MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Jim Matson]

Sam, your explaination is thorough and right on, but shouldn't have needed to be said.  Of course we don't judge D3 programs by their facilities in the short run - cash is always scarce and academics always rule.  In the long run though, priorities usually have a way of working themselves out, first by Greg's suggestion of coaching quality, then by an upgrade of facilities.  Some times those upgrades are funded with fund-raising and other times time with debt - but in all cases rarely ahead of a successful program.

[augie_superfan]

http://www.lawrence.edu/about/tour/alexander.shtml

I think the old places have a certain charm.  Alexander sure seems to.  Why change if the facilities fit the needs. 

Chicago's old arena had seats on just one side.  The new facility is nice, but there are parts of the old one that I missed.  North Central's gym is old and often criticized, but it too holds it's own uniqueness that would be missed with a new facility.

Thanks for that link.  The gym looks pretty cool with the old style to it.  The only thing I really don't like is seating on only one side....just reminds me of having to go and watch Soph B or JV games early on a Saturday morning w/ only 1 side of bleachers pulled out.  It definitely looks like the sorta place that could get very loud though.  Hopefully it will be loud with Viking fans (of the Augie type).

[Jim Matson]

The gym does look nice.  Some of you made statements that made me think this was some old dark gym that needed to be taken out...

Someone mentioned academics earlier.  These 2 schools are vitually identical when looking at academic statistics:

Acceptance Rate: LU 68%, IWU 57%

SAT Scores: LU 1,281, IWU 1,284

ACT Scores: LU 27.7, IWU 28.4

Top 10% in HS Class: LU 41%, IWU 49%

Endowment: LU $188mm, IWU $163mm

May the smarter school win?!!

[iwumichigander]

Nicely put Sam Johnson.  IWU, like Lawrence and many other places of higher learning, suffers from endowment funds challenges from past stock market dips.  IWU has also undertaken substantial facilites renovations and new construction.  And, the funding was directed towards primarily academic facilities.

We have been blessed with very generous Alumni, particularly the Ames and Shirk families.  We would not have our great new Library without the Ames family.  We certainly would not have the Shirk Center, together with numerous other athletic facilities improvements, without the generosity of Russell (deceased) and Betty Shirk.  The Shirk family fortunately stepped up and delivered what may consider to be one of the finest athletic facilites in the country.  Shirk Center has become a best in class model for several other colleges, universities and architects.

[John Gleich]

May the smarter school win?!!

Ya know, a couple of years ago in either Sports Illustrated or ESPN the Mag, there was a proposal for teams, instead of having kickers on their team (who tend to be diminutive, without the typical "NFL" body), each team should have a really smart guy, and they should have a quiz-off, or a chess game, or something like that to settle their ties, instead of relying on a kicker (which is the normal method).  Thinking back to the bowl games this December... a quiz meet would have been quicker than the kicking debacle in this year's Orange Bowl...  Perhaps it would work for basketball too... and in Division 3, they wouldn't even have to have ANOTHER player!  It could be Chris Braier vs. Keelan Amelianovich, for the win, mano y mano in a no-holds-barred, clash of the titans (no pun intended), battle royal of the mind!  Just think about it... Cal Tech certainly wouldn't be the worst team in D3 then!  (even though they probably aren't the worst team this season, anyway)

[veterancciwfan]

If IWU has a .6792 winning percentage (36 wins & 17 losses) in all D3 tourney games, but has only a .2857 winning percentage in tourney games played in the state of Wisconsin (2 wins & 5 losses), what is the probability that IWU will win Friday vs. Lawrence? Where is Mr. Ypsi when you need him?

Secondary factor: IWU is 4-2 in D3 tourney games vs. Midwest Conf. teams with both losses coming on the road at Ripon.

[veterancciwfan]

On another topic, an ESPN crew from Chicago came to IWU this afternoon to interview the AD and coach Trost. I don't know what the focus or the reason for the visit was. Maybe someone with more facts can elaborate.

[sac]

Just from the photos I can tell I'd like Andrews gym.  Albion College has almost the same setup but they have seats at the ends and holds 500 more..

Ya gotta love any gym with chandeliers hanging in the lobby. 

[Greek Tragedy]

But....LU and UPS were both tourney teams last year---LU was one game away from the Final Four---

They were an Elite 8 Team TWO years ago...as correctly posted later and a 2nd round team last year.

I think size will be a problem for LU.  They play great defense, but Whitewater did during the season and got eaten up.  I don't forsee IWU coming out like they did against Whitewater, but their guard play, along with Freeman is amazing.  They are both big and athletic.

Haven't seen this year's Augie or Puget Sound team...but UPS does play a modified "system"...and they really didn't impress me at all last year when Point played them.

I'm going with the CCIW teams...and not because I'm posting on their board! 

[Brick]

I just want Augie vs IWU roud four...

[Mr. Ypsi]

If IWU has a .6792 winning percentage (36 wins & 17 losses) in all D3 tourney games, but has only a .2857 winning percentage in tourney games played in the state of Wisconsin (2 wins & 5 losses), what is the probability that IWU will win Friday vs. Lawrence? Where is Mr. Ypsi when you need him?

Secondary factor: IWU is 4-2 in D3 tourney games vs. Midwest Conf. teams with both losses coming on the road at Ripon.

Hmmm...

What would be the most relevant stat - .68 overall, .29 in Wisconsin?  .67 against MWC, but (apparently) .00 against MWC in Wisconsin?

I think I'll just sidestep the whole thing and note: inadequate sample size for any meaningful computation!

(But I sure wouldn't mind if their all-time in-Wisconsin winning rose to .444 by the end of the weekend!)

[JUSTINTYEM]

If IWU has a .6792 winning percentage (36 wins & 17 losses) in all D3 tourney games, but has only a .2857 winning percentage in tourney games played in the state of Wisconsin (2 wins & 5 losses), what is the probability that IWU will win Friday vs. Lawrence? Where is Mr. Ypsi when you need him?

Secondary factor: IWU is 4-2 in D3 tourney games vs. Midwest Conf. teams with both losses coming on the road at Ripon.

Hmmm...

What would be the most relevant stat - .68 overall, .29 in Wisconsin?  .67 against MWC, but (apparently) .00 against MWC in Wisconsin?

I think I'll just sidestep the whole thing and note: inadequate sample size for any meaningful computation!

(But I sure wouldn't mind if their all-time in-Wisconsin winning rose to .444 by the end of the weekend!)

They(IWU) did beat a MWC team in wisconsin.They beat carroll @ whitewater last weekend.

[Pat Coleman]

On another topic, an ESPN crew from Chicago came to IWU this afternoon to interview the AD and coach Trost. I don't know what the focus or the reason for the visit was. Maybe someone with more facts can elaborate.

IWU wasn't the only one. There's more but we'll tell you about it after this weekend, when I expect to have more solid details. I wouldn't want to spoil something by talking out of turn. Just enjoy the exposure for D-III.

[Brick]

Oh come on Pat we want to know....I don't think ESPN is going to shut down the only web site that gives D3 REAL coverage!

[Pat Coleman]

It isn't that.

Seriously. The scope of this is potentially quite good for D-III. We'll have plenty of time to create buzz when it solidifies more.