Just got a ping that NCC's game at Carroll is moved to tomorrow as well due to the weather.

Yes, NPU @ IWU @ The Shirk, moved to Tuesday night, 7 p.m.

'70

Augie-Wheaton is officially postponed to Thursday.

Shockwaves from Waukesha.

NCC 75
Carroll 71

The Pios only committed 12 turnovers against a tough NCC pressure defense, but they shot just 4-19 from downtown for the game. Megan McClure hit a three to break a 65-all tie with 3:27 to play and the Cardinals hit 21-24 free throws, including 13-14 over the final 10 minutes, to snap an eight game losing streak to Carroll that I could have sworn was longer.

Jocelyn Trotter: 15 pts, 5 reb
Josylin Simmons-Doxie: 15 pts
Megan McClure: 14 pts, 8 reb
Grace Keiffer: 13 pts

Natalie Gricius: 25 pts, 4 reb
Olivia Rangel: 18 pts, 9 reb, 6 ast

NCC improves to 6-8 in conference and this win might serve as the lynchpin of a tiebreaker for a berth, if not seeding.

Thank you North Central.

At the Shirk, in a game that was never in doubt, IWU over NPU 99 - 42.  It was 57-19 at the half.

For NPU:

Hershberger 12
Reed 7 and 6

TOs 29

Shooting 27%, 20% from three, and 53% from the FT line.

For IWU:

Bardic 17 (honored before game for her 1,000 career points, and she's only a junior)
Palmer 12
Knutson, a very strong game, 11
Powers 9 (closing in on 1,000 career points too)
Huber 8 and 8
White 7, 6 assists and 4 steals

All 14 Titans dressed for this one scored.  (Luigi had 6!).  IWU had 18 steals and a 46-28 rebounding edge.

Shooting 55%, 28% from three, and 80% FTs. 

Mahlum still in street clothes, likely back in another week or so, or so I've heard.  She's key for the tournament runs ahead, given her size and rebounding.

IWU goes to 21-1, 12-1 in CCIW play.

Carroll lost tonight vs. NCC.  It's look'n good for the CCIW tournament at The Shirk.

IWU'70

IWU hosts Millikin on Saturday, 2 p.m. at The Shirk.  Senior Day.

I hope all come out to honor our four seniors, captains this season.  Some of the greatest players in the history of the IWU program:  Lauren Huber, Kate Palmer, Mallory Powers and Caite Knutson.  Three will be 1,000 point scorers and Huber will be over 1,500 and 750 rebounds, likely turning out to be the top career scorer in IWU women's basketball history, over all.  The arrival of Knutson and Ava Bardic really made the difference in the program's success these past two years. 

Fun to watch last night -- flying all over the place on defense (especially Bardic and Sawyer White) and the fast break.  One FT shy of a 100 point game. 

Millikin at home this Saturday, then two road games to round out the regular season, at North Central and Augustana.  24-1 and hosting the CCIW tournament at home now in sight.

IWU'70

IWU will lose a lot when the four senior Captains graduate ... No doubt.  However, of the 8 player rotation that Mia Smith has used all year, four of the key players return.  I think IWU will be just fine . . . and with a little help from the waiting pine-sitters and the 8-player recruiting class, I think IWU will again compete for the CCIW crown next season. 

Returning are:  Bardic, Balli, Mahlum and White.  I expect contributions next year from Feeney, Lipic and Lam, perhaps others who improve from sophomore to junior years.  We'll see about the contributions of the 8 newbies coming in . . .

This is the Year to go deep into the D3 tournament.

IWU'70

I'll truly miss the "fab freshmen." Hard to believe they're seniors now.

Green Beer, they've had a great run . . . one of the best groups we've had.  I'll miss them.  Really decent, friendly, hard-working and smart young women too.  I think the remaining group can also be very good next year, especially should Feeney, Lipic and Lam come more into their own, and the recruitment class be as good as Coach Brian thinks they are.  It will be different, for sure.  Hard to replace these four.

Need to win out first, and go into the CCIW and D3 tournaments at 24-1.  One game at a time.

'70

 

In another game that was over very quickly, IWU over Millikin, 83-52.  It was 54-16 at the half.

For MU:

Johnson 16
White 10

20 TOs

Shooting 31%, 23% from three, 100% 6-6 FTs.

For IWU:

Powers 18 on 6-9 from three
Huber 17 and 9
Knutson 12
Balli 11
White 9

IWU shooting 47%, 36% from three, and 86% from the FT line.

IWU wins at least a share of the CCIW regular season championship, with two games to go.   They will be #1 seed and host the CCIW tournament at The Shirk.

Congrats to Coach Smith and all the team on this conference championship.

A very special Senior Day for Huber, Palmer, Powers and Knutson. 

Keep it rolling, Titans.

IWU'70

IWU now 22-1, with the conference championship in hand.

'70

Okay, I was up until almost 1 this morning working on this, but here's the women's scenarios.

First the standings:

*IWU	13-1
z-CRL	11-3
x-CAR	8-6
WHE	7-7
MIL	7-7
NCC	6-8
ELM	6-8
AUG	6-9
e-NPU	0-15

Top two seeds are locked in, and I discovered after I finished that Carthage is for sure in (that win over IWU is doing a lot of heavy lifting). They're the likely 3 seed, with five other teams fighting for those final 3 spots.

There's a lot of fun scenarios; both NCC and Elmhurst have an outside shot at stealing the 4 seed; they would both need to win out and get some help to do so. We also have an ultimate Chaos Scenario^TM in play: if both NCC and Elmhurst win out, Wheaton beats Millikin, and Millikin beats Carthage, we get a FIVE-WAY TIE for 3rd at 8-8.

Augie also has an outside shot at as high as the 5 seed if they beat IWU on Saturday.

Thanks yet again, Imitzel. 

Welcome all the relevant teams to The Shirk, 28th February and 1st March.  Should be some great games.  Likely IWU will have to beat Carroll for the third time.  Not easy.

IWU on a good roll right now.  Perhaps Mahlum will be back for the tournament weekend. 

'70

IWU remains #4 in the Week 11 D3hoops poll.  22-1, 13-1 on the year.

'70

In another dominant win by IWU, the Titans go to 23-1, 14-1 winning at North Central, 79-55

It was 44-17 at the half.

For NCC:

Daly 14
McClure 10
Trotter 6 and 8

NCC with 28 TOs.

Shooting 42%, 25% from three, and 75% from the line.


For IWU:

White 15, 5 boards, and 7 steals
Bardic 14
Balli 13
Huber 12 and 11 -- inching closer to the all-time career scoring mark at IWU. She needs 8 more.
Palmer 10 with no TOs.

IWU had 21 steals, winning the rebounding line 38-28, and scoring 46 points off of TOs.

IWU shooting 47%, 38% from three, and 90% from the FT line.

One more game @ Augie on Saturday, then the CCIW tournament at home, at The Shirk.

What a season, what a run.

'70