Congrats to the Bluejays for their first conference win.  I take 100% credit for this one for breaking out of my year long "positing up" slump.  lol jk of course.  String a few together now!

I can't believe "all the corn in manito" is still tossed around on here!

So this is literally the first time I've logged in here in over 2 years I think.  It's been a while.  Some thoughts...

1) Great to see a lot of the same faces following d3hoops.  Wish I have kept up with it better but time just hasn't allowed.

2) What in THE WORLD is wrong with Elmhurst?  No wins in conference?  Seriously?  Did they quit recruiting for 2-3 years or something?  To see them shooting like 15% from 3 pointers just makes me mad!

3) Consider this post some karma for the Bluejays getting a win tonight.  I'll take all the credit later tonight after they come away with the "W"!  lol...

So what else is new?

Congrats to Raymond on taking the MOP.  Quite an accomplishment for a sophomore!

Great job Ruch, Burks, Michael, Lee and all others on 1-3 teams.  Well deserved all-conference selections.

Quote from: robberki on February 26, 2007, 10:14:56 AM
While it seems Elmhurst and the CCIW got the shaft during the selection process, the coach and the fans should stop crying like a bunch of little girls. If you wanted a bid, you should have won the conference tourney, it's really that simple. Everyone knew the rules going in to the season, you can't play the year and count on pool B or C bids, shut up and play is what I like to say.

Wow Rob!  Take it easy.  First of all I think Coach Scherer handled this situation with class.  His press release was very professional and didn't come across as crying at all.  As for us fans crying - yeah - maybe.  But what else do you want us to talk about the day after selection Sunday?  North Park basketball?

Quote from: markerickson on February 26, 2007, 10:13:40 AM
My opinion circa the weeks when four CCIW teams were ranked in the top 25:  overrated.

Either that or the D3hoops.com poll means nothing whatsoever to the NCAA committee.

Another question for you D3 gurus!  Is this the 1st time that just 1 WIAC and 1 CCIW team got into the national tourney?

Quote from: diehardfan on February 25, 2007, 10:29:02 PM

Quote from: rknuppel on February 25, 2007, 10:23:37 PM
Elmhurst out... UNBELIEVABLE.  I'd like to argue this is the top team every to be left out!  What is the highest ranked D3Hoops.com top 25 team to NOT make a tourney?

It may be UW-Oshkosh, #7 right now in the current Top 25 poll.

Wow!  You're probably right.  No Pool C teams from the CCIW or the WIAC.  So much for being the top 2 conferences in the nation.

Good luck to augie!  Go win this whole thing! 

Elmhurst out... UNBELIEVABLE.  I'd like to argue this is the top team ever to be left out!  What is the highest ranked D3Hoops.com top 25 team to NOT make a tourney?

Lot's more thoughts on some of the comments made...

Quote from: Late nite on February 24, 2007, 02:23:06 AM
Late nite thoughts on the tourney games:
1---Burks flopped after HE initiated contact with a scissors kick---HOWEVER

2---EC deserved this break after numerous phantom fouls that were called for Raymond---At one point, an EC fan sneezed in the 8th row and Raymond went to the line to shoot 2

6---No chest beating or jersey popping from the two winning teams---just handshakes

1 -- I don't think I agree with your assessment of that last play.  Two Wheaton guys flew at burks and hit him squarely on the arm.  It's a worthless argument at this point I guess.

2 -- Hilarious.  I'm not sure how he does it... But he gets the benefit of the doubt from the refs.  Great player regardless!

6 -- Exactly!  Very good to see two teams win with class.

Quote from: Pat Coleman on February 24, 2007, 04:14:15 AM
Elmhurst fans:

Can you please contain your enthusiasm and keep the in-game updates confined to the in-game updates board on Saturday?

Pat - I'm just happy to see enthusiastic Elmhurst fans 

Quote from: Titan Q on February 24, 2007, 09:46:34 AM
There is no question that Elmhurst would be very much on the bubble with a loss tonight, but I'd hope a little non-primary criteria discussion would take place at the national level.  Whether the CCIW is the best, second best, or third best league in the country (that is an entirely different debate), the bottom line is that Elmhurst finish 2nd in the one of the toughest leagues in Division III.  You'd have to hope that at some point they step away from the numbers and have a basketball conversation.

Would they really take 5 UAA teams and 1 CCIW? 

Elmhurst winning tonight would obviously lock the CCIW into 2 teams.

Amen to that!

Had a great time at Augie last night watching to great CCIW basketball games.  I played 4 years in the league and have watched several games - yet every time I watch a game I'm amazed at how physical this league is.  The Wheaton/Elmhurst game was just a war. 

Elmhurst basically dominated this game from start til about 3 minutes to go.  Wheaton made a nice run to actually take the lead with a minute or so to go.  They came back on pure hustle, scrappy play and hard work.  Congrats to them on a well fought game.  Elmhurst was just too much for Wheaton to handle.  Burks had a great game scoring 27 and showing that he just might belong on that 1st team this year.  Ruch played solid as usually and probably belongs on the 1st team as well.  Michael had one of his best games of the year.  He finished some big buckets under the basket, wore the wheaton posts down with his aggressive posting, and stuck his freethrows.  Lee was solid as usual.  He his several left handed floaters which continues to impress me.  As for Wheaton - Kent Raymond is flat out good!  He is quick, can shoot, has that knack for drawing fouls, etc... If I were Wheaton I think I would have put him up top with the ball in his hands EVERY TIME.  Spread the other four guys down low and let Raymond create.  He is just unstoppable when he is going 1 on 1 with an open court.  One of the best shot fakes I've seen.

As for the last play.  I was sitting directly under the Elmhurst basket and Burks was clearly fouled.  Sure, nobody wants to end a game like that - but the refs simply had no choice.  He was hit from both sides.  I'm sure the emotions of the game got to the Wheaton coaching staff after the game - but I think Coach Harris might change his stance a little after he actually DOES watch the video tape.  Seemed to me like a pretty clear foul and an easy one to call.

Great work Jays!!!  Take care of business today and don't leave your tourney fate in the hands of the committee.

Quote from: TheHerr on February 23, 2007, 09:48:43 AM

Quote from: rknuppel on February 23, 2007, 12:50:49 AM
So can tickets for tomorrow be bought at the door?  Or are they needed in advance?  Planning on attending my first ever CCIW conference tournament so should be exciting.  Anyone else from CCIW Chat going?

rknuppel:

Not sure how tickets are being done this year. Last year I picked them up at Elmhurst in RAF.  This year I plan on just hoping tickets will be sold at the door. If anyone else has anymore information regarding tickets please share.

I found our answer directly on the Augie website.

Ticket prices for the tournament will be $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students and senior citizens. No team or season passes will be allowed during the post-season. There will be no pre-sales but the doors will open on Friday night at 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m.

Looking forward to tonight.  I think both games are unbelievable matchups!  Let's go Jays!

So can tickets for tomorrow be bought at the door?  Or are they needed in advance?  Planning on attending my first ever CCIW conference tournament so should be exciting.  Anyone else from CCIW Chat going?

Quote from: Pat Coleman on February 22, 2007, 02:16:42 PM
Pool C shocker, news on front page.

YUCK!   

Quote from: Pat Coleman on February 21, 2007, 03:35:34 PM

Quote from: rknuppel on February 21, 2007, 08:55:57 AM
QOWI, RW%, whatever the number may be.  I find it hard to believe and a little silly that Elmhurst would even be in question to make the National Tourney if they win their next two games.  Sitting with a 21-6 record and taking 2nd place (regular season and conference tourney) in arguably the toughest D3 conference in America.  Among the Top 25, heck, Top 15 all year long.  Beating 5 or 6 Top 25 ranked teams throughout the year.  Thats a heck of a resume.

Think about this in Division 1.  Would there be any way this type of resume would be a bubble team?  Not a chance.  Maybe the committe is putting to much emphasis on a computer number and not enough on common sense.  If Elmhurst can't get in with that resume in the CCIW, then I question our opinion that the CCIW is one of the top few conferences in that nation.  Sorry for the ranting but I just find it really hard to believe.

This is not new, however -- this system has been in place since 2000 and the regional arch-emphasis has been going on for at least five years now. It's time for everyone to pay it some heed and get with the program.

They may well take Elmhurst, but it's a leap beyond what the QOWI would suggest they do.

Pat,

I don't think myself or anyone else is suggesting this system is new.  My point is simple - if the #2 team in the #1 D3 conference can't get in the tournament, something is wrong!  Gotta love all this speculation 

Congrats to Drew Wessels and Zach Freeman on being Jostens finalists.

Quote from: Titan Q on February 21, 2007, 12:35:55 PM

Quote from: rknuppel on February 21, 2007, 08:55:57 AM
QOWI, RW%, whatever the number may be.  I find it hard to believe and a little silly that Elmhurst would even be in question to make the National Tourney if they win their next two games.  Sitting with a 21-6 record and taking 2nd place (regular season and conference tourney) in arguably the toughest D3 conference in America.  Among the Top 25, heck, Top 15 all year long.  Beating 5 or 6 Top 25 ranked teams throughout the year.  Thats a heck of a resume.

Think about this in Division 1.  Would there be any way this type of resume would be a bubble team?  Not a chance.  Maybe the committe is putting to much emphasis on a computer number and not enough on common sense.  If Elmhurst can't get in with that resume in the CCIW, then I question our opinion that the CCIW is one of the top few conferences in that nation.  Sorry for the ranting but I just find it really hard to believe.

This is not Division 1 and any discussion of "resumes" ala Jay Bilas or Doug Gotlieb and the D1 bubble situation is really just a waste of time.  Remember,

1) With a win tonight and a loss in the CCIW tourney title game, Elmhurst will not be not 21-6 in the eyes of the selection committee...they'll be 17-6 (in-region games are all that counts). 

2) Strength of conference is not part of the criteria.

3) Positioning in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll is not part of the criteria.

4) Wins over teams in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll is not part of the criteria.


In the Division III selection process, there are only five things that matter:

* Win-loss percentage against regional opponents
* Quality of wins index (regional games only)
* In-region head-to-head competition
* In-region results vs common regional opponents
* In-region results vs regionally ranked teams

2007 Division III Men's Basketball Championship Hanbook (pages 16-17)

Q - I understand exactly how it works.  I just find it strange that we're always touting the CCIW as the best conference in D3 basketball yet our 21-6 2nd place team can't make the National Tourney.

79Jaybird - You are correct.  Elmhurst needs to just take care of business and make all of this a non-issue.

QOWI, RW%, whatever the number may be.  I find it hard to believe and a little silly that Elmhurst would even be in question to make the National Tourney if they win their next two games.  Sitting with a 21-6 record and taking 2nd place (regular season and conference tourney) in arguably the toughest D3 conference in America.  Among the Top 25, heck, Top 15 all year long.  Beating 5 or 6 Top 25 ranked teams throughout the year.  Thats a heck of a resume.

Think about this in Division 1.  Would there be any way this type of resume would be a bubble team?  Not a chance.  Maybe the committe is putting to much emphasis on a computer number and not enough on common sense.  If Elmhurst can't get in with that resume in the CCIW, then I question our opinion that the CCIW is one of the top few conferences in that nation.  Sorry for the ranting but I just find it really hard to believe.