MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

I don't think Augie can afford to lose 3 straight and 4 out of their last 6 and expect to be assured of an NCAA bid.

Your reputation as the Lou Holtz of CCIW Chat continues unabated, augiefan. Nevertheless, I can assure you that Augustana is in like Flynn, no matter what happens. To wit, from our resident Pool C numbers-cruncher KnightSlappy:

I'm probably a bit premature on this, but this is my list of "don't even show up to your conference tournament 'cuz you're alreay in" list of cold-hard-lead-pipe locks. I'll revise in the coming days if I feel one of them wasn't cold, hard, or lead enough.

Northeast:
Williams
Middlebury
WPI
Becker
Amherst

East:
Oswego State

Atlantic:
Ramapo

Mid-Atlantic:
La Roche

South:
Virginia Wesleyan
Randolph-Macon

Great Lakes:
Wooster
Hope

Midwest:
Augustana
Concordia (Wi.)

West:
Chapman
Whitworth
St. Thomas
UW-Stevens Point
UW-River Falls

If Augustana loses on Tuesday and then loses again on Friday -- the worst-case scenario if you're Augustana -- the Rock Islanders will enter the Pool C selection process next Sunday with a 21-4 in-region record, good for an .840 in-region winning percentage. There is no way in the world that a team with an in-region winning percentage that high fails to make the D3 tournament. The bubble exists for teams that are below .750, and Augie would be almost a hundred points over where the best of the bubble teams sit.

Augie's record versus regionally-ranked teams would be almost as impressive. Even with a loss to Wesleyan tomorrow night and a loss to Wheaton on Friday night in the airplane hangar, followed by a North Central win on Saturday that would elevate the Cardinals into an appearance in the final, Double-Secret-Probation rankings that the regional committees do on Selection Sunday, Augie would still wind up with a 4-2 record against regionally-ranked opponents (remember, Augie owns wins over two teams from other conferences that've made the Midwest Region rankings thus far, Anderson and St. Norbert). If Wesleyan were to win the CCIW tourney, Augie's record vs. regionally-ranked teams would remain 3-1. If Wheaton were to win the CCIW tourney and then sneak into that final regional ranking, Augie's record against regionally-ranked teams improves to 5-2. Any way you slice it, that's a winning record for Augie against regionally-ranked opponents.

Augustana is a mortal lock for the D3 tournament.

Exactly!

[Titan Q]

A nice story about the impact Ron Rose had on the life of one of his former student-athletes at BHS...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/article_9ac8de6c-3d78-11e0-bdae-001cc4c002e0.html

[BleedBlue4Life]

You're probably the only one, then, as there's no big secret as to why Millikin is 1-22 and one loss away from finishing with the worst overall record in the 65-year history of the CCIW. It's a terrible team. Carthage must've absolutely stunk up the joint this afternoon. On Wednesday I told Bosko, Twan, and Cory, "You three plus Roehl and President Campbell could probably suit up and beat Millikin on Saturday." And none of them disagreed with me.

I would say from your post that you did not watch the game yesterday.  Yes, Millikin has had a very disappointing season to say the least, and it would have been very easy for them to mail it in.  However, these young men suited up and played their hearts out yesterday, and it very easily could have gone the other way.  They should be commended for the way they fought.

No, I didn't see the game, but my point still stands. I don't have the slightest doubt that the Big Blue played their hearts out, as you said, and that it very easily could've gone the other way. The final score indicates as much, and the Carthage people have admitted it as well. I not only commend the Big Blue for playing so hard, but if I was aware that the score was so close while the game was in progress I would've gone online and watched it and rooted for Millikin. Why? Because I'm an old softy, and I love a good underdog story as much as the next guy.

Nevertheless, everything I've said is true. The Millikin program is in shambles. The Big Blue are down to, what, seven players now? They're on the threshold of posting the all-time-worst record of any CCIW team in the 65-year history of the league. I've watched them play three times this year, and I have no qualms about calling them terrible.

I'll be rooting for them against Elmhurst tomorrow night. There's no way in the world that I'd wish that kind of ignominious record on anybody, so I sincerely hope that the remnants of the Millikin team, however many players are left, can muster up a win and finish with a 2-22, 1-13 record that is merely forgettable rather than infamous. Nevertheless, let's not avoid the obvious, BleedBlue4Life. Things are a mess in Decatur.

My issue is not with your opinion of Millikin's performance because, as you have noted, the redord speaks for itself.  My issue is that you didn't watch the game, yet you assumed that it must have been Carthage that played poorly rather than Millikin stepping up and playing arguably their best game of the season.  If that was the only game you saw MU play this season, like the previous person had mentioned, you would have thought MU should have won a few more games.

On top of that, you had to insult the players by saying a rag-tag group of individuals could have beat them.  I think that was uncalled for.  Certainly, you are entitlted to your opinion, but please think of the ten young men you are writing about who go out and work hard every day before you poke fun at them.

[Gregory Sager]

i don't know if its possible to impose your will on a team with the size and strength of Augie, but if the NC Cardinals didn't do that last night, they did the closest thing to it. They really won every facet of the game. I do think the Vikings didn't take the Cardinals seriously enough, and thought they would be easy prey after dumping the Cards by 16 in Rock Island.
However, as I mentioned initially, NCC really controlled both the tempo and each segment of the action as evidenced by the facts that:
*NCC played at THEIR pace, making the game a defensively orientated slugfest and one which would guarantee a low scoring affair. The 50-46 final was a NCC order cooked to perfection

I can appreciate your enthusiasm, Mark, given that your Cardinals are on the threshold of something truly extraordinary. But, really, the tone of your post makes a four-point victory sound more like a forty-point victory. When I see phrases such as "imposed their will" and "won every facet of the game," I don't conjure up a mental image of a game that wasn't decided until the final possession.

And I'm sorry, but this comment:

"NCC played at THEIR pace, making the game a defensively orientated [sic] slugfest and one which would guarantee a low scoring affair. The 50-46 final was a NCC order cooked to perfection."

... is a bit silly, in that it completely ignores the other team in the equation. You've seen Grey Giovanine's teams plenty of times, Mark. You know very well that they thrive upon low-scoring games that are "defensively orientated slugfests." When Augie meets a team that wants to play that sort of game as well, Grey Giovanine is like Br'er Rabbit in the briar patch. In fact, the Rock Islanders ought to have warmup t-shirts that read, "Defensively Orientated Slugfests R Us".

Kudos to North Central for winning a game that was played in Augie's style and at Augie's pace; that's a testament to the preparation and effort of both the Cardinals players and coaching staff. But let's not ignore the obvious, which is that the game was played precisely the way that Augustana wanted it to be played. If you ask me, that makes NCC's win all the more impressive, because the Cards beat the Doggies at their own game.

I guess the NCC coaches and the majority of fans I discused the game with afterwards are silly then too, because every fan I talked to felt the pace of the game played to NCC's hand, and the coaches agreed that a major reason for the victory was the slower pace and bruising style of play.

I didn't say that it was silly in the sense that it didn't accurately portray what North Central wanted. I said it was silly because it didn't take into consideration that that's also what Augustana wanted, and in fact it's the style of play for which Augustana has become notorious.

I'm aware Augie most often also prefers this style, but its also what the Cardinals wanted in this instance. I guess I'd be comfortable saying that the game was played at a pace and in a style favored normally by Augie, but also desired by NCC on this occasion.

That's basically all I'm saying -- with the minor cavil that it's the style that Augie always prefers, not the style that Augie most often prefers.

Also, please excuse my enthusiasm, but I felt/feel a win over the #3 team in the country that spanked us by 16 the 1st time IS kind of a big deal.

Why so defensive? I said that I understood why you were so excited. It makes perfect sense, and of course you're absolutely entitled to your enthusiasm. This sort of thing is why most of us follow college basketball in the first place -- those of us who have a partisan rooting interest, that is.

I also think the Cardinals DID win about every facet of the game as evidenced by the final statistics. Please notice I said NCC "won" every facet of the game. I purposely did NOT say "dominated" every facet because I don't think its possible to dominate a team as tall, talented, and tough as Augie.

I simply think that you were waxing a bit hyperbolic about a win that, as I said, came down to the game's final possession. Somewhere in the middle of all of that talk about imposing will and winning every facet should've been some moderating explanation as to the final outcome. Otherwise, the big question that it naturally brings to mind is, "If North Central was kicking Augie's tail as badly as you're making it sound, then how come Augie had a chance to either tie or win the game in the final ten seconds?"

[Gregory Sager]

You're probably the only one, then, as there's no big secret as to why Millikin is 1-22 and one loss away from finishing with the worst overall record in the 65-year history of the CCIW. It's a terrible team. Carthage must've absolutely stunk up the joint this afternoon. On Wednesday I told Bosko, Twan, and Cory, "You three plus Roehl and President Campbell could probably suit up and beat Millikin on Saturday." And none of them disagreed with me.

I would say from your post that you did not watch the game yesterday.  Yes, Millikin has had a very disappointing season to say the least, and it would have been very easy for them to mail it in.  However, these young men suited up and played their hearts out yesterday, and it very easily could have gone the other way.  They should be commended for the way they fought.

No, I didn't see the game, but my point still stands. I don't have the slightest doubt that the Big Blue played their hearts out, as you said, and that it very easily could've gone the other way. The final score indicates as much, and the Carthage people have admitted it as well. I not only commend the Big Blue for playing so hard, but if I was aware that the score was so close while the game was in progress I would've gone online and watched it and rooted for Millikin. Why? Because I'm an old softy, and I love a good underdog story as much as the next guy.

Nevertheless, everything I've said is true. The Millikin program is in shambles. The Big Blue are down to, what, seven players now? They're on the threshold of posting the all-time-worst record of any CCIW team in the 65-year history of the league. I've watched them play three times this year, and I have no qualms about calling them terrible.

I'll be rooting for them against Elmhurst tomorrow night. There's no way in the world that I'd wish that kind of ignominious record on anybody, so I sincerely hope that the remnants of the Millikin team, however many players are left, can muster up a win and finish with a 2-22, 1-13 record that is merely forgettable rather than infamous. Nevertheless, let's not avoid the obvious, BleedBlue4Life. Things are a mess in Decatur.

My issue is not with your opinion of Millikin's performance because, as you have noted, the redord speaks for itself.  My issue is that you didn't watch the game, yet you assumed that it must have been Carthage that played poorly rather than Millikin stepping up and playing arguably their best game of the season.  If that was the only game you saw MU play this season, like the previous person had mentioned, you would have thought MU should have won a few more games.

You are mistaken in terms of what you think I assumed. Frankly, I think it's naturally implied in the outcome itself that it must've been the best game Millikin's played all season. Just take a look at the scores; aside from a win over an RMU-Springfield team that has only beaten SLIAC schools, Bible schools, and a non-accredited school this season, Millikin has been beaten pretty decisively in almost every game that it's played this season. The Big Blue have only lost by single digits three times, and only once have they ended the game within two possessions of the victor. When I challenged the initial thought from the Carthage camp that, if it was the only time you'd seen Millikin play this year you'd have thought that the Big Blue would've won more games, I was challenging it from the point of view that most observers were well aware of what has gone on in Decatur this year.

That one game in which Millikin managed to lose by less than two possessions was Saturday afternoon's game against Carthage, and since Carthage is also one of the better teams that Millikin has played this year it stands to reason that the Big Blue gave it everything they had and then some, to a degree unmatched by any other game they played this year. The score of that game, as compared to the score of the other games Millikin's played, tells you that much. The commentary about Millikin in this room this season, and the team's shrinking roster, fills in the background details. The conclusion that one inevitably draws -- which is why I didn't bother stating it outright -- is that Saturday's MU @ CC game was some sort of a combination of Carthage not taking Millikin seriously and Millikin playing way over its head.

However, since you need me to come right out and say it rather than assume that everybody immediately figured it out on their own, I'll oblige you: Millikin stepped up and played arguably its best game of the season on Saturday at Carthage.

On top of that, you had to insult the players by saying a rag-tag group of individuals could have beat them.  I think that was uncalled for.  Certainly, you are entitlted to your opinion, but please think of the ten young men you are writing about who go out and work hard every day before you poke fun at them.

Not exactly rag-tag; Antoine McDaniel was a pretty darned good ballplayer, and I'll bet that he can still play a bit.

Look, I'm sorry that my joke hurt your feelings. But the unfortunate truth of the matter is that basketball is not an A-for-effort sport. If you're bad, you're bad, and you can't expect to get a free pass for that no matter how hard your team plays. Even if coaches do the sportsmanlike thing and let up on your team, you're still going to rack up a lot of losses -- and in the end, with all due respect to Grantland Rice, it all comes down to wins and losses rather than how you played the game.

[TitansIWU]

I feel Bosko is sort of rag tag.

[Gregory Sager]

I feel Bosko is sort of rag tag.

Bosko was a pretty good point guard for North Park back in the day; in fact, he was third-team All-CCIW as a senior. However, there's been a lot of mileage put on those legs of his between his playing days and now.

[Titan Q]

I feel Bosko is sort of rag tag.

Bosko is a 3 letter word with "a" in the middle, but not "rag" or "tag" -- TAN.  Best tan in Kenosha year in and year out.

[Titan Q]

Article on Augie @ IWU game...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/article_4ba36ba6-3e25-11e0-9d1f-001cc4c002e0.html

[Dennis_Prikkel]

I feel Bosko is sort of rag tag.

Bosko was a pretty good point guard for North Park back in the day; in fact, he was third-team All-CCIW as a senior. However, there's been a lot of mileage put on those legs of his between his playing days and now.

Keith McDonald was the point guard, Bosko was the shooting guard.  Those of us that remember guard Drew Boster of Augustana of the same time period as Bosko, will remember that they could both be counted on to back the ball down the court when they were called upon to bring the ball up the court.  Bosko was a very good shooting guard.

[Gregory Sager]

So much for my assumptions. I figured point guard = future coach, in much the same way that backup catcher or good-field, no-hit middle infielder = future manager.

[AndOne]

North Central, picked to finish 6th in the 8 team CCIW, now appears in the "Others Receiving Votes" section (#37) in this week's D3Hoops Top 25.      

[Titan Q]

North Central, picked to finish 6th in the 8 team CCIW, now appears in the "Others Receiving Votes" section (#37) in this week's D3Hoops Top 25.      

Note, all 5 of those NCC Top 25 poll points came from 1 voter.

[Always.A.Titan]

Hope everyone has their Green on today.

Go Titans!

[cciwrabblerouser]

what are the reasons for millikin's demise?