MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

I've just read the Mitchell Report and it implicates Greg Sager.  All this time we just assumed he had an extraordinary vocabulary, impeccable sentence structure, and superhuman debate skills.

Disappointing.

I would've figured that my grotesquely swollen lower jaw and sudden fits of homicidal rage would've tipped you all off long ago.

[Gregory Sager]

Seriously, though, the Mitchell Report didn't tell me that much that I didn't already suspect. I didn't see that many names on there that made me think, "Wow! That guy, too?" And, let's face it, the Mitchell Report was just the tip of the iceberg. MLB turned one clubhouse guy and one trainer, and look what happened ... 80+ names got dropped. If they could've turned the screws on more dealers, gofers, hangers-on, etc., you would've seen a lot more names in the report than those.

I made my peace long ago with the fact that the game was filled with juiced-up players. It was either that, or give up on baseball entirely. After enduring a bunch of strikes (most notably the one that wiped out the end of the '94 season, including the World Series), skyrocketing ticket prices, and any number of other irritants, I have come to realize that my love of baseball is not a frontal-lobe activity (i.e., it's not controlled by rationality or sound judgment).

While I will continue to follow the Mitchell Report fallout, I freely admit that I'm more excited about the prospect of Ron Santo trying to pronounce the name "Fukudome" without WGN Radio losing its broadcasting license, as well as with my petition to the Tribune Company suits to have Jim Oboikowich named as the next president of the Cubs.

[Titan Q]

IWU usually plays the toughest non-conference schedule in the league...I think it's been that way for years in the CCIW.  This year, Augustana's non-conference slate looks more difficult than IWU's because of the quality at the top of Augie's schedule.  My best guess at how both stack up, with 1 being the strongest team and 11 being the weakest...

IWU:

1 Wash U
2 Olivet Nazarene
3 Albion
4 Hanover
5 Chicago
6 Webster
7 Occidental
8 Dominican
9 Illinois College
10 Tri-State
11 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

Augustana:

1 UW-Stevens Point
2 UW-Oshkosh
3 Wash U
4 UW-La Crosse
5 St. Ambrose
6 Webster
7 Coe
8 Simpson
9 Wartburg
10 St. Norbert 
11 Cornell


I do think the bottom of IWU's schedule is stronger.  The Titans really don't play a "bad" team at all in the non-conference.  If Tri-State (16 wins last year) or Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (15 wins last year) is the worst team on the schedule, it is a pretty good test from 1-11.

We of course won't really know who had the toughest schedule in the CCIW until the season is over.  This is just a best guess at how these teams stack up at this early stage.

(I only looked at IWU and Augie in doing this - does another CCIW team have a case to be in the mix of the "best schedule" discussion?)

[dansand]

Here are the Massey ratings for last year's schedules in the CCIW:

1. Wheaton           0.34
2. Augustana         0.34
3. IWU               0.30
4. Carthage          0.25
5. Elmhurst          0.10
6. North Central     0.02
7. North Park       -0.08
8. Milikin          -0.29

These are ratings for the overall schedules, not just the non-conference portion. Considering Augie had the easiest CCIW schedule (by virtue of not having to play Augustana twice), I would imagine their non-conference portion would have been rated the toughest. Just a guess. I think this year's non-conference schedule is tougher.

[Gregory Sager]

Here are the Massey ratings for last year's schedules in the CCIW:

1. Wheaton           0.34
2. Augustana         0.34
3. IWU               0.30
4. Carthage          0.25
5. Elmhurst          0.10
6. North Central     0.02
7. North Park       -0.08
8. Milikin          -0.29

These are ratings for the overall schedules, not just the non-conference portion. Considering Augie had the easiest CCIW schedule (by virtue of not having to play Augustana twice), I would imagine their non-conference portion would have been rated the toughest. Just a guess. I think this year's non-conference schedule is tougher.

Don't forget that Augie's rating includes the postseason contest against Carroll. You have to factor that in as well when you're gauging which CCIW team had the toughest non-conference schedule in 2006-07.

[Titan Q]

It sounds like IWU sophomore point-guard Sean Dwyer (out since game #2 last year - 2 broken feet) and junior guard Andrew Gilmore (off-season surgery on both knees) both received positive news this week...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/12/15/sports/doc476341242f46d940713436.txt

Dwyer should be ready to go by IWU's first CCIW game (Jan. 9).  Gilmore's status isn't quite as clear, but at least there is still a chance he can contribute this season...it was starting to sound like he'd be shutdown for the remainder of 2007-08.

Getting Sean Dwyer back would really help the Titans.  Currently, when starting point-guard Travis Rosenkranz leaves the game, Sean Johnson runs the point.  Johnson handles the ball really well for a 2...but he is definitely a 2.  A healthy Dwyer as a backup to Rosenkranz would give the Titans 40 really solid minutes at the point every night out.

Andrew Gilmore had a very good sophomore year, especially considering how much pain he was obviously playing through, and the fact that he was playing out of position (at the point) most of the time.  Gilmore averaged 11.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 2006-07.  It'd really help IWU to have a healthy Gilmore back in some capacity - he is a difference maker.       

[Titan Q]

IWU (4-3) gets another good non-conference test today as the Titans face U. of Chicago at 3:00pm in Hyde Park.  Here are a few notes and links for the game...

http://www.iwuhoops.com/notes08.htm

Chicago (3-4) has lost to good teams -- 6-0 Trinity (TX) at home, @ 4-2 DePauw, @ 7-1 Wheaton, and @ 4-2 Loras.  These were all close games, including the 2-point margin vs Wheaton, in a game Chicago played without their returning leading scorer, Nate Hainje.  Hainje is now back.

Last year the Maroons, led by a great backcourt of Brandon Woodhead and Jesse Meyer, relied heavily on the 3.  Of their 1447 field goal attemps in 2006-07, half (721) were 3-pointers. With those two guards gone, Chicago appears to still be a perimeter-oriented team. So far in 2007-08, 171 of 360 field goal attempts have been 3's (48%). 

Chicago does have a little better balance this year though, as 6-4 guard Matt Corning, the leading scorer at 19.4 ppg, is a good slasher and someone who can post up smaller guards (ie IWU's 6-1 Sean Johnson). 6-5 Hainje can also score from anywhere and they're also getting 8 points a game out of 6-5 forward Adam Machones.

IWU has a much better traditional low post game, with Darius Gant (15.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg), Brett Chamernik (12.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg), and Doug Sexauer (9.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg).  The Titans will have to find a way to get it inside.  Freshmen guards Travis Rosenkranz (20 points @ Illinois College) and Sean Johnson (22 points @ Wash U) are starting to heat up for the Titans.

Sounds like a "pick 'em" to me.  Looking forward to the game.

[augiefan]

I have to give Titan credit for making every IWU nonconference opponent sound like DIII BB's version of Mount Union in DIII FB. Not so long ago the IWU game against ONU was virtually unwinnable because of the quality of the Nazarene program. This week Carthage beat ONU the night after losing to a directional school that most fans had never heard of until last season. Now 3-4 Chicago is a great opponent, because they lost to Loras, which was not considered so great until they beat NPU a couple of weeks ago.

IWU does normally play the toughest nonconference schedule in the CCIW, but the schedules throughout most of the CCIW make "the IWU always plays the toughest schedule" invaild this year. Wheaton and Carthage traveling over to Michigan for a couple of games put them in the tough schedule category along with Augie and IWU this year.

[usee]

IWU losing by 16 at chicago w 15 min left in the game

[usee]

final from Hyde Park:

UofC: 85
IWU: 75

only 2 IWU players score in double digits: sean johnson with 16 and chamerink with 13. no one else had more than 6 pts. Chicago had 4 players score in double digits. IWU shoots 43% and chicago 52%.

[Titan Q]

Chicago 85
IWU 70

http://athletics.uchicago.edu/mensbasketball/mbk.htm

Chicago started the 2nd Half on a 18-0...a very, very ugly 2nd half for the Titans.

[Viking Mike]

Augie wins 59-54 at Wisc-Oshkosh!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Viking Mike]

WOW...What a game by Augustana tonight at #13 Wisc- OshKosh...They played stifling defense and went up by 20 at half (34-14).  The Titans made a run in the second half and closed within 1 but the Vikes hit their free throws and won by 5.  Swetalla with 17, Wessels with 14, Washington and Collins with 9 each including 11 rebounds by Collins!
Great win Augie against a quality opponent.  Two games left before Christmas...........at Wartburg on Wed and home against #3 Wisc-Stevens Point.  Coach G has the Vikings playing excellent defense.  According to DanSand, Jordan Delp had successful surgery yesterday and is home recovering. 

[AndOne]

Box Score from Oshkosh

http://www.titans.uwosh.edu/livestats2/xlive.htm

[robberki]

does anyone know if the North Park-RMC game go off tonight?