... but get sent anywhere.. CCIW, Wisconsin, down the street to Wash U... to face a top seed and while carrying "this is the year" hopes and expectations, most likely end their season with a double digit loss.

I have offered this thought in the past, and offer it again.... expand to 68 teams... have that mini-playin round to give the little guys a real shot at a win... D1 can do it, why not D3.... the lessers deserve it...

Was just looking at women's SLTAC standings, and what stood out to me was not the top part of the standings but the bottom part...  Eureka at 0-20, 0-11 in conference....

so I looked to 2024-25 season... they were very successful... first year coach Mike Hedrick had turned around a progam that had been losing to becoming a respectible winner, 16-11, 11-7 in conference, a first round win in the conference tourney.

But poof... after a successful first season, Hedrick moves from Eureka Ill to South Carolina for a High School Head Coach, Athletic Director Job.   Just a strange move to come north for a college coaching job, to be successful, then to decide to return to HS coaching.   $$$?  Family??? different aspirations.....who knows.

And the program now... winless, not even competitive, yet had players back from the winning team of the year before...

Likely stories never to be told, but personally I'm very sorry to see... I totally enjoyer travelling up to Eureka in the past before retiring to Florida... great atmosphere....

Not many follow the lower level D3 conferences on a routine basis... but even though I'm retired in Florida, I keep up with my favorite conference the SLIAC
AND WHAT AN INCREDIBLE NIGHT LAST NIGHT!!!

3 games, 3 upsets   conference contenders MUW and Lyon lose at Greenville and Spalding... and Westminster has to be feeling low after losing to Principia, who they had beaten by 36 earlier in the season....

All 3 of last night's games were close.....I miss going to those games....  I have many negative opinions about my local D2 Eckerd team. I've quit paying to see a badly underperforming team...

Yep... Is it Webster, and everyone else.... or do we have a 3 horse race with Webster, Lyon and MUW?

We will find out tonight and Saturday.....

Darn, no trip to Florida for Hope!!!!

Hopefan still kicking... but having retired to Florida, the only live D3 I've seen in years are the 4 team holiday tourneys..a couple times to see Hope over in Orlando but that tourney may have died, a couple times right down the street from me at Eckerd, but I dont think that tourney happened last year as Eckerd's gym was flooded by Helene..

Hey you other old heads... are you still out there?

Quote from: Flying Dutch Fan on March 24, 2025, 08:08:24 AMAdam Davelaar 6-2 G Holland will attend Olivet

Adam is the son of former Hope player Joe Devalaar (95-97), and the grandson of longtime Hope assistant coach Tom Davelaar.

Would love to hear the thoughts behind this decision???          Best wishes to Adam....

Gville and Grinnell both getting kicked at halftime.....

Lots of System talk over in the CCIW room.... good reading.... and a unanimous conclusion that a system team cannot beat an elite level team.. But it will be fun to watch

In the meantime, is GU 1999 really down here watching Baseball??    BLASPHEMY!!!!!!

Rats..... was hoping for a 170-169 nail biter....    

Match 'em up!!!!

Prin Coach deserves recognition!!!
To beat Westmin and Webster back to back!!!  Really pretty incredible....

Principia beats Westmin on Westmin's court ?  What?  How???

So much for a Webster - Westmin  Championship game...

CRAZY