MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[John Gleich]

Aurora 56
Elmhurst 55
-Vegas Holiday Tourney

I always find it amusing when schools that are, what, 16-18 miles apart go 2,000 miles to meet!

Back in 03-04, Stevens Point played Oshkosh out in Vegas.  Not only is Oshkosh the second closest team to Stevens Point in the country, they're in the same conference!  Point beat 'em in that game, twice during the regular season, and once in the conference tourney.

Then, in the NCAA tourney, Point and Lawrence (LU being the CLOSEST team in the country) in the Elite 8 out at Puget Sound in the greatest game nobody saw.

Crazy!

[Gregory Sager]

Loras 91
North Park 83

The Vikings blew a twelve-point first-half lead, and then blew another five-point lead late in the game. Really poor execution on the offensive end down the stretch, and the score tells you everything that you need to know about NPU's defense, or lack thereof.

The Vikings are disintegrating. There's no other way to put it. Losing to two IIAC teams in a row? Loras came into this game with a 2-8 record, fresh off a 21-point pasting last night at home by Chicago.

NPU is very tough to watch right now.

[augiefan]

Two more bad losses for the CCIW tonight. Our league certainly seems to be below par this year, although IWU's issues are mostly injury related. When Zimmer returns the Titans should be ready to live up to preseason predictions. Augie, Carthage and Wheaton, of course, have also looked good but not like  teams that are ready for a solid NCAA tourney run. We are probably destined to get a max of two teams in the tourney this year.

Despite all of this the conference race should be interesting. Millikin and Elmhurst look pretty weak, but every one else canl be dangerous on a given night.

[Hugenerd]

A bit off topic, but MIT got a commitment from 6'4" Nick Prus from Buffalo Grove high school, who goes to the same high school that Augustana's Brian DeSimone went to.  Prus apparently played 4 years on varsity, so they played a year together.

http://dailyherald.com/article/20101220/sports/712219819/

[AndOne]

Two more bad losses for the CCIW tonight. Our league certainly seems to be below par this year, although IWU's issues are mostly injury related. When Zimmer returns the Titans should be ready to live up to preseason predictions. Augie, Carthage and Wheaton, of course, have also looked good but not like  teams that are ready for a solid NCAA tourney run. We are probably destined to get a max of two teams in the tourney this year.

Despite all of this the conference race should be interesting. Millikin and Elmhurst look pretty weak, but every one else canl be dangerous on a given night.

Slight correction necessary here I think----

Should read--------> When Zimmer returns to full strength................
Although he is young, and was previously in top shape, there is no doubt that Jordan is somewhat deconditioned after his lengthy layoff. I would estimate it will be at least somewhere around mid January before he is back at his pre-injury level. In the same vein, while John Koschnitzky has returned, I doubt even he would tell you that he has attained full strength as yet.   

[Titan Q]

CCIW in-region report (through 12/20)...

(records below are in-region only...not overall)

Augustana (7-0) - 10 scheduled
11/16, @ Simpson  W
11/22, vs Washington U W
11/27, vs Anderson  W
12/1, @ Monmouth  W
12/11, vs Buena Vista  W
12/15, vs UW-Whitewater  W
12/20, @ MacMurray  W
12/29, vs UW-Stout, at St. Norbert
12/30, @ St. Norbert or vs Lakeland, at St. Norbert
1/2, vs Chicago

Out of region:
12/8, vs St. Ambrose  W

Carthage (2-1) - 4 scheduled
11/19, vs Bethany Lutheran  W
11/24, vs Whitworth (in Hawaii) L
11/26, vs Pacific (in Hawaii)  W
1/2, @ Transylvania

Out of region:
11/16, vs Calumet-St. Joseph  W  
11/20, vs John Carroll  L
12/3 vs Hope  W
12/4, vs Calvin  W
12/7, vs Silver Lake  W
12/11, vs Albion  L
12/12, vs Cardinal Stritch  W

Elmhurst (3-5) - 11 scheduled
11/16, @ Cornell  L
11/20, vs Hamline L
11/23, @ St. Norbert  L
12/1, @ Olivet  L
12/5, @ Westminster (Mo)  W
12/9, vs Kalamazoo  W
12/11, vs Loras  W
12/20, vs Aurora, in Las Vegas  L
12/21, vs UW-Oshkosh, in Las Vegas
12/29, vs DePauw
12/30, vs Calvin or Benedictine

Illinois Wesleyan (7-2) -  9 or 10 scheduled
11/15, @ Benedictine  W
11/19, vs Aurora  W
11/20, vs Ripon  W
11/23, @ Monmouth  W
11/27, vs Dominican W
11/29, @ Webster  W
12/4, vs Chicago L
12/11, vs MacMurray  W
12/18, @ Washington U L
(12/30, @ Cal Lutheran)

Out of region:

12/29, vs Gettysburg, at Cal Lutheran
(12/30, vs Hobart, at Cal Lutheran)

Millikin (0-5) -  6 or 7 scheduled
11/19, vs Nebraska Wesleyan  L
11/23, vs Franklin L
11/28, @ Rose-Hulman L
12/4, @ Aurora  L
12/20, @ Transyvania L
12/29, @ St. Mary's (MN)
(12/30, @ Illinois College)

Out of region:
12/1, vs Robert Morris-Springfield  W
12/18, @ Adrian  L
12/21, vs Piedmont (GA) or Westminster (PA), at Transylvania
(12/30, vs Clarke at Illinois College)

North Central (2-4) - 8 scheduled
11/19, vs Bluffton L
11/20 vs Edgewood  L
11/23, vs Aurora  L
11/27, @ Illinois College  L
11/28, @ Manchester W
12/7, vs Lake Forest  W
12/22, @ Benedictine
12/27, @ Rockford

Out of region:
12/1, vs Albion  W
12/17, @ Hawaii-Hilo  L
12/30, @ Adrian

North Park (5-4) - 9 scheduled
11/17, vs Concordia  L
11/23, vs Edgewood  W
11/27, @ Fontbonne  W
11/30, @ Carroll W
12/4, vs Trine L
12/11, @ Spalding  W
12/13, vs Milwaukee Engineering  W
12/19, @ Coe  L
12/20, @ Loras  L

Out of region:
12/28, vs Williams, at Salem State
12/29, vs Regis, at Salem State

Wheaton (4-2) -  6 scheduled
11/16, vs Manchester  L
11/19, vs UW-Whitewater  W
11,23, vs Loras  W
12/1, @ Chicago  W
12/4, vs Hope L
12/11, vs Washington U  W

Out of region:
11/19, vs Covenant  W
12/3, vs Calvin  W
12/9, vs Trinity Intl  W
12/30, vs Messiah, in Phoenix
12/31, vs Husson, in Phoenix

CCIW non-conference totals (88 games)
In-region games: 64 (73%)
Out-of-region games: 24 (27%)

(Assumes 1 of the 2 TBD games end up in-region)

CCIW in-region, non-conference record (through 12/20)
30-23 (.566)

Q's Projected Final in-region, non-conference record
36-28 (.563)

[Titan Q]

Slight correction necessary here I think----

Should read--------> When Zimmer returns to full strength................
Although he is young, and was previously in top shape, there is no doubt that Jordan is somewhat deconditioned after his lengthy layoff. I would estimate it will be at least somewhere around mid January before he is back at his pre-injury level. In the same vein, while John Koschnitzky has returned, I doubt even he would tell you that he has attained full strength as yet.    

I agree.  John Koschnitzky has played two games now, but he has a long way to go in getting back in the swing of things.  Similarly, it's going to take Jordan Zimmer a while to just get back to where he was on the first day of practice.  It may be mid-January before Koschnitzky is close to 100%, and February 1 (or later) before Zimmer is.  

That said, having both is going to help IWU very much in a lot of ways...even while they are not at full strength.  I'm interested to see if Ron Rose starts Zimmer in California (12/29 vs Gettysburg, 12/30 vs Cal Lutheran or Hobart), or brings him off the bench at first like he has with Koschnitzky.  Either way, my guess is that both will be in the starting lineup for IWU's first CCIW game.

The tough thing about the injuries is that here in late December, and getting close to CCIW time, IWU's rotation is in total flux.  It's clear they never did find a rotation they're 100% comfortable with in the absence of Koschnitzky and Zimmer.  Coming into the year, this was supposed to be the kind of season where you know your starting 5, know your top 3 reserves, and maybe have to make a couple decisions with players 9 and 10.  The injuries to the two starting forwards has really thrown the entire rotation out of whack.  

The California games will be very important for the Titans in terms of settling on a rotation for CCIW play.  I'll be out there, so I look forward to seeing what things look like in those two games.

[Titan Q]

30-23 right now in "in-region" games.  Based on what we all thought about the league coming into 2010-11, it's hard to believe things have turned out like this.

Ugly.

[iwumichigander]

Loras 91
North Park 83

The Vikings blew a twelve-point first-half lead, and then blew another five-point lead late in the game. Really poor execution on the offensive end down the stretch, and the score tells you everything that you need to know about NPU's defense, or lack thereof.

The Vikings are disintegrating. There's no other way to put it. Losing to two IIAC teams in a row? Loras came into this game with a 2-8 record, fresh off a 21-point pasting last night at home by Chicago.

NPU is very tough to watch right now.

Unfortunately Greg I'd submit NPU has already blown up and past disintegrating.  NPU very badly needs to regroup but I'm just not all that sure the team can play with the discipline need to fix their problems.

[Titan Q]

Millikin season stats...

https://www.millikin.edu/SITES/ATHLETICS/MBASKETBALL/Pages/2010-11MillikinStatistics.aspx


The Big Blue...

* Are shooting .341 from the field

* Are 21-102 from 3 (.206)

* Get out-rebounded by 10 per game on avg

* Have 49 assists to 102 turnovers

* Average 48.0 ppg

* Have no player averaging more than 8.0 ppg

[cubs]

Elmhurst knocks off UW Oshkosh in OT out in Las Vegas....  Sorry, but no details other than result.   

[magicman]

Elmhurst knocks off UW Oshkosh in OT out in Las Vegas....  Sorry, but no details other than result.   

Here's a link to the box score:

http://www.titans.uwosh.edu/MBasketball/2011/EC1.pdf

[wheels81]

Wheaton (4-2) -  6 scheduled
11/16, vs Manchester  L
11/19, vs UW-Whitewater  W
11,23, vs Loras  W
12/1, @ Chicago  W
12/4, vs Hope L
12/11, vs Washington U  W

Out of region:
11/19, vs Covenant  W
12/3, vs Calvin  W
12/9, vs Trinity Intl  W
12/30, vs Messiah, in Phoenix
12/31, vs Husson, in Phoenix


Q,
minor issue with results posted.  Wheaton's first game was an away game @Manchester.
Not sure if that adds into the strength of schedule formula.
Also Games played in tournaments are considered vs and not away games? Ie. vs. Calvin and Hope at the MIAA/CCIW tourn. at Carthage.

[markerickson]

It has been "tough" to watch the North Park Vikings for many, many moons.

[Titan Q]

Wheaton (4-2) -  6 scheduled
11/16, vs Manchester  L
11/19, vs UW-Whitewater  W
11,23, vs Loras  W
12/1, @ Chicago  W
12/4, vs Hope L
12/11, vs Washington U  W

Out of region:
11/19, vs Covenant  W
12/3, vs Calvin  W
12/9, vs Trinity Intl  W
12/30, vs Messiah, in Phoenix
12/31, vs Husson, in Phoenix


Q,
minor issue with results posted.  Wheaton's first game was an away game @Manchester.
Not sure if that adds into the strength of schedule formula.
Also Games played in tournaments are considered vs and not away games? Ie. vs. Calvin and Hope at the MIAA/CCIW tourn. at Carthage.

I'll try to remember to correct the Manchester game next time I post the in-region report.  Thanks.

Note, I'm not calculating any kind of RPI...I'm just listing in-region wins and losses and keeping tracking of the league's cumulative record.  (Location of game has no bearing on the stuff I'm doing.)