MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[sac]

Am I misjudging the summer buzz to say I'm surprised Carthage didn't get any love?

[Titan Q]

Am I misjudging the summer buzz to say I'm surprised Carthage didn't get any love?

Those of us close to the CCIW seem to all feel that Carthage will be good in 2012-13, but coming off a 12-13/6-8 season, the Red Men are going to have to earn their way into the Top 25.  I didn't expect Carthage to get any preseason votes.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'd have to agree with Q about both the potential of the Titans, and their inexperience.  #8 seems too high for preseason.  They graduated SO much talent!

On the other hand, I've bemoaned the graduation losses of the Titan women for at least four seasons now, and they just keep going farther and farther in the postseason, culminating in the Walnut-and-Bronze in 2112.  I finally realized that the one constant (who doesn't graduate) is Mia Smith!  Perhaps Ron Rose is beginning to achieve the same sort of importance?

[iwu70]

On the pre-season polling, glad to see WC and AU getting a little voting love.  Not surprised CC didn't get any, though I think they will be a very tough outing for anyone this year.  If they can gel early, get some good wins/confidence in the early going, I think they could be a big surprise team in the CCIW this year. 

I agree with Q that both pre-season polls we've seen so far have NCC and IWU quite high, but then again we know both have good programs, recent top flight experience, excellent coaching, lots of talent coming back -- though IWU had more lost to graduation.  As has been mentioned, alot depends on how the Titans handle the transition to new PG play, with Overstreet and/or Molinari, and how it works out for the perimeter scoring, stretching defenses from the SG -- with Zimmer (assuming he's healthy, stays healthy) and Sodemann or others.  Others could emerge to play a part . . . my money is mostly on Musselman in the post area, Heyen at the 3, and, yes you may think me strange/optimistic, but I feel there will be important contributions this year from Oswald, esp. if Zimmer is not fully healthy.  Perhaps a freshman will emerge and surprise us too.  I'll report more fully after scrimmages, Green/White game coming up very soon now.  Opening game is Nov. 16th, vs. Coe @The Shirk, 8 p.m. tipoff (two day tip-off tournament, at home) --- four weeks from this Friday evening.

IWU women ranked #4 in the other pre-season poll.  We'll have to see where they are placed in the D3hoops.com poll in a day or two.  Carthage Redwomen were ranked #18.  None others from CCIW getting any voting love. 

Of course, we're all hoping there will be DIII Playoff football at home, @Tucci that November 17th weekend too!

IWU70

[Titan Q]

Others could emerge to play a part . . . my money is mostly on Musselman in the post area, Heyen at the 3, and, yes you may think me strange/optimistic, but I feel there will be important contributions this year from Oswald, esp. if Zimmer is not fully healthy. 

I agree - Dan Oswald could be a factor this year at the 2.  It just depends on his knees.  Oswald, now a senior academically, literally hasn't been healthy a single day of his college career.  He was a really heavily recruited kid coming out of R-B but he's just never been able to get on the floor for many minutes.

Oswald is a really good 3-point shooter.  Last year in limited minutes he was 15-31 (.484) from beyond the arc.  He has a great looking shot -- just very pure.  He could play a role on this team if healthy.

The article below mentioned something interesting about Brady Zimmer:

Rose has yet to decide if Zimmer will play shooting guard or join a point guard competition that includes sophomores David Molinari and Dylan Overstreet and freshmen Bryce Dolan, Brian Nelms and Joel Pennington.

I think Zimmer is best suited at the 2, but sounds like they're at least going to look at him at the 1.  With 6-4 Zimmer at PG the Titans would really be big.

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-wesleyan/titan-men-women-open-practice-after-stellar-seasons-in/article_4be483fc-174a-11e2-8c65-0019bb2963f4.html

[Titan Q]

My 10-man IWU rotation at this very early stage is...

PG - David Molinari, 6-1 So (Dylan Overstreet, 6-3 So)
SG - Brady Zimmer, 6-4 Jr (Pat Sodemann, 6-3 So)
SF - Andrew Ziemnik, 6-4 Jr (Eric Dortch, 6-3 Jr)
PF - Victor Davis, 6-5 Jr (Parker Musselman, 6-8 So)
C - Kevin Reed, 6-7 Sr (Nick Anderson, 6-9 Jr)

[Pat Coleman]

I'd have to agree with Q about both the potential of the Titans, and their inexperience.  #8 seems too high for preseason.  They graduated SO much talent!

On the other hand, I've bemoaned the graduation losses of the Titan women for at least four seasons now, and they just keep going farther and farther in the postseason, culminating in the Walnut-and-Bronze in 2112.  I finally realized that the one constant (who doesn't graduate) is Mia Smith!  Perhaps Ron Rose is beginning to achieve the same sort of importance?

Yeah, no doubt. But a lot of other teams have, too. Q knows the preseason Top 25 is a bear to figure out a ballot for!

[Titan Q]

Q knows the preseason Top 25 is a bear to figure out a ballot for!

Voting in the preseason poll is just very difficult.  There are always a few no-brainers, but then after that it's a crap shoot.

A Final Four team with several returning guys is always going to be a safe choice.  Things start to get sorted out when games get underway.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'd have to agree with Q about both the potential of the Titans, and their inexperience.  #8 seems too high for preseason.  They graduated SO much talent!

On the other hand, I've bemoaned the graduation losses of the Titan women for at least four seasons now, and they just keep going farther and farther in the postseason, culminating in the Walnut-and-Bronze in 2012.  I finally realized that the one constant (who doesn't graduate) is Mia Smith!  Perhaps Ron Rose is beginning to achieve the same sort of importance?

Yeah, no doubt. But a lot of other teams have, too. Q knows the preseason Top 25 is a bear to figure out a ballot for!

Exactly why I don't start up the Posters' Poll until January (when it usually is STILL a bear)!

But kudos to you for running the poll all season (and even pre-season) - makes for great discussion, even if the early polls sometimes look pretty laughable later on.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Q knows the preseason Top 25 is a bear to figure out a ballot for!

Voting in the preseason poll is just very difficult.  There are always a few no-brainers, but then after that it's a crap shoot.

A Final Four team with several returning guys is always going to be a safe choice.  Things start to get sorted out when games get underway.

I certainly had IWU lower than their final resting position... but Q alludes to it... it is a BEAR to put these preseason polls together and this year was a real battle. I had 41 teams I was thinking seriously about... and probably had at least 10 more I could have added to the mix, but I had to cut down some how.

[AndOne]

I was surprised to see the Titans at #8 in the preseason.  I think the Titans have Top 10 talent

I would have had a heart attack if they weren't in the top 10. I'm not at all surprised at the #8 ranking. 

[AndOne]

Am I misjudging the summer buzz to say I'm surprised Carthage didn't get any love?

With 26 year old conference leading Scorer Malcom Kelly, 6'9" Luke Johnson who was wanted by everyone, had distinct D1 possibilities and now has a year of college experience under his belt, superb defender Mitch Thompson, and a plethora of big, quick, and athletic guards all returning, plus a D2 transfer, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Wisconsinites finish above the Wheaties this season. 

[iwu70]

Q, and others, I'd be very surprised if Ron Rose stays with the idea of Brady Zimmer at the PG spot for very long.  I don't think he has the speed or court vision to do that . . . but we'll see.  Overstreet or Molinari make alot more sense.  Is a worry about his ongoing injury and durability concerns for Zimmer.  Again, we'll see.  Sodemann and Oswald are there, looking pretty good.  Hope Dan's knees let him play and really reach his potential as a Titan during his senior year.   Totally agree about his sweet trey shooting . . . that's why I mentioned the prospect of his possible role, contribution.   Basically agree with Q's ten person rotation and do feel all those guys will be playing major minutes, having major roles this year if healthy (though I have Overstreet ahead of Molinari).   We're going to see the ball in the post area alot this season and hopefully alot of post area Titans on the free throw line early and often this season.  Would love to see the FT percentage of these bigs in the 80% range.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

Am I misjudging the summer buzz to say I'm surprised Carthage didn't get any love?

With 26 year old conference leading Scorer Malcom Kelly, 6'9" Luke Johnson who was wanted by everyone, had distinct D1 possibilities and now has a year of college experience under his belt, superb defender Mitch Thompson, and a plethora of big, quick, and athletic guards all returning, plus a D2 transfer, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Wisconsinites finish above the Wheaties this season.

I wouldn't be surprised if Carthage finished above more than simply Wheaton among last season's top four. I think that the Red Men have a legitimate shot at a CCIW title, if Bosko can figure out how to put all the disparate pieces together that really didn't fit into a whole last season. Granted, that's a big "if".

[Gregory Sager]

Congratulations to NPU graduate Roshawn Russell, who was recently named to be the graduate assistant coach at Fontbonne. He's reunited there with the coach who first recruited him to NPU and who helped coach him as a Vikings freshman, Steve Schafer.