Borrowed from Titan Q (Good Stuff Titan Q, that's why I had to share!!)
#1-Augustana (27-1, 13-1 CCIW)
G - Hunter Hill, 5-9/165 Sr. (13.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg) 1st Team all-CCIW/M.O.P.
G - Jawan Straughter, 6-0/186 Sr. (6.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.6 apg) 3rd Team all-CCIW
G - Griffin Pils, 6-4/216 Sr. (7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 apg)
F - Tayvian Johnson (8.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
F - Ben Ryan, 6-5/216 Sr. (14.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg) 1st Team all-CCIW
F - Brandon Motzel, 6-7/210 Sr. (8.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) 2nd Team all-CCIW *broken finger/did not play last night*
G - Dylan Sortillo, 6-3/175 So. (6.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
G - Chrishawn Orange, 6-2/178 Fr. (4.9 ppg)
F - Pierson Wofford, 6-4/207 Fr. (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
F - Michael Hoekstra, 6-7/204 Jr. (2.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
#9-Hope (24-3, 13-1 MIAA)
G - Chad Carlson, 5-7/155, Jr. (6.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
G - Dante Hawkins, 5-10/160 So. (7.8 ppg, 3.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
G - Ben Gardner, 6-0/165 Sr. (15.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg) 1st Team all-MIAA/Co-MIAADefensive Player of the Year
F - Harrison Blackledge, 6-6/210 Jr. (12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
C - Brock Benson, 6-8/230 Sr. (12.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, .583 FG) 2nd Team all-MIAA
F - Sam Otto, 6-3/190 Sr. (8.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
G - Alex Eidson, 6-2/190 Sr. (6.0 ppg)
F - Cody Stuive, 6-7/185 Jr. (4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
An intriguing matchup tonight in Rock Island. A few thoughts...
* Hope is a very talented and skilled team. My biggest question related to Hope's ability to compete tonight is whether or not they are physical enough. The Dutchmen have not played anyone this season as tough and physical as Augustana, and I am not quite sure how they are going to deal with it.
* Hope spreads the floor out really well and has a lot of versatile players who can do a lot of good things. The Dutchmen offense will create problems for Augie's defense.
* Playing without starting center Brandon Motzel certainly didn't hurt Augustana against a SLIAC team, but if he is out again tonight it will hurt Augie. Hope has a great starting 5-man in 6-8 senior Brock Benson (better than his stats indicate). Benson is a load down low with his back to the basket. If 6-5 Ben Ryan - who is a 4 and not a 5 - has to guard him, that's a big challenge for the Vikings.
* Keeping Benson out of foul trouble is very important for Hope. And I think that might be tough - Ben Ryan is an active, crafty guy down low and I can see Benson picking up some fouls defending him. The Dutchmen are very thin in the post - they only bring one post off the bench, and as far as I recall, 6-7 Cody Stuive is more 4 than 5. I think Benson has to be on the floor about 32 minutes tonight for Hope to compete.
* Hope has to take care of the basketball (can't turn it over a bunch of times like IWU recently did) and somehow keep Augie's rebound edge within 4 or so. If the Dutchmen turn it over 15+ times and get clobbered on the boards, Augie will have several more FGA and it's just too hard to win with that formula.
* Hope also has to shoot it well, like IWU did in the CCIW semi-final.
If Hope plays the way they are capable of, they can give Augustana a great game and even pull off the upset. If the Dutchmen can't handle Augie's toughness and physical play, Hope will get run out of the gym.
#1-Augustana (27-1, 13-1 CCIW)
G - Hunter Hill, 5-9/165 Sr. (13.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg) 1st Team all-CCIW/M.O.P.
G - Jawan Straughter, 6-0/186 Sr. (6.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.6 apg) 3rd Team all-CCIW
G - Griffin Pils, 6-4/216 Sr. (7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 apg)
F - Tayvian Johnson (8.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
F - Ben Ryan, 6-5/216 Sr. (14.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg) 1st Team all-CCIW
F - Brandon Motzel, 6-7/210 Sr. (8.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) 2nd Team all-CCIW *broken finger/did not play last night*
G - Dylan Sortillo, 6-3/175 So. (6.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
G - Chrishawn Orange, 6-2/178 Fr. (4.9 ppg)
F - Pierson Wofford, 6-4/207 Fr. (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
F - Michael Hoekstra, 6-7/204 Jr. (2.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
#9-Hope (24-3, 13-1 MIAA)
G - Chad Carlson, 5-7/155, Jr. (6.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
G - Dante Hawkins, 5-10/160 So. (7.8 ppg, 3.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
G - Ben Gardner, 6-0/165 Sr. (15.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg) 1st Team all-MIAA/Co-MIAADefensive Player of the Year
F - Harrison Blackledge, 6-6/210 Jr. (12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
C - Brock Benson, 6-8/230 Sr. (12.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, .583 FG) 2nd Team all-MIAA
F - Sam Otto, 6-3/190 Sr. (8.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
G - Alex Eidson, 6-2/190 Sr. (6.0 ppg)
F - Cody Stuive, 6-7/185 Jr. (4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
An intriguing matchup tonight in Rock Island. A few thoughts...
* Hope is a very talented and skilled team. My biggest question related to Hope's ability to compete tonight is whether or not they are physical enough. The Dutchmen have not played anyone this season as tough and physical as Augustana, and I am not quite sure how they are going to deal with it.
* Hope spreads the floor out really well and has a lot of versatile players who can do a lot of good things. The Dutchmen offense will create problems for Augie's defense.
* Playing without starting center Brandon Motzel certainly didn't hurt Augustana against a SLIAC team, but if he is out again tonight it will hurt Augie. Hope has a great starting 5-man in 6-8 senior Brock Benson (better than his stats indicate). Benson is a load down low with his back to the basket. If 6-5 Ben Ryan - who is a 4 and not a 5 - has to guard him, that's a big challenge for the Vikings.
* Keeping Benson out of foul trouble is very important for Hope. And I think that might be tough - Ben Ryan is an active, crafty guy down low and I can see Benson picking up some fouls defending him. The Dutchmen are very thin in the post - they only bring one post off the bench, and as far as I recall, 6-7 Cody Stuive is more 4 than 5. I think Benson has to be on the floor about 32 minutes tonight for Hope to compete.
* Hope has to take care of the basketball (can't turn it over a bunch of times like IWU recently did) and somehow keep Augie's rebound edge within 4 or so. If the Dutchmen turn it over 15+ times and get clobbered on the boards, Augie will have several more FGA and it's just too hard to win with that formula.
* Hope also has to shoot it well, like IWU did in the CCIW semi-final.
If Hope plays the way they are capable of, they can give Augustana a great game and even pull off the upset. If the Dutchmen can't handle Augie's toughness and physical play, Hope will get run out of the gym.
