MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[augiefan]

Augie 75 Millikin 39 is your final.

[4samuy]

Final from The Shirk:  IWU 87, Carroll 64

Bonnett 22
Seibring 14
Rose 13
Coleman 12
Stempel 10

Titans shoot 55%, 52% from three, making 14 treys.

For Carroll:

Keranen 20

Titans playing extremely well tonight, finally shooting it well, and defending the perimeter well too.  Now 6-5 in league play, overall 14-6. 

Keep it rolling Green.

Nice ceremony at halftime honoring the '97 National Championship Team.  The one and only. 

IWU'70

Wow.  If I remember Correctly,  IWU hit 17 treys against Macmurray, but I've got to believe that is the most 3s made by a team in CCIW play this year.

[markerickson]

Juwan Henry sat in street clothes tonight as he did a week ago @ Elmhurst.  The other Henry, NCC's Erwin Henry, and Jagger Anderson propelled NCC.  NCC was huge from beyond the arc.  I doubt four Vikings scored in double digits in light of Henry's injury.  Robinson exceeded his scoring average and I believe he had more assists than rebounds.  Sorenson and Cappeletti were non-factors tonight.

[Greek Tragedy]

North Central 73
North Park 67

Greg must be speechless.

[4samuy]

Seibring's clearly not at 100% -- I've heard secondhand that he has a slight crack in his third vertebra and a marginally misaligned disk -- but he did play 30 minutes last night (well above his season average), and he had no problem getting up and down the floor. He was only one shot under his season average in terms of shots attempted and was right on target in terms of his season average in FT attempts. He made a quick, nifty inside move in the post for a hoop-and-harm in the second half, and he didn't appear to have any trouble at all with leaving his feet or absorbing contact (in fact, since he plays offense with his back to the basket and neither Biko nor Brown did so last night, Seibring was the one who initiated contact far more often than received it, and that's as one would expect, given the players involved). I think that the 50% figure is underselling his current ability by quite a bit.

His main problem last night, aside from the fact that he didn't shoot well and didn't guard Biko on the perimeter (although Bausch didn't, either, when he was assigned to Biko), was his turnovers. One was a badly-thrown outlet pass and the other three were traveling calls. I don't see how his back trouble affected any of those four turnovers.

Thoughts about IWU vs NPU last night -
Titans came out in second half taking the ball to the paint and bucket with success.  Titans were scoring with the adjustment and drawing fouls on NPU.  Then, to me, Titans went away from the adjustment.  Why, I do not understand as they were closing the gap and having success.

That was true at the end of the game, too, when the Titans went away from the trey for the most part and got much more aggressive off the dribble, especially in transition. During the early-second-half run you spoke of, in which IWU cut the 14-point halftime lead down to six, they did so mostly through layups and free throws, as you said. Bausch was a big part of that, as he was a difficult matchup for NPU. Starting at 14:20, however, there was a sequence in which Rose took a too-deep trey attempt that hit the front of the rim, got his own offensive rebound, quickly passed the ball to Coleman, and then Coleman took an off-balance trey attempt, which the Vikings rebounded. It all came and went in the space of four seconds, but at the time it felt both like a momentum swing and a miscalculation by the Titans, as NPU did indeed then get the lead back up to double digits (and, eventually, the game-high 19-point bulge). I think that the Titans are a team of jump shooters, and that that's their first instinct. Sometimes it's hard for a team to step outside of what it normally does, especially when it normally does it so well.

Juwan Henry - you watch him and think he is in the low double digits but by games end he has put up 25.  He did a good job last night letting the game come to him.  When he does that rather than try to be a one man team is when the Vikings are really dangerous.

Exactly. To be honest, this was the best game that Juwan Henry's played in quite a while, even though he was CCIW POW a couple of weeks ago. One of the coaches noted after the game that on three different occasions Juwan beat his man off the dribble, only to find three Titans defenders waiting for him. When Juwan's trying to do too much, he attacks in that situation and either tosses up a circus shot or gets called for a charge. When he's letting the game come to him, he either pulls up for a jumper or else backs out and resets the offense. Last night he wasn't going to the pull-up much, but on those three occasions he brought the ball back out and reset. He was told by that coach afterward, half tongue-in-cheek and half-seriously, that he could consider those three resets as three turnovers avoided.

Incidentally, Juwan's now at 1,987 points scored for his career. While it would've been nice if he could've joined the august and highly exclusive 2K Club on his home floor, best to just get that milestone and the distraction involved with it out of the way on Saturday at Faganel.

Jordan Robinson - I think, particularly at his size, he is one of if not the best high post players I have seen.  He is a really good passer, can step out and hit the three or drive by his defender to the hoop.  I really think NPU functions more around Robinson than Henry.

True. I've run out of superlatives for Jordan, but I do have an amusing anecdote about him. With 8:29 to go he was zeroed in right underneath a carom off of an Andy Stempel miss, only to have Miles Curry barrel into him for a foul before Jordan could get his hands on the ball. You could tell by the look of total disgust on Jordan's face that he would've much rather had the rebound than the foul, which he later confirmed to me afterwards. The man likes his double-doubles.

(I really like Curry, BTW. I think he has a nice future in this league.)

Roles and responsibilities - hats off the rest of the team.  There is now some depth to North Park which most would not say that in the past two seasons.  Players are stepping up, developing and you can see a future .

Kirby's stepping up, Biko's stepping up. I can see signs that Jason Hines could be ready for more varsity time. Jack Gurvey, who is already solid on the JV end of things, is looking more and more comfortable on the floor in a varsity setting. I think that the Vikings are fine, depth-wise. But nobody's kidding themselves into thinking that the Park is going to get far if the big three aren't clicking.

IWU - we are getting really good a digging deeper holes.  Somebody please toss a ladder into the hole so we climb out!

This isn't going to make you or anybody else with a green-oriented wardrobe feel any better, but I'm going to find myself rooting for the Titans quite a bit in February. Illinois Wesleyan is now a major ally of North Park as far as the CCIW race is concerned.

I understand that IWU will be major Ally for you and NPU because NPU swept them. But I don't think your going to need to "root quite a bit for the Titans in February".  The fact of the matter is that the only two teams that control their own destiny to host the tournament are NPU and Augie and if both take care of business (and I get that it is a huge if, but with only 7 games remaining both would have to have a major meltdown, or one of the teams packed in the middle run the table) and both have a little wiggle room so IMHO the rooting may only need to take place on Feb 21. Now if you are rooting for IWU because you want to see them in the tourney then disregard my previous thoughts.😃

You heard it here first, 12-4 will win the regular season.  Could Carthage be the team that was packed in the middle to run the table or is it just Augie and NPU.

[kiko]

North Central 73
North Park 67

Greg must be speechless.

No Juwan Henry versus no Connor Raridon... This result is not necessarily a surprise.

My main observation, which I noticed in the last couple of NCC-NPU games, and which Gregory has noted in one form or another in the past, is that North Park is a very good team that is capable of giving just about any team fits, but that the Vikings have very, very little margin for error.

[4samuy]

North Central 73
North Park 67

Greg must be speechless.

No Juwan Henry versus no Connor Raridon... This result is not necessarily a surprise.

My main observation, which I noticed in the last couple of NCC-NPU games, and which Gregory has noted in one form or another in the past, is that North Park is a very good team that is capable of giving just about any team fits, but that the Vikings have very, very little margin for error.

Yeah,  they've had to go deep into their bench, and quite frankly, some of them have done a good job. I know that TJ Cobbs is not a bench player, but I would take that guy in a bunker with me any day of the week. Though, sneaky and high basketball IQ.

[Gregory Sager]

NCC 73, NPU 67

Jordan Robinson: 27 pts, 7:0 a:to
T.J. Cobbs: 13 pts, 3 stls
Joe Biko: 10 pts

Jagger Anderson: 25 pts
Erwin Henry: 24 pts
Alex Sorenson: 14 rebs, 3 blks

North Park's offense petered out in crunch time, while North Central made some big shots in the final couple of minutes to pull out the road win. The Vikings had stretches of the game in which the offense really clicked -- they went on a 16-0 run in the first half that turned a 26-18 deficit into a 34-26 lead -- but they couldn't sustain anything, as they had a hard time getting people to step up aside from Jordan Robinson. The Vikings star did make hay from all of the double-team and triple-team attention he was getting, as he constantly threaded passes past packs of red-clad bodies to open teammates under the basket, but the Vikes had their second straight poor shooting day from downtown (9-29, 31%). Whereas last weekend the misses were all open looks, though, the shots came harder tonight against a Cards defense that is considerably tougher and more disciplined than Elmhurst's.

NPU did a great job of playing mice-and-elephant in the low post, spooking Alex Sorenson with little people underfoot to the tune of a 3-11 shooting performance by the Cardinals star, with six of those eight misses by Sorenson coming right at the rim against the likes of T.J. Cobbs, Colin Lake, and even 5'2 Cam Burnett at one point. But he picked up a pile of rebounds, and, more importantly, Jagger Anderson and Erwin Henry picked him up. Anderson, never much of a jump shooter, made his first three or four jumpers and then spent the second half taking the Vikings off the dribble from the top of the key, with no help defense whatsoever rotating over to get in his way. Erwin Henry, meanwhile, was the night's golden shooter -- 8-9 from the field, 4-4 from beyond the arc, and 4-4 from the line. His trey from the right elbow with 1:29 left and the shot clock about to expire inflated the NCC lead from one to four and was the biggest shot of the game.

The Vikings are going to have to pick themselves up off the mat and find a way to persevere in Kenosha on Wednesday. That's all there is to it. And by persevere, I mean, "Move the ball around the perimeter better and make some shots."

[kiko]

NCC 73, NPU 67

Jordan Robinson: 27 pts, 7:0 a:to
T.J. Cobbs: 13 pts, 3 stls
Joe Biko: 10 pts

Jagger Anderson: 25 pts
Erwin Henry: 24 pts
Alex Sorenson: 14 rebs, 3 blks

North Park's offense petered out in crunch time, while North Central made some big shots in the final couple of minutes to pull out the road win. The Vikings had stretches of the game in which the offense really clicked -- they went on a 16-0 run in the first half that turned a 26-18 deficit into a 34-26 lead -- but they couldn't sustain anything, as they had a hard time getting people to step up aside from Jordan Robinson. The Vikings star did make hay from all of the double-team and triple-team attention he was getting, as he constantly threaded passes past packs of red-clad bodies to open teammates under the basket, but the Vikes had their second straight poor shooting day from downtown (9-29, 31%). Whereas last weekend the misses were all open looks, though, the shots came harder tonight against a Cards defense that is considerably tougher and more disciplined than Elmhurst's.

NPU did a great job of playing mice-and-elephant in the low post, spooking Alex Sorenson with little people underfoot to the tune of a 3-11 shooting performance by the Cardinals star, with six of those eight misses by Sorenson coming right at the rim against the likes of T.J. Cobbs, Colin Lake, and even 5'2 Cam Burnett at one point. But he picked up a pile of rebounds, and, more importantly, Jagger Anderson and Erwin Henry picked him up. Anderson, never much of a jump shooter, made his first three or four jumpers and then spent the second half taking the Vikings off the dribble from the top of the key, with no help defense whatsoever rotating over to get in his way. Erwin Henry, meanwhile, was the night's golden shooter -- 8-9 from the field, 4-4 from beyond the arc, and 4-4 from the line. His trey from the right elbow with 1:29 left and the shot clock about to expire inflated the NCC lead from one to four and was the biggest shot of the game.

The Vikings are going to have to pick themselves up off the mat and find a way to persevere in Kenosha on Wednesday. That's all there is to it. And by persevere, I mean, "Move the ball around the perimeter better and make some shots."

So, the way this laid out on my browser, "3-11 shooting" appeared directly above "Colin Lake".  And in the context of what you were writing about, I read it initially as "3'11" Colin Lake".

If you had showed me Sorensen and Cappelletti's statlines with no other context for this game, I would have told you it was probably a long night for the Sons of Warden.

[iwu70]

Should IWU defend and shoot it like they did tonight, they have a good chance of making the CCIW tournament, perhaps going further.  Hitting on all cylinders tonight, esp. Bonnett with 22.  One of his best games.  Should the Titans go further, play in the CCIW tournament and perhaps make the Dance, I think we'll look back and realize that Nick Coleman was a big reason for that.  IMHO.

Great win by NCC tonight over NPU.  Congrats to them.

IWU'70

[Titan Q]

IWU 87
Carroll 64

http://www.iwusports.com/boxscore.aspx?id=4079&path=mbball

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/beasley-titans-slam-carroll/article_bcb94820-7a01-5a6d-8543-918b5d214064.html

* Colin Bonnett: 22 pts (4-6 3-point), 3 assists
* Trevor Seibring:14 pts, 5 reb
* Brady Rose: 13 pts, 3 reb, 2 assists
* Nick Coleman: 12 pts (4-5 3-point), 6 assists
* Andy Stempel: 10 pts, 3 reb, 2 assists

* Kyle Keranen: 20 pts, 3 reb, 3 assists


The Titans played incredibly well last night - the first half was probably their best 20 minutes of the season. 

For the game, IWU shot 33-59 from the field (.559), 14-27 from 3 (.519) 3-point, and 7-7 at the charity stripe.  On their 33 made FGs, they had 24 assists...and just 7 turnovers on the night.

If IWU plays with that level of intensity and execution the rest of the way they'll have a chance to do some very good things before this season is over.

[Titan Q]

Standings (through Feb. 4)
Augustana: 10-2
North Park: 8-3
Carthage: 7-4
North Central: 7-5
Illinois Wesleyan: 6-5
Carroll: 6-6
Wheaton: 5-6
Elmhurst: 2-10
Millikin: 1-11


+/- standings (through Feb. 4)
Augustana +3
Carthage +3
North Park +2
Carroll +1
IWU +1
North Central +0
Wheaton -1
Elmhurst -4
Millikin -5

+1 for a road win; -1 for a home loss


Remaining schedules for top 4 contenders
Augustana: vs North Central, @ Carroll, @ North Park, @ Illinois Wesleyan
North Park: @ Carthage, @ Wheaton, @ Carroll, vs Augustana, vs Millikin
Carthage: vs North Park, vs Illinois Wesleyan, vs North Central, @ Millikin, vs Wheaton
North Central: @ Augustana, vs Elmhurst, @ Carthage, @ Illinois Wesleyan
Illinois Wesleyan: vs Elmhurst, @ Carthage, @ Wheaton, vs North Central, vs Augustana
Carroll: vs Augustana, vs North Park, vs Wheaton, @ Elmhurst
Wheaton: @ Millikin, vs North Park, vs Illinois Wesleyan, @ Carroll


With North Park's home loss last night, I'd say the designation of "favorite" swung back to Augustana. 

In terms of the top four, there will continue to be drama every night out in the CCIW.

[lmitzel]

I caught the final couple minutes of NCC-NPU in real time, and just rewatched the whole thing. Very sloppy outing by the Cardinals given how many unforced turnovers they made and how poor of a night Sorenson had shooting the ball. Even with no Juwan Henry, North Park played very well and just couldn't make enough plays at the end. Great work by Erwin Henry and Jagger Anderson (who has my vote for POW) to pick up Sorenson's slack and deliver the Cardinals a hard fought road W.

I do have to note that North Park got screwed by the clock a couple times in the final minute. Greg noted the eight-tenths of a second that came off the clock when Aiden Chang was at the free throw line to make it 71-67, but the shot clock wasn't reset on Jagger Anderson's free throws that made it 70-64 with about 45 ticks left. It forced a quick three by the Vikings (though they got away with it with the offensive rebound and Jordan Robinson knocking down the second chance three. I don't know that it would have impacted the outcome necessarily, but that's a screw up that A) shouldn't happen, and B) somebody should have noticed. I also don't think the clock starting on Aiden's missed free throw impacted things either, but that's another one that the officials should have noticed.

Props to Greg as well for calling a great game.

[Titan Q]

Andy Stempel's halfcourt, halftime buzzer beater...complete with a few good bounces.

https://twitter.com/DanMolloyTV/status/828106273816207360

[iwumichigander]

It was "A Dunk Only Counts Two Points" moment last night when IWU took a 23 point half time lead into the locker room.  With members of the national championship team being honored at half time it did bring back memories. 

I just wondered if Carroll would pull a Nebraska Wesleyan to make a huge comeback in the second half.  I will bet a former coach, the national championship team (gee, did I write that again?) and fans were thinking about the Nebraska Wesleyan game.  However, IWU came out I the second half picking up where they left off at half time. I just wish Lannie and Ed were there last night to see the game.

I agree with Q that the first half was the best 20 minutes the Titans played this year.  I will go further, it was the best complete game IWU has played this year.