MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[sac]

Final from Terre haute:

Rose-Hulman 67
Millikin 43

Not sure why, but MU leading scorer T.J. Griffin didn't play tonight. Chase Robbins led the Big Blue with eight points.

Midwest Region fans should probably start taking note of RH's defensive performances, I know they haven't played the greatest schedule but still they appear to be tough to score on...
http://www.heartlandconf.org/sports/mbkb/2012-13/files/rhit.htm

[Gregory Sager]

Greg, looks like EC is finding some form, at last.  Nick Sanford playing very well.

I thought that Sanford was one of the most underrated players in the league last season. His only problem is that he's a mini-Shaq at the free throw line.

But I think that the key to the 'jays is Taylor Baxter. As much as Sanford has been an overachiever as a 6'5, 210 CCIW C/PF, Baxter was an underachiever at Loras. I think that as he goes, Elmhurst goes in 2012-13.

[Gregory Sager]

The CCIW now sits at 42-22 (.656). The safe bet is that the league goes 6-2 for the rest of the week.

[AndOne]

Final from King:

Wheaton 75
Cornell 61

Tyler Peters: 26 pts, 4 stls, 0 t/o
Peter Smith: 14 pts, 5 asts
Nathan Haynes: 11 pts, 16 rebs

Michael Kvam didn't play this evening. Needless to say, Wheaton didn't need him.

Chances appear good that Kvam may return to action as soon as this weekend. Certainly by conference game time.

[AndOne]

Greg, looks like EC is finding some form, at last.  Nick Sanford playing very well.

I thought that Sanford was one of the most underrated players in the league last season. His only problem is that he's a mini-Shaq at the free throw line.

But I think that the key to the 'jays is Taylor Baxter. As much as Sanford has been an overachiever as a 6'5, 210 CCIW C/PF, Baxter was an underachiever at Loras. I think that as he goes, Elmhurst goes in 2012-13.

1. EC is Baxter's 3rd school. He also previously underachieved at North Dakota State prior to his Loras experience. It appears he is becoming this year's EC version of Zack Boyd. Mr. Outside in the EC attack?

2. I was also impressed with Sanford last year. Without reading any game descriptions or looking at any box scores. I'll bet a good portion of his points have, and will continue to come on put backs after collecting an offensive
board.

3. While Sanford's interior prowess at 6'5" and 210 is noteworthy, it, in part, points out one of EC's major problems in that the question "Wheres the beef?" arises. Mr Bluejay needs more skilled beef inside, both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court in order to contend for 1st division status in the rough and tumble CCIW.   

[AndOne]

I made it to the 2nd half of the NCC-UWP game last night.  AndOne is correct, the officiating was inconsistent.  It was frustrating to watch.  I'm sure the players were frustrated. I'm still trying to figure out what coach Raridon did to get a technical foul.

Last evening's T was not called on the mild mannered Coach Raridon---either of them!   

[iwu70]

I watched Sanford in a recent EC game and he's very good on put-backs, tough rebounder, and has some nice post area moves.  Looks very strong.  Greg, I'll watch for Baxter next time.  After their poor start, seems EC is finding a better flow and mo right now.  Seems MU took some steps backwards.  Any word on TJ Griffin? He is a key player, as PG and a key scorer, for Millikin this year.

IWU70

[blue_jays]

I made it to the 2nd half of the NCC-UWP game last night.  AndOne is correct, the officiating was inconsistent.  It was frustrating to watch.  I'm sure the players were frustrated. I'm still trying to figure out what coach Raridon did to get a technical foul.

Last evening's T was not called on the mild mannered Coach Raridon---either of them!   

I assume you're being ironic when you called Raridon mild-mannered... dude gets plenty of techs because he complains (albeit not loudly) to refs non-stop. Don't believe me? Sit by his bench some time.

[Gregory Sager]

1. EC is Baxter's 3rd school. He also previously underachieved at North Dakota State prior to his Loras experience.

That's not true, Mark. Baxter left the Bison in preseason as a freshman and never played a game for them, although he was around long enough to get into the team picture. He transferred from NDSU to Loras at semester break and played in ten games for the Duhawks that January and February.

He certainly underachieved at Loras, but he didn't at NDSU. You can't underachieve when you're not even on the team.

Seems MU took some steps backwards.  Any word on TJ Griffin? He is a key player, as PG and a key scorer, for Millikin this year.

I don't think it's necessarily true that Millikin "took some steps backwards" last night. Rose-Hulman is very solid this season. The Engineers are currently 8-1, 3-0 and have to be seen as one of the favorites in the HCAC. A more plausible explanation for MU's misfortune in Terre Haute is that the Big Blue simply ran into better competition than the SLIAC and NAIA foes it had been facing as of late.

The absence of Griffin is a big question mark, though. Given the perennial silence of Decaturites vis-a-vis this board, I wonder if we'll get any information as to his current status and his non-appearance in last night's contest.

[Gregory Sager]

3. While Sanford's interior prowess at 6'5" and 210 is noteworthy, it, in part, points out one of EC's major problems in that the question "Wheres the beef?" arises. Mr Bluejay needs more skilled beef inside, both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court in order to contend for 1st division status in the rough and tumble CCIW.

What I find interesting is that Elmhurst, a program that has lacked much in the way of size the past few seasons -- anyone remember the Lilliputian 'jays of 2009-10 that started 6'3, 190 Aaron Schroeder at center? -- is now loaded with size, most of it acquired this past off-season from the high school or juco ranks. Here's the list of 'jays who are Sanford's size or bigger:

Erik Crittenden	6'7, 195 Fr	Crete, Ill. / Marian Catholic
Kenny Payonk	6'6, 200 Fr	Oak Forest, Ill. / Sandburg
Alex Morgunov	6'9, 270 Jr	Sacramento, Calif. / American Christian Academy (C. of Lake County)
Nick Sanford	6'5, 210 Jr	Decatur, Ill. / St. Teresa
Andy LePard	6'8, 220 Jr	Beecher, Ill. / H.S.
Michael Jerkovich	6'4, 235 So	Burbank, Ill. / Reavis
Tyler Thurston	6'4, 215 Fr	Chatham, Ill. / Chatham Glenwood
Erik Dornfeld	6'7, 215 Sr	Geneseo, Ill. / H.S.
Joe Jugovic	6'9, 240 Jr	Canton, Ill. / Lewistown (Illinois Central)
Alex DeBack	6'7, 240 Jr	Charlotte, Mich. / H.S. (Lansing CC)

That's a lot of beef. Elmhurst might have more size on its roster than any team in the league, Augie included. But the box scores and season stats seem to indicate that Mark Scherer is having a hard time finding steady production out of any of these players, with the conspicuous exception of Sanford. Alex Morgunov has given Elmhurst some scoring, but he only played ten minutes last night. And Taylor Baxter, who is a guard, is the team's second-leading rebounder.

As you implied, there's a difference between beef and skilled beef.

[ExBBaller40]

It's surprising that Elmhurst hasn't pulled in that skilled 6-7, 6-8 big man since Ruch left and you can see how much it has hurt the Bluejays as the program. They went a CCIW perennial contender to fighting to stay in the middle of the pack. You need that one big guy in the CCIW to get you points and they just don't have someone like that anymore.

And Sager, I do remember facing off against Schroeder on the inside against the Jays in 10-11. I mean we (at BenU) had more size than they did, which had never happened in my four years of contests against CCIW schools until that game.

[AndOne]

3. While Sanford's interior prowess at 6'5" and 210 is noteworthy, it, in part, points out one of EC's major problems in that the question "Wheres the beef?" arises. Mr Bluejay needs more skilled beef inside, both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court in order to contend for 1st division status in the rough and tumble CCIW.

What I find interesting is that Elmhurst, a program that has lacked much in the way of size the past few seasons -- anyone remember the Lilliputian 'jays of 2009-10 that started 6'3, 190 Aaron Schroeder at center? -- is now loaded with size, most of it acquired this past off-season from the high school or juco ranks. Here's the list of 'jays who are Sanford's size or bigger:

Erik Crittenden	6'7, 195 Fr	Crete, Ill. / Marian Catholic
Kenny Payonk	6'6, 200 Fr	Oak Forest, Ill. / Sandburg
Alex Morgunov	6'9, 270 Jr	Sacramento, Calif. / American Christian Academy (C. of Lake County)
Nick Sanford	6'5, 210 Jr	Decatur, Ill. / St. Teresa
Andy LePard	6'8, 220 Jr	Beecher, Ill. / H.S.
Michael Jerkovich	6'4, 235 So	Burbank, Ill. / Reavis
Tyler Thurston	6'4, 215 Fr	Chatham, Ill. / Chatham Glenwood
Erik Dornfeld	6'7, 215 Sr	Geneseo, Ill. / H.S.
Joe Jugovic	6'9, 240 Jr	Canton, Ill. / Lewistown (Illinois Central)
Alex DeBack	6'7, 240 Jr	Charlotte, Mich. / H.S. (Lansing CC)

That's a lot of beef. Elmhurst might have more size on its roster than any team in the league, Augie included. But the box scores and season stats seem to indicate that Mark Scherer is having a hard time finding steady production out of any of these players, with the conspicuous exception of Sanford. Alex Morgunov has given Elmhurst some scoring, but he only played ten minutes last night. And Taylor Baxter, who is a guard, is the team's second-leading rebounder.

As you implied, there's a difference between beef and skilled beef.

Thats exactly what I meant. Sorry if you or anyone else took it only as an implication. I should have been more specific, but at nearly 1 AM, my capacity for specificity was severely diminished. 

[AndOne]

I made it to the 2nd half of the NCC-UWP game last night.  AndOne is correct, the officiating was inconsistent.  It was frustrating to watch.  I'm sure the players were frustrated. I'm still trying to figure out what coach Raridon did to get a technical foul.

Last evening's T was not called on the mild mannered Coach Raridon---either of them!   

I assume you're being ironic when you called Raridon mild-mannered... dude gets plenty of techs because he complains (albeit not loudly) to refs non-stop. Don't believe me? Sit by his bench some time.

Holy crapolly blue_jays. Do you want a coach that doesn't complain? To me, complaining to the refs is part of being a good coach. You get royally screwed on a call, and you had better complain or the same bad call will bite you in the ass over and over.

As far as "non-stop," lets do some comparison shopping. If you want to see some continuous complaining watch a game coached by, among others, "Bellering" Bosko Djurickovic of Carthage or Grey "The Stomper" Giovanine, the scorer's table to end line sideline running, foot stomping, arm whirling, toss the sport coat leader of the Augie quintet. While the NCC coach may oft complain, "albeit not loudly" in your words, the aforementioned twosome are truly the mouths that roar in CCIWland.

And, 2 other points:
1. Your own Mark Scherer is no slouch when it comes to complaining. 
2. I've been sitting by the NCC bench for eight years.     

[AndOne]

1. EC is Baxter's 3rd school. He also previously underachieved at North Dakota State prior to his Loras experience.

That's not true, Mark. Baxter left the Bison in preseason as a freshman and never played a game for them, although he was around long enough to get into the team picture. He transferred from NDSU to Loras at semester break and played in ten games for the Duhawks that January and February.

He certainly underachieved at Loras, but he didn't at NDSU. You can't underachieve when you're not even on the team.

Thats not true, Greg. While he did leave the Bison, it was not in the "preseason," but rather at the end of the 1st semester. Not only did he appear in the team picture, he participated in two exhibition games for NDSU in the "preseason," and continued to be a member of the team for the first nine games of the regular season. He just never played in any of those nine games, and then transfered to Loras at the semester break.

As evidence your honor, I present prosecution Exhibit A, a NDSU Media Relations release dated 12/13/10. 

http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=205054587

http://www.gobison.com//pdf8/728558.pdf

"Taylor's efforts through the first half of the season are appreciated"   

 

[iwu70]

Ron Rose can get into the refs at points too, in a very targetted way usuaully.  He lets them know his views, but usually gets right back to business, coaching his team and paying attention to the business of playing and players.  I know many IWU fans appreciate this greatly, after the various antics, rages at players, and complaints of a certain previous IWU coach.  I've never seen Rose get T-d up.  Perhaps we were all used to Dennie over the years and his more quiet, some would even say dignified, approach to coaching.  I'm sure he yelled and screamed and strongly motivated at points at practice, but I rarely ever saw him do this in game situations.  Demonstrated a great respect for his players, for the program.  He was a pretty quiet presence on the bench, and with the zebras, having done his preparation before the performance hours.  Don't recall Dennie getting T-d up much either, though I'm sure he did it on occasion if needed to protect or to motivate his players.  Mia Smith can also be very pointed, direct with the refs, but then right back to business, with a clear set of directions to her players during time-outs.  I admire her preparation of the team as well as her in-game skills, management of the players, the refs and the clock.  She's a great leader and also has a great sense of appreciation for the IWU fans, loyalists.  She works the bleachers before each game, shaking hands and greeting folks that attend, folks that she knows are loyal backers of the women's program at IWU. 

IWU is very lucky to have both of these coaches, IMHO.  From all I've seen, they are doing it the right way, representing the University in a very good way.  What's the common sweatshirt seen around campus -- "Victory with Honor."

IWU70