Quote from: izzy stradlin on November 19, 2015, 02:20:58 AM

Quote from: AndOne on November 18, 2015, 10:57:40 PM

Quote from: GoPerry on November 18, 2015, 08:08:28 AM
Wheaton goes down to BenU, 76-61.

I would have to say this went fairly according to script with few surprises on the stat sheet.   Coach Schauer certainly has some talent but it's all at the 1-2-3 positions with the exception of Michael Berg who is a 3/4 playing 5.  Therefore there's little defensive answer for a team with any size and bulk.  Luke Johnson, Tim Reamer and Adam Reynolds pretty much had their way down on the block.  I thought Berg did a decent job on Johnson but the others were being defended by a wing player like Murad Dillard, Trae Masten or Ricky Samuelson.  Wheaton was -15 in rebounding, 43-28, and I'm pretty sure points in the paint was very lopsided the Eagles way. 

Offensively the Thunder basically run a 3 or 4 guard offense.  Berg still does post up some and while I think he's better than last year, it's still not his most effective area of comfort.  Dillard could be quite a handful down low if he can develop his skills just a bit more.  Otherwise, everything else is from the perimeter.  They have weapons- Masten can simply fill it up from the 3 point arc, Samuelson is a good outside shooter, Teuscher also.  But you are relying on your team to shoot 48-50% or higher from the field in order to have a chance at winning and that is a tall order night in and night out. 

Tahron Harvey had a nice game for BenU while Blasczcyk was just cold all night.  They come at you with a very balanced attack.  Based on last night's game, they are entirely legit to be among the NACC favorites and perhaps deserving of some ORV, but I don't see them beating EC next week.

Wheaton appears to not have much inside presence at all either on the offensive or, especially, on the defensive end of the floor.

I feel like this is something we have been saying for the last 5+years.   

Compared to Bill Harris front-courts such as:

Frank-Senik-Seneff
Hamann-Moo-Collins
Kolmodin-Landry-Steven 
Wiele-Carwell-McCrary

(I had forgotten how strong Wheaton used to be down low)

Wheaton hasn't had anything remotely resembling these since 2009.   For whatever reason, Mike Schauer simply hasn't been able to recruit big-men like his predecessor.

Long time reader, first time poster here.  I think GoPerry is exactly right with one caveat. I've watched Wheaton basketball for decades and all those trios of big men listed have one thing in common: Nate Frank.  While Nate was involved with the Thunder program (as player and coach), Wheaton had some good big men recruits and players developing.  There's something to be said for having a post coach on staff who has experience and can teach the fundamentals, as well as command a room when he visits post player recruits.  I don't remember exact details on when Nate left the bench, but I believe it was after the Nate Haynes/Tyler Peters recruiting class.

Coach Schauer and staff are very equipped to recruit and develop post players.  You can observe that Wheaton is always disciplined and well-coached on both ends of the floor.  But there is something to be said for having an experienced, talented post coach who has played at this level to keep the post depth strong.

Quote from: Backseat Driver on February 01, 2012, 10:10:13 PM
Announcers were the biggest homers I've ever heard, and they weren't students. They were calling the game for a Decatur radio station.

Agreed.  Not sure who the announcers were, but they were a disgrace to radio commentary.  They were criticizing the Thunder all night even going as far as ridiculing players shooting form saying "it is the worst in the county", "I can't stand watching it", and "she looks like a wounded deer" when shooting.  It's one thing to be homerish and its another to insult individual players like that.  Completely inappropriate for radio commentary.  There's no place for that on the radio  or in the CCIW

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on January 27, 2012, 12:35:50 AM
Greg, with key emphasis on 'at this point', no.  He leads (by a fairly wide margin) on both the 'glamor' stats: points and rebounds.

But still a long way to go, and several players (esp. Zimmer and Tiknis) are still within shouting distance.  IF Wheaton falls out of the race (GO Titans on Saturday!), his candidacy may falter if others on contenders are even close to his stats (and plenty of time for someone to even exceed his stats).

I don't think that can be your determining factor in deciding the MOP.  Tim McCrary is the best player in the conference and maybe the best big man in the country.  Statistics are not everything in determining that, but Tim McCrary is the complete package.  Considering the fact that Steve Djurkovic won the award last year when his team didn't even make the conference tounrnament, even IF Wheaton faltered, Tim McCrary should get the award. I am a firm believer in giving it to the best player in the conference given that his team finished in the top to middle.  I don't think they should give it to someone "less deserving" (for lack of a better phrase) just because their team finished a spot or two higher in conference.  That is not to take anything away from Tiknis or Zimmer at all.  They are both First Team players and playing well, but Tim McCrary is a level above right now. But that IF doesn't seem relevant because Wheaton is a contender and should be a contender all the way through to the end of the season.

Quote from: Titan Q on January 23, 2012, 10:36:56 PM
NCC has the great inside presence with Landon Gamble, but they are also shooting .422 from 3-point range in CCIW games.  Aaron Tiknis is 11-15 (.733) from 3 for pete's sake...Kevin Gillespie 15-26 (.577).

You could easily argue that NCC has...

* The best point-guard
* The best forward combination
* The best 5-man

I think you can argue that NCC has a nice forward combination, but not the best forward combination. They certainly are a great together, but I believe the Tim McCrary/Spencer Schultze combo is the best duo in the conference.  Statistically (conference play through 6 games):

                                     PPG            RPG               APG
Gamble/Tiknis                26.3            11.9               6.5
McCrary/Schultze           34.3             14.5               3.2

The Wheaton combination do play more minutes per game, but not enough to take away from the difference in numbers. Gamble is the best 5 man in the league and and Tiknis is playing well through the first half of conference so far.  But as a combination, I think Wheaton has the better duo thus far. 

I have not seen much of the CCIW teams, especially NCC, but statistically it's hard to argue for a better combo than the Wheaton pair.

Quote from: iwu70 on January 23, 2012, 11:06:59 PM
My take on the top four so far:

Augie is the under-achiever

IWU is the over-achiever

NCC is finally achieving as most expected it would (but not me) -- even running the table, they can't get to 20 wins.   

Wheaton is the luckiest so far, esp. the win over NCC in OT.

To say that a team that is 5-1 in the CCIW and 14-3 overall with losses on the road to #3 Hope by one point, #21 Illinois Wesleyan in overtime and unranked but very good Wash U discredits Wheaton a lot.  You could just as easily say that if they would've shot an average percentage from three point land against IWU at the Shirk, they would be undefeated in conference right now (they were something like 2-13 on the game).  Sure NCC could very well be undefeated as well,  but I think you are taking away from what Wheaton has done already this season.  I'm not saying they are the best team in conference right now, but to say they are lucky discredits what they have done.

Quote from: AndOne on October 17, 2011, 07:22:02 PM

Quote from: The Thundertaker on October 14, 2011, 04:24:42 PM
I'm back,

NCC will be good but will most likely become this years Carthage and not live up to the previous year's hype and success.  Still a top 4 team but certainly not an 11-3 team. 

And this analysis is based on exactly what factual evidence?

As to any "hype" NCC received prior to last season---If being picked to finish 6th is "hype," then NCC certainly got some.   

Your analogy comparing this year's NCC team and last year's Carthage team doesn't work because if NCC is a top 4 team, they still aren't like last year's Carthage team-----------which wasn't!        

The "hype" that was referred to was their 11-3 conference finish which tied for the CCIW Championship. And the analogy was more from a standpoint that they will not live up to their previous years expectations and finish tied for the conference championship again.  Meaning if they finish 4th as I think they will, they will obviously not be the 1st place team they were last year.  There was no reference in that post at all to the hype prior to last season

Opinions don't have to carry "factual evidence." NCC shocked everyone last year and I don't think they can sustain another year of that in the CCIW.  You're welcome to your own opinion, but that's how my opinion was written and thats how it should be read

Quote from: cciwrabblerouser on September 17, 2011, 11:17:11 AM
Don't want to go into too much detail.  I applaud Julie for getting the job.  But I stand by my statement and think some rough times may be ahead. After a short honeymoon period, just keep an eye on the dept. over the next three years.  Just an opinion, of course, but is my observation.  I wish her the best.

Anyone from Wheaton have a thought?

I can say as a fan that I think Julie Davis will do a great job.  She has been in that dept for many years now (since 2003) and has been preparing for this role as the Assistant Athletic Director according to the announcement.  it seems like there are nothing but positives about the hire.  Not sure where you are getting your information rouser but Julie will work well in her new role