MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[petemcb]

Now for the next problem.  How do I handle deciding between the Wheaton and Elmhurst regional?  Help me out.

OK, that makes three of us regular posters who're trying to decide between Faganel and King on Friday: You, me, and Tom Doebler. Is anyone else out there who doesn't bleed Wheaton orange or Elmhurst blue struggling with this decision?

You can throw me into that group.  My weak old back might dictate the north side of the King, but I could be swayed.

[markerickson]

Thanks, dansand, for the info!  So the CCIW has won six games at the Elite Eight level in 20 years.  Perhaps this accomplishment ranks above average against other conferences, but does not seem that grand.  I may be wrong, and would love to be, but the stat does not seem to support those who believe the CCIW is the top conference for D3Hoops.

Regarding the question about which game to attend, Wheaton v Elmhurst, go with the team that has the greater chance of winning.

[Gregory Sager]

Thanks, dansand, for the info!  So the CCIW has won six games at the Elite Eight level in 20 years.  Perhaps this accomplishment ranks above average against other conferences, but does not seem that grand.  I may be wrong, and would love to be, but the stat does not seem to support those who believe the CCIW is the top conference for D3Hoops.

Mark, there's only three other conferences that have been to the Final Four six times within the last twenty years. One is the WIAC, about whom enough has been said. The second is the NESCAC -- the league that annually ends up in the weakest (Northeast/East) sectional and has the easiest path to the Final Four. As Bob once said, the NCAA should just send a limo to the NESCAC champion and drive it straight to Salem. The third is the MIAA the Hope and Calvin Show ... and I don't think that anyone in D3 Land will begrudge the fantastic legacies of those two schools.

The CCIW has earned its props in the post-season ... before, during, and after North Park's reign.

[sac]

Thanks, dansand, for the info!  So the CCIW has won six games at the Elite Eight level in 20 years.  Perhaps this accomplishment ranks above average against other conferences, but does not seem that grand.  I may be wrong, and would love to be, but the stat does not seem to support those who believe the CCIW is the top conference for D3Hoops.

Mark, there's only three other conferences that have been to the Final Four six times within the last twenty years. One is the WIAC, about whom enough has been said. The second is the NESCAC -- the league that annually ends up in the weakest (Northeast/East) sectional and has the easiest path to the Final Four. As Bob once said, the NCAA should just send a limo to the NESCAC champion and drive it straight to Salem. The third is the MIAA the Hope and Calvin Show ... and I don't think that anyone in D3 Land will begrudge the fantastic legacies of those two schools.

The CCIW has earned its props in the post-season ... before, during, and after North Park's reign.

As Greg states, the MIAA Hope, Calvin and Albion have all been to the final four, Albion in 1978........but they were beaten by Calvin in 2005 in the elite 8 game.

In the last 20 years Calvin has won the elite 8 game 4 times, Hope 3 with Hope playing in 1 other, and Calvin 2 other elite 8 games.

[Titan Q]

Thinking ahead to Sectional hosting implications, specifically from a Wheaton standpoint.  If the Sectional field is Wheaton, Wash U, St. Thomas, CMS/UPS/Whit...

* St. Thomas is the #1 seed in the West and Wheaton #1 in the Midwest, but I have to think undefeated St. Thomas is seeded higher than Wheaton - in other words, St. Thomas has to be the highest seed in the entire Midwest/West bracket.

* But it would take two flights to host these 4 at St. Thomas (Wash U and the far west team are both over 500 miles from St. Thomas). 

* Wheaton probably gets the nod.


If the Sectional field is Wheaton, Elmhurst or Whitewater or Lawrence, St. Thomas, UPS/CMS/Whit...

* It would only take 1 flight to host at St. Thomas.

* St. Thomas probably hosts


If you are a Wheaton fan, and you want to host the Sectional, you need Wash U to come out of the Elmhurst Regional, because that creates the need for the second flight to St. Thomas...and we all know the NCAA doesn't want to pay for that. 

It doesn't seem to me like Wash U has a very good chance to host, no matter what the combination.

[andrewmp]

Thinking ahead to Sectional hosting implications, specifically from a Wheaton standpoint.  If the Sectional field is Wheaton, Wash U, St. Thomas, CMS/UPS/Whit...

* St. Thomas is the #1 seed in the West and Wheaton #1 in the Midwest, but I have to think undefeated St. Thomas is seeded higher than Wheaton - in other words, St. Thomas has to be the highest seed in the entire Midwest/West bracket.

* But it would take two flights to host these 4 at St. Thomas (Wash U and the far west team are both over 500 miles from St. Thomas). 

* Wheaton probably gets the nod.


If the Sectional field is Wheaton, Elmhurst or Whitewater or Lawrence, St. Thomas, UPS/CMS/Whit...

* It would only take 1 flight to host at St. Thomas.

* St. Thomas probably hosts


If you are a Wheaton fan, and you want to host the Sectional, you need Wash U to come out of the Elmhurst Regional, because that creates the need for the second flight to St. Thomas...and we all know the NCAA doesn't want to pay for that. 

It doesn't seem to me like Wash U has a very good chance to host, no matter what the combination.

If you are a Wheaton fan, you wish that spring break was a week earlier or later.  There is almost no chance that Wheaton will have the atmosphere of the last two games.  Too bad, it was some of the best since King Arena has opened.  Maybe this Friday, but definately not the next weekend, if they make it and get the chance to host.

[markerickson]

I knew I could count on you, Greg.  Thanks!  GO, CCIW, GO!!

[Thunder Dutch]

What if St. Thomas gets upset, but Wash U comes out of the Elmhurst regional? Would Wash U host over Wheaton?

[usee]

You wouldn't think so since wheaton was #1 in regional rankings in thelast version we could see.

[Thunder Dutch]

While we're on Kent, perhaps the most memorable part of the night for me was watching Kent Raymond follow up one of those blocked shots by sinking a 3-pointer right in front of the Elmhurst student section while they chanted "overrated" right at him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF5MMi3CuD8

and the two momentum-changing dunks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw4r2n-FHJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwlAu7CddX4

Someone that attends the Wheaton games regularly has put up clips from the Elmhurst games (Wheaton's away win and conference finals) and the home NCC regular season finale. Lots of great plays, he's done a good job of getting most of the important, spectacular, or momentum changing plays for Wheaton. You can find them here: http://www.youtube.com/user/jonm145

[WahooThunder]

While we're on Kent, perhaps the most memorable part of the night for me was watching Kent Raymond follow up one of those blocked shots by sinking a 3-pointer right in front of the Elmhurst student section while they chanted "overrated" right at him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF5MMi3CuD8

and the two momentum-changing dunks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw4r2n-FHJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwlAu7CddX4

Someone that attends the Wheaton games regularly has put up clips from the Elmhurst games (Wheaton's away win and conference finals) and the home NCC regular season finale. Lots of great plays, he's done a good job of getting most of the important, spectacular, or momentum changing plays for Wheaton. You can find them here: http://www.youtube.com/user/jonm145

Sweet find! Thanks for the links.

[WahooThunder]

I knew the "bracket of death" was bad when I saw the top 7 teams all in it, but I didn't fully realize how bad it was until I started filling out my bracket and saw what the first, second, and even third round matchups look like on the other side.  We will have several teams losing in the first two rounds that could have made it to the final four from the other regions.  Since I recently relocated from CCIW country to Virginia, I was looking forward to seeing some great D3 basketball at my first Final Four, but now I realize I will be missing out, because all the best basketball will be being played in Chicagoland in the next two weeks.  It would be a shame if the team coming out of that region doesn't win it all. 

[Thunder Dutch]

A non-ncaa question for discussion:
What would a CCIW All-Defensive 1st/2nd/3rd Team look like?

[fcnews]

Thanks to the posters who have PM me with area information. Just like last year when we went to Jackson, MS, d3hoops posters are better then Orbitz or Travelhost for info.

Thanks again.

[Gregory Sager]

The final 2008-09 CCIW pick'em results are posted on the pick'em page. Congratulations to our 2008-09 champion, USee, and thanks again to everyone who participated.