MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[voice]

Man, what a start for Illinois Wesleyan last night against WW.  IWU opened the game hitting 9 of its first 11 shots, and 12 of its first 15.  I thought that if WW could stay within 10 points at halftime, they still would have the opportunity to come back and win.  Instead IWU led by 20 at the break.  Ending the half hitting 15 of 22 from the field for 68.2% including 8 of 12 from outside the arc. While WW hit just 12 of 33 for 36.4%.

WW played much better the second half outscoring IWU 44-38. The Hawks actually cut the lead to 9 points with five minutes left, and had the ball with the opportunity to cut the lead to 7 (or 6 with a trey). They couldn't convert and that was the final time the lead was 10 points or less. 

IWU ended the game by shooting 60% from the field.  Despite the convincing victory over a very good team last night, the one negative statistic is that they turned the ball over 24 times.  Similar high turnover games cost IWU multiple games during the regular season.  I don't think they can afford to play that sloppy in the sectional round or at the final four in two weeks in Salem.  In my mind, they certainly have the talent to be this year's national champion.

IWU was d3hoops.com's preseason #1 ranked team and they held the top-spot through for the first five weekly rankings.

[badgerwarhawk]

Evidently my "pattern theory" needs some refinement.   

They just came out with an intensity that we couldn't match and then when they couldn't miss a shot from where ever they took it from they just blew us apart in the first half.  The odds of coming back, down 20, in 20 minutes, against a team playing that well are staggering.  Your chances of being struck by lightning in December are probably better.  Then even if you can bring them back within sight you expend so much energy doing it that it's hard to finish.

Playing like that they are one hell of a good team.  I can live with knowing we were beaten by a better team and wouldn't mind seeing them take it a championship. 

[titan2000]

Badgerwarhawk:

I can't believe you aren't cheering for LU.   I bet Coach Miller is.

[diehardfan]

kudo's to depauw
kudo's to whitewater band
kudo's to the crowd

Old School,
We may need a ruling.
Is this a kudo haiku? 

Stormy,
You're killing me! Don't make me root for the Titans tonight.

whaaaaaaaaaat?? 8) 8)

You guys cursed Whitewater with all this talk. That wasn't very nice of you. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

April,

I don't think anything cursed Whitewater except the IWU seniors FINALLY remembered why they USED to be ranked as 'unbeatable'.  SIX losses later, I think they are poised to go all the way.

I hope. I hope.

[Greek Tragedy]

You guys cursed Whitewater with all this talk. That wasn't very nice of you. 

With all the WIAC schools now planning their snowmobiling trips, my new team is IWU for the rest of the year.  Dauksas is a stud (though his little "kick out" at an unnamed Whitewater player didn't win him any friends).  Freeman is also a stud and even K.A. (you know who I mean and I don't feel like finding out how to spell it) also had a quiet, but very nice weekend.   

They looked almost as good as Point last year! lol.  Of course, very similar...something like four senior starters as well, correct?   

[stoutguy]

Old School,
Speaking of last year, the results of this year's tournament kind of makes you appreciate what Point did last year and the year before even more.  Sometimes we make the mistake of taking success for granted.

[janesvilleflash]

Just as a casual fan, and no expert, I think the WIAC had it's usual number of quality players this year, but nobody had a Melzer or Dworak, or Kalsow. I couldn't really figure out who to make POY out of the all-conf. team. They all seemed about equal.

[stoutguy]

I agree.  Look at Manchester as an example.  His stats were terrible this weekend.  I think he was the best choice for POY but he sure didn't appear to take it to the next level in the tournament.

[Greek Tragedy]

Old School,
Speaking of last year, the results of this year's tournament kind of makes you appreciate what Point did last year and the year before even more.  Sometimes we make the mistake of taking success for granted.

Kind of makes me appreciate? lol.  Believe me, I don't take any of that success for granted.  Yeah, my expectations are high (well, they usually are) for the Pointers and this year was extremely difficult for Swampgoon and I.  As I never assume we'll win EVERY game, it was tough to witness Point lose to Edgewood, Lakeland and Mid-America Nazerene (I didn't see the Clarke loss)...among others.  But, I still consider it a successful season considering who they lost from last year.

Had it not been the virgin tourney for Stout and La Crosse, I think they might have done a little better.  I think experience is very important.  I hope the WIAC will get three in the future!

Two years ago, winning the National Champioship was amazing.  Last year was also amazing, but there was a totally different attitude, imo.  It was a lot harder because we were defending it!

Just as a casual fan, and no expert, I think the WIAC had it's usual number of quality players this year, but nobody had a Melzer or Dworak, or Kalsow. I couldn't really figure out who to make POY out of the all-conf. team. They all seemed about equal.

I agree as well...not to take anything away from Manchester, but he didn't just pop into my head when thinking of POTY like Melzer, Dworak, Kalsow etc.  It was a tough weekend for him.

[janesvilleflash]

I sure didn't mean to bash Manchester as he was one of my favorite players. I'm sure the tournament teams WW played were well aware he was the conference POY and afforded him plenty of defensive respect, which could explain his sub par stats.

[John Gleich]

... Just about mid-season, I looked at the stat sheet for the conference and realized that there were so few dominant seniors.  Looking at the individual rosters, the league, across the board, was young this year.  The "veteran" squad was Whitewater, or perhaps La Crosse.  They each had two senior starters who were integral in past seasons.

I know that everyone thought that Oshkosh was going to be the team to beat, not only in the WIAC, but also in the country, but I had a feeling (and I said as much) that they would struggle, and struggle they did at certain parts of the season.  I had NO idea they'd end up with the season that they did... they did better last year than this, so there's obviously something undesirable happening in Oshkosh.  I think, in all likelyhood, they may be the conference favorite again next year, though Whitewater had many juniors this season as well, so they'll be right there.

Just looking at the all-conference team (with honorable mention)... There were 8 seniors, 7 juniors, with 4 sophs and 1 frosh.  

Looking at the top 30 scoreres in the league, 7 were seniors, 11 were juniors, 11 were sophomores, and 1 was a freshman.

Looking at minutes played, 3 of the top 15 were seniors, 6 were juniors, and six were sophomores.

I'm not sure if this shows a league that is young... but just to compare, 10 of the 18 all-conf players last year were seniors (3 jun, 4 soph, 1 frosh).  

... now, I'm not "searching for excuses" about why the WIAC didn't do as well this year compared to years past (both in the NCAA tournament and against non-conference oppontents), but even before the conference even figured itself out, it was clear, at least to me, that the league was down... and I thought that I found the reason why... there weren't a ton of seniors leading their respective teams.  There are going to be years when a team doesn't appear to have a ton of needs, and so they won't bring in as big of a recruiting class.  I just think back to Point last year... when the group of seniors were sophomores (with only 1 senior and 2 juniors) they went 23-2 in the regular season and ran away with the league by three games.  There weren't any gaping wholes in the armor, and there were younger kids... but as the sophomores became juniors, and then seniors, some of the younger players decided not to come out again, and the team didn't have that natural ballance of old and young players... and how, when they'd be seniors, they're not on the team anymore.  

I think the future is bright for many of the teams in our conference.  My Point team had a TON of freshmen... I think 4 or 5 averaging 16 minutes or more per game.  They'll need to replace (and get more) size, but I think that Coach Semling will be able to get good players in... after all, he's only been on the job since about mid-August...!

[uww4ever]

Interesting note-Jack Sikma is an alum of IWU-all time leader in points and rebounds-former Milwaukee Buck icon IMO.

Plus tiny little Lawrence is hosting the sectional, OS told me that the place holds 1000 people so a little small for a "Sweet 16".

It sucks w/o any basketball to look forward to. 

[iwumichigander]

With all the WIAC schools now planning their snowmobiling trips, my new team is IWU for the rest of the year.  Dauksas is a stud (though his little "kick out" at an unnamed Whitewater player didn't win him any friends).  Freeman is also a stud and even K.A. (you know who I mean and I don't feel like finding out how to spell it) also had a quiet, but very nice weekend.   

They looked almost as good as Point last year! lol.  Of course, very similar...something like four senior starters as well, correct?   

Old School - It will be very nice to have you as a member of the Titan Nation even if only temporary.  There are eight seniors on this Titan squad.  Four - Dauksas, Amelianovich, Cory Jones (all captains) and Fischer - are the usual straters with junior Zack Freeman.  Seniors Schweer, Arnold, Chris Jones and Mike McGraw provide quality bench minutes; and, each in their own right would likely be starters on most other CCIW team not loaded with the talent IWU has.

Nice observation (who had a quiet, but very nice weekend) on Amelianovich.  Keelan is currently ranked #31 3Pt FG per Game (3.1) and #5 3 Pt FG% (47.1) through games 2/26 in Division III and averages 18.1 PPG this season.  Can't begin to tell you the number of times folks, including opponents,  watch IWU then look at the box afterwards to see Keelan with big numbers.  And this year, particularly in CCIW conference play, Keelan will draw the best defender, double/triple teams and still manages to produce that double digits PPG

[badgerwarhawk]

Badgerwarhawk:

I can't believe you aren't cheering for LU. I bet Coach Miller is.

I can't believe you'd care who I was cheering for.  I bet no other LU fans do.