MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Hugenerd]

Millikin plays the D1 Akron Zips tonight at 7:30pm ET...

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47192&SPID=4338&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=205028957

Akron beat D3 preseason #18 John Carroll 111-48 last week.  I'm not sure how much worse any team could do than lose by 63, but I have to believe the Big Blue would lose by a bunch to John Carroll.  So this could be really ugly.

The strange thing is that the game is Akron's regular season opener (it's a real game), but it's listed as an "exhibtion" for Millikin (and the Big Blue do have 11 non-conference games scheduled)...


https://www.millikin.edu/sites/athletics/Pages/SportSchedule.aspx?TeamID=Men's%20Basketball


Doesn't it seem strange that a game can be an "exhibition" for one team and not the other?

They only lost by 48 (89-41), looks like Milikin is right there with John Carroll...maybe even better...I usually read a lot into blowout defeat margins when making comparisons, so this is good stuff.

Also, the game recap specifically says the game was regular season for Akron, but exhibition for Millikin. https://www.millikin.edu/sites/athletics/Pages/AthleticNews.aspx?ID=8338

If this is really legal under NCAA rules, whats next?  Maybe they will initiate a rule so that you can retroactively categorize a game as an exhibition.  Or, they could give each team one exhibition "wild card" a year.  You had a tough game...dont worry...you can call that one an exhibition, but the other team can count it if they want.

Doesn't it seem strange that a game can be an "exhibition" for one team and not the other?

Chalk that one up to the infinite wisdom of the NCAA.

"Wisdom"      

Wisdom indeed.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Hmm ... retroactive declaration of 'exhibition' game - I like it!

Since IWU has thrice finished third in the country, they now get three additional cracks at the walnut-and-bronze!

Make room in the trophy cabinet for possible additional hardware!

[petemcb]

Maybe the next thing, in that same spirit, is for Carthage and Wheaton to win their two games in the CCIW/MIAA classic and call their games "in-region" in this same seemingly discretionary way. 

[Titan Q]

The Millikin/Akron boxcore...

https://www.millikin.edu/sites/athletics/Documents/MBB%20at%20Akron.pdf


We finally have a decent idea of which players are in the mix in Decatur.

The Big Blue only have two players on the roster listed taller than 6-4 - 6-6 SR Kyle Taylor and 6-7 FR Urbane Dunlap.

[Titan Q]

IWU has lost freshman PG Joe LaTulip to a season-ending knee injury unfortunately.

Ron Rose described LaTulip as a "gym rat" in my 2010-11 preview.  Joe loves to play the game...hate to see all injuries, but especially those to the guys that the game means so much to.

LaTulip would have played a lot of minutes on the JV team this season.  IWU's JV rotation at the start of the season is probably...

Starters
PG – Brady Zimmer, 6-4 (Fr)
G/F – Mike Mayberger, 6-5 (Fr)
SF – Eric Dortch, 6-3 (Fr)
PF – Victor Davis, 6-5 (Fr)
C – Nick Anderson, 6-9 (Fr)

Reserves
PF – Andrew Ziemnik, 6-4 (Fr)
PG/SG - Bradley Ghere, 5-11 (So)
PG – Trent Swigert, 6-0 (Fr)
G/F – Bobby Czarnowski, 6-3 (Fr)
G/F – Luke Radliff, 6-6 (So)


IWU has been fortunate to have a lot of great JV teams over the years.  The 1995-96 team comes to mind (Brent Niebrugge, Andy Boyden, Nathan Hubbard, Matt Hoder, John Baines, etc) - these guys joined All-American Bryan Crabtree and freshman Korey Coon the following season and helped the Titans to the 1997 national championship.  The 2002-03 JV team was also great (Keelan Amelianovich, Jason Fisher, Cory Jones, Chris Jones, Steve Schweer, etc.) -  in 2003-04, along with fellow soph Adam Dauksas and FR Zach Freeman, they led the Titans to a CCIW title and a Sweet 16 appearance.  

As I look back on the 20+ years I've followed the Titans, it seems the strength of the JV program has always been an indicator of the strength of the IWU basketball program overall.  The 2010-11 JV team seems very talented and I believe Ron Rose has the program in a very good place.

The JV's face Benedictine Monday @ 5:15pm in Lisle before the varsity game.  I'll be interested to follow the JV team closely this season.

[cardinalpride]

TQ, as far as johnson is concerned,it seems like an oversight by the selection committee!
1) IWU receives a top 5 preseason ranking. 2) Johnson, I believe is there top returning scorer. 3) He has already shown what he can do on the national stage. Its shocking that he wasn't considered for any of the 5 teams.

[Titan Q]

TQ, as far as johnson is concerned,it seems like an oversight by the selection committee! IWU receives a top 5 preseason ranking, Johnson, I believe, is there top returning scorer, and he has already shown what he can do on the national stage. Its shocking that he wasn't considered for any of the 5 teams.

Well, Doug Sexauer is on there (3rd Team), so it's not like IWU was overlooked.  And I don't think the Sean Johnson selection was crystal clear - the guard position is always the deepest, and the 10 guards selected are all very good.

But I do think there is a very good possibility that Sean Johnson is one of the 10 best guards in Division III (he was tremendous at the end of 2009-10), and I do expect that he'll make a strong case for the actual AA team at the end of the year.

 

[Gregory Sager]

The Millikin/Akron boxcore...

https://www.millikin.edu/sites/athletics/Documents/MBB%20at%20Akron.pdf

The score was 48-9 at halftime.

Holy cow.

[Gregory Sager]

In another one of those "it counts for the big boys, it doesn't count for us" games, Chicago State beat Concordia (IL) last night by a score of 79-75. It was a one-point game with half a minute left before CSU, which started off the game with 11-0 and 25-8 leads, managed to stave off their D3 visitors. CUC, which is picked to win the NAthCon South Division this year and which officially opens its season in the crackerbox against NPU on Wednesday evening, outrebounded the taller D1 hosts, 50-42.

Granted, it's Chicago State, the perennial laughingstock of D1. But that's still an impressive showing by CUC, a veteran team that returns all five starters from last season's 14-13 squad. Even if they weren't still smarting from their one-point loss to the Cougars in River Forest last year, the Vikings would still be well aware that their Opening Night opponent cannot be taken lightly.

[cardinalpride]

In another one of those "it counts for the big boys, it doesn't count for us" games, Chicago State beat Concordia (IL) last night by a score of 79-75. It was a one-point game with half a minute left before CSU, which started off the game with 11-0 and 25-8 leads, managed to stave off their D3 visitors. CUC, which is picked to win the NAthCon South Division this year and which officially opens its season in the crackerbox against NPU on Wednesday evening, outrebounded the taller D1 hosts, 50-42.

Granted, it's Chicago State, the perennial laughingstock of D1. But that's still an impressive showing by CUC, a veteran team that returns all five starters from last season's 14-13 squad. Even if they weren't still smarting from their one-point loss to the Cougars in River Forest last year, the Vikings would still be well aware that their Opening Night opponent cannot be taken lightly.

Wow! That's a close call for CSU in year one of the post Benjy Taylor era.  CSU plays at Depaul on sunday in McGrath Arena.  That game should be interesting!

[Gregory Sager]

The annual CCIW pick'em contest is starting again in the CCIW pick'em room. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Just remember: There is one scheduled game for Monday (Illinois Wesleyan @ Benedictine) and several for Tuesday, so get your picks in before tipoff Monday evening if you want credit for that game.

[Titan Q]

A link with some information on the IWU/Benedictine game tomorrow at 7:00 (video, audio links, etc)...

http://www.iwuhoops.com/notes11.htm


I honestly have no idea who BU's starters are...I just made a guess based on last year's stats.

Good luck to all CCIW teams as we get this madness kicked off tomorrow.

[AndOne]

Anyone going to the Wesleyan/Benedictine game Mon night?

[petemcb]

I am but probably won't make the opening tipoff.  I'm not sure that this excuse has ever been given on the board before, but I have to play the piano at a funeral on the city side of OHare. 

[petemcb]

Sorry to hear about Joe's knee.  He lives around the corner from us and really is a gym rat.  Loves the game.  Loves the gym.  And is very entertaining to watch play.  Hopefully the docs get his knee situation figured out and he can be back on the court next season.  CCIW fans will enjoy watching him race up and down the court.  He is fun to watch.