MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

IWU 86
Central 81

* Sean Johnson: 24 pts, 4 assists (6-10 3-pt)
* Doug Sexauer: 19 pts, 11 reb
* Jordan Zimmer: 17 pts, 5 reb
* John Koschnitzky: 5 pts, 12 reb

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-wesleyan/article_c1b39274-28cf-11df-9de4-001cc4c002e0.html

http://bearsports.wustl.edu/mensbball/NCAA1.HTM


In an unbelievably fast-paced game, the Titans really played well this evening in St. Louis.  IWU just has so many weapons, and seemed to call on all of them tonight.  It'd be hard to identify one of the regulars who did not play well this evening.

For me, IWU's player of the game was sophomore Jordan Zimmer.  Offensively, Zimmer was as aggressive as I've ever seen him during his collegiate career.  Almost every time he got the ball in the 2nd half, he put it on the floor and went hard towards the basket.  This started to really open the floor for the Titans.  Zimmer had a number of huge plays on both ends of the floor during about a 5 minute stretch when IWU took control of the game for good. 

Sean Johnson had a huge 1st half, scoring 14.  He got IWU off to a great start.  Doug Sexauer was his usual reliable self, and Travis Rosenkranz had another really good game running the point for the Titans.

The Titans controlled the game, leading by a comfortable margin most of the way.  In the final minute, IWU definitely looked like a team playing its first NCAA tournament game, as the Titans missed a number of FT's that would have sealed the game.  In the end, Sean Dwyer saved the day with a terrific defensive play, forcing Central star Migeul Ley into a turnover.

I was very impressed with Central.  6-7 Loren Liming and PG Miguel Ley would be stars in any conference in Division III.  The Dutch were one of the biggest teams IWU has faced this season.

IWU takes on the #1-ranked Wash U Bears tomorrow evening, winners of the last two D3 titles.  It should be a great game.

[Titan Q]

Washington U. (24-2/13-1 UAA)
G - Sean Wallis, 6-2 Sr. (13.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 7.5 apg)
G - Aaron Thompson, 6-4 Sr. (17.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.7 apg)
F - Cameron Smith, 6-5 Sr. (7.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
F - Spencer Gay, 6-6 Jr. (9.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
C - Zach Kelly, 6-7 Sr. (5.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg)

F - Caleb Knepper, 6-6 Jr. (7.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
F - Dylan Richter, 6-3 So. (6.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
C - Alex Toth, 6-6 So. (4.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg)


Illinois Wesleyan (21-7/10-4 CCIW)
G - Travis Rosenkranz, 6-0 Jr. (8.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.3 apg)
G - Sean Johnson, 6-1 Jr. (15.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.2 apg)
F - Jordan Zimmer, 6-5 So. (10.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
F - John Koschnitzky, 6-6 Jr. (5.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
C - Doug Sexauer, 6-7 Jr. (15.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg

C - Ryan Connolly, 6-9 So. (6.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg
F - Duncan Lawson, 6-7 Jr. (5.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
G - Sean Dwyer, 5-10 Sr. (3.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.2 apg)

[Titan Q]

Between games last night, Sean Wallis' dad told me, "I hope we win so I can read your preview (on the board) tomorrow."  Now, I think it's possible Mr. Wallis had other reasons to root for a Bears' victory over Westminster - say, pursuit of a 3rd consecutive Division III national championship - but I always appreciate the support from the All-American PG's dad.

Here is what I posted before IWU and Wash U played way back on November 22:

IWU faces #1 Wash U today at 4:00pm.  The Bears trailed a very young, but very talented, Ohio Wesleyan team by 5 at the half yesterday, and then absolutely dismantled the Bishops in the 2nd half.  (Wash U outscored OWU 44-23 in the second 20 minutes.)

I've been watching this Wash U nucleus (Wallis, Thompson, Smith) for 4 years now, and it's amazing to me how they always just seem to "flip a switch" and go into that machine-like offensive mode.  The Bears looked sluggish for most of the 1st half, and their All-American PG Sean Wallis had to score 12-14 points to keep them in the game, but a few minutes into the 2nd, they kicked it into high gear and showed everyone in the gym why they've won 2 national titles in a row.  I have said this many times, but this Wash U group reminds me so much of a Dennie Bridges IWU team.  They are incredibly skilled, they play with poise at all times, and they just have an enormous swagger on the floor.

No one in Division III has better starting guards than the Bears.  As far as pure point-guards, Sean Wallis is as good as it gets...he just makes their entire team tick.  As far as complete players at the 2, Aaron Thompson is the best in country, as far as I've seen.  A pure shooter from all over the floor who rarely misses an open shot, but also a guy who, over the years, has learned to take defenders off the dribble and get to the basket.

It will be interesting to see where IWU is today vs the #1-ranked Bears.  IWU's low post game is better than Wash U's, and the Titans will have to find a way to take advantage of that.  While IWU doesn't have two 1st Team All-American guards, Travis Rosenkranz and Sean Johnson are very good players, and they have the ability to battle Wallis and Thompson.  They both have the last two years...

http://www.iwusports.com/custompages/MBB/MBB2009/IWU5.HTM

http://www.iwu.edu/~iwunews/sports/mbb2008/IWUMBB7.HTM


I think this will be a good game.

Mr. Wallis, sorry for taking the easy way out, but in previewing this game I'm going to have to say "see above."  As Dennis Green said, "The Bears are who we thought they were."  

Wash U is an incredibly experienced, poised, well-coached, machine-like basketball team that does not beat itself.  Illinois Wesleyan has a tremendous opportunity this evening, and I think the Titans match up very well.  If IWU can contain to some degree the All-American backcourt duo of Sean Wallis and Aaron Thompson, the Titans should be right there the whole game.  

On November 22 in Bloomington, Wash U was able to take IWU's 6-7 center Doug Sexauer out of the game for large stretches.  The lineup IWU is now playing will make that much more difficult, as both 6-6 John Koschnitzky and 6-7 Duncan Lawson (the power forward rotation) are guys you have to guard from 15-22 feet.  (Former starter Edmond O'Callaghan is a guy you could leave open away from the basket.)  Starter John Koschnitzky did not even play in the first meeting (broken foot).

On the flip side, Wash U also has a weapon they did not have in the first meeting - 6-6 junior starter Spencer Gay.  Gay had a breakout season in '09-10, averaging 11.8 ppg and 6.7 rpg in UAA play, shooting .642 from the field.  He gives the Bears that 3rd reliable scoring option, and most importantly a good post scorer, which really makes it hard to handle Thompson and Wallis.

In the first game, IWU lost by just 5 and somehow shot 6-23 (26%) from 3...

http://bearsports.wustl.edu/mensbball/game3.htm

Should be a lot of fun tonight.  The Bears are great, but I'm not quite ready to crown their #@$.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_N1OjGhIFc

[WUPHF]

Should be a lot of fun tonight.

More than anything you said in your post, I agree with the above statement.  And, everything else for that matter.

Good crowd for all four teams last night, but I imagine there are a lot of Titan faithful heading down Highway 55.

One quick comment on the Illinois Weslyan-Central game: I have never seen a team foul a three point shooter three times in a game.  That, and a few of those turnovers, will make it a long ride home to Iowa.  May not have mattered though.  Illinois Weslyan had the better team on the court last night.

[augiefan]

I agree that IWU has an excellent chance of knocking off Wash U. today. The Bears were not particularly impressive in their win last night over Westminster, and the Titans front line players and depth probably give them the edge over Wash U. in those categories. However, Thompson and Wallis comprise the best guard combo in DIII BB, and championship experience means a lot. Home court advantage is not a big deal when IWU is the visitor, since they have such a huge entourage following the team on the road.

I'd go with IWU were it not for having watched Sean Wallis take charge in crunch time last year in the two incredible wins by Wash U. in the tourney games at Wheaton College. The kid is an incredible prime time player.

[usee]

I watched a good part of the WashU/Westminster game and I was very impressed with the athleticism and play of Westminster. They played awfully well but the experience of Sean Wallis was so key down the stretch. I would love to see 3 CCIW teams in the sweet 16 but I really can't imagine IWU beating WashU in St. Louis, regardless of the matchups (I am open to being wrong). I think Wheaton will have their hands full @UTD and I really hope Carthage beats Anderson by 25+ up in Kenosha.

[Mugsy]

Some Wheaton alum must have "greened up" since the story first broke.  3 of the 5 varsity sports that were to be discontinued after this year have now been re-instated.

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2010/3/5/GEN_reinstate.aspx?path=gen

In response to the March 2 announcement, a group of supporters decided to fund three of the five discontinued programs.

"This support will allow the College a window of opportunity to search out longer-term funding for these programs," said athletics director Tony Ladd. "It also allows our current athletes to continue playing their sports throughout their Wheaton careers."

"This extraordinary response affirms the value of these programs in the lives of our student-athletes," said Dr. Duane Litfin, president of the College. "For this, we are deeply grateful."

[veterancciwfan]

I'm making no predictions for tonight, but of all the teams Wash. U. could be playing, I'm sure that Mark Edwards wishes that IWU would be at the end of the list rather that at the front.  In 1996, Wash. U had a great team (probably Edwards' most talented team in his distinguised Wash U. career) and met IWU in Salem, Va. for the right to return to Salem the next weekend for the Final 4. In Dennie Bridges' 7th attempt to make the Final 4 (2 in the NAIA tournament and 4 times previously in the D3 tournament), IWU won with outstanding late plays by Brady Knight, a one-year senior starting point guard. In 2003, IWU went to Wash. U. after winning a 1st round game and met the #1 (as I remember) ranked Bears. It was Scott Trost's 2nd year as coach. The 2002-03 Bears were a fantastic team, led by smooth-as-silk Chris Jeffries. Wash U. had defeated IWU at the Shirk Center in Dec. of 02. But IWU played a great game and knocked Wash U. out of the tournement, led by freshman point guard Adam Dauksas and senior Luke Kasten, who nuetralized Jefferies. IWU also beat Wash. U. in a D3 tourney game at the Shirk Center in the 90s. Prior to last night's win, Wash U. was 28-12 (.700) in D3 tourney games, with IWU administering 3 of the 12 losses. With IWU's win last night, the Titans are now 40-18 all time in D3 tourney action.

Should be an interesting game tonight. To paraphrase the Chevy ad, may the best team win.

[Titan Q]

The complete list of IWU vs Wash U NCAA tournament games is...

1995 - IWU 90 Wash U 65 (Round 2) - @ IWU
1996 - IWU 73 Wash U 61 (Elite 8) - @ Roanoke College (VA)
2003 - IWU 85 Wash U 73 (Round 2) - @ Wash U


As good as that 2002-03 Bears team was (ranked #2 at the time of the game), and as good as Chris Jeffries was (one of the best D3 players I've ever seen), this Wash U team is harder to beat.  After back-to-back national titles, this Wash U nucleus plays with a confidence, a swagger, and a level of offensive precision matched by very few teams I've seen over the years.  

Winning tonight will be a taller task than the 2003 game.  Wash U came into that '03 game as the great program that had never made the deep tournament run, and IWU as an established D3 power with 3 fairly recent Final Fours (at the time - '96, '97, '01).  Now it's IWU trying to get to where Wash U is.

[John Gleich]

I'm rooting for IWU, as well as Carthage and Wheaton (and, of course, Point) because I think it would be really neat to have a sweet 16 made up of those 3 CCIW teams... The IWU/Carthage matchup would be a battle yet again, I think.

I wonder who would host...?

[WUPHF]

I'm rooting for IWU, as well as Carthage and Wheaton (and, of course, Point) because I think it would be really neat to have a sweet 16 made up of those 3 CCIW teams... The IWU/Carthage matchup would be a battle yet again, I think.

I wonder who would host...?

What?  OK, I take back what I said about earlier in the season about pulling for Stevens Point.  I am more of a Wausau-type guy anyway.  Let's do it, St. Norbert!

[usee]

I'm rooting for IWU, as well as Carthage and Wheaton (and, of course, Point) because I think it would be really neat to have a sweet 16 made up of those 3 CCIW teams... The IWU/Carthage matchup would be a battle yet again, I think.

I wonder who would host...?

If, by some miracle, all 3 CCIW teams made it to the sweet 16, my bet would be the host school is either Carthage or the winner of the UWSP/SNC game.

[markerickson]

3-0?  I'm extremely surprised and obviously wrong when I posted my thoughts about the CCIW's chances at postseason success.

[mactitan]

Just wondering, what is the story on Sean Wallis?  Did he graduate early and is now taking graduate classes, or is he older than a traditional student?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just wondering, what is the story on Sean Wallis?  Did he graduate early and is now taking graduate classes, or is he older than a traditional student?

Someone else may remember more clearly than I, but I believe he is now a grad student and receiving a medical redshirt year.