MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Pat Coleman]

Thinking that the D-III coach has that much control over it makes me think you've never tried to schedule a D-I team personally before.

[armywife]

Hi Dansand, I do still come on from time to time. I've been teaching full time and getting my masters for the past 2 years, so I've been kind of swamped. However, it's fun to be back. It was fun watching Shaun on Pros vs. Joes; I'm with you, I wish he could have taken some CCIW players with him. It was kind of tough having to outrebound a guy several inches taller then you are. I thought he hung in there well. Shaun Kemp has always been one of Shaun's favorite players, so it was nice for him to be able to meet him and play against him. From the looks of things, he especially was able to get up close and personal with Shaun Kemp's elbows.

My daughter goes to UMHB and we are getting ready to move to Belton too. I am looking forward to being able to catch some football and basketball games next year. I'll be listening to the CCIW and cheering for Augie. That Augie vs Gonzaga game ought to be interesting.

Have an amazing summer everyone.

[AO]

That's awesome that Augie got Gonzaga on the schedule.  It's difficult to get the d1 teams to agree to these regular season games sometimes (northwestern tried and narrowly failed to get harvard or northeastern on the schedule a couple years back when i was playing), but it's definitely a win-win for the d3 team.   

[d3KenT]

Its awesome that Coach G was able to work that for his players, it will be a great experience for those kids, and D3 followers in general. With that being said, does anyone have even the slightest hesitation with adding an additional loss to an Augi schedule who is (like many CCIW teams) rebuilding a bit. Im sure Gonzaga paid them a good amount to come, and all that but you have a somewhat inexperienced team that will be trying to find themselves. Playing 4 games in a row in 4 different states at Anderson, who made some noise last year and is tough at home, Knox should be a nice rest, then at Gonzaga and at the back to back national champs? Im happy they are in there but it could get ugly pretty quick with all the traveling alone. There preseason mileage has to be pretty significant, clearly the CCIW didnt make this schedule or Wheaton and Augi would be driving together to Wash U for a 2:00 and 5:00 start on a sunday to help save money. not to mention its at the end of a semester where Grey's kids will all be focused and buckling down to excel in their world renown med school classes 
Maybe its purely a great thing and im still in a haze from seeing the cubs win one on the road

[markerickson]

Augie will get beat by at least 40 unless Coach G influences Gonzaga to substitute freely in the game and coast to a more respectable margin of 25.

[Gregory Sager]

That's awesome that Augie got Gonzaga on the schedule.  It's difficult to get the d1 teams to agree to these regular season games sometimes (northwestern tried and narrowly failed to get harvard or northeastern on the schedule a couple years back when i was playing), but it's definitely a win-win for the d3 team.   

I think you've got it backwards. Pat hints at the likely truth of the matter, and Giovanine's quote in the front-page article on this site confirms it: Gonzaga had a space to fill, a connection preexisted between the Gonzaga staff and the Augie staff, Gonzaga invited Augie to fill the hole in their (the Zags') sked, and Giovanine may have even had to move things around in order to accommodate the invitation. D3 teams don't tend to successfully woo D1 teams to play them; D1 teams tend to reach out to D3 teams in order to fill out the schedule and/or manifest a personal connection between the two athletic departments.

Its awesome that Coach G was able to work that for his players, it will be a great experience for those kids, and D3 followers in general. With that being said, does anyone have even the slightest hesitation with adding an additional loss to an Augi schedule who is (like many CCIW teams) rebuilding a bit.

No.

1. As you point out, Augie's gonna get a nice paycheck for playing Gonzaga. Don't downplay that; a slice of a D1 gate, however modest, can go a long way towards bolstering a D3 men's basketball budget.

2. It'll be a huge promotional tool for Augie, and a great recruiting point for Giovanine. He and his assistants can tell prospects that they traveled across the country and played a national D1 power in '09-'10, something that none of the other D3 schools hereabouts can claim.

3. As you also point out, it'll be a great experience for the Doggies. They'll get to play against top-shelf college basketball competition, and that can only help them become better. Plus, it'll be seen by the players as a perq and as one of the highlights of their college careers.

4. The inevitable loss will be totally irrelevant. It won't count towards Augie's regional record.

5. It's not preseason. It's non-conference.

Augie will get beat by at least 40 unless Coach G influences Gonzaga to substitute freely in the game and coast to a more respectable margin of 25.

I don't think that that'll be an issue. Zags coach Mark Few won't need to be coaxed into substituting freely; it's practically a given that any game versus a D3 opponent is used by a D1 coach to give the end of his bench playing time, both to aid in their development and to reward them for working hard in practice. The only exception is if the D3 team proves to be exceptionally stubborn and hangs around, a la Millikin versus SIUE or Wheaton versus Northwestern, and I think it's highly unlikely that Augie's gonna hang around against the Zags for much more than a half, if that -- unlike the Zags, last year's SIUE team and the 2006-07 Northwestern Wildcats weren't exactly D1 Sweet Sixteen material.

There's no need to run up the score against a D3 opponent, and no point in doing so. It wouldn't impress anybody, and, given that there is a personal connection between the two athletic departments that prompted this matchup, it's hard to imagine that Few would want to stick it to Giovanine.

[markerickson]

I used sarcasm, Greg, in response to Pat's comment and the posting that prompted his comment.

[Gregory Sager]

I used sarcasm, Greg, in response to Pat's comment and the posting that prompted his comment.

Sorry, Mark, I didn't catch it. Emoticons are your friends!

[all blues]

so there's some life in Decatur-

THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted May 25, 2009 @ 12:26 AM
Last update May 25, 2009 @ 09:20 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.College decisions

Schmitz headed to Millikin

Pana senior Frank Schmitz has announced his plans to attend Millikin University and play basketball for the NCAA Division III Big Blue basketball team.

"He is a good athlete with a great attitude and everyone that I spoke with raves about his work ethic," Millikin coach Mark Smith said. "I believe that Frank has the potential to make an impact on this program for years to come."

The 6-foot-5 Schmitz averaged 21.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game for the Pana Panthers this past season. He was a State Journal-Register All-Area first-team selection, a South Central Conference East Division first-team pick and a third-team Class 1A-2A all-state selection by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.

Schmitz also is an excellent student, being named an Illinois State Scholar. He plans to major in business at Millikin.

also-

Millikin Recruit Release
May 19, 2009
Contact Bryan Marshall at 217.362.6429 or bmarshall@millikin.edu
Kroner Plans To Attend Millikin
DECATUR, Ill.—Geoff Kroner of Ballwin, Mo. has indicated he plans to attend Millikin
University and play basketball for Big Blue head coach Marc Smith. Kroner plans to study Athletic
Training at Millikin.
"Geoffrey is a player with a tremendous upside," said Smith. "At 6'6" and 240 pounds, he's
battled with some of the best high school post players in the state of Missouri. Geoff will provide some
much needed depth in the post position, which is necessary to compete in the CCIW."
Kroner earned two varsity letters in basketball as a forward/center at Marquette High School.
This past season he averaged six points and six rebounds per game while battling through an injury.
He won his team's Most Improved Player Award and Dedication Award. Kroner also played four years
of boy's volleyball at Marquette. As a senior, he earned All-Conference Second Team honors and was
the conference's leading blocker.

[usee]

Nice little piece on former CCIW standout and 2007 grad Drew Wessels from the Augie wesite:

http://www.augustana.edu/x14718.xml

[old baseliner]

Did anyone catch who threw out the first pitch at the Cubs/White Sox game today?  It was IWU Titan Steve Kuehl (89-93).

[devildog29]

Did anyone catch who threw out the first pitch at the Cubs/White Sox game today?  It was IWU Titan Steve Kuehl (89-93).

I did catch that.  Something about presenting the player of the month award.  Which, as a diehard Cubbie, that's kinda like being the tallest midget the way things are going this year.

[augiefan]

Thanks Usee for posting the Drew Wessels story. It's good to know Drew's strong character extends beyond the basketball court.

[mr_b]

Congratulations to Chris Edquist, who was just named North Park assistant men's basketball coach, replacing Steve Schafer, who moved on to Benedictine.  Chris was a four-year starter for the Vikings and brings a strong work ethic, a solid understanding of the nuances of the game, and a positive attitude to the Viking bench.  He's also a great guy!  Best wishes, Chris!!

[CCIW]

What has happened to recruiting since the coaching change?  Who do they have coming in this fall and have they held on to everyone?  Any commits yet for 2010?   Any opinion on what will happen to Thunder basketball recruiting with the coaching change?