MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

Huckleberry----

I don't think any NCC supporters thought you were blaming the refs for Wheaton losing to NCC last Sat. I know I didn't.
You clearly stated NCC won because they outplayed Wheaton.
Your "rant" concerned the generally low quality of officiating in the CCIW, specifically focusing on your most favorate of all the league's refs.

* You say you hope the CCIW sends its "best crew" to King Arena Sat. I hope you realize that there is a "best crew" for Wheaton, but a different "best crew" for IWU. The best crew for Wheaton is the one that calls everything in accordance with this year's NCAA points of emphasis, i.e. the one that calls things very close, thus protecting the less physical and perimeter orientated Crusaders. IWU's best crew would be the one that will let the two teams bang, thus protecting the more physical and more interior orientated Green Weenies.

DISCLAIMER--The terms Crusaders and Green Weenies as used above are affectionate nicknames used in a kidding manner with no disrespect intended. 

* Still wondering if anyone knows why Wheaton didn't pray after the loss at NCC?

[Titan Q]

* You say you hope the CCIW sends its "best crew" to King Arena Sat. I hope you realize that there is a "best crew" for Wheaton, but a different "best crew" for IWU. The best crew for Wheaton is the one that calls everything in accordance with this year's NCAA points of emphasis, i.e. the one that calls things very close, thus protecting the less physical and perimeter orientated Crusaders. IWU's best crew would be the one that will let the two teams bang, thus protecting the more physical and more interior orientated Green Weenies.

I see this the other way.

Foul trouble hurts Wheaton way more than it does IWU for two reasons:
1) The Titans are so much deeper than the Thunder, and
2) IWU isn't really reliant on any 1 or 2 players to win, whereas Wheaton has to have Tyler Peters and Nathan Haynes on the floor for as many minutes as possible to win.

If Victor Davis picks up two quick fouls guarding Nate Haynes, it's certainly not a good thing for the Titans...but it's much less of a problem than if Haynes picks up two guarding Davis.  Or if Overstreet is whistled for 2 hand-checks early, again, not great...but less impact than if the same happens to Peters.

I thought the over-the-top "let them play" whistle in Kenosha was a huge advantage for Carthage, in that the Red Men never had to get in foul trouble to contain IWU's frontcourt players.  Similarly, I think that type of officiating would benefit Wheaton Saturday.

In a game that is called tightly, I just feel like the Titans have a big advantage because they can go 11 deep, and their offense tends to runs well no matter what combinations are on the floor.

[AndOne]

My thinking regarding a tightly called game favoring Wheaton centers on the fact that the more physical Wesleyan defenders are more likely to more often manifest their physicality by frequently "bodying up" and hand checking and/or bumping and pushing the Wheaton players. Thus, making them more likely to draw cheap fouls than the Wheaton players who would seem more prone to rely on quickness, moving the feet, etc to effect defensive stops. 
It just seems that in a tightly controlled game, a more physical team would be subject to a higher degree of probability of being whistled for an infraction due to their more frequently putting themselves in jeopardy by means of said physical play.   

[iwu70]

Would be very interested in hearing from all the good minds on this board what are the keys to the game on Saturday -- IWU vs. WC @King.

On the future of the Titan rotation, I have no inside information at all. (I'm in Hong Kong!!! after all.).   Hence my disclaimer of "speculation" and "dream'in."  I just see what I see, hear what I hear and listen to what others say about the long long bench, the deep stable of talent that Ron Rose has developed in the IWU program.  I've seen a number of these guys play in high school and know their overall talent level, as well as some sense of their development and prospects if they work hard, put in the weight work, get better and bigger and stronger and smarter as college level players.  I have little sense of the guys way down the chart on the JV, though those JV starters, key reserves you mentioned have been around, so we've seen them in Green/White games and in mop up minutes.

If I were guessing on the Titan line up for next year now, I'd say:

PG Overstreet, Dolan, Nelms
2- Sodemann, Nelson, Stempel
3 -Rossi if back, Nelson, Heyen, Coyle?
4 - Seibring, Bausch, Mahlke ?
5 -Marietti ?

Surely some of the other JV guys could come into the picture as several of them had outstanding high school careers and put up major, impressive numbers at that level of play.  Depends on summer work, getting stronger, overcoming injuries etc.  Heyen is amazing that he came back after so many frustrating injuries.  Perhaps his time will come next year.  I've always been high on his game, his potential from the first time I saw him as a freshmen -- length, wing-span, speed, size, "bouncey" and can shoot the 3.  Similar body size, type as Rossi, but perhaps tougher around the basket.  He's gotta get, stay healthy.  (Rossi too!).

Much more will depend on who returns, esp. Rossi. (Q says Musselman is out, not returning -- and he likely knows about that.  I accept the news).   And, on how others develop at the 3 and 4.  Of course, very hard to replace the skill-set, versatility of Mayberger and Dortch, the consistency and strength of Zman and Vic Davis, but I'm sure Rose is thinking of ways to do it -- with some of the newbies, with Heyen, or others.  Q probably has a better sense of all this and I'm sure he'll share it all in time -- as he often does have more concrete "inside" information.  I've seen no information on recruitment as yet, though on the IWU women's side we have some very positive news -- two top-notch, high performance newbies coming in who may be able to play immediately as freshmen.  Mia Smith will be rebuilding much more than re-loading.  (Sorry for the incorrect posting!).  Freshmen on the men's side rarely make an impact the first year on varsity anyway -- at least not so much in the Titan program way of doing things. Normally you wait your turn.  Only Korey Coon.  (Hope I spelled it right this time!).

Again, would love to hear how chatsters see the IWU-WC showdown this weekend.  Should be rock'in at King.  Both games -- women and men's games -- very important for CCIW tournament and post-season prospects. 

I agree that a very tightly called game at King favors the Titans.  But, King environment, home court favors WC -- so we'll see how it all washes out. 

IWU70

[Titan Q]

Freshmen on the men's side rarely make an impact the first year on varsity anyway -- at least not so much in the Titan program way of doing things. Normally you wait your turn.  Only Korey Coon.  (Hope I spelled it right this time!).

Korey Coon was the only IWU freshman to make an impact?

[Titan Q]

PG Overstreet, Dolan, Nelms
2- Sodemann, Nelson, Stempel
3 -Rossi if back, Nelson, Heyen, Coyle?
4 - Seibring, Bausch, Mahlke ?
5 -Marietti ?

Very little chance Rossi will play basketball next year.  Certainly not enough chance to be put in depth charts.

70, can we get through 2013-14 before guessing about the 2014-15 rotation?  We have a pretty good team going here this year.

[iwu70]

Agreed, great team this year.  Yup, I'm all for this team, this year.  Go TITANS -- beat Wheaton! 

Should be a great game at King.  CCIW tournament at The Shirk would be grand.

IWU70

Q, was Luke Kasten a freshmen or a sophomore when he splashed onto the scene as a Titan? 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Agreed, great team this year.  Yup, I'm all for this team, this year.  Go TITANS -- beat Wheaton! 

Should be a great game at King.  CCIW tournament at The Shirk would be grand.

IWU70

Q, was Luke Kasten a freshmen or a sophomore when he splashed onto the scene as a Titan?

I suppose it depends on your definition of 'splashed onto the scene'.  He was 1st team all-CCIW his last three years, but he was also 2nd team all-CCIW his freshman year.

I'd say he made an immediate splash!

[veterancciwfan]

IWU impact freshmen other than Korey Coon: Luke Kasten and Adam Dauksas and there are more. Add another bench weapon to IWU's arsenal: Brady Zimmer whose back problems have diminished. All he did last year in conference games only was score 14.1 ppg (he played in 9 conf. games and started none), shoot .709 from the field (39/55), shoot .714 on 3s (10/14) and .813 from the line (39/48). I wouldn't be surprised if he got 10-15 minutes Saturday and was on the court in crunch time. But I don't know whose minutes he would get. That's a beautiful problem for Ron Rose to solve. As I posted earlier, Wheaton gave IWU all it wanted at Shirk in January. They have the 4th best SOS in D3 and at 17-7 aren't even in D3 Hoops' Top 25 which I don't understand. They have a lot of talent and are well coached. Massey has Wheaton at #12 and predicts a 74-73 Wheaton win with each team with a 50% chance of winning. Get there early, CCIW fans. This will be a fantastic game with huge rewards for the winner. 5-year past history at Wheaton: 2013: IWU 83 WC 80; 2012: WC 60 IWU 53; 2011 WC 78 IWU 76 (OT); 2010: WC 66 IWU 65; 2009: WC 74 IWU 70.

[veterancciwfan]

Luke Kasten did make a splash as a freshman starter. He scored 27 in the opening game at Shirk in 1999. Hope is ranked 2nd in the latest NCAA Great Lakes Region. Remember the discussion about being Hope being the best 3-5 D3 team in the country after IWU beat them 91-83 in Holland on Dec. 21? They haven't done much since than other than go 14-2 and challenge Wooster as the best team in the region. Another example of a team with a terrific SOS which started some very talented sophomores (guards Alex Eidson & Ben Gardner) and paid the price early only to develop into a very dangerous team.

[veterancciwfan]

One correction to last post: Hope has won 14 and lost once (not twice) since Dec. 21.

[iwu70]

Ypsi, Q, that's what I thought -- that Kasten was a freshman when he had that opening 27 point game at Shirk.  A big initial splash indeed!   I was there that night and thought, Wow, this guy is going to be good.  Couldn't remember for sure if that was his freshman or sophomore year.  And yes, Dauksas was good as a freshman, but not as good as Kasten or Coon.  Let's hope the Titans' rotation for next season finds a few freshmen to add to the mix as good as Kasten, Dauksas and Coon.  I'm still gonna "dream" that Rossi comes back next year. 

I have no doubt that beating Wheaton this Saturday at King will be very very tough.   (Women's game too!).  I, too, don't understand why Wheaton is not ranked in the top 25 on the men's side.  Not creating a "bracket of death" is going to be very hard to avoid in the Midwest area this year.  No easy way to Salem.

IWU70

[iwu70]

Here it is February 21st, the polar vortex still lingers, the snow is piled high, more storms are on the Midwestern horizon, and Wheaton is playing BASEBALL in Kentucky.  Is that for real?  Why is the CCIW baseball season starting, allowed to start on February 21st.  Madness.

********

VetFan, would love to see the Titans get a tournament game vs. Hope again, especially in their palace of an arena.   One of the great spots in all of D3 hoops, right?  Or, better yet, in our Shirk. 


IWU70

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan (21-3, 11-2) @ Wheaton (17-7, 10-3), Sat. 7:00pm...

(CCIW-only stats)

Illinois Wesleyan (21-3, 11-2)
G - Dylan Overstreet, 6-3/180 Jr (9.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.4 apg)
G - Pat Sodemann, 6-3/195 Jr (9.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)
F - Mike Mayberger, 6-6/205 Sr (8.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
F - Andrew Ziemnik, 6-5/220 Sr (11.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
F - Victor Davis, 6-5/235 Sr (11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg)

G - Jordan Nelson, 6-1/170 Jr (11.3 ppg)
G - Bryce Dolan, 6-0/160 So (4.9 ppg)
F - Eric Dortch, 6-4/210 Sr (4.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
G - Brady Zimmer, 6-4/180 Sr (4.5 ppg)
C - Mike Marietti, 6-8/245 So (4.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg)

Wheaton (17-7, 10-3)
G - Tyler Peters, 6-4/205 Sr (19.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.2 apg)
G - Caleb MeMoss, 6-0/165 Jr (9.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg)
G - Brayden Teuscher, 6-3/205 Jr (16.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.8 apg)
F - Peter Smith, 6-6/190 Jr (7.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
F - Nate Haynes, 6-6/218 Sr (10.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg)

G - Tad Fisher, 6-0/185 Sr (6.1 ppg)
F - Michael Berg, 6-6/210 So (4.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
F - Joel Smith, 6-6/235 So (2.6 ppg)


Pantagraph - http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/iwu-wheaton-tangle-for-title/article_42c2ba8a-a3ce-54c9-bca7-1c09e3a2b400.html

Live video - http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/wheaton.portal

Live stats -  http://www.sidearmstats.com/wheaton/mbball/

WJBC radio - http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/wjbc.portal#

[realist]

Here it is February 21st, the polar vortex still lingers, the snow is piled high, more storms are on the Midwestern horizon, and Wheaton is playing BASEBALL in Kentucky.  Is that for real?  Why is the CCIW baseball season starting, allowed to start on February 21st.  Madness.

********

VetFan, would love to see the Titans get a tournament game vs. Hope again, especially in their palace of an arena.   One of the great spots in all of D3 hoops, right?  Or, better yet, in our Shirk. 


IWU70

RE:  Baseball.  Need to remember the southern schools aren't covered in snow, and aren't that cold and that is when the NCAA says they can start.  If you want to compete you have no choice.