MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[veterancciwfan]

Pat Sodemann's 3-point % is .510, currently 3rd best in an IWU single season. Nelson is shooting .408 on 3s (58/142). His 58 3s leads the team and he has been the high scorer in 3 of the last 4 games and 6 of the last 10. Bryce Dolan's 3-point % is .489. I quit though I could name more 3-point weapons available to IWU. The game Friday vs. Calvin may go the team with the best 3 shot performance (now there's an emphatic observation!). Go to www.iwusports.com for gamenotes. Some interesting facts if you have the time.

[Pat Coleman]

So, I haven't been to the Shirk Center since 2000. What new will I see this time?

[Mr. Ypsi]

So, I haven't been to the Shirk Center since 2000. What new will I see this time?

Well there will different players and a different coach!

Dennie Bridges will still be there, but he will be 14 years older.

Otherwise, I haven't been there in several years - don't know of any changes to the Shirk itself.

[Pat Coleman]

I thought I was supposed to be Capt. Obvious.

[kiko]

Not much has changed.  A dunk is still only worth two points.

[Gregory Sager]

... and you still have to get off the bus with the best players.

[iwu70]

Hey Pat,

At Shirk, basic facility still pretty much the same . . . and well-maintained.  Widely used by the community now, esp. for high school and state round tournaments.  Nice history exhibit, "hall of fame" down the hallway by the Fort Natatorium, swimming facility.  (You can see my IWU "beanie" from the fall of '66, my freshmen year, there). The Shirk family gave an endowment to keep it all up well.  Dennie and company manage Shirk very well.  (Yes, Dennie and his wife will always be sitting there, above the rail in designated seats for the AD, on the north side of the Performance Arena.  Stew and the press, WJBC, WESN, and the broadcast folks all on the other side). 

What you will see are more banners -- a men's third place, and men's semis ' banner, the women's fourth place and then the national championship banner -- and many more banners in the activities center for women's track and field, softball, golf and the national title in baseball, in 2010, as I recall.  The IWU sports tradition is really rich, ongoing.  We are hoping for more glorious chapters this year.

If you have time to walk around campus, do check out the new classroom faciility -- really state of the art -- called State Farm Hall (of course!), on the Quad, or the Ames Library, especially the Pembroke College (UK) window panels in the 4/F Rotunda reading room.  Really lovely up there.  Both SFH and Ames are wonderful facilities.  These are "student-athletes" after all.  (I'll leave the opera for next time.).   But, do enjoy the best Pep Band in D3 sports -- hope they are there playing, even with Spring break, and as always, enlivening the atmosphere.  IWU does have a great Music School . . . after all.  Gotta have the IWU "fight song" going to bring home another Sweet Sixteen W. 

Enjoy the atmosphere -- surely one of the best in D3 hoops.

IWU70

P.S. Big changes outside to Tucci Stadium, artificial turf, new lighting, sound systems, etc. and a re-do of Horenberger Field (baseball), etc. -- much of that done since 2000.  But, it may all still be covered with snow, though the Lacrosse team must be out there practicing now as their inaugural season has started off well, with a 3-0 record so far.  Home games at Tucci coming more in April, me thinks.  Baseball, golf, softeball, tennis, all down south now for Spring break games.   ms

P.S.S.  . . . and luckily, hosting, the IWU players don't even have to get off the bus.  We do think they are the best players this weekend. 

[bbfan44]

D3hoops voters who read this board:  Dickinson has a really good record, has a big front line, shoots well, will be a "hand full" for Wheaton.....how come they didn't receive even one Top 25 vote?

Not sure it matters.  They are top 16 now and they beat Wooster @wooster which only one other team has done all year.

You sound a bit like Hillary and her "what difference at this point does it make". 

[KnightSlappy]

D3hoops voters who read this board:  Dickinson has a really good record, has a big front line, shoots well, will be a "hand full" for Wheaton.....how come they didn't receive even one Top 25 vote?

Not sure it matters.  They are top 16 now and they beat Wooster @wooster which only one other team has done all year.

They're one of the final 16 teams left in the tournament which isn't necessarily the same as being one of the best 16 teams in the country.

[USee]

D3hoops voters who read this board:  Dickinson has a really good record, has a big front line, shoots well, will be a "hand full" for Wheaton.....how come they didn't receive even one Top 25 vote?

Not sure it matters.  They are top 16 now and they beat Wooster @wooster which only one other team has done all year.

They're one of the final 16 teams left in the tournament which isn't necessarily the same as being one of the best 16 teams in the country.

Not in the poll, but reality reigns. There are 16 teams left and they are one of them. I think Wooster would trade all their top 10 votes for a chance to play this weekend.  I think it's safe to say they will end up in the top 25 in the poll wouldn't you think?

[bbfan44]

D3hoops voters who read this board:  Dickinson has a really good record, has a big front line, shoots well, will be a "hand full" for Wheaton.....how come they didn't receive even one Top 25 vote?

Not sure it matters.  They are top 16 now and they beat Wooster @wooster which only one other team has done all year.

They're one of the final 16 teams left in the tournament which isn't necessarily the same as being one of the best 16 teams in the country.

Not in the poll, but reality reigns. There are 16 teams left and they are one of them. I think Wooster would trade all their top 10 votes for a chance to play this weekend.  I think it's safe to say they will end up in the top 25 in the poll wouldn't you think?

I've got to think so.  I'm just wondering why everyone missed them all year in the voting...since they're obviously pretty darned good.  So maybe Wheaton will blow them out and we'll have the answer.

[KnightSlappy]

D3hoops voters who read this board:  Dickinson has a really good record, has a big front line, shoots well, will be a "hand full" for Wheaton.....how come they didn't receive even one Top 25 vote?

Not sure it matters.  They are top 16 now and they beat Wooster @wooster which only one other team has done all year.

They're one of the final 16 teams left in the tournament which isn't necessarily the same as being one of the best 16 teams in the country.

Not in the poll, but reality reigns. There are 16 teams left and they are one of them. I think Wooster would trade all their top 10 votes for a chance to play this weekend.  I think it's safe to say they will end up in the top 25 in the poll wouldn't you think?

I've got to think so.  I'm just wondering why everyone missed them all year in the voting...since they're obviously pretty darned good.  So maybe Wheaton will blow them out and we'll have the answer.

Going into the tournament they only had one really good win, by 15 at home against Alvernia. Other than that there were home losses to Juniata, Muhlenberg, Johns Hopkins, and Franklin and Marshall. None are necessarily terrible on their own, but combine the resume and it didn't scream Top 25.

Beating Wooster on the road this past weekend just now brought their Massey rank to #25.

My previous point, though, was that a Top 25 poll and a national tournament are doing different things: one to declare who is/was the best team, and one to declare who is the champion.

If I was voting in a poll right now, I would consider Wooster in the Top 10 and Dickinson in the 20-25 range, probably.

[iwumichigander]

D3hoops voters who read this board:  Dickinson has a really good record, has a big front line, shoots well, will be a "hand full" for Wheaton.....how come they didn't receive even one Top 25 vote?

Not sure it matters.  They are top 16 now and they beat Wooster @wooster which only one other team has done all year.

They're one of the final 16 teams left in the tournament which isn't necessarily the same as being one of the best 16 teams in the country.

Not in the poll, but reality reigns. There are 16 teams left and they are one of them. I think Wooster would trade all their top 10 votes for a chance to play this weekend.  I think it's safe to say they will end up in the top 25 in the poll wouldn't you think?

I've got to think so.  I'm just wondering why everyone missed them all year in the voting...since they're obviously pretty darned good.  So maybe Wheaton will blow them out and we'll have the answer.

Going into the tournament they only had one really good win, by 15 at home against Alvernia. Other than that there were home losses to Juniata, Muhlenberg, Johns Hopkins, and Franklin and Marshall. None are necessarily terrible on their own, but combine the resume and it didn't scream Top 25.

Beating Wooster on the road this past weekend just now brought their Massey rank to #25.

My previous point, though, was that a Top 25 poll and a national tournament are doing different things: one to declare who is/was the best team, and one to declare who is the champion.

If I was voting in a poll right now, I would consider Wooster in the Top 10 and Dickinson in the 20-25 range, probably.

Wooster, with only 3 turnovers,  shot 10% under their season FG % & 3 Pt % and was out rebounded against Dickinson.  Wooster was either "off" or got defended well?  Wheaton will have to find a way to defend guard Andy Honig and 6'8" Jr. Gerry Wixted,

[bbfan44]

D3hoops voters who read this board:  Dickinson has a really good record, has a big front line, shoots well, will be a "hand full" for Wheaton.....how come they didn't receive even one Top 25 vote?

Not sure it matters.  They are top 16 now and they beat Wooster @wooster which only one other team has done all year.

They're one of the final 16 teams left in the tournament which isn't necessarily the same as being one of the best 16 teams in the country.

Not in the poll, but reality reigns. There are 16 teams left and they are one of them. I think Wooster would trade all their top 10 votes for a chance to play this weekend.  I think it's safe to say they will end up in the top 25 in the poll wouldn't you think?

I've got to think so.  I'm just wondering why everyone missed them all year in the voting...since they're obviously pretty darned good.  So maybe Wheaton will blow them out and we'll have the answer.

Going into the tournament they only had one really good win, by 15 at home against Alvernia. Other than that there were home losses to Juniata, Muhlenberg, Johns Hopkins, and Franklin and Marshall. None are necessarily terrible on their own, but combine the resume and it didn't scream Top 25.

Beating Wooster on the road this past weekend just now brought their Massey rank to #25.

My previous point, though, was that a Top 25 poll and a national tournament are doing different things: one to declare who is/was the best team, and one to declare who is the champion.

If I was voting in a poll right now, I would consider Wooster in the Top 10 and Dickinson in the 20-25 range, probably.

Wooster, with only 3 turnovers,  shot 10% under their season FG % & 3 Pt % and was out rebounded against Dickinson.  Wooster was either "off" or got defended well?  Wheaton will have to find a way to defend guard Andy Honig and 6'8" Jr. Gerry Wixted,

Ok, I guess I get why they weren't on the radar...bad home losses.  I'll buy that.
Wheaton's ability to guard the mentioned players may depend on the way the ref's call the game.  Hate to go back to that, but I've seen a game where 23 total fouls were called, and a game where around 50 fouls were called.  I know teams get scouted. Does anyone scout ref's?

[Titan Q]

Article on IWU's Jordan Nelson...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/nelson-provides-boost-to-iwu/article_a302d59d-3b30-5ac3-850f-d46dd3601aec.html