MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[titanhammer]

Marc Horner's a strange guy for a Wesleyan basketball alumnus to pick on, since Marc was famously allergic to green -- in contrast to his teammate Rob Bady, who always played about three times better against the Titans than he did against anybody else.

In retrospect, we should've tried to convince Marc that Illinois Wesleyan was actually Calvin, and that the Knights had changed their unis from maroon to green, since the best game of Horn's life was the one in which he singlehandedly shut down Calvin's superstud center Steve Honderd and led North Park to a big win over the Knights. It was the only loss Calvin suffered in its '92 national championship season.

Greg, I was not "picking" on anyone...just using a name I'm familiar with.  Let's get back on the games from tonight.  

When watching the Elmhurst/IWU game live stats, it was painful to see the shooting percentages toward the beginning.

[Gregory Sager]

I'm with the Carthage posters in that I would like to know how the heck Dain Swetalla only hoisted five shots in 32 minutes, scoring a grand total of six points against a team that has such a glaring lack of size. Any Augie fans want to field that question, or are they just as puzzled by it as are the rest of us?

[tjcummingsfan]

I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to the Carlson Crazies, who were terrific tonight. It was dueling theme nights in King Arena -- Braveheart Night for the Crazies, Superhero Night for the Wheaton football players -- and the Crazies were at their loud and boisterous best. They even brought a bagpiper with them, which brought a hearty round of applause from the CCIW's most conspicuous bagpiper, Marc Horner (NPC '92).

Unfortunately, the Wheaton event staff did everything within their power to throw cold water on the Crazies, including calling out an entire phalanx of Wheaton police officers. There were about a dozen Barney Fifes present by the end of the game (I kept wondering which one had the bullet) who were pointing out Crazies at random and tossing them out of the building, as apparently someone in the gym must've tipped off the WPD that there were a bunch of young males from the big city loose on the Wheaton campus and that they should do something about it. Well, if a bunch of goofy-looking white boys in kilts and blue paint are what passes for the Latin Kings in Wheaton, then some of the locals should get out more.

I jest, but it honestly made Wheaton look bad. The Crazies weren't doing anything out of the ordinary -- and, in fact, I think that they got themselves in more hot water with les gendarmes by correctly pointing out that they weren't doing anything different than their superhero-clad alter egos from Wheaton who were sitting behind the opposite basket. Nobody uttered any words that would've made their mothers wash their mouths out with soap. Nobody got physical. Nobody threw anything. Ostensibly the crackdown came because the piper played "Scotland Forever" and the Crazies got down on the walkway between the endline and the bleachers -- at halftime, when there were no players on the floor -- and danced the Highland fling. During a timeout in the second half they attempted to construct a pyramid ... and it was at that point that the event staff came over to break it up and simultaneously called out the cops. It was a total case of overkill by the Wheaton College event staff and the Wheaton Police Department.

They were just a bunch of college kids having good, clean, loud fun. In spite of my rivalry jests, I have a lot of respect for Wheaton College; but the way that the Crazies were treated tonight made Wheaton College look like a poor host.

It really was embarrassing for Wheaton.  I have to believe North Park has the 2nd cleanest student section in the conference, if they are getting harrassed by what must have been the majority of Wheaton's police force, what will it be like when other students come?  It was just blatantly inconsistent on the part of the event management, and hopefully will be addressed by Jack Surridge in some way. 

[titanhammer]

ESPN Poll Question:

If you needed a former Elmhurst player to shoot a free throw, whom would it be:

Ryan Burks
Chris Martin
Ryan Knuppel
Other

[Gregory Sager]

Knuppel. Don't even have to think twice about that one.

[NPC-Alum]

Ryan Knuppel.

For North Park, it'd be Sonny Parker.

[tjcummingsfan]

As far as the game goes...  I have to think NP did exactly what they wanted to do defensively against Raymond, to hold him to those kind of numbers is pretty impressive.  I don't think anyone would've expected games like that out of Jahns and Panner, rediculous.  


Because I feel like I have to whine a little... isn't a push off still a foul in college basketball even if your the best player in the conference?  The refs tonight I think did a pretty fair job of calling Raymond, he got away with some pushes, but Park also got away with a couple muggings, but man he uses that forearm alot.  

[Gregory Sager]

As far as the game goes...  I have to think NP did exactly what they wanted to do defensively against Raymond, to hold him to those kind of numbers is pretty impressive.  I don't think anyone would've expected games like that out of Jahns and Panner, rediculous.

Basketball is a game of tradeoffs. If you take something away from the other team with your defense, in the process you're probably giving them the opportunity to possibly beat you with something else. NPU took away Raymond for the most part tonight -- even though both Antonio Stevens and Jason Gordon ended up fouling out because of the effort required to bottle up the Wheaton superstar -- by using the best Vikings defenders on the floor to stop him, and NPU also threw a number of double-teams at Wiele in the post as well. But by doing these two things, the Vikings ended up leaving Panner and Jahns alone quite a bit, especially since Panner hid in the deep corner and took most of his trey attempts from there.

In other words, Wheaton effectively took what NPU gave it. Hats off to the Wheaties for that.

It really was embarrassing for Wheaton.  I have to believe North Park has the 2nd cleanest student section in the conference, if they are getting harrassed by what must have been the majority of Wheaton's police force, what will it be like when other students come?  It was just blatantly inconsistent on the part of the event management, and hopefully will be addressed by Jack Surridge in some way. 

I got a ride home from the game from my church's pastor, and as we were heading up Main Street in Wheaton we saw a police car that had pulled over a speeder. My pastor dryly commented, "Right there is the only officer in the Wheaton Police Department who wasn't in the gym this evening."

[Viking Blue]

1.  Thanks to all of you for some fantastic updates tonight.  It appears it's too bad I decided to stay in, as opposed to driving out to Wheaton.  But I have been very warm... for quite a while...

2.  Please officially let it be known that, while my posts are not numerous, according to the numbers at your left, I was an original poster on this page back in the early days...before there were fancy counts, Karma (?) and smiley faces!  13 years of CCIW basketball, and 10 with the best view in the house at the "Crackerbox".

And so I continue.

[Gregory Sager]

Actually, while I'm passing out kudos for CCIW Chat posts that made me laugh today, I have to give Bob some props as well for this gem that was served extra-dry on Saturday afternoon:

NPU-Alum,
                Too bad NPU isn't playing @ Carthage today,you could have picked up some cheese to go with 4 days worth of whine. It happened 4 days ago, NPU won so dry the eye,powder the bottom and get a new binki and move on........

You just don't see posts like this in the non-conference season.

Good stuff, Bob!

[Viking Blue]

Some meanderings (I'd do the whole quote in a box thing, but I'm not sure how to go back pages.  Sorry).

1.  Lil' Bosko-  Can't wait to see him play.  Reports are something else.  My question.  If the kid is really this good, is he being held back by playing for his dad?  Should he be somewhere else?  Not tying to stir the pot, since I haven't seen him in person.  Just wondering.

2.  Sager-Get off the ledge:  To be honest, when I signed on, I was fully prepared to see a firm pounding put on our Vikes by Wheaton.  But I didn't.  And after reading your post, it appears to me that (not surprisingly) Brenegan and his Vikings employed a game plan, and made it work.  Now no, I was not there, and I agree with your assessment of Wheaton taking what is given.  That being said, though,  it is nice to know that the Vikes are able to shut down the big-time players in this conference when they need to...because those are the guys that you have to stop.  I count this as a moral victory (and no, I'm not a Cub fan).  To go out to the Bible belt and dance on their floor is a good thing.  Keep your head up.

[tjcummingsfan]

1.  Lil' Bosko-  Can't wait to see him play.  Reports are something else.  My question.  If the kid is really this good, is he being held back by playing for his dad?  Should he be somewhere else?  Not tying to stir the pot, since I haven't seen him in person.  Just wondering.

To be honest i've wondered the same thing... i'll be curious to see the responses.

[Titan Q]

Here is the boxscore and Pantagraph article from the IWU/Elmhurst game...

http://www.iwu.edu/~iwunews/sports/mbb2008/MELM15.HTM

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/01/20/usports/doc4792d93941ae1182732777.txt


This one is pretty simple to breakdown.  IWU just got beat by a much bigger, stronger basketball team.  Elmhurst is by far the worst matchup for the 2007-08 Titans in the CCIW with all of their size in the low post.  

Against most teams, IWU's starting post duo of 6-4 Darius Gant and 6-5 Brett Chamernik is effective on both ends of the floor.  Against Elmhurst, Gant and Chamernik just have a hard time containing the big guys down low, and that leads to defensive breakdowns all over the floor.  On offense, they have a very hard time once they get the ball in the post with their back to the basket...although Chamernik did work his way to a 15 point, 7 rebound performance tonight.  Chamernik is such a hard worker and has really had a nice season for the Titans.  Gant really struggled to get in the offensive flow and finished with just 1 FG.

IWU freshman guard Sean Johnson had a huge second half, leading a Titan comeback.  Johnson had 20 second half points, including a 5-5 stretch from beyond the arc.  He finished with 25 points on 7-10 from 3.  In CCIW play, Sean is averaging 13.8 ppg and is 13-27 (.481) from 3.

Two Johnson FT's at 6:15 made it a 3-point game, and after Johnson's final 3 at 3:44 it was just a 4 point deficit.  But the Titans could not pull it off down the stretch...the Bluejays made just about all of their FT's down the stretch for the final margin.

Freshman guard Travis Rosenkranz had another pretty solid game.  He didn't shoot it that well from the field, but he finished with 10 points and 7 assists.  At times, he gave Elmhurst a lot of trouble with his quickness.  Travis is averaging 11 points and 6 assists per game in league play and has a 2.67 to 1 A:TO ratio.

IWU just could not stop the Bluejays for any stretch though.  Ryan Burks finished with 29 and Ruch and Hintzsche combined for 28 inside.  The Titans just do not match up well at all with EC.

The Titans (2-2) host Wheaton Wednesday and have a great opportunity to stay right in the middle of the race.

[Viking Blue]

3.  The tournament:What an outstanding thing it is to see this conference have the top 4 make a playoff situation.  Baseball has been doing it for years and, while the sports are certainly different, it takes away the opportunity for that "fluke" game to make a huge difference.  North Park is young (with the exception of Alexander and Gordon), and their day may be yet to come, but I would love to see them get into a playoff situation.  These young guys seem to thrive on the big stage.  

4.  North Park (including Surridge)'s reaction to the actions of Wheaton's security and police:  Don't count on it.

[Gregory Sager]

2.  Sager-Get off the ledge:

I'd be dead from hypothermia before I hit the ground.

Seriously, thumbs-up to everyone who made it to a game tonight on a night that wasn't fit for penguins to be out.

1.  Lil' Bosko-  Can't wait to see him play.  Reports are something else.  My question.  If the kid is really this good, is he being held back by playing for his dad?  Should he be somewhere else?  Not tying to stir the pot, since I haven't seen him in person.  Just wondering.

To be honest i've wondered the same thing... i'll be curious to see the responses.

If Steve Djurickovic decides within the next ten days to leave Carthage in order to see what life would be like under a head coach other than dear old dad, it'd be just fine with me.