MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WUPHF]

Here are a few long shot ideas.

Further the public-private partnership model, such as with the Soccer Park and move the varsity athletic facilities to the Webster Recreation Center. 

Purchase and renovate the defunct YMCA and use the pool and other facilities there so that Grant Gymnasium can be renovated without the need for a massive capital campaign.  I have to think that the Webster is considering the purchase of the YMCA, but it may be slightly too far away.

Again, speaking solely about Webster, the facilities are abysmal. 

If this was at all a response to what I said, I agree that the athletic facilities are abysmal.  My reference to good facilities overall was to highlight the new academic buildings, library and such.

I don't know if they truly understand how well the athletic department serves the university in terms of bringing in kids.  The university's enrollment has continued to go down, while the athletic department continues to grow.  Hmmm...

They understand, but priorities are elsewhere.  And, the athletic department is too strong in spite of the facilities.

[y_jack_lok]

I respectfully disagree, y_jack.  Sure, in a perfect world with ample amounts of space and money, the pool is nice to have.  However, under the current situation, the fitness center is used by so many more students and athletes than the pool.  From my understanding, the pool serves a high school swim team and local swim lessons for the community.  Very, very few faculty and students use it.  Not to mention, the operational costs of the pool is hefty, especially in light of the limited use of it.  Like I said, if space and money weren't at a premium, I'd say keep it.  However, the university must prioritize it's use of real estate and financial resources.

You have convinced me.

[y_jack_lok]

Here are a few long shot ideas.

Further the public-private partnership model, such as with the Soccer Park and move the varsity athletic facilities to the Webster Recreation Center. 

Purchase and renovate the defunct YMCA and use the pool and other facilities there so that Grant Gymnasium can be renovated without the need for a massive capital campaign.  I have to think that the Webster is considering the purchase of the YMCA, but it may be slightly too far away.

I can already hear the outcry from the citizenry of Webster Groves against these notions.

[jaybird44]

Getting back to the Webster/Wash-U game, I thought the Gorloks played well and have a chance to win the SLIAC.  They didn't turn the ball over much, the shot selection and ball movement for the most part were very good, and they really made Wash-U work to hold onto possessions via tipped passes and the like. 

Along with the referenced Joseph 3-point miss that was turned into a Sanders 3-point play late in the 2nd half, I thought that the one thing that Webster needs to determine is who takes the shots when the game hangs in the balance?  Who is the go-to person or who has the hot hand at the critical time when the game hangs in the balance?  I thought that was a bit lacking...the recognition by the players on the floor of who needs to get the ball in that situation.  Ward made two shots in a row in the homestretch, so I thought he might be the feature guy the rest of the way.

Webster would seem to have as good of a shot as anyone else in the SLIAC to win the conference tourney, based on my one-game sampling...

[hopefan]

Things to think about coming into this week's games

Prin at Mac... Prin at 0-2, but lost both games in the last minute.... Mac also uses pressure defense, makes pretty good use of their bench, and has two solid inside men to battle Prin's height... how can Prin combat this?  By going to the basket... the best way to beat Mac is to get Deavis Johnson and Brent Long into foul trouble... In fact, which ever team can keep out of foul trouble stands a darn good chance at winning this game....

Spalding at Fontbonne... I think this one will be close.. will be interesting to see if Fontbonne big men combo of Smith and Zimmerman can keep Spalding's Trisko away from the basket.... Note, Spalding Frosh had more points in win over Eureka than Spalding upperclassmen did..Frosh guards Rainey, Ellis, and Rowe each played over 20 minutes...can Experienced Fontbonne guards outplay them for a win?

BC vs Greenville... How long do you lose with the system before you go back... wonder if that's a question being asked at Greenville.... Blackburn is athletic enough to eat it up, but can they go against it without turning the ball over 30+ times... Curious as heck about this game... GC needs it badly, but what a win it would be for BC too...

IWC at Westmin... IWC is for real... we'll see if Westmin is... if they beat IWC, I'm convinced!!!

[WUPHF]

Are you headed to Greenville or Jacksonville tomorrow?

[hopefan]

Are you headed to Greenville or Jacksonville tomorrow?

Jacksonville... plenty of time to get down to Wash U - Augie after....

[Denny McKinney]

SU 32 FU 31 @ half

[Denny McKinney]

Fu 79 Su 71 Final. Trisko non - factor. And, for the most part it was just a rotation of Greelee and Kissing. The PG two man rotation kept a good offensive tempo and a great job on the defensive side of the floor. Finally there was an Ettinger sighting in the second half.

Good Job Griff's. Don't for get how that felt!!!

[Gregory Sager]

You don't see the Augie's or IWU running that type of game much.

You apparently don't watch Augie much, Denny, because the drive-and-kick is a big part of Augustana's game. Augie' PG, All-American Hunter Hill, is adept at it.

[Denny McKinney]

Sager, I said you rarely see the guard kick it out. I didn't say never!

I watched the Fu v. Augie game. I don't need one hand to count the number of times I saw it take place. I was refering to it as an offensive philosophy. Like a lot of teams in the SLIAC are doing. I think it's bad basketball. Period!

[Denny McKinney]

Now I've lost my Origonal post. Damn!

[Gregory Sager]

Sager, I said you rarely see the guard kick it out. I didn't say never!

I watched the Fu v. Augie game. I don't need one hand to count the number of times I saw it take place. I was refering to it as an offensive philosophy. Like a lot of teams in the SLIAC are doing. I think it's bad basketball. Period!

You're basing it upon one viewing of Augie. I watch lots of Augie games. Augie does the drive-and-kick with regularity, Denny.

[hopefan]

Well, little to look forward to in the SLIAC between now and January... only one game in St. Louis, this Thursday when Wash U 'travels' to Fontbonne... the handful of other games are generally in the farthest reaches of the SLIAC, or have SLIAC teams travelling... May travel to Memphis next Sunday to see MacMurray down at the Rhodes tourney, especially if Mac performs well in the first night vs Rhodes....

let's put some thoughts down....
Prin got stomped by MacMurray from the get go... no answer for Mac's pressure defense, Parker Davidson sits 17 minutes in the first half with 2 fouls (or any other reason?  Strange decision if that was the only reason), Jeff Ross refuses to try to play a key role offensively when it appears he has the athletic ability to challenge the defense whenever he wants, Justin Ball is a super first 10 minute player, but when there is no one to give him a break, he wilts.... and Anumu just never got started.... VERY disappointing performance for Prin
On the other hand Mac... looked bad in the first half, but not as bad as Prin... taking 15 shots from 3 point land, making only 4, when Long and Johnson could dominate inside... WHY back to the 3 point line      Creal took care of that at half time, 7 of first 8 possessions in 2nd half go inside, the lead pushed 30, and I left... another fantastic shooting performance by Brent Long, 12 for 13 from the field, 29 points, just so smooth shooting the ball... Deavis Johnson gets 22 pts, 8 boards, but disappointingly starts wandering the 3 poin arc again... Mike Cameron doesn't score (he doesn't need to), but 8 assists, 4 steals, only 1 turnover is just what Mac needs.....I'd still like to see a breakout performance from someone off the bench, a confidence builder that in a mandatory situation, someone can come off and be a game changer.

From the box scores..
HOORAY for Fontbonne!!!  Yes Spalding is down, for the first time since entering the SLIAC, but they are well coached and capable of beating any team in the SLIAC... but Fontbonne took advantage for the biggest win of First Year Head Coach Lance Thornhill's career.  Two who haven't had a chance to contribute much this year, Jarrod Greenlee and Cody Ettinger played key roles in the come from behind win, but the guy who drove the Griffs to the win was clearly Ben Kissing with 20 points and 6 rebounds... other major factor is Fontbonne forcing 21 Spalding turnovers... and huge foul discrepancy, Font called for 12, Spalding 25!!!.. leading to 35 Fontbonne FT attempts (making 21) vs Spalding 12 attempts...

OK, I will now admit Westminster is for real, as they beat IWC 94-82, to take over sole possession of the conference lead at 3-0.... Tanner Cochrane (the little lefty, right?) goes for 26 points in a breakout performance... the supporting cast, who are these guys?   Westmin is the underdog team in an underdog conference.. FANTASTIC...  both teams shot very well from the field, Westmin wins it from the line going 26-35 vs 16 for 23 for IWC.   Chris Fowler, IWC, with another outstanding performance, 22 point, 8 rebounds, 8 assists... incredible, this is becoming the usual for Fowler...

Greenville with the system gets its first conference win, big over Blackburn 110-80... BC evidently not ready to challenge the system, commit 31 turnovers, far more than their ladies' team committed in a 39 point loss to the Greenville ladies.... Again, disappointing to me that what I thought would be an exciting close game ended up being a blowout....

[hopefan]

No SLIAC tonight, but the SLIAC/St. Louis connection gets another shot at No. 1 Augustana tomorrow night when MacMurray goes up to Augie... not sure what rabbit Coach Creal could pull out of his hat to keep this one close... while Mac's Mike Cameron is a good match defensively for Hunter Hill, there would appear to be too much athleticism, too much talent on Augie's side, for Mac to keep this one close for 40 minutes.  Elsewhere, Spalding hosts Centre tomorrow... that one could be lopsided....

BUT... ya never know.... wouldn't an upset of epic proportions be just the perfect Christmas present for the SLIAC!!!!