MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NCF]

Reed will undoubtedly make All Conference - any coach in the league would want him because he plays the right way and makes winning plays.  Can't get too caught up in stats when making picks - the top 4 teams should get the vast majority of the all conference selections.

The best players on the best teams should get rewarded, bottom line.

The BEST players on the BEST teams should ALWAYS be rewarded. Unfortunately,  it doesn't always work out that way.

[blue_jays]

Reed will undoubtedly make All Conference - any coach in the league would want him because he plays the right way and makes winning plays.  Can't get too caught up in stats when making picks - the top 4 teams should get the vast majority of the all conference selections.

The best players on the best teams should get rewarded, bottom line.

That may be, but I just can't see any team getting 4 guys on All-Conference, so someone has to go. You could take out Sodemann, bump Reed up to 2nd team, bump Kunz down to 3rd team. I bet there's a lot of politicking among the coaches during All-Conference voting, so who knows what would happen. During Kent Raymond's senior year, Bosko made a big case for his son to be POY despite the team having a .500 conference record. I just tried to make my list represent the top teams pretty evenly, and the bottom teams will still get a few spots of representation.

[D-3 watcher]

NCC placed 4 guys on the team lat year

[blue_jays]

NCC placed 4 guys on the team lat year

Well then what's to stop them from taking all starting 5 from IWU? I guess I'm the only one who thinks that one team's starting lineup is not individually better than all the other best players from 7 teams combined.

[bopol]

And One

bopol is indicating that I made a ( mom joke) toward you. I did not and if you feel I did I apologize to you and your mother.

I didn't indicate you made a "Your mom" joke.  I just thought it was funny that the discussion was at the point where you could have made a 'Your mom' joke.  In less civil times, I think a "Your mom' joke would have definitely happened. 

Or you two would just duel and get it over with.

[havej]

Blue_Jays - not sure what you mean by "politicking" as I'm thinking the coaches send in their selections and then the CCIW adds them up.  Do you think they actually get together and discuss?

[robertgoulet]

And One

bopol is indicating that I made a ( mom joke) toward you. I did not and if you feel I did I apologize to you and your mother.

I didn't indicate you made a "Your mom" joke.  I just thought it was funny that the discussion was at the point where you could have made a 'Your mom' joke.  In less civil times, I think a "Your mom' joke would have definitely happened. 

Or you two would just duel and get it over with.

Oh for the less civil times.

[Titan Q]

I guess I'm the only one who thinks that one team's starting lineup is not individually better than all the other best players from 7 teams combined.

I don't see anyone saying that IWU's starting lineup is better than all of the other best players from 7 teams combined, blue_jays.  This is simply a question of how many IWU players deserve to be part of those 15 all-CCIW spots.  IWU does have 5 very strong candidates:

G -  Dylan Overstreet - 8.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.8 apg, 2.1 A/TO
G - Pat Sodemann - 11.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 24-47 3-point (.511), 30-31 FT (.968)
F - Andrew Ziemnik - 11.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 27-32 FT (.844)
F - Victor Davis - 10.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 12-29 3-point (.414)
F - Kevin Reed  - 9.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, 43-69 FG (.623)

G - Brady Zimmer* - 13.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 35-49 FG (.714), 9-13 3-point (.692), 32-37 FG (.865)


IWU is also having a very good year.  12-0 currently, but also some good statistical numbers:

- Scoring offense, #1 (78.6)
- Scoring defense, #2 (60.0)
- Scoring margin, #1 (+18.6 per game)
- FG% offense, #1 (.499)
- FG% defense, #1 (.362)
- 3-point offense, #1 (.405)
- 3-point defense, #1 (.256)
- Rebound margin, #1 (+11.7)
- Assists, #1 (16.3 per)


I think it's pretty fair to bring up these 5 names and wonder how many Titans should be on the team.


* has missed 4 games now, so Zimmer should be out of consideration

[D-3 watcher]

I'm not saying 5 IWU players will or should make the team. But the coaches have put 4 from one team on in the recent past.

I don't think every team should automatically have a player on on the all CCIW team.

[havej]

D-3 Watcher - you would have no arguments from Jeff Van Gundy.

[iwu70]

The All-CCIW team selections are an interesting and perplexing choice this year.  The Titans have been dominant so far, but without a dominant player. With a group of very skilled players, they are a dominant team, and therein lies their success in conference play.  I, too, agree that five deserve consideration, though likely only three will be named.  I believe the three will be Zman, Reed and Overstreet, and Sodemann and Davis will likely be left off.  Had Brady Zimmer been healthy and playing all CCIW season, he, too, might be under consideration.  IMHO, if Reed is not named, it will be a travesty.

The outcome, performances in the NCC-IWU game on the final day of the season may make an impression in the voting coaches minds.  We still have 1/7 of the CCIW games to be played.  If the Titans go 14-0, the case for 4 Titans on the all-CCIW team will rise.  More basketball to be played.

Go TITANS!!!

IWU70

[Titan Q]

I, too, agree that five deserve consideration, though likely only three will be named.  I believe the three will be Zman, Reed and Overstreet, and Sodemann and Davis will likely be left off. 

I think IWU will end up with 4 guys on.  As was mentioned above, NCC had four last year with Gamble (1st), Raridon (1st), Tiknis (2nd), and Goldthree (3rd).  In 2006-07, Elmhurst had Ruch (1st), Burks (2nd), Lee (3rd), and Michael (3rd).  In 2000-01, Carthage had Garnes (1st), Wiertel (1st), Ktistou (3rd), and McDaniel (3rd).  In 1995-96, IWU had Simich (1st), Litwiller (2nd), Crabtree (3rd), and Peterson (3rd).

So 4 is certainly not unprecedented at all.

In 1994-95, IWU had 5 - Simich (1st), Aubry (2nd), Hutson (2nd), Crabtree (3rd), Litwiller (3rd).

[Titan Q]

The whole debate over which IWU players will make the all-CCIW team, and in what order, kind of sums up this Titans team.  It's about as balanced a team as you will find - great for playing basketball games, tough for dishing out awards.

[Mr. Ypsi]

The whole debate over which IWU players will make the all-CCIW team, and in what order, kind of sums up this Titans team.  It's about as balanced a team as you will find - great for playing basketball games, tough for dishing out awards.

Very true.  I thought they would be successful ONLY if Victor Davis consistently played like last spring in Holland.  He hasn't, and yet they are 12-0 in conference!  Likewise, I thought the loss of Brady Zimmer would be catastrophic - obviously, we'd like him back, but they haven't missed a beat.

(BTW, I may have gone too far in putting away my green-tinted glasses.  My PP ballot had them 5th; they finished 4th in the real poll, and SECOND in the PP! )

[iwu70]

Q, I hope you are right.

Didn't realize there was a time when five got on.  Pretty amazing.

The times you mentioned, from various teams, that got four on, all seem pretty deserved, given how strong those teams were.  We've seen lots of good basketball players and good teams over the years in the CCIW.  Don't recall if the 1970 undefeated Titan team got four on . . . but am pretty sure about Tommy Gramkow, Sheldon Thompson and Fred Evans.  They were all terrific players.  I know Tommy and Sheldon are following this year's team and run very carefully.  That '70 team is the last IWU team undefeated in CCIW play, I believe.

Looking forward to senior night.  The DIII dances are going to be very interesting this year, especially the new format and sequence of the men's draw.  I think tougher and more difficult for the coaches and players on the men's side, given the longer time periods between key championship bracket games.

Sure would love to see the CCIW get three teams in, on both the men's and the women's side of the tournament!     Men are looking good for three, right?, but looks now likely only 1 or perhaps 2 for the women.  If our IWU women win the AQ, then perhaps three?  Anyway, nothing wrong with wishful thinking, right?    Guess it best that someone other than Carthage wins the AQ on the women's side.  Just say'in.

IWU70