Hunter Hill made an interesting comment on the news last night about the team being used to the Friday-Saturday matchups because they played a lot of tournaments this year. Early in the season I was talking to someone loosely connected to Augie athletics who said that Grey has been trying to schedule more back to back games in preparation for the tournament. Didn't do the research to see if that is true, but I thought it was interesting that Hill specifically brought it up last night. That was among the most perfect basketball games I've ever seen a team play.

It has been too long since a CCIW club came home from Salem with the championship. Go Vikes!

I think I've finally gotten over the rash I got from wearing Blue and Gold last weekend. As a Titan living in Rock Island, the last couple of weekends have been bittersweet. It was great watching the CCIW tournament in my own back yard. It was very fun to see John Baines prowling the sideline. I have a lot of great memories of watching him as a player, and was very impressed with the way he carried himself as a coach. I hope he has continued success.

It was fun being an Augie fan last Saturday. The place was absolutely packed. Not an empty seat or spot along the railing. The DePauw contingent was small, but vocal. It was a great game. Hitting both ends of a one-and-one with the score tied was clutch. And I've never seen a game finish like that. The whole gym just stopped for a second when the ball got stuck in the rim. It seems like some on this board are down on Augie, as if they just got lucky winning. I feel like they played a tough opponent who had a very specific game plan and did it well. I love it when Augustana locks down on defense, and gets the ball up the floor. I was so excited as Augie won (that feels weird to type), but that happiness got dampened pretty quickly when I checked the IWU score. Pulling for another CCIW team in the Final Four. Should be another good weekend of basketball.

PS Anyone know why the Augie student section is across from the Augie bench? I would think it would be much more effective to have that student section on Augie's defensive end in the second half of games. It's a great student section, and they get pretty loud. I would think there would be an advantage to have that noise factor disrupting the opponent's offense in the second half.

Every year I produce a Mascot Bracket, picking all the winners of the Big Dance based on which mascot would win in a fight.  It is one of my favorite posts of the year.  This year covers such interesting topics such as, "What's a Jasper?" and "How is Chaucer involved in all of this?"  This is also the first time I'm featuring an interactive Readers' Choice mascot bracket, so you can vote on each game.  Here's the link http://fatpastor.me/2014/03/16/2014-mascot-bracket/

And, bringing it back to DIII, folloing my rules, the Titans would be a tough out ever year.  Millikin and Wheaton would never get out of the first round.  Elmhurst and North Central would have to be really lucky to pull off a win, and if Augustana and North Park met, it would come down to the seed.  This Final Four would be all IWU.  The Lord Jeffs and Ephs are both named after some old guy that helped found the college.

The Elite Eight
UR Emory (18-8) vs No. 3 UW Whitewater  (23-4)
UR Dickinson (24-6) at No. 6 IWU (26-4)
UR Morrison State (22-8) at No. 7 Amherst (26-3)
No. 9 Williams (26-4) at No. 17 Mary Washington (25-5)

It feels like a lot of upsets in this tournament.  Three teams are hosting for a chance to get to Salem.

I've only been to one game this year, and boy did I pick the wrong one.  I have not seen a game that bad since IWU snapped its home winning streak against Benedictine about 15 years ago.  I felt like Augie came out with a great defensive game plan in the first half.  They were mixing up their looks with every possession.  Some 3-2 zone, some 1-3-1 trap, some tight man-to-man.  Sometimes they would trap in the backcourt, then switch to man once the Titans crossed the half court line.  IWU looked confused on offense.  It seemed like every trip down the court they were confused for the first 15 seconds, then just settled for a 3.  So I give huge credit to the Augie D in the first half.  In the second half though, I don't know what happened.  They did a much better job getting the ball into the post and attacking the basket, but missed a ton of short shots.  On defense they had trouble grabbing rebounds.  It looked like they were trying to rebound an oiled beach ball.  And at least twice an Augie guard hit a 3 immediately after an offensive rebound.

Side note, in the first half Tayvian Johnson injured his shoulder - which already had a brace on it.  He was in obvious pain, and was not moving his arm.  Then the trainer came out and popped it back into place.  It was pretty gross to see.  Then the kid goes to the bench for about five minutes, and returned to play the rest of the game.  With the exception of a couple of free throws, I never saw him raise his right arm above his head the rest of the way.  Pretty tough, but I don't know that he was helping his team after the injury.

How is Mia Smith still in DIII? Bigger schools with bigger paychecks and better facilities have to be calling, right?  Has that ever been in the conversation?

This game was tied with 1:00 to play when Melissa Gardner his a huge three.  The rest was just no-fouls defense, rebounding and free throw shooting.  I give George Fox a lot of credit.  Not many teams have the kind of fight that the Bruins had tonight.  Losing their leading scorer with a big lead 6 minutes into the game was a huge blow.  When the Titans led by about 6-8 in the second half, I kept thinking they would pull away.  Fox started to attack the basket, got more aggressive on rebounds, and almost took control of things.  Olivia Lett struggled some, but she hit big shots when needed, and Gardner's three was so sweet.

One of my favorite things to watch as a sports fan is a team winning a national championship. I often tear-up when I see the players celebrate. It's even sweeter when it's my alma mater, and I can hear the fight song that I learned 17 years ago. It's good to be Green. Go Titans.

I hate to see injuries - to any player any time.  It is heartbreaking to see someone go down in the championship game.  Still a lot of basketball to go, but it seemed like IWU started their run when Munger went down.

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on March 16, 2012, 08:59:43 PM
Wow - anyone catch tat play by Hasselbring?!  She tripped and maintained her dribble while flat on the floor, got up and continued the play!  Unbelievable!

Titans threatening to blow this one open.

That was nice, but also no the Top Ten plays that wouldn't really make a top ten list would be when the St. Thomas player was trapped on the baseline, and she tried to throw it off of a Titan's leg.  I don't remember who it was, but she lifted her leg just in time so the ball went out of bounds.  What a heads-up play.

If the women can pull out this victory, wouldn't it be cool if the fan buses on the way home from Salem stopped in Holland tomorrow? I know its probably impossible, but it would be pretty cool.

It was a great game and a memorable season.  I wrote this about three hours before the games.  I'm still proud to be a Titan

http://fatpastor.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/looking-for-a-team-to-cheer-for-in-march-madness/

A little halftime reading.  My blog about Smith and the Titans

http://fatpastor.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/looking-for-a-team-to-cheer-for-in-march-madness/

I remember reading about this at the beginning of the season, but haven't heard anything since.  Has Coach Smith been undergoing treatment all season? 

http://wjbc.com/cancer-doesnt-slow-illinois-wesleyan-coach-mia-smith/

Quote from: Roundball999 on March 12, 2012, 07:10:58 PM
Found this yutube video of fans cheering during a timeout in the Hope-IWU game.  What a fabulous environment for small college basketball, great job by the Hope community.  Even more props to IWU for pulling off the win in the face of this kind of support for the home team.  But the IWU fan section, seen sitting behind the IWU bench, also did a great job too in making a lot of noise in support of their team throughout the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEuAYQ3q7kw

That is a great clip. I knew that arena was impressive, but Wow - what an atmosphere.  Those are two of the best DIII fan bases in the nation.  I was at the Final Four when the Hope women came to the Shirk Center.  I hope our Titan ladies are supported as well up in Holland.  I also remember the 1997 Final Four in Salem when Hope and IWU made up about 80% of the fans.  It was great when the Hope fans started to support the Titans in our semifinal against Rowan. I know I was one of many disappointed Titan fans that pulled for Hope in the championship that year.  It was a pretty cool temporary midwestern alliance.  I was new to the DIII world at the time (a freshman at IWU), and had no idea just how unique those two programs were.

(Just for fun, fans here might like my 2012 Mascot Bracket, picking the DI tournament bracket based on which mascot would win in a fight.  I've got Michigan State in the Final Four http://fatpastor.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/the-2012-mascot-bracket/)