As One Season Ends, Another Begins

Today's post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

A common truth that shows up in many aspects of life is the idea that when one season ends, another begins. The most obvious example of this is the weather. You never hear people talk about the seasons of weather "ending". What you hear, is the seasons are "changing". "Ending" is used to refer to something that stops or ceases to exist. "Changing" is used to signify the ushering in of something new, whatever is next. When Fall ends, Winter begins. When Spring ends, Summer begins. The same is true in the calendar of college basketball programs.

A little over a week ago our season ended at the conference tournament in Kansas City. We finished the regular season with an overall record of 17-9 and finished in a tie for 3rd place in the final MIAA standings. Although our season ended, another one began. For the coaching staff, the season changes to a recruiting season. You don't have to look very hard at high school state tournaments or junior college regional and national tournaments, to see college coaches sitting and looking for the next big star of their program.

The returning players take several weeks off to rest, recuperate, and rejuvenate from a long season and prepare for the next season of their lives...post-season. The post-season is all about the individual. This is one of the rare season's of a student athlete's life that they should focus on themselves. As coaches we design workouts that really focus on what things each individual player needs to work on in order to improve as a player. The goal is always to improve the individual now so the team will improve later.

For those seniors that are done with their playing careers, it becomes a season of graduation and moving into the "real world". Even if the student athlete has another year to complete their degree requirements, they begin to turn their attention to preparing to enter their chosen career field. Whether an internship or a job, they begin to get a taste of life after basketball.

There are always seasons of life that you don't want to see change. This has been one of those season for our basketball program. With many successes on and off the court and amazing people to experience those successes with, we hate to see the season change. We are so thankful to have gone through this season and look forward to experiencing many more just like it.

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Marcus Moeller
Assistant Coach

Season 1: 2-2...Season 2: 15-7...Season 3: ???

Today's post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

The college basketball schedule is divided into 3 seasons. The first season is the non-conference portion of the schedule. The second season is the conference schedule. The third season is the post-season. We have concluded the first 2 seasons of the year, and what a ride it has been!!

We started the year by playing 2 VERY good basketball teams. Our first assignment was to travel down to play the Univ of Arkansas Ft. Smith (UAFS). After a 2 point loss in Ft. Smith, we returned to Joplin and hosted #22 ranked Northeastern State University. At the conclusion of 2 games, we were 0-2. If you look at the success those 2 teams have had this year, it is very apparent that we played 2 great teams. UAFS finished their season with a 21-5 record and Northeastern State finished the regular season 23-3 and is currently ranked #10 in the country and #1 in the South Central Region. We were able to rebound and finish our non-conference schedule by going 2-0 in our Thanksgiving Classic. Season 1 record? 2-2.

The depth of talent, coaches, and teams in the MIAA makes it the premier league in the country; and for that reason, we knew Season 2 was going to be a long and grueling one. Looking back on the conference portion of our schedule, I believe very confidently that the 1st game was THE turning point of the season. You might be confused about that because, if you remember, we went to Truman and lost that game by 13 points. However, what happened in the locker room (which will remain in the locker room as an intimate event in the lives of our players) set the tone for the rest of our season. From there, we rattled off an impressive 6 game winning streak (culminating with an 8 point victory over rival Pittsburg State) and solidified ourselves as one of the top teams in the league.

Any 22 game conference schedule is going to be packed with plenty of "ups and downs". The "ups" for us, far outweighed the "downs". We were able to win 5 road games (a great number in the MIAA) and finished an impressive 10-1 at home in conference play (12-2 overall). A couple road wins that stick out are Missouri Western and Fort Hays, because those are 2 places that historically we have not played well. We are blessed with great support at home and we were very happy to be able to treat our fans to wins over 2 nationally ranked opponents (Defending National Champion #20 Emporia State and #18 Northwest Missouri). Season 2 Record? 15-7 and tied for 3rd in the final conference standings.

The post-season is what college basketball is all about and for us, Season 3 kicks off Friday at 2:15pm at the historic Municipal Auditorium as we take on 5th seeded Pittsburg State (Emporia State held the tiebreaker over us, meaning we are seeded 4th). To see a rundown of the MIAA conference tournament and see a link to the bracket, click HERE. The MIAA hosts a first class event in downtown Kansas City every year in early March, and I would hope that you are making plans to come see some GREAT basketball this weekend! Season 3 record? To be determined...

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Marcus Moeller Assistant Coach

10 days, 18 hours, 32 minutes, 21 seconds and counting

Today's post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

At the time I am writing this post, the MIAA website tells me that we are EXACTLY 10 days, 18 hours, 32 minutes and 21 seconds from the tip off of the 2011 MIAA Basketball Championships. In the words of NY Jets Inside Linebacker Bart Scott, we "CAN'T WAIT!!" (click here to see what I mean). With 1 week remaining in the regular season, so many emotions, feelings, and thoughts come to mind. The heated conference race, the crucial regional polls, and a chance to finish with a GREAT home record are all in the forefront of our minds. The other thing that naturally comes with the end of a season is watching the seniors play their final games at home.

This week marks the last 2 games that Afton Baldwin, Lindsey Rujawitz, LaTice Jones and Jasmine Lovejoy will ever play in the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center on our campus. All 4 of these young ladies transferred in from different junior colleges (Crowder CC, Lewis and Clark CC, State Fair CC, and Northeast (Neb) College respectively). One of the drawbacks to recruiting junior college transfers is that you only get to coach them for 2 years. Often, those 2 years go by extremely fast. It can be difficult to get 2 year players to really buy into the program and the system. We are very fortunate this group of seniors bought in from the very beginning by embracing the work ethic and coachability we demand from our players.

We consider the opportunity to play at Missouri Southern and represent this institution, athletic department, and basketball program a huge honor. We are very selective of the young ladies we invite into our family. Afton, Lindsey, LaTice, and Jasmine have been GREAT representatives of our program both on and off the court. I am going to put off listing all of their accomplishments because, fortunately for us, their careers aren't quite over yet!!

This is a HUGE week for our program. We currently sit in a tie for 3rd place in the MIAA and are looking forward to finishing the year at home with games on Wednesday (Univ of Nebraska Omaha) and Saturday (Northwest Missouri State Univ). Saturday is Senior Day (tip off at 1:00pm) and we would love for you to come out and show your support to our very special group of seniors. There is no better way for you to say "thank you", than by coming and cheering us on as we play our last regular season game of the year!!

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Marcus Moeller
Assistant Coach

Home Is Where the Hoop Is

Today's Post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

It's an interesting debate as to the importance of winning at home vs. the importance of winning on the road. You often hear people say "you have to win your home games". Then, undoubtedly, someone will follow that with this comment, "yeah, but it's crucial to win on the road." Neither of those statements clearly define which is more important. So, which IS more important, winning at home or winning on the road?

We talk a lot with our team about what it takes to win on the road. Our goal is always to defend extremely well, be physical, and shoot layups and free throws on the offensive end of the floor. When we have established those areas to our advantage, we've had success. When we have been unable to control the game in those areas, we have walked away on the losing end. Road wins are a huge lift to a team's energy and emotion. There is a great feeling walking to the bus to go home, knowing that the whole trip was worth it, because we came away with the win.

Playing at home is exhilarating. We are fortunate to have GREAT fan support from the community of Joplin. We have played several very intense, tight ball games on our home floor. In fact, 3 of our last 4 games in the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center have gone to overtime. We are very proud of our undefeated record in overtime this year. We owe a lot of that to our home crowd and their support!

Yesterday, we took on #20 Emporia State, the defending National Champions, on our home floor. The Lady Hornets were 1 game up in the conference standings and ranked 3 spots ahead of us in the most recent Regional poll heading into yesterday's contest. Needless to say, this was a HUGE game for us. In what turned out to be an extremely intense back and forth game, we were able to come away with a 82-74 victory in overtime. Senior Jasmine Lovejoy's career high 38 points helped lead the way in the biggest win of our season; a win that happened at home.

So, is it bigger to win your road games, or your home games? My answer is this...it depends on what you want. To be considered a GOOD team...you must take care of your home court. To be considered a GREAT team...you must win BOTH on the road AND at home. We are very proud of our 10-2 record at home. We are proud to have won several big road games. BUT, there are 4 games left in our season...2 on the road, and 2 at home. Guess what? We want to be considered GREAT.

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Marcus Moeller
Assistant Coach

The week the anomaly became normal

Today's post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

Webster defines the word "anomaly" to be any occurrence that is strange, unusual, or unique. It can also mean a discrepancy or deviation from an established rule, trend or pattern. This past week, perhaps more than any week I can ever remember, has been a week of anomalies for this city and our basketball program. Let me explain...

1.) Anomaly #1.....The Weather. I have lived in Joplin for over 25 years and have never experienced anything like the type of winter storm that engulfed the Midwest this week. Sure, there were the ice storms of 2006 and 2008, but this was completely different. Somewhere in the ballpark of 20 inches fell in Joplin within the span of 16 straight hours and brought the entire community (and all surrounding communities) to a complete and utter standstill. Anytime the term "winter blizzard" is used in Joplin (which, as I recall, is...NEVER) it isn't a good sign. At this point (3pm on Sunday), the city streets are FAR from cleared and our campus is still packed snow-filled parking lots and sidewalks. The "worst winter storm in Joplin since 1942" was definitely a unique occurrence.

2.) Anomaly #2....The (lack of) Practice. The thing that is so crippling about such a massive amount of snowfall is the inability to move it. Joplin does not have the equipment, resources, etc. to get this type of snow moved in a timely fashion (which is understandable considering the last time a storm like this hit, it was 1942). As a result, schools, businesses, and all travel was left at a standstill. In fact, we were completely unable to practice on Tuesday. You see, fearing the forecasts were true, all of our girls stayed on campus Monday night to ensure they could make it to the gym on Tuesday, regardless of the conditions. Late Monday night, the snow came and, much to their applause, school was canceled. With classes canceled, we were scheduled to practice at 1:00pm and the girls were completely prepared to find their way to the gym. There was just 1 minor problem...the coaches couldn't get there. All 4 of our staff were completely snowed in, with no chance navigating through the elements to get to the gym. Practice was canceled. In our program this is definitely a deviation from an established rule, trend or pattern.

3.) Anomaly #3....The Win. The road trip started off on the right foot with a win at Lincoln Univ on Thursday night. Thankful to come away with a road win that night, we turned our attention to the #9 team in the region, Missouri Western. The game, to be played at 5:30 on Saturday evening in St. Joseph, MO, had some rather bothersome statistics looming over it. You see, in the history of Missouri Southern Women's Basketball, the all-time record when playing at Missouri Western was 2-28. However, even that statistic is rather misleading when you realize that due to some NCAA sanctions at Missouri Western, 1 of those wins was a considered a "vacated win" by Western. Essentially, when the horn sounded to mark the completion of a game played in their gym, our program had been on the winning side of the score only 1 time(not to mention, it had been 17 years since that 1 win). The Cubs have the billy goat, the Red Sox have the curse of the Bambino....we have the curse of playing at Missouri Western.

After a Friday practice and Saturday shootaround on their floor, we felt ready to compete. After taking a 5 point lead into halftime, we found ourselves trailing by 2 points with under 5 minutes to go and the game hanging in the balance. Finishing the game with a GREAT defensive effort, solid free throw shooting, and a complete dominance in the rebounding margin, we were able to secure the win. Road game reveal character...this game (and entire road trip) revealed a lot about the character of our basketball team. So I guess, if an anomaly really is "any occurrence that is strange, unusual or unique" or "a discrepancy or deviation from an established rule, trend or pattern", then yeah, I'd say this particular win fits the description.

Road wins are so important for any team with big goals and dreams for their season. We have another HUGE one coming up this Wednesday at Pitt State Univ. We are looking forward to another GREAT rivalry game and would love to have you there! And if the last 7 days is an indicator, you never know...you may just see something that hasn't happened in a long time.

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Marcus Moeller
Assistant Coach

Why do the regional polls matter?

Today's post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

Last Wednesday the first regional polls were unveiled, and we debuted at 9th. At the same time, our Men's team here at Southern, debuted 1st. That being said, it has caused quite the excitement on campus and in the surrounding Joplin community. The other thing it has done is cause many people to ask me why the regional polls matter. So, here is your "Reader's Digest version" of how the postseason works for basketball at the NCAA Division 2 level.

The nation is split into 8 regions. Your regional assignment is dictated by the conference that you participate in. Our region, the South Central Region, is comprised of 3 conferences: The MIAA, Lonestar, and Heartland. Beginning the last week of January, there is a weekly regional poll that comes out that ranks the top 10 teams. At the end of the season, the 3 conference tournament winners receive an automatic bid to the Regional tournament, while the remaining 5 spots are dictated by the next 5 highest ranked teams in the final regional poll. Those 8 teams make up the field of the regional tournament. The regional tourney is hosted by the top seed in the region. At that point there are 64 teams left playing postseason basketball (8 teams in 8 regions), and that marks the beginning of the NCAA tourney.

From there, it is a "win or go home", single loss elimination tournament. Once the winner of each Region has been decided, the 8 surviving teams converge on a predesignated site and participate in the "The Elite Eight". The Elite Eight is Division's 2's version of "The Final Four" in that all of the games are played at the same site. This year's Elite Eight, like last year, will be held in St. Joseph, MO at the St. Joseph Civic Arena.

One thing that we always talk about as a team is to focus on what we CAN control. We CAN NOT control where we are ranked by the regional pollsters, but we CAN control each game that we play. Our focus is on each game that we play. There is no better preparation for postseason play, than the MIAA regular season. There are a 2 things that are always true about the teams that qualify for the NCAA tournament from the MIAA conference: 1.) they are battle tested, and 2.) they have earned their spot in the tournament. The most obvious example came just last year when the team that won the National Championship, Emporia State University, came from our conference, but was unable to win the regular season or conference tournament championship!

After a tough road loss at the Univ of Central Missouri on Wednesday, we were able to rebound with a good win at home over Southwest Baptist yesterday. we currently sit in 4th in the MIAA standings, just 2 games out of first place. Last night was a GREAT environment for our annual Pink Night and we are so thankful for all of the support we receive from the community. This week we have 2 very big road games against Lincoln Univ (Wednesday) and Missouri Western Univ (Saturday). If you've never listened to our games when we go on the road, you're missing out on one of the premier play-by-play commentators in college sports. Brash overstatement, you say? I challenge you to follow us on the road by clicking "LISTEN LIVE" at mssulions.com as Kevin Greim gives the sights and sounds of all of our games. You will not be disappointed.

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Marcus Moeller
Assistant Coach

The 80/20 rule and "The Grind"

Today's post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

This post is part 2 of the 2 part mini-series concerning the final 11 games of the season! Be sure to read Part 1 entitled "Round 2...The secret is out" first!!

I have long been a believer in the the 80/20 rule. I believe this is a rule, not only to live by, but to use as a measuring stick for a person to measure their own strengths, weaknesses, victories and failures. The 80/20 says that "20% of life is made up of what happens to you, the remaining 80% is how you react to what happens to you." There are so many areas of life that this truth shows up. For our basketball team, we have began a stretch of games that will test the 80% portion of that ratio. This stretch of games has become known amongst coaches in the league as "The Grind".

"The Grind" refers to the last 5 weeks of the conference schedule, because for 5 straight weeks, the teams in the league will play every Wednesday and Saturday without coming up for air. We have finished non-conference play, we have finished the NCAA mandated "dead period" from Dec 20-26th, we have finished Christmas break...there are no breaks left before the MIAA tournament in Kansas City (March 3rd-6th). For players and coaches in the league, this is the time of the year that their physical and mental stamina is tested to it's limits.

Affectionately terming this stretch of games as "the grind" is actually very fitting when you look at it closer. The word, when not being thrown around as a noun by college basketball coaches, is actually a verb. Webster defines it this way: "to wear down, polish or sharpen". The thing I find interesting is this...the result of the grind(ing) can be positive or negative. Some things wear down, while others are made stronger, sharper, more polished.

The concept is simple, "The Grind" will either wear teams down, or will it makes them sharper and more polished. In lue of the 80/20 rule, we are in control...not of the schedule, but of how we react to that schedule. We are in control of how we are affected by "The Grind". Ultimately, the thing I love most about "The Grind" is that the toughest competitors always rise to the top. The hard work put in all summer, pre-season, non-conference schedule, and the first round of conference culminates in these last 10 games. Buckle your seat belts because one thing is for sure...it's going to be a fun ride!

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!

Marcus Moeller
Assistant Coach

Round 2...the secret is out!!

Today's post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

As I sit here typing, we are currently in the midst of a 2 game, 3 and a half day road trip. On Saturday afternoon we played in Omaha, Nebraska. The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) poses some interesting difficulties for us. The biggest thing about UNO is that you know they are going to play the game extremely hard from the opening tip, to the final buzzer. Career highs in points by guards Kelby Fritz (20) and Afton Baldwin (18) really propelled our team after getting off to a slow start in the game. Overall, we played a very complete basketball game as a TEAM and came away with a hard fought 76-66 win. After that result, we currently sit at 9-5 overall and 7-3 in league play.

The second game of the road trip is in Maryville, MO at Northwest Missouri State University tomorrow (Monday) evening at 5:30. At the conclusion of the game we will also have completed the first round of conference. That's right, 11 conference games down...and 11 to go! I've always found the second round of conference games very interesting. It is so different than the games played in the first round. Why? Noone has any secrets anymore.

When the first round of conference play concludes, you have seen each and every team up close and personal. You have experienced every team's newcomers. You have seen them on film what feels like a hundred times and you have now seen in person what they do on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. At this point, there are no secrets. Don't get me wrong, every coach makes adjustments with certain personnel and game strategy, but at this point, you have seen what every team has to offer.

The other thing that makes the second half of conference play so exciting is the race to the MIAA conference tournament. The top 8 teams in the league will converge in downtown Kansas City at Municipal Auditorium on the first weekend in March for the MIAA tournament. The MIAA puts on GREAT event and really makes this event the premier Division 2 conference tournament in the country. EVERY game (first round included) in conference play is so important, but you can feel the pressure rising as the second round proceeds. The standings are hugely impacted by every loose ball, every missed free throw and every win or loss. Simply put...it's game on!

Our players are very excited about the turn of the conference calendar. We have a great test before us with a very tough road contest tomorrow night. We are very grateful for all of the support that we have been shown by the Joplin community and we are looking forward to continuing to see so many fans at our home games!!

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Marcus Moeller
Assistant Coach

MSSU vs Pitt State...I'm a first timer!!

Today's post is written by Junior Guard Larrita Gipson:

When I was recruited to play basketball here, one of the selling points that the coaches stressed was the GREAT natural rivalry with Pitt State. I really didn’t have any idea what they were talking about, but they made it sound like it was an intense natural rivalry. Then, when I arrived on campus I began to hear more about it. Things like: it was a big game on our schedule, the community rallies behind the Green and Gold, and it will be a GREAT environment at home and on the road. By the time Jan 2nd rolled around, I was so ready to be a part of this rivalry! I was very excited and ready to help lead my team to victory!

We watched a lot of game film and focused mainly on our offense execution. We knew coming into this game that they would pick us up in the full court (with some trapping) the entire game and it was CRUCIAL that we take care of the ball and value every possession. It was something that we worked on throughout the entire week of preparation. That preparation paid off, because we only turned the ball over 11 times, which was a season low!! In the end, however, it was our ability to defend in the half court that led us to the 60-52 victory!!

It was really special to see the support we had behind us with our community. It was the first time I had ever seen Leggett & Platt Athletic Center so full during a basketball game this season. It was so exciting to know that the town of Joplin cared so much about that game, and was right behind us supporting until the final buzzer. The other thing that was great to see that night, was having the alumni there for us!! After the game, we had a chance to talk with some of the alumni of our program, it was great to see and meet the women that had come before me and worn the same jersey!! The best part of it was hearing all the stories about when they played here at Southern! But I have to admit; it was a greater feeling seeing the smiles on their face after the win over Pitt! :)

This will be an important week for us because we want to close out the first round of the conference with 3 strong performances. We came up 4 points shy of knocking off the #8 team in the country on Saturday and we are hungry to get back on the court and start another winning streak!!

It all starts with Fort Hays coming to our place on Monday. The forecast calls for snow in Joplin, so it’s a GREAT day to stay indoors and watch some basketball!! After a day on Tuesday we will get back on the practice floor and prepare for the road trip. We play two games in three days against Neb. Omaha and Northwest Mo. State. Thanks for all of your support!!

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Larrita Gipson
Junior Guard

How to set yourself apart

Today's post is written by Assistant Coach Marcus Moeller:

I am constantly looking for a way to get an edge. How can we improve as a team? How can we recruit the next GREAT player? How can we improve every individual on our team? How can we be more prepared for every opponent we play? Ultimately, the one question that encompasses them all is, "How can we set ourselves apart from everyone else?"

I'll never forget the day I was told that showing up to work on time, telling the truth, and being respectful and kind to the people around you, will put you ahead of 90% of the people you work with. The lesson is this, mastery of the "little things" will set you apart from everyone else.

If you follow sports closely at all you have undoubtedly heard an announcer and analyst refer to someone as a "clutch player". The term is used to described a player who consistently performs at a high level when the game or season hangs in the balance. These players seem to find a way to hit a shot, grab a rebound or take a charge at the most critical times of the game to swing things in their favor. Wikipedia defines a clutch player as someone who performs well under extreme pressure.

The thing that has always baffled me about the idea of a "clutch shot" is that at the end of the day, it's just a jump shot. I mean, when Michael Jordan hit the game-winner over Byron Russell in Game 6 to win the NBA Championship, all he did was hit a 20 foot jump shot. Sometimes we dramatize and romanticize these moments to the point that we forget that the act of hitting a jump shot is nothing fantastic. In fact, Jordan has taken a million 20 foot jumpers through his playing career.

What set Jordan apart? His was so phenomenal at the fundamentals, that when the light shined brightest, the pressure was on, and the game was on the line, hit just rose up and made a simple 20 foot jump shot. Hitting a game winning shot, grabbing the game sealing rebound, or icing the game at the free throw line is nothing more than the mastery of the little things. Clutch performers simply MASTER the LITTLE THINGS. You want to set yourself apart? Master the little things.

Until next time...It's a GREAT day to be a LION!!

Marcus Moeller
Assistant Coach