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