Sunday, February 27, 2011

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