My "Huh?????!!!" Moment of this Basketball Season

By John Scognamiglio

For the better part of this semester, I have been plugging and rooting for Georgia Mueller. I have called her on numerous occasions the "prohibitive favorite for MIAA Freshman of the Year." Even in my previous blog entry, I said that the game within the game would be Cortney Shewmaker vs. Mueller, to see who would be freshman of the year.

I don't like being wrong, but at least I can admit when I am wrong. And I must admit that I am wrong. Apparently, I forgot about little Meghan Welch, who was named today the MIAA Freshman of the Year. I did mention her as part of the competitors to the Freshman of the Year in my profile story on Mueller. But I thought that she was the third best of the freshman class this year.

I will for the sake of time and my wish to not be quoted wrong, copy and paste what the MIAA website says of Ms. Welch.

"MSSU G/F Meghan Welch, the Lions' second-leading scorer (10.0 ppg), was selected as the Freshman of the Year. She ranks fifth in the MIAA in three-point shooting (39.9 percent) and sixth in three-pointers made per game (2.11)."

Now, I only have to copy and paste the first sentence on the Truman athletic's site about Mueller.

"Inexplicably, Truman’s Georgia Mueller did not receive the conference freshman of the year award."

So why is there controversy brooding on Florida 2000 and the Olympic figure skating scandal of 2002? Well, I love facts. I thrive on knowledge and knowing facts. Plus, I only saw Missouri Southern twice this year, while I have had a season of watching Mueller and the rest of the Bulldogs play.

So, in an attempt to figure out what makes a freshman of the year, I was surprised to find out that statistics must not be an important part of the discussion. I actually looked at each other's stats to see if Ms. Welch was a better player.

I would like to say before I go any further, that I am not attacking Meghan Welch. I have the utmost respect for basketball players and I wish her congratulations on winning a prestigious award in a very good conference, and I am sure this award is the first of many that she will have in her long MIAA career.

Here we go with the stats:

Games played: Welch 27, Mueller 27
Games started: Welch 6, Mueller 23
Field Goals: Welch 91-227 for .401 percent, Mueller 116-261 for .444 percent
Three Pointers: Welch 57-143 for .399 percent, Mueller 7-25 for .280 percent
Free throws: Welch 30-40 for .750 percent, Mueller 89-119 for .748 percent
Rebounds: Welch 9 offensive and 54 defensive for 2.3 rebounds per game,
Mueller 57 offensive and 109 defensive for 6.1 rebounds per game
Assists: Welch 23, Mueller 38
Turnovers: Welch 51, Mueller 80
Blocks: Welch 6, Mueller 34
Steals: Welch 18, Mueller 24
Points Per Game: Welch 10.0, Mueller 12.1

So...hmmm...Mueller has Welch dominated on stats in eight categories. So it must be that Welch had better games against Mueller when they played each other.

Well...Missouri Southern does have two wins against the 'Dogs, on Jan. 7 and Feb. 18. But, let's look at their lines from the contests

Jan. 7: Welch played 24 minutes, had 11 points and 5 rebounds
Mueller started, played 35 minutes, had 21 points and 12 rebounds

Feb. 18: Welch played 9 minutes, had 15 points and zero rebounds
Mueller played 25 minutes, had 12 points and 10 rebounds

So Welch averaged 16.5 minutes, 13 points and 2.5 rebounds in the two games. Mueller averaged 30 minutes, 16.5 points, and 11 rebounds in the two games.

So...hmmm...Mueller has the edge there. Wait, I must have forgotten, Welch may be a team leader for the Lions moreso than Mueller for the Bulldogs.

Well, Welch has led the Lions in scoring three times this season and in rebounding once. Mueller on the other hand, has led the Bulldogs in scoring seven times this season and in rebounding eight times, in fact, leading the Bulldogs four times this season in both categories.

So...hmm...Wait, maybe Welch played better against Washburn and Emporia State, the conference's top-ranked teams.

Well, in the two games against ESU, Welch averaged 10.5 points, 16.5 minutes, and one rebound. In the two games against Washburn, Welch averaged 6 points, 18.5 minutes, and 2.5 rebounds.

In the two games against ESU, Mueller averaged 15.5 points, 28.5 minutes, and six rebounds. In the two games against Washburn, Mueller averaged 15 points, 25.5 minutes, and 2.5 rebounds.

So...hmmm...It would appear that Mueller would have the edge there too.

As Stewie Griffin would say, "There's treachery afoot!" I have looked at overall stats, stats against each other, stats against top teams, and team leaders stats. And if I can count right (thank you math minor), I think that Mueller would have the edge in those four categories and Welch is not a factor.

Why is it that a woman who is 13th in the conference in scoring, 12th in rebounding, 8th in free-throw percentage and 5th in blocked shots not get any awards, especially when she's a freshman?

To me, the answer is very simple: R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

The Bulldogs have been disrespected. If this was the Godfather, we'd be goin to the mattresses right now. It's all about a lack of respect the Bulldogs have. Missouri Southern is the fourth seed in the conference tourney, finished at .500 in conference, going 16-11 overall this year.

Truman finished 3-13 in conference, 12-15 overall. The Bulldogs actually had to win Saturday to get into the tournament. What did Mueller do? She scored 22 points to lead the Bulldogs and collected 10 rebounds to lead the team in both categories, and she started.

Missouri Southern ended the regular season losing to Emporia State. Welch had 19 points on 6-11 shooting from behind the arc, and she came off the bench too.

So I pose this question: which is bigger? Welch's upset? Or Mueller's hose?

40 Minutes to Go

By John Scognamiglio

A few years back, the NCAA introduced a new novelty to March Madness: the play-in game. This allows another team to enter the field to become national champion. The game is played before the tournament starts, usually the Tuesday before between numbers 64 and 65. The winner of that game gets into the 64 team field.

This Saturday, the Truman State Women's Basketball team will face the Southwest Baptist University Women's Basketball team in the MIAA play-in game. In my talks with Coach Sloop this season, he has said no game is a must-win until it absolutely has to be. Well, this Saturday is that must-win for the Bulldogs. Win, they go to Kansas City. Lose, they stay home and regroup for next year.

There are more storylines than just Kansas City that will take place on Saturday. Southwest Baptist will bring their candidate for Freshman of the Year to Pershing Arena. Cortney Shewmaker vs. Georgia Mueller will definitely be the game within the game this Saturday. Even though they won't matchup against each other, the voters will be watching to see who has the better impact. Mueller has quietly put games together all throughout this season. It could be that Mueller's biggest game may be the one that gets her team to Kansas City.

Another big storyline that fans will need to keep an eye on is Candace McGee. The Bulldogs' sophomore guard is five treys from tying Wendi Sobaski's single season record. In Wednesday night's contest, she did sink 5 treys to at least give her a shot at tying the record. She already has attempted the second most three's in a season, with 185, leaving her 11 away from that record.

So with all these microcosms abound, it would be easy to forget that this game is basically the MIAA play-in game. So, pack Pershing Saturday afternoon, for what could be a record-breaking day.

The Women Need Your Help

By John Scognamiglio

With two games left to play this season, the women's basketball team needs the students and faculty of Truman State University, as well as the community of Kirksville, to come out to Pershing Arena Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon for their games.

The team is currently tied with Southwest Baptist for the final spot in the MIAA tournament. Southwest Baptist plays against Pittsburg State on Wednesday, as Pitt State looks to gain a spot in the tourney with a victory. Should Pitt State win, the Truman women will need to win one of their final two games to get to Kansas City.

There are plenty of other story lines to watch in the final week. The girls are currently six three-pointers away from setting a new record for most treys in a season.

Freshman Georgia Mueller is still the favorite to win the MIAA Freshman of the Year award with her 11.7 points per game output. Her closest competitors come calling on Saturday when Southwest Baptist visits Pershing. Cortney Shewmaker has started to establish herself as the Bearcat front-runner.

So, if you have free time Wednesday evening at 5:30, come to Pershing Arena and root for the Bulldogs.

This week in the Index...

So, in order to get all the sports 'blog coverage' I am going to try something new this week. I will post the links to every story that is appearing in today's (Feb. 16) issue of the Index. I would really apperciate any thoughts, comments, ideas about this. Just post a comment if you like the idea or not. All feedback is welcome.

On to the links... All the links SHOULD work, but they make take a few seconds. Be patient.

Men's basketball wins another close one.

Sports Editor Conor Nicholl takes a look at senior guards Chip Sodemann's clutchness.

Freshman wrestler Blake Peterson, who hasn't lost since mid-November, is profiled.

Baseball season is set is set to begin with upperclassmen leading the way.

The softball team has high expectations for the upcoming season.

Women's basketball player Natalie Shupbach is this weeks Athlete of the Week.

The wrestling team had a busy Weekend.

Swim teams look to make a splash at conference meet.

Katie Fowler hits a buzzer beater against Upper Iowa.

Roller hockey finishes their regular season.

-Joseph Barker
Assistant Sports Editor

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.

Shout Outs

By John Scognamiglio

In response to a plea from a former assistant sports editor, and my belief that not all sports revolve around basketball, here are some shout outs for you all.

Shout Out #1 : Ashley Colon

This past week, Ashley Colon won the weight throw event in the Augustana Open Invitational. Oh yeah, that was the third week in a row that she won that event. She is having one of those under the radar type seasons that would have taken notice if the men's basketball team wasn't 18-4.

Shout Out #2 : Bridgette Carpenter

Also at the same invitational, Carpenter set a new location record for the shot put and matched the NCAA Provisional mark set for the event. She may have the chance to go to the NCAA Indoor Track National Championship meet. Yet another thing that flies under the radar.

Shout Out #3 : Midyear Transfers

Within the past few weeks, the Bulldog women's basketball team and the volleyball team has added players from Division I schools. Lisa Weber joins the Elite Eight volleyball squad from Tennessee Martin. In high school, Weber was an All-Metro St. Louis caliber volleyball player from Westminster Christian. She's a 6'1 middle blocker that will look to contribute immediately next season. Sarah Gordon is a transfer from Tennessee Chattanooga. She was All-State Class 3 second team for Missouri her senior year, averaging 16.6 points and 14.8 rebounds.

Shout Out #4 : Swimming Team

The women's swimming team has already qualified 16 players for the national championship meet in Indianapolis. Headlining the field is senior Whitney Jensen who has qualified in eight events. The men's team has only qualified four swimmers so far, but there are a few meets left before the big one in Indy.

Shout Out #5 : Ross Houston

Yes, our former assistant sports editor gets a shout out. When he could be out living it up in swinging London town, showing people how to party the Chicago and Abercrombie way, does he? No, he still maintains the Bulldog sports fan and gets on here to keep posting and keeping us on our toes. Good for you Ross for sacrificing school and fun times to keep us one step ahead.

Most Important Stat

By John Scognamiglio

The men's basketball team has had two really important home wins in conference in the past ten days. Is there a key to the two victories at Pershing?

Well, one could argue that the key is senior guard Chip Sodemann who led the 'Dogs in scoring in both victories with 16 and 14 respectively. Also, you could look at junior forward Andy Calmes who led the 'Dogs with rebounds with 14 and nine. You can go on and on and on about certain players, certain situations, but there is one important stat that I feel helped this Bulldog team to victories in both of those games.

Homecourt advantage is probably one of the most overrated and underrated themes in statistics. A good example is that of the Seattle Seahawks who were undefeated at home this season because of their so-called "12th Man" at Qwest Field, all apologies to Texas A&M.

Wednesday night, January 25, 2006, the recorded attendance at Pershing Arena was 1472. Saturday afternoon, February 4, 2006, the recorded attendance at Pershing Arena was 1685.

For those keeping track, that's two home games, five point difference between wins and losses, and an astounding 3157 in attendance watching history in the making. It may be too early to call Pershing Arena the "6th Man," but this Bulldog squad has four more home games, including key matchups against the number three team in conference, Central Missouri State University Mules (who trail the Bulldogs by half a game in the conference standings) and a senior day matchup against currently 20-2 Southwest Baptist University, a squad who needed a little help to defeat the Bulldogs in overtime.

My goal, my plea, my wish, is on Saturday, February 25, 2006, the Pershing Arena Faithful, all Bulldog basketball fans, make their voices heard, and tear off the ceiling of the building, and set a new attendance record for Pershing Arena. We as a school, we as a community, can set the bar for the future by watching history in the making. 2000 people? We only need a few hundred more for that. 2500? Nice number, one quarter of ten thousand. Let's shoot for 3000 or more, so that 3000 people can shout, make noise, storm the court and say they saw something that they've never seen before.

Fan-damonium

-Joe Barker

Truman 68 – Emporia State 67

The color has returned to my hands. My voice is slowly soundind less hoarse. My heart is no longer pounding out of my chest.

The same could not have been said a half hour ago.

I just got back from THE most exciting amateur sporting event I have ever attended. The men’s basketball team just won in the most exciting fashion. I am speechless, which is unusual for me.

As a sports writer I always attend events as a media man, looking at the game for a writers point of view. Today, since Tyler does an excellent job covering the men I figured I didn’t need to bring out the ol’ notebook. Instead I went to the game as a fan.

And I couldn’t be more excited.

When junior forward Andy Calmes put back the rebound with 1.1 seconds left in the game I didn’t know what to do with myself. I started jumping up and down and I let out the most primal scream. In normal circumstances I would have looked like a foul yet everyone in the near packed gym was doing the same. We just couldn’t control ourselves.

Seeing that shoot bounce of the rim, as a fan I was at the lowest of lows. Then suddenly seeing #10 leapt out of nowhere and put the ball back with just the slightest touch I erupted, the whole place erupted. I have gone to my share of basketball games but this was so intense. ONE POINT ONE SECONDS left and the ’Dogs come out on top. It was amazing.

And I wasn’t even playing.

That feeling of victory is the greatest feeling a fan can get. All of us in the student section forgot about class, tests – everything - and simply exploded with joy. Nothing could go wrong.

Women's Basketball Stuff

By John Scognamiglio

I would just like to give this disclaimer: Those who dare enter this very blog, beware.

Now that I have that out of the way, I think it's officially time to call the women's basketball season over. It pains me to say it, but this team is definitely not built for the MIAA. With the 74-55 loss to Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State coming to Pershing tomorrow, the Bulldogs sit in the bottom of the MIAA standings at 1-9, although Southwest Baptist is only one game better. Should those two tie at the end of the season, which is very possible, the unusual tiebreaker of who beat a higher team will come into play. The Bulldogs lone conference win thus far is against Missouri Western, 4-6 in conference. The Bearcats already hold a victory over the 'Dogs, but their other win is against 6-4 Missouri Southern. So the Bulldogs may lose out on the tiebreaker.

Despite all that, I can just no longer sit idly by and try to make people feel better about this team. The MIAA is a power conference and the Bulldogs are going through a power crisis. That is not to say, however, that there are no players on this team giving their all. Lone senior Ali Long still is one of those players who refuses to do things easy and still does all the little things to confound an opposing team's offense, little things, like getting back to the hole after a made basket or a shot.

I've been around women's basketball for four years on the periphery due to my position as men's basketbsll student manager/assistant. There is one puzzling trend that I have noticed: the puzzling disappearances of certain players. When Long was a freshman, she was joined by Sarah Bernard, who is no longer with the team. The year afterward, the 'Dogs had a stellar freshman class enter with Megan Patti, Noelle Peterson, Natalie Schupbach, and Emily Markovich. Patti has since transferred, Peterson left the team, and Markovich unfortunately had arthritis that ended her career. Last season, Katie Fowler, Candi McGee, Carmen McGee, and Callie Sears began their Bulldog careers. Sears has since left the team. This year, the squad has already lost Hilary Adams and Lucie Lueken, though the pickup of Sarah Gordon may do wonders for the team.

Four years of basketball, seven players leaving the team. While the men are shooting for 20 wins, the women will be lucky to get to 10. And it's not just the cold shooting that's dooming the Bulldogs. It's an overall sense of frustration that I get when I watch them play. I will never give up watching this team play basketball, for I remember a time when the men's basketball team was in the same boat, scratching and clawing their way to win a few games each season. Maybe it'll be a few years down the line till the women's basketball team returns to glory. As for this season, well...still come to Pershing, you might see Laura Cooper set a new record for three's in a game, or watch the final few games of Alison Long's underrated career as a Bulldog. As for wins, they might come, but, they might not too.