MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[JUSTINTYEM]

CAR POOL,ITS FUN!!!!! ITS A BEAUTIFUL DRIVE,DO A CARAVAN OF SORTS.Follow the Team Buses up here.

[dogtired]

I hope the good people of Lawrence can do something to help ease parking, which I have heard is horrendous around the gym.
The Lawrence administration has some work to do to pull this thing off and show the NCAA wasn't wrong in assigning the sectional.

[Jim Matson]

Wheaton's women also have to go on the road this weekend.  As with Lawrence, DePauw does deserve to host...

[Sam Johnson]

Thought I'd respond to as many posts at once as I could handle...  

I hope the good people of Lawrence can do something to help ease parking, which I have heard is horrendous around the gym.
The Lawrence administration has some work to do to pull this thing off and show the NCAA wasn't wrong in assigning the sectional.

The NCAA wasn't wrong to assign it, all of Alex's imperfections aside.  The chair of the NCAA committee is from Edgewood and was present at last nights game.  The NCAA is well aware of what they are and are not getting with LU as a host.  They're getting a great (albiet small) atmosphere in a historic gym and a host that will treat all the attendees with respect and class.  Their getting a host that is in a great community with plenty of great hotel, dining, and entertainment options outside of the games.  They aren't getting The Shirk or a facility with all the parking right next to the gym.  They aren't getting 3500 seats.  Its the joys of D-III ball.  

My best advice for everyone coming to the game is this.  Plan on arriving as early as you can.  Parking is limited right next to the gym (in fact, don't plan on parking in the gym's lots at all).  However, there are some lots immediately behind the businesses across the road from Alex.  A historic note: check out the similarities between those buildings and Alex.  They used to house LU's Paper Chemical graduate program (thus why its Lawrence University instead of college).

Last Night St.Thomas pulled a fast one and took LARRY'S Bench from them.They thought it would help them but it didnt.LU sits to the Left of the scorers table as the hallway to their locker room is right there.But i guess NCAA says you(home team)sits to the right of the scorers table unless the other team says its ok.UST wouldnt consent so LU switched benches and still won.I hope the others coming in dont pull this as well!!!!

Justin, if I'm UST and the NCAA dictates both the seating arrangements and jersey choices of the home and away teams, I'm not going to cede any advantage to LU either.  It really shouldn't be that big of a deal.  LU knows everything about Alex, which bench they sit on shouldn't matter...although I am interested to see if the student section switches ends for Friday's game.  

dansan

all sorts of nooks and crannies......almost 80 year old building.  

you may have a lot of company trying to find a hiding spot.

If they are going to clear the gym, I am surprised they did not put more time between the games.

Nut

I don't know if I'll actually be there, but from what I saw on the internet during the Larry-Grinnell game, it looks like a pretty neat old gym. I like places like that. I never got to see the old gym at Augie, it was before my time. From what I hear it had an overhead track running around the court that made shots from the corner somewhat difficult. That could be an embellishment, but it makes for a good story.

It's a very "neat old gym".  I wish as much as anyone that it could be larger, but part of its charm (and benefit to LU as a home court) is that its a loud little gym.  Every time someone brings up Alex's size all I can think about is a Dennis Hopper quote from Hoosiers, "...and watch out for that little purgatory they call a gym..."

I had a chance to speak with a few MWC/WIAC coaches this weekend. When I asked about Lawrence they all said almost the exact same things...

* Extremely well-coached
* Very fundamentally sound
* Great "basketball smarts"
* They have a great player and a very tough competitor in 6-4 All-American Chris Braier

I'm guessing LU is similar in a lot of ways to the Hanover teams IWU faced in the tournament in 2004 and 2005.  I compared Carroll to those Hanover teams as well.  

You certainly got the right scouting report.    I'd add "plays strong man defense" to the list, as its the first thing opposing fans note on the boards after seeing LU for the first time.  Its how the Vikes negate the height/talent advantage that other teams have had this season.

Yes, I had heard last night that a split session format was almost certain.  I'd like to know more about how that works, but on the surface I don't like it at all.  There are people coming to town for the Sectional - Augie fans, for example - that want to see IWU vs Lawrence.  I just don't like the fact they won't be able to.

Pat, do you know how the tickets work with a split session.  Like for IWU vs Lawrence, how do they split the 1100? 2/3 vs 1/3?

I think IWU had about 400 fans at UW-Whitewater...Lawrence is a much longer trip than this past weekend (5 hrs vs 3), but certainly not like Randolph-Macon in 2003 which just wasn't doable for most Titan fans.

Split session is also what I've heard from the folks I know in or connected to the LU athletic dept.  I wish it wasn't so as well ('cause I'd like to see the other games too) but until LU decides to fundraise for renovations to Alex its the best we can hope for.  At least this way larger numbers of each fan base can see their own teams.

I'm looking forward to a good game on Friday (assuming I can get tickets, which I'm doubting  ).  Honestly, I wanted Carroll to knock of IWU this weekend...not even so much out of MWC pride but b/c what I feared would happen seemingly has...IWU (seemingly) is playing like they should have all season.  

Any regular posters planning on coming up to Appleton? I'll be in town whether or not I can score tickets and I'd like to meet some of you.  The Nickel (as mentioned) before is a great spot to catch up before games.

[Titan Q]

Very interesting transition from one billboard to the next.

[Brick]

Thats right...nothing but the best here at Augie....

[Johnny Augie]

Fantastic sign!

[augiefan]

As a Beloit grad (and AugieFan) I can assure you that LU is well coached. John Tharp is one of the smartest players ever to play for the legendary Bill Knapton at Beloit. Tharp turned a program that had been a perennial conference doormat into the best program in the MWC and one of the best in all of DIII basketball.

IWU will have their hands full on Friday night. However, I think IWU has more talent and more depth than LU and should pull out a victory, if they play like the did this weekend in Whitewater. The Titans are finally living up to their preseason hype.

I think if Wessels is back at full strength on Friday and all of the other starters are healthy, Augie should be able to hang on to the ball and beat Puget Sound. The Vikings depth should also help, particularly with Delp and Brusveen getting valuable minutes this weekend.

If Augie gets by PS on Friday they'll be the under dog against either LU or IWU, but of the two I would not look forward to playing IWU again. I still can't believe they lost to Augie twice this year.

[augiefan]

I think most Augie fans will pull for IWU on Friday, and I assume that the Titans fans will support the Augie Vikings against Puget Sound. Perhaps that's why Lawrence is thinking about going with split sessions. The combined fans of Augie and IWU probably would help neutralize the home crowd support for Lawrence. Nothing, however, will neutralize the home court advantage that Alexander Gym offers LU.

Of course, if both Augie and IWU are able to pull off wins in the openers, we will resume our usual hostilities, at least for Saturday night.

[titan2000]

I hope the good people of Lawrence can do something to help ease parking, which I have heard is horrendous around the gym.
The Lawrence administration has some work to do to pull this thing off and show the NCAA wasn't wrong in assigning the sectional.

There is plenty accross the street.  No issues with parking.  Don't dog LU on stuff like that. 

[dogtired]

There is plenty accross the street. No issues with parking. Don't dog LU on stuff like that.

That's great. I hope what I heard was incorrect.

[mab]

Appleton has been hosting the NCAA D3 baseball championship finals for the last bunch of years, so they know how to make people feel welcomed.

If you are looking for dinner in Appleton and want to try a local place rather than the big chains, try Seven Angels Family Restaurant right around the corner from Alexander gym, or Los Compadres Mexican Grill in the strip mall next to Walmart near the corner of 441 and Calumet/KK.  You will find plenty of other choices off all the exits from 41 and 441.

An interesting fact - years ago, the court at Alexander gym was perpendicular to where it is today.  That would have allowed bleachers on both sides of the court, and a bigger seating capacity.  My guess is they switched it because the court couldn't be regulation length with that configuration.

[iwu70]

Q, on your sign re:  Augie:  "Brilliant"

[veterancciwfan]

Augie 2000: I don't think the IWU fans' posts following last night's win could be considered in the arrogant category. But even if they were, it might have something to do with the fact that IWU's continual high level success in the D3 tourney is pretty amazing. Consider these facts, and you make whatever you want to out of them:

1) Since IWU joined D3 in the 83/84 season, IWU has apeared in the tourney 18 out of 23 years. Cub fans would die for just a slice of that appearance rate in post-season competition!

2) IWU' record in D3 tourney games is now 36-17, winning % of 68%.

3) IWU dominated the best team in perhaps the strongest D3 conference in the country on the road last night in WI, something IWU has regulary done recently with road victories in Round 2 @ #1 Wash. U. in 2003 and @ #2 (I think) Hanover in 2004.

[iwu70]

The Appleton area is a really nice area -- the Sectional should be a great time up there.  I have a number of my former students from Hong Kong (both international and Hong Kong students) who work in that area, many for companies that, as you would guess, now outsource alot of their manufacturing, design and other work to China.  It's Oshkosh B'gosh country.  Good luck to all the teams in the Sectional, especially to the CCIW reps, Augie and the Titans.  I'm sure the Lawrence hosts will show everyone a good time and hopefully the CCIW fans and teams will show what a strong and loyal conference we have!