MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

5. Gregory referenced a couple of dumb mistakes down the stretch.  One was a technical foul on the bench -- not sure on whom or what was said -- with the game tied and 2:40 to go.  Not a good time for that.  Another occurred with 1:20 or so to play -- Connor Raridon poked the ball away and set the Cardinals off on a 3-on-1 fast break, but for whatever reason Sorensen was leading the break.  Alex does so many things well and has a nice feathery touch to his shot, but he's not the guy you want handling the ball on the break in the open floor.  He ended up dribbling the ball off his leg and out of bounds.  In both cases the Cards actually clawed back into the lead, but they missed opportunities to put their boot on the Olis' throats a bit with these.  With the second half being a lot of back-and-forth where St. Olaf shaved a little more off the lead with each ebb and floe, these missed opportunities proved fatal.  Jayme Moten was called for a travel with six seconds left as the Cards looked to tie, and that more or less sealed the game.

I did have those mistakes in mind, but the one that I thought was the most costly was Erwin Henry's reach-in foul at midcourt with 39 seconds left and the Cardinals up by one. You could tell by the look on Henry's face after the whistle blew that he'd made a dumb foul. There was just no reason for it; he wasn't close enough to the ballhandler to steal the ball, and it's a low-percentage and unnecessary action when you're up by one in the final minute. The Oles made both free throws, taking the lead, and it completely changed the complexion of the final half-minute of the game. Plus, it was Henry's fifth foul.

I honestly don't know if the better team won this one.  That's no slight on the Olis, who were solid.  I would feel the same way if the Cards prevailed.  Both teams were out of sorts given the lack of flow to the contest, but the Olis were able to adjust better, and so they move on.

Yep. As you said, the Oles realized how the game was being called by the refs and adjusted to it, while the Cards didn't.

[bbfan44]

Congrats to Elmhurst on their win.  Augie was just a scrimmage as I mentioned earlier.  Kiko gave a good review of the NCC game.  Yeah, you've got to know what the ref's are doing.  Did the coaches not point that out early on?  Nice night at the free throw line for Raridon with 14-14.
Around the country there were about 8 or 9 games decided by 5 points or less.  Exciting stuff taking place.  It's a great time of the year.

[kiko]

5. Gregory referenced a couple of dumb mistakes down the stretch.  One was a technical foul on the bench -- not sure on whom or what was said -- with the game tied and 2:40 to go.  Not a good time for that.  Another occurred with 1:20 or so to play -- Connor Raridon poked the ball away and set the Cardinals off on a 3-on-1 fast break, but for whatever reason Sorensen was leading the break.  Alex does so many things well and has a nice feathery touch to his shot, but he's not the guy you want handling the ball on the break in the open floor.  He ended up dribbling the ball off his leg and out of bounds.  In both cases the Cards actually clawed back into the lead, but they missed opportunities to put their boot on the Olis' throats a bit with these.  With the second half being a lot of back-and-forth where St. Olaf shaved a little more off the lead with each ebb and floe, these missed opportunities proved fatal.  Jayme Moten was called for a travel with six seconds left as the Cards looked to tie, and that more or less sealed the game.

I did have those mistakes in mind, but the one that I thought was the most costly was Erwin Henry's reach-in foul at midcourt with 39 seconds left and the Cardinals up by one. You could tell by the look on Henry's face after the whistle blew that he'd made a dumb foul. There was just no reason for it; he wasn't close enough to the ballhandler to steal the ball, and it's a low-percentage and unnecessary action when you're up by one in the final minute. The Oles made both free throws, taking the lead, and it completely changed the complexion of the final half-minute of the game. Plus, it was Henry's fifth foul.

Right.  I chalked that one up to #1... too aggressive on defense.  You just can't do that sort of thing with the way this one was called.
 

[iwu70]

Congrats to Augie and EC, keep moving on.  John Baines doing a great job, as has been mentioned.  Sorry NCC, and AO.  Tough loss, but St. Olaf a pretty good team.  Surely better than in the past.  Hope the CCIW gets two in the Sweet 16.

'70

[Titan Q]

#1-Augustana (27-1, 13-1 CCIW)
G - Hunter Hill, 5-9/165 Sr.   (13.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg)  1st Team all-CCIW/M.O.P.
G - Jawan Straughter, 6-0/186 Sr.  (6.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.6 apg)  3rd Team all-CCIW
G - Griffin Pils, 6-4/216 Sr.  (7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 apg)
F - Tayvian Johnson  (8.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
F - Ben Ryan, 6-5/216 Sr.  (14.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg)  1st Team all-CCIW

F - Brandon Motzel, 6-7/210 Sr.  (8.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg)   2nd Team all-CCIW  *broken finger/did not play last night*
G - Dylan Sortillo, 6-3/175 So.  (6.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
G - Chrishawn Orange, 6-2/178 Fr.  (4.9 ppg)
F - Pierson Wofford, 6-4/207 Fr.  (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
F - Michael Hoekstra, 6-7/204 Jr.  (2.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)

#9-Hope (24-3, 13-1 MIAA)
G - Chad Carlson, 5-7/155, Jr.  (6.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
G - Dante Hawkins, 5-10/160 So.  (7.8 ppg, 3.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
G - Ben Gardner, 6-0/165 Sr.  (15.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg)  1st Team all-MIAA/Co-MIAADefensive Player of the Year
F - Harrison Blackledge, 6-6/210 Jr.  (12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
C - Brock Benson, 6-8/230 Sr.  (12.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, .583 FG)  2nd Team all-MIAA

F - Sam Otto, 6-3/190 Sr.  (8.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
G - Alex Eidson, 6-2/190 Sr.  (6.0 ppg)
F - Cody Stuive, 6-7/185 Jr.  (4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg)


An intriguing matchup tonight in Rock Island.  A few thoughts...

* Hope is a very talented and skilled team.  My biggest question related to Hope's ability to compete tonight is whether or not they are physical enough.  The Dutchmen have not played anyone this season as tough and physical as Augustana, and I am not quite sure how they are going to deal with it.

* Hope spreads the floor out really well and has a lot of versatile players who can do a lot of good things.  The Dutchmen offense will create problems for Augie's defense. 

* Playing without starting center Brandon Motzel certainly didn't hurt Augustana against a SLIAC team, but if he is out again tonight it will hurt Augie.  Hope has a great starting 5-man in 6-8 senior Brock Benson (better than his stats indicate).  Benson is a load down low with his back to the basket.  If 6-5 Ben Ryan - who is a 4 and not a 5 - has to guard him, that's a big challenge for the Vikings.

* Keeping Benson out of foul trouble is very important for Hope. And I think that might be tough - Ben Ryan is an active, crafty guy down low and I can see Benson picking up some fouls defending him.  The Dutchmen are very thin in the post - they only bring one post off the bench, and as far as I recall, 6-7 Cody Stuive is more 4 than 5.  I think Benson has to be on the floor about 32 minutes tonight for Hope to compete. 

* Hope has to take care of the basketball (can't turn it over a bunch of times like IWU recently did) and somehow keep Augie's rebound edge within 4 or so.  If the Dutchmen turn it over 15+ times and get clobbered on the boards, Augie will have several more FGA and it's just too hard to win with that formula.

* Hope also has to shoot it well, like IWU did in the CCIW semi-final. 


If Hope plays the way they are capable of, they can give Augustana a great game and even pull off the upset.  If the Dutchmen can't handle Augie's toughness and physical play, Hope will get run out of the gym.

[augiefan]

Benson was dominating last night. Even if Motzel plays, he will not be close to 100%. I think Benson may well be the difference maker in a close game. Bad luck for. Augie losing their best big man. Have to hope Hunter comes out of his season ending shooting slump. Depth even without Motzel seems to be an advantage for Augie in this toss up game.

[CCIW >]

To say NCC needed to adjust to the way the referees were calling the game is just silly... The referees were callings fouls for things that were completely within the rules of basketball. One major thing that stood out to me was the amount of charges called when the defender was in the semi circle.. How can a professional referee not understand the rule that goes along with the semi-circle? Very very sad for the CCIW, as this loss looks bad on the conference, but for all that watched, we know that NCC did not lose that game and more importantly, St. Olaf did not win it. The only individuals responsible for the outcome were the referees. NCC had what 4 guys foul out and 3 more with 4 fouls? Lets be honest here, that is not something you ever see in the sport of basketball.

Word from the arena was that St. Olaf fans were laughing after the game while waiting for the players to come out talking about how they were handed the game... That is so disappointing to me as a huge fan of basketball. Even the winning team was aware of the, for lack of a better word, cheating that occurred.

I dont know who the athletic director at NCC is, but i would assume there is a process to investigate games. And that process should definitely be started. Sorenson did blow the game by dribbling it off his leg, but this game was a 20 point blowout if any 3 referees besides these men called the game. From a business stand point, NCC could certainly have made a run in this tourney and will now miss out on any revenue or accolades that were taken from them last night. I would want that reimbursed if I was their Athletic Director.

[CCIW >]

Serious question: Who got cheated more this year: NCC last night or Juwaun Henry in the Player of the Year voting...
Haha.
I just wanna see NPU make the tourney so bad next year.
Go NPU 2016-2017!

[USee]

#1-Augustana (27-1, 13-1 CCIW)
G - Hunter  "Gatherer" Hill, 5-9/165 Sr.   (13.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg)  1st Team all-CCIW/M.O.P.
G - Jawan "To lead my sheep to" Straughter, 6-0/186 Sr.  (6.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.6 apg)  3rd Team all-CCIW
G -  "Blake" Griffin "dor"  Pils, 6-4/216 Sr.  (7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 apg)
F - Tayvian "Magic" Johnson  (8.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
F - Ben "Saving Private" Ryan, 6-5/216 Sr.  (14.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg)  1st Team all-CCIW

F - Brandon "Knight" Motzel "Tov", 6-7/210 Sr.  (8.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg)   2nd Team all-CCIW  *broken finger/did not play last night*
G - "Bob" Dylan Sortillo, 6-3/175 So.  (6.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
G - Chrishawn "Shank Redemption" Orange "Is the new Black", 6-2/178 Fr.  (4.9 ppg)
F - Pierson "Brosnan" Wofford "Terriers", 6-4/207 Fr.  (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
F - Michael "Strahan--It's no" Hoekstra, 6-7/204 Jr.  (2.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)

#9-Hope (24-3, 13-1 MIAA)
G - Chad "Ford" Carlson, 5-7/155, Jr.  (6.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
G - Dante "Bischette" "Hersey" Hawkins, 5-10/160 So.  (7.8 ppg, 3.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
G - Ben "Affleck" Gardner, 6-0/165 Sr.  (15.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg)  1st Team all-MIAA/Co-MIAADefensive Player of the Year
F - Harrison "Barnes" Blackledge, 6-6/210 Jr.  (12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
C - "Lou" Brock Benson, 6-8/230 Sr.  (12.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, .583 FG)  2nd Team all-MIAA

F - "Son of" Sam "Grand Theft" Otto, 6-3/190 Sr.  (8.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
G - Alex "Thomas" Eidson, 6-2/190 Sr.  (6.0 ppg)
F - Cody "Zeller--Hot" Stuive, 6-7/185 Jr.  (4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

I fixed everyone's name in the lineups for Q....

[WUPHF]

Maybe it is just me, but it is not March until USEE arrives.

[veterancciwfan]

Hunter Hill will go wild tonight. Hope is so small. Giovanine is twice the coach that Niel is. Augie in another laugher. Trust me on this.

CCIW: Quite an over the top post. NCC made too many dumb mistakes in crunch time.

[Titan Q]

Giovanine is twice the coach that Niel is. Augie in another laugher. Trust me on this.

So the fact that Matt Neil hasn't been the coach at Hope for two years now...does that change your whole opinion? 

(You have about 50 minutes to Google "Greg Mitchell" to see if he is any good.)

[Titan Q]

Maybe it is just me, but it is not March until USEE arrives.

He has found his lane and knows how to stay in it nicely.

[Gregory Sager]

Giovanine is twice the coach that Niel is. Augie in another laugher. Trust me on this.

So the fact that Matt Neil hasn't been the coach at Hope for two years now...does that change your whole opinion? 

(You have about 50 minutes to Google "Greg Mitchell" to see if he is any good.)

Now that was a facial. Nicely done, Bob!

[Gregory Sager]

St. Thomas 94
Elmhurst 81

This one was back-and-forth going into the final ten minutes, but Elmhurst just couldn't get any stops. The Tommies looked very impressive on offense.

Thus ends the career of a very large and talented EC senior class.