Eight Days, Three Games, Storylines Aplenty
By John Scognamiglio
This Saturday begins the final stretch run for the basketball teams at Truman State University. And while the end of the season is near, the final results are still not known.
Let's start with the team that has the most to play for: women's basketball (sorry men's fans, but they are already in).
The women's team is fighting for their playoff life. They have three games to go, starting Saturday with their final road game at Missouri Southern. They then return to Pershing Arena for two regular season games to close out the 2005-2006 campaign. With the losses last night of Pitt State and Southwest Baptist, the Bulldogs are very much still in the mix to finish their season in Kansas City. Pitt State has to contend with Emporia State, Southwest Baptist, and Missouri Western. Southwest Baptist faces Northwest Missouri State, Pitt State, and Truman in their final three games. The Bulldogs have to contend with Missouri Southern, Central Missouri, and Southwest Baptist.
Each team is definitely in must-win territory right now, with the biggest burden on Southwest Baptist, since they have two games against their direct competition. Pitt State doesn't have the easiest schedule either, since they have to face Emporia State on Saturday, a team that recently lost to Central Missouri, the same Central Missouri the Bulldogs took into overtime while most students were at home during winter break. Emporia State will be coming off two straight losses (they lost to Washburn last night 73-57) and will undoubtedly be looking to capture momentum heading into the final week.
With three games to play, and only one game seperating those three teams vying for two playoff spots, there is a lot to fight for on the women's side of the bracket.
Now onto the team that has a lot to play for as well: the men's basketball team.
There is an old adage in the MIAA: in this conference, on any given night, any team can win. Well last night certainly proved that. Southwest Baptist, ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 7 overall in the country fell to Central Missouri last night in Warrensburg by a score of 72-56. Also falling last night on the men's side was Northwest Missouri, who just was ranked fourth in the South Central Region. Missouri Southern, however, continued their race towards KC by beating Pitt State. As my colleague Tyler Madsen said earlier, this team could trip up the Bulldogs as their dream season winds down.
With all the upheaval last night, Southwest Baptist still is in first with a conference record of 10-3. Truman is second at 9-4. One game seperates first and second place. But don't count out Central Missouri, who is in third with an 8-5 record.
This Saturday, Southwest Baptist will host Northwest Missouri, a team the purple Bearcats lost to earlier this season. Central Missouri hosts Missouri Western on Saturday. With the regular season conference title on the line in the final eight days, there is still a lot to play for on the men's side of the MIAA.
This Saturday begins the final stretch run for the basketball teams at Truman State University. And while the end of the season is near, the final results are still not known.
Let's start with the team that has the most to play for: women's basketball (sorry men's fans, but they are already in).
The women's team is fighting for their playoff life. They have three games to go, starting Saturday with their final road game at Missouri Southern. They then return to Pershing Arena for two regular season games to close out the 2005-2006 campaign. With the losses last night of Pitt State and Southwest Baptist, the Bulldogs are very much still in the mix to finish their season in Kansas City. Pitt State has to contend with Emporia State, Southwest Baptist, and Missouri Western. Southwest Baptist faces Northwest Missouri State, Pitt State, and Truman in their final three games. The Bulldogs have to contend with Missouri Southern, Central Missouri, and Southwest Baptist.
Each team is definitely in must-win territory right now, with the biggest burden on Southwest Baptist, since they have two games against their direct competition. Pitt State doesn't have the easiest schedule either, since they have to face Emporia State on Saturday, a team that recently lost to Central Missouri, the same Central Missouri the Bulldogs took into overtime while most students were at home during winter break. Emporia State will be coming off two straight losses (they lost to Washburn last night 73-57) and will undoubtedly be looking to capture momentum heading into the final week.
With three games to play, and only one game seperating those three teams vying for two playoff spots, there is a lot to fight for on the women's side of the bracket.
Now onto the team that has a lot to play for as well: the men's basketball team.
There is an old adage in the MIAA: in this conference, on any given night, any team can win. Well last night certainly proved that. Southwest Baptist, ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 7 overall in the country fell to Central Missouri last night in Warrensburg by a score of 72-56. Also falling last night on the men's side was Northwest Missouri, who just was ranked fourth in the South Central Region. Missouri Southern, however, continued their race towards KC by beating Pitt State. As my colleague Tyler Madsen said earlier, this team could trip up the Bulldogs as their dream season winds down.
With all the upheaval last night, Southwest Baptist still is in first with a conference record of 10-3. Truman is second at 9-4. One game seperates first and second place. But don't count out Central Missouri, who is in third with an 8-5 record.
This Saturday, Southwest Baptist will host Northwest Missouri, a team the purple Bearcats lost to earlier this season. Central Missouri hosts Missouri Western on Saturday. With the regular season conference title on the line in the final eight days, there is still a lot to play for on the men's side of the MIAA.
posted by Anonymous at Tuesday, February 14, 2006
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