MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I noted that

Now I know who the tweeter is

[Gregory Sager]

Augie's announcers were also quite vocal advocating on both sides that they disagreed with some of the foul calls, and made a comment they were trying to "teach" the players since it was very early in the conference season. This is the second game in a row that foul trouble hurt Augie, and hopefully they clean it up a little while staying aggressive on the defensive end.

I know that I go on and on about what a great broadcasting team Augustana has in Chris Ford and Dan Sand, but one of the things that makes them top-notch is that they are scrupulously fair in their call. They want Augie to win, but they call the game honestly as they see it. You'd be surprised by how hard it is for some D3 broadcasters to be even-handed in their calls, even those broadcasters who aren't overzealous students.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Augie's announcers were also quite vocal advocating on both sides that they disagreed with some of the foul calls, and made a comment they were trying to "teach" the players since it was very early in the conference season. This is the second game in a row that foul trouble hurt Augie, and hopefully they clean it up a little while staying aggressive on the defensive end.

I know that I go on and on about what a great broadcasting team Augustana has in Chris Ford and Dan Sand, but one of the things that makes them top-notch is that they are scrupulously fair in their call. They want Augie to win, but they call the game honestly as they see it. You'd be surprised by how hard it is for some D3 broadcasters to be even-handed in their calls, even those broadcasters who aren't overzealous students.

Love broadcast teams like this and yourself Sager who know their role, but understand the majority of those watching aren't necessarily their school's fans. Appreciate those who call the game even-handed even for a "homer" broadcast.

[Gregory Sager]

This was my response to that tweet. :-)

https://twitter.com/d3hoopsville/status/938597277450604545

Comment back was he was getting the "Landon Gamble" treatment.

"The Landon Gamble treatment"? That's worth an eye-roll and a half.

My perspective will always be, players, coaches, and teams have to adjust. The game is being called tighter to allow for more flow. Complaining about it isn't going to work. It isn't changing. Rules committee is made up of at least half coaches. They are asking for a freer game with less battling especially in the post. Players have to adjust. Coaches have to help them adjust. Fans need to adjust.

With a new national coordinator of officials... this is going to start being more of a focus. Those areas where they are ignoring the mandate will be forced to start calling it more often. Those who maybe have gone too far will be pulled back. (Or call something else incorrectly will be adjusted.)

It stands to reason, too, that in an environment in which officials are being told to police low-post contact more tightly, the two CCIW teams that have traditionally played the most physical defense in the league under their present coaches, Augustana and North Central, are the two teams that incited a whistle-fest the other night. As Yogao said, this is probably why Chris and Dan talked about this being an early-conference teaching moment for the players with regard to rules enforcement. The question is whether or not the officials will continue to call games this way all season. It seems that many of the CCIW's veteran refs will implement the so-called "NCAA yearly points of emphasis" early in a campaign, and then ease back to calling games the way that they've always called them as the season goes on.

Augie's announcers were also quite vocal advocating on both sides that they disagreed with some of the foul calls, and made a comment they were trying to "teach" the players since it was very early in the conference season. This is the second game in a row that foul trouble hurt Augie, and hopefully they clean it up a little while staying aggressive on the defensive end.

I know that I go on and on about what a great broadcasting team Augustana has in Chris Ford and Dan Sand, but one of the things that makes them top-notch is that they are scrupulously fair in their call. They want Augie to win, but they call the game honestly as they see it. You'd be surprised by how hard it is for some D3 broadcasters to be even-handed in their calls, even those broadcasters who aren't overzealous students.

Love broadcast teams like this and yourself Sager who know their role, but understand the majority of those watching aren't necessarily their school's fans. Appreciate those who call the game even-handed even for a "homer" broadcast.

Thanks, D-Mac!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

My perspective will always be, players, coaches, and teams have to adjust. The game is being called tighter to allow for more flow. Complaining about it isn't going to work. It isn't changing. Rules committee is made up of at least half coaches. They are asking for a freer game with less battling especially in the post. Players have to adjust. Coaches have to help them adjust. Fans need to adjust.

With a new national coordinator of officials... this is going to start being more of a focus. Those areas where they are ignoring the mandate will be forced to start calling it more often. Those who maybe have gone too far will be pulled back. (Or call something else incorrectly will be adjusted.)

It stands to reason, too, that in an environment in which officials are being told to police low-post contact more tightly, the two CCIW teams that have traditionally played the most physical defense in the league under their present coaches, Augustana and North Central, are the two teams that incited a whistle-fest the other night. As Yogao said, this is probably why Chris and Dan talked about this being an early-conference teaching moment for the players with regard to rules enforcement. The question is whether or not the officials will continue to call games this way all season. It seems that many of the CCIW's veteran refs will implement the so-called "NCAA yearly points of emphasis" early in a campaign, and then ease back to calling games the way that they've always called them as the season goes on.

I asked that very specific question to the men's coordinator in the preseason Hoopsville podcasts... we see these points of emphasis and then they disappear. Part of his efforts are to make sure the games stay consistent and those points to remain throughout the year.

One thing to consider... a national coordinator will now be responsible for NCAA tournament assignments. Not local assigners and such. There will be grading of refs on a more national level and local assigners/coordinators are going to have to make sure their officials do a quality job or they aren't going to get tournament assignments any more.

Furthermore, if these officials want to move on to the higher ranks, they have to find a way to call these games more consistent across the board. This is being taken far more seriously at the DIII level now.

[WUPHF]

"The Landon Gamble treatment"? That's worth an eye-roll and a half.

I'll admit that I complain about the officiating more than almost anyone else on the boards, but as a Washington University fan, the Landon Gamble treatment (or Derek Raridon treatment) means playing incredibly physical basketball while getting away with everything and then drawing weak calls down the stretch.

[wheels81]

Augie's announcers were also quite vocal advocating on both sides that they disagreed with some of the foul calls, and made a comment they were trying to "teach" the players since it was very early in the conference season. This is the second game in a row that foul trouble hurt Augie, and hopefully they clean it up a little while staying aggressive on the defensive end.

I know that I go on and on about what a great broadcasting team Augustana has in Chris Ford and Dan Sand, but one of the things that makes them top-notch is that they are scrupulously fair in their call. They want Augie to win, but they call the game honestly as they see it. You'd be surprised by how hard it is for some D3 broadcasters to be even-handed in their calls, even those broadcasters who aren't overzealous students.

Greg,
I think Wheaton's broadcast teams have improved over the past several years in their play calling as well as their fair mindedness with controversial calls.  Your characterization of the student broadcast team in the postgame interview of Schauer was not at all what happened after the IWU game. -- "that they tend to lead off their comments (they're not really questions per se) in the post-game interviews with the head coach by waxing rhapsodic over the marvel that is Aston Francis, Scorer Deluxe." Check the tape at the 1:53:25 mark when the interview begins and there was none of that.   http://athletics.wheaton.edu/#
After the week had last week I can't blame them for starting out the interview as he not only made conference player of week but D3 hoops player of the week. 

[Gregory Sager]

I'll take your word for it, Bully. Even so, as I said, I don't blame them at all for opening their interviews by gushing over Francis.

I think that the current Wheaton broadcast team is certainly better than most of the others that Wheaton's had in the recent past, and this particular duo will at least make an attempt to call the game in a fair-minded way -- which, as I said, is not something that is characteristic of many D3 student broadcasters.

My particular problem with these guys is that they tend to get stuck on a piece of hoops lingo and drive it into the ground; anybody who hasn't signed the WC Community Covenant should make a drinking game out of every time that they use the term "jab step". Seriously, though, calling a game is hard work, and they do a pretty good job of it. But I go back far enough to remember when Wheaton had student PBP broadcasters who were so good that they were practically professional quality, guys like Paul Carr and Bryan Holmgren. Yet I know that it's unfair to hold all student broadcasters to that standard.

[GoPerry]

I am generally supportive of the concept of having students take on the broadcasting duties.  Knowing how busy they are with studies etc, if they are enthusiastic and willing to volunteer the time ( I assume they aren't paid) to do this, then why not? More power to them.  But  I do wonder at times if there's any regular degree of training, feedback, critique by the SID office or whomever?  I agree that they do an ok job.  But I also think that some of the excessive expressions of exuberance are a little over the top, borderline outlandish, and tough to keep listening to as the game goes on. 

By the way, is it common to pronounce IWU "Ai-Woo" as it was a few times on the broadcast?  I'd never heard it. 

[Gregory Sager]

I am generally supportive of the concept of having students take on the broadcasting duties.  Knowing how busy they are with studies etc, if they are enthusiastic and willing to volunteer the time ( I assume they aren't paid) to do this, then why not? More power to them.  But  I do wonder at times if there's any regular degree of training, feedback, critique by the SID office or whomever?  I agree that they do an ok job.  But I also think that some of the excessive expressions of exuberance are a little over the top, borderline outlandish, and tough to keep listening to as the game goes on. 

I'm just thankful that they don't try going the Chris Berman route, like the one Wheaton student broadcaster from a decade and a half ago who thought that it would be entertaining to refer to the Wheaton players of his era as Martin "Chicago" Trimiew, Joel Kolmodin "Dragon", Nate Collord "Greens", Jonathan "Even" Steven, etc.

By the way, is it common to pronounce IWU "Ai-Woo" as it was a few times on the broadcast?  I'd never heard it.

IWU as an acronym pronounced "Eye-Woo" is far more commonly used of Indiana Wesleyan than of Illinois Wesleyan.

[iwu70]

Yes, I'm afraid that "Eye-Woo" phrase is now more commonly heard around the Bloomington, IWU campus now too.  I don't much care for it -- never used back in the day.  We also now have the term "BloNo" used to describe the cities of Bloomington/Normal . . . and the #TGOE tag, for "Titan Green Over Everything."  Can't say I much like that one either, but there you are . . . what the current students and their ethos wishes for.  I prefer the "Victory with Honor" phrase on T-Shirts, presumably promoted by the AD and the Athletic Department staff.  Each generation has their way of saying things, heh?  In my day it was IWU, not "Eye-Woo," and also "Question Authority" and all that . . .   

Looking forward to the IWU-NCC game on Saturday, well Sunday morning for me.  It should be a real good one.

Eye-Woo '70

[lmitzel]

I am generally supportive of the concept of having students take on the broadcasting duties.  Knowing how busy they are with studies etc, if they are enthusiastic and willing to volunteer the time ( I assume they aren't paid) to do this, then why not? More power to them.  But  I do wonder at times if there's any regular degree of training, feedback, critique by the SID office or whomever?  I agree that they do an ok job.  But I also think that some of the excessive expressions of exuberance are a little over the top, borderline outlandish, and tough to keep listening to as the game goes on. 

By the way, is it common to pronounce IWU "Ai-Woo" as it was a few times on the broadcast?  I'd never heard it.

I can't speak for the Wheaton folks for obvious reasons, but I know with the WONC folks at North Central, when school is in session there's no pay, though I think during D-Term they do because at that point you're not working for course credit (or zero credit other than towards a grade). And you don't just get to go call a game right away; you have to run the board at least once or twice first, and I'm your first game they're going to pair you with a veteran.

I can also say that yeah, the SID will at least be paying some attention. For the most part you're only under the ear of senior station staff, but the SID will take exception if you start criticizing the coaching staff too far (this happened when I was a sophomore with a couple guys who called the football playoff game where NCC got bounced by whoever it was, and the guys who called the game had to write apology letters or something. I don't even know what they said that upset the SID, just that something did.)

I don't get a chance to listen to WONC calls because I can't during home games for obvious reasons, but one thing I know they do now that I don't care for is the lack of halftime show. Back in my day we'd have the board op at least run through stats and a scoreboard update or something. Now they just play music for 15 minutes. On one hand, I kind of get it, because the guys on the call need a breather and it's hard for one person to do a 15 minute solo act, but still.

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan (6-1, 1-1) at North Central (3-3, 1-1), 7pm...

Illinois Wesleyan (6-1, 1-1)
G - Nick Coleman, 6-2/185 Jr.  6.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.7 apg
G - Brady Rose, 6-3/185 Jr.  22.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.3 apg
G - Colin Bonnett, 6-4/190 Jr.  10.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.4 apg
F - Jaylen Beasley, 6-6/185 Sr.  8.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg
C - Alex O'Neill, 6-9/245 So. 10.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg

G - Zach Knobloch, 6-2/180 So.  10.3 ppg
G - Jason Gregoire, 6-4/205 Jr.  5.9 ppg
F - Miles Curry, 6-6/205 So.  5.4 ppg, 4.4 apg
G - Grant Wolfe, 5-11/175 Fr.  4.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.9 apg
F - Danny Baker, 6-6/220 Jr.  4.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg
C - Tyler Burdine, 6-9/235 Sr. 2.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg

North Central (3-3, 1-1)
G - Erwin Henry, 6-2/200 Sr.  16.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.0 apg
G - Aiden Chang, 6-3/175 Jr.  7.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.8 apg
G - Blaise Meredith, 6-4/182 Fr.  7.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
F - Connor Raridon, 6-6/210 So.  15.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.0 apg
F - Alex Sorenson, 6-8/235 Sr.  12.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg

G - Mike Pollack, 6-3/180 Fr.  11.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.3 apg
F - Matt Cappelletti, 6-5/205 So.  5.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg
F - Jack Bronec, 6-7/225 Jr.  3.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg
F - Kane Wildermuth, 6-5/235 Jr. 2.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg


Pantagraph - http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/beasley-iwu-travel-to-north-central/article_582cc35d-f6ab-5f3d-b002-b3f4a0a3306f.html

WJBC Radio - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/wjbc/

Video: https://www.nctv17.com

Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/ncc/mbball/

Massey: North Central 78 IWU 77  https://www.masseyratings.com/rate.php?s=cb2018&sub=11620

D3 Efficiency: North Central 76 IWU 73  http://tomaroonandgold.blogspot.com/p/division-iii-mens-basketball-efficiency.html

[Gregory Sager]

Final from Cedar Rapids:

Coe 77
North Park 69

Colin Lake: 37 pts, 5 rebs
Billy Kirby: 10 pts, 6 rebs

The Vikings were chasing almost the entire way in this game, but they never let the Kohawks extend to more than a dozen-point lead. Colin Lake, who set a new single-game career scoring high tonight, was phenomenal, as most of his points came over a forest of Kohawks a foot taller than him on scoop shots and teardrops high off the backboard via dribble penetration. But, unfortunately, the same story held true this afternoon as has been the case all season long -- he's just not getting enough offensive support from his teammates.

NPU did tie it at 65-all with 2:50 to go, but Coe did a nice job of denying Lake at that point (finally) and on the next four possessions by the Vikings three of Lake's teammates missed shots and another one missed the front end of a one-and-one. Coe made its FTs down the stretch, and that was all she wrote.

Tough to come all the way back on that long busride after struggling so hard to stay in the game and force a tie only to come up short in the final three minutes like that, but every game is another deposit in the fund of learning experiences for this young Vikings team.

[Gregory Sager]

Elmhurst and Wheaton are going to OT at Faganel. The 'jays have come back from a 13-point deficit in the second half in this one.