SFA (17-4; 6-2) vs. Houston Baptist (5-17; 1-8)

WHERE: Sawmill
WHEN: JAN. 31 (WED) 7:00 P.M.
TV: ESPN3

The Huskies are a perfect 0-12 on the road, almost breaking the skid at A&M CC tonight, but losing in OT.

Kudos to HBU for playing the most difficult schedule in the SLC with games against Providence, Belmont, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, and Vanderbilt.

Needless to say, with the exception of the tip off, none of those games were close and I see no reason why that trend does not continue in Nac.

SR:3
JR:4
SO:4
FR:5

SFAXE93 said:

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Kudos to HBU for playing the most difficult schedule in the SLC with games against Providence, Belmont, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, and Vanderbilt.

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Yeah. So much for playing a difficult pre-conference to "toughen up" a team. Texas Southern did the same thing and went something like 0-12 prior to conference. Must be a Houston coaches thing.

There is playing a tough schedule to better your team and then there is playing a tough schedule to fund your program.

I think we know which one applies here.

I take nothing for granted with any team, I think that we've shown enough tendency to play down a level that every game should be met with some (albeit slight) trepidation.

My concern lies after the HBU game...where we play 4 of the next 6 on the road.

No need to elaborate on our conference road "issues"

I'm happy that this one will be at home. I'm not expecting much from HBU, but I am looking for the best midweek home crowd. Let's stay loud.

Hate mail, we've arrived...

I worry about them trying to get under our skin here. They have had a habit of that in the past, but with Fountain gone, I think we're fine.

This should be a 20+ point blowout...

I just keep trying to wrap my head around who thought that the SLC needed HBU, ACU, & UIW? I just don't see the value add of playing them several times a year in sports.

I'm good with ACU, and they have potential to really grow into something. The facilities are there and they aren't a talentless wasteland.

HBU we were getting a storied basketball program that wasn't ready to make the jump.

UIW. No clue. I feel like there were way better options out there...

I am with you cboothe. ACU has potential and I don't see them in the same class as HBU and UIW. I imagine they were thinking with the two of them they could have a presence in two major markets, but I lived in Houston for a couple of years and never heard a mention of HBU so not sure that its paying off

cboothe09 said:

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I'm good with ACU, and they have potential to really grow into something. The facilities are there and they aren't a talentless wasteland.

HBU we were getting a storied basketball program that wasn't ready to make the jump.

UIW. No clue. I feel like there were way better options out there...

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I don't mind ACU, because they make an effort, but I think in 2013 we just needed to add 1 school to get back to 10. A 10 team conference gives you all sorts of advantages like being able to play everyone in football or home & homes in basketball. Adding 4 was a mistake IMO, with UIW/HBU being the biggest problem. Especially for a conference that only has other public schools.

UIW is the weird one to me. Like you said, they have handled the transition as well, if not better, than the other two, and are trying hard to make this work. Their hire for football was a home run. Basketball had promise, but I can't begin to fathom what happened there. Baseball. Well, baseball is a work in progress.

That said, they are trying to make this work, but something just doesn't click right. Regardless, it doesn't matter now because they are part of the Southland until the next realignment domino falls.

My guess is that there's a perception that private Christian schools have a large endowment per student that the SLC wouldn't mind seeing some of put into their sports.

In defense of ACU, HBU and UIW...

Perhaps the conference was looking to add more academic punch to the lineup.

Let's face it, (and maybe this is a bad assumption) but most, if not all, of the Louisiana schools are academically below many of the other schools in the conference.

ACU, HBU & UIW, while not athletically superior (yet, maybe) are academically very high.

So from that aspect, it made sense.

And, let's not act like we're so much better than these schools (at least in football) as ACU is 2-2 against us since 2014 and the loss to HBU was about as humiliating as any SFA loss, ever, and it took a miracle play to beat UIW this past year.

But other sports, I agree.

MasterAxe - you are almost correct. NSU, SLU, Nicholls, and McNeese are not considered 'bastons' of education in Louisiana. However, UNO always ranks at the top in the country for academia based on its size and cost. Not a fan of any of those schools, but that's how they shake out. I would venture to say though, that they are not way below several of the Texas schools in the conference, but on the same level academically. But it's eveident that SFA far outclasses most in the classroom.

Game day!!! The Huskies have only beaten us once...in 1979. Back then when political correctness was not as high as it is today, we just called them Fat Boys. So come out today and watch us kick some Fat Boy butt.

nacluth said:

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Game day!!! The Huskies have only beaten us once...in 1979. Back then when political correctness was not as high as it is today, we just called them Fat Boys. So come out today and watch us kick some Fat Boy butt.

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ROFL!!! Glad to see that you haven't caved in to the god of political correctness.

Do we know the status of Kevon and where is the contest post?

Oops sorry. Thanks for the reminder. Sorry everyone

Kevon not dressing out for the game, but dancing on court during warm-ups

Both of those schools play those schedules because of the checks they get to help fund their programs, not because they harbor any allusions of winning the games. If by some chance they pull one or two off (see TSU last year or year before), it's a bonus. Houston Baptist has the worst gym of any college program in the nation. Forcing them into D1was purely a football pipe dream and gave basketball no chance at all to be successful.

So I can't make the drive tonight, but looking forward to sitting back, relaxing, eating supper and watching the Jacks cruise. Right? I should feel confident...right? Why me worry...right?

Got to be the most points before first media this year. Need better D, but it doesn't seem like much of a game early. Hopefully we play loose.

hows the crowd?

RedRiverLa said:

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hows the crowd?

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Looks pretty skimpy on the bench side of the court.

Have to hear from someone else. I can't get there until halftime on Wednesdays.

Enjoying the 11 point lea...oh wait. I sure am ready for TJ to breakout on the scoring offense, but I'll take Canete shooting lights out anytime.

Letting HBU hang around.

edstile said:

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RedRiverLa said:

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hows the crowd?

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Looks pretty skimpy on the bench side of the court.

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Like seriously, what are our other 12k students doing tonight? It's not even Thirsty Thursday.

This should be on our admission application:

"How many basketball games do you plan to attend per year?

• Zero
• 1-4
• 5-10
• All of them.

HBU has a guy doing an impression of Howard. Has thrown up a couple of prayers that went in.

Currently on track for a 112-108 final.