MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[robertthebruce50]

OUCH!! that hurts.  This was Augie's worst game of the season. IWU completely dominated in all phases tonight.  But tomorrow is another day.  Time for Augie to regroup and get 'em again this Saturday.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

OUCH!! that hurts.  This was Augie's worst game of the season. IWU completely dominated in all phases tonight.  But tomorrow is another day.  Time for Augie to regroup and get 'em again this Saturday.

Everyone else got trounced, too - Oshkosh and River Falls both looked just as bad.

[Titan Q]

IWU 72
#2-Augustana 53

http://www.iwusports.com/boxscore.aspx?id=5210&path=mbball

* Brady Rose: 26 pts, 5 reb, 2 assists
* Colin Bonnett: 14 pts, 3 reb
* Danny Baker: 8 pts, 7 reb
* Tyler Burdine: 4 pts, 6 reb, 2 assists

* Micah Martin: 19 pts, 5 reb
* Chrishawn Orange: 14 pts, 3 reb
* Brett Benning: 11 pts, 6 reb

Rebounds: IWU 44; Augustana 36
FG: IWU 45%; Augustana 37%

Really impressive performance by the Titans on both ends of the floor.  IWU did a great job attacking the basket in the 1st half - Rose and Bonnett were outstanding.  The Titans out-rebounded Augie 26-16 in the 1st.

In the 2nd Augie made a little run, but the Titans went on a big 7-0 run (Gregoire 2, Knobloch 5) to build the margin back up to a comfortable amount.

Micah Martin is a beast...and is just a sophomore.

Certainly a must-win game for IWU at home.  Nice job by the Titans in holding serve.

[Titan Q]

And yes, for the 45th consecutive season there will be no undefeated team in CCIW play.

[iwu70]

The Shill Report:

What's the saying, "it's a great day to be a Titan."  Wow, that's the Titan team IWU fans were really hoping would appear, at some point this season.  And, a perfect time for it.

Big difference, attacking the basket, not settling for the trey.  And, my MVPs for this game are Burdine, O'Neill and Baker, for matching up well with the Augie size, Augie bigs.  Augie guards playing poorly (11% shooting), IWU guards were outstanding. 

Rose 26
Bonnett 14
(I think Ron Rose has found his key other starter now in Jason Gregoire, who had a nice game, too)
As Q has mentioned, key to the game the rebounding advantage

My MVPs.
Burdine (good D and rim protection, very active) 6 RBs
O'Neill (still can't make a lay-up) 7 RBs
Baker (a tough guy) 7 RBs
Rose 6 RBs
Beasley 4 RBs

As a group, they got it done on the glass. 

Bench points, IWU 22, AC 2

Micah Martin is going to be fab -- 19
Orange 14

IWU goes to 10-3, 3-1.

Good spacing by the Titan O tonight, finding the driving lanes and going hard to the basket.  The difference.

IWU'70

[all blues]

Technically, North Park defeated Millikin 70-69.  Colin Lake made 4-4 techs; Zach Fisher 1-2 for MU.  Millikin had possession with 8 seconds left, but their shot was unsuccessful. Elijah Henry scored 29 and added 13 rebounds for a double-double, but-sadly, went 2-7 from the line, and committed 4 of MU's mere 6 TO...and, as Father Guido Sarducci always said, "Figure it out to yourself!".  Millikin made 5 more FG, but NPU made more 3s than MU shot, and 4 more FT on 5 less FTA than MU.  Zach Fisher had 10 points but took only ONE 3 (made it)  Meanwhile, Millikin's point guards were going 0-9, 0-5.  Again, Father Sarducci...  For NPU, Matt Szuba had a 10-10 double-double, and Billy Kirby led NPU with 19, all seeming to break Millikin runs...  I believe Augie will not be smiling when they invite the Big Blue over Saturday night.

[lmitzel]

The contest in Naperville wasn't really the tight affair most were expecting. NCC scored the game's first 11 points and never trailed in a 77-67 win over Carthage. The Cardinals led by as many as about 18 I think, but the Red Men cut it to 13 at the half and managed to get it to five at one point in the second half, but the Cardinals pushed it back to a 10 point game pretty quickly.

28 more for Sorenson on 13-21 shooting, Henry had a nice breakout game with 19, and Matt Cappelletti added 13. Jordan Thomas paced Carthage with 18, Brad Kruse added 14, and Brad Perry had 11 on 5-6 shooting, but only played 23 minutes. I don't know if it was related to his 4 turnovers or what, because he wasn't in foul trouble.

[GoPerry]

Wheaton 97
Carroll 92

Aston Francis        40 pts, 7 rebs
Kobe Eichelberger   18 pts, 9 rebs
Ricky Samuelson   15 pts
Jay Spencer      12 pts, 5 rebs
Luke Peters      8 assts/ 4 to

Joel Heesch      26 pts, 4 rebs, 8 asst
Tanner Zaeske      19 pts
Anthony Marlowe   18 pts, 5 asst
Charlie Soule      16 pts, 7 rebs

A win's a win.  But having to score 97 points and giving up 92 pts at home vs a 4-7 Carroll team is a tough and somewhat frightening way to do it.  Wheaton led by as many as 16 but had trouble closing out the Pio's. 

Francis, as he sometimes does, started out a little chilly 1 for 6 before heating up for yet another amazing game with some jaw dropper 3s.  Kobe Eichelberger followed up his George Fox performance with another good one.  Samuelson didn't get many looks but he buried the ones he did.  And Wheaton won the board battle for their 4th consecutive game.

The Thunder D was basically atrocious at times, really most of the game, as probably 40 of the Pio's pts were layups or uncontested back door cuts.  So while this offensive output vs Wheaton might be a poor indicator, I think Carroll is going to win some CCIW games.  Luke Peters is a very good defender but he couldn't stop Heesch.

9-3, 3-1   3-way tie for first.  We'll take it.

[voxelmhurst]

Elmhurst 87
Edgewood 60

Jeremy Ireland 24 pts, 11 rebounds
Jake Rhode 15 points, 6 assists
Ryan Patton 14 points
Derek Dotlich 10 points, 6 rebounds

Emil Radisevic 16 points
Ben Seefeld 12 points
Arik Anderson 12 points

Elmhurst wins this one running away. The Jays moved and shot the ball very effectively all game. As was highlighted in the broadcast, all 5 members of the EC starting lineup can move with the ball and attack the basket from all angles. Even Lavon Thomas (listed at 255 pounds) dribbled the length of the court through defenders before laying the ball off to a teammate for the bucket.

Elmhurst has now won 4 in a row. This was their first home victory since Dec 2 vs Carroll. At 9-3, the Bluejays have already surpassed last season's win total of 8.

[duckfan41]

To add on to what Perry already posted, Spencer Peterson had solid minutes off of the bench and was a force on the defensive end helping the Thunder hold Ingelbretsen scoreless, and Kobe picked up where he left off pouring in some points while also cleaning up the glass with some very athletic put backs. Never good to let up 92 to a team that's under .500, but if that Carroll team represents the basement of the conference that shows just how good this league is. Always fun to watch Aston go off for 40 points as well 😎. Good to see the Thunder carry over momentum from their trip to the Northwest, gotta keep it up when the Northern Vikings come to King Arena on Saturday.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park 70
Millikin 69

Billy Kirby: 19 pts, 4:1 a:to
Colin Lake: 18 pts, 5 rebs
Jack Gurvey: 12 pts, 3:0 a:to
Matt Szuba: 10 pts, 10 rebs

Elijah Henry: 29 pts, 13 rebs
DaVonte Harrell: 14 pts, 6 rebs
Zach Fisher: 10 pts

North Park built up a lead of as many as 15 points through great ball movement and tremendous outside shooting in the first half, and then spent a listless second half playing hang-on as MU almost came all the way back to win it. NPU still led by seven going into the final two minutes, but the Vikings, who have been a good crunch-time team for the most part this season, coughed up the ball no fewer than three times in the final seventy seconds of the game, the last turnover of which gave the Big Blue the ball in their forecourt with eight seconds left. But Matt Szuba played strong defense on DaVonte Harrell at the rim, as Harrell left his baseline layup attempt short, Szuba popped the carom straight up into the air, and Colin Lake came down with it in the corner as time expired.

As All Blues indicated, Scherer & Co. must be kicking themselves at the havoc that they wreaked upon themselves at the FT line, where they went 12-25 (48%) to NPU's 16-20 (80%). But if games are indeed won or lost at the free-throw line, then the Big Blue can't count upon pulling out many of these kinds of games, as they were shooting only 62% as a team coming into the game. It was telling that Zach Fisher, who is MU's best outside shooter and best FT shooter, spent the last 8:28 of the game on the bench. I think that Mark Scherer forgot about him, and that neglect might've cost his team the game. As it was, Elijah Henry, MU's 6'7 junior forward, almost won it in spite of Millikin's inability to make free throws. The guy's a beast inside, and NPU had no answer for him.

Tip of the cap to Jack Gurvey, who is rarely called upon to shoot, as he scored a career-high 12 points tonight for the Park, and to Billy Kirby and Matt Szuba for once again playing great all-around games. Colin Lake wasn't as dominant tonight as he has been, but he didn't have to be. This was the first time that the Vikes have had four scorers in double figures in one game, which is a welcome sign (especially for the overworked Lake).

Two of the NPU newbies got into the game tonight, Josh Washburn and Quinn Williams, neither of them making an impact. They're clearly still rounding into game shape and learning the plays. But Tom Slyder is very excited about getting the two of them and Jarrod Coleman into the fold.

Not one of those wins that's suitable for framing, but all that matters in the end is the W. Now the Vikes have to step it up on Saturday night in King Arena against Mister Francis and friends.

[Gregory Sager]

Brad Perry had 11 on 5-6 shooting, but only played 23 minutes. I don't know if it was related to his 4 turnovers or what, because he wasn't in foul trouble.

No, 23 minutes is exactly his season average per game.

[AndOne]

Brad Perry had 11 on 5-6 shooting, but only played 23 minutes. I don't know if it was related to his 4 turnovers or what, because he wasn't in foul trouble.

No, 23 minutes is exactly his season average per game.

A couple of different times tonight, I saw Perry tugging on his jersey as he was looking toward the bench. This, generally, is a sign by a player to his coach that he needs a breather. With his girth and the likely endurance issues that would emulate from such poundage, it is not difficult to envision that 23 minutes might be right at about the maximum amount of time that he can effectively participate.

[lmitzel]

Brad Perry had 11 on 5-6 shooting, but only played 23 minutes. I don't know if it was related to his 4 turnovers or what, because he wasn't in foul trouble.

No, 23 minutes is exactly his season average per game.

A couple of different times tonight, I saw Perry tugging on his jersey as he was looking toward the bench. This, generally, is a sign by a player to his coach that he needs a breather. With his girth and the likely endurance issues that would emulate from such poundage, it is not difficult to envision that 23 minutes might be right at about the maximum amount of time that he can effectively participate.

Yeah, thinking about it in hindsight it makes sense. Didn't stop me in the moment from wondering when he was coming back in, though that was as much about his backup Sean Johnson kind of struggling. He missed a couple of gimmes at the rim (including one that didn't look like it hit anything), and Sorenson ate him alive in the post, though I can't fault him for struggling to defend a preseason All-American, especially since he's just a freshman.

[markerickson]

North Park posters have already provided the stats.  The costliest Viking turnover led to Millikin's last possession.  Lake got trapped in the back court 8' from me, the ref was a foot closer, and Kirby maybe 10' from me.  Kirby yelled twice for a time out while Lake, who was crouching to protect the ball, got fouled from behind and moved his pivot foot.  The ref called traveling.  After the call, Kirby asked the ref why he did not get the TO.  The ref waved his hands and said nothing.

Millikin started three guys over 6'5".  One, a 295 pounder by the name of Jordan Cunningham, got challenged by 145 pounder Colin Lake several times who floated teardrops for points.  Cunningham scored four points before he received a technical foul.  Coach Scherer then sat Cunningham the rest of the game.  After his fifth foul (while scoring three points), MU guard Beaty got a technical as did Lake.  All calls took place on the opposite side of the court from me.  I suspect all three were due to players challenging calls made by extremely sensitive refs.

Millikin started the game with a 6-0 run, but North Park led at halftime by nine.  North Park held the lead the entire second half.

Besides the free throw percentage, MU would have benefited if 6' 7" Henry had not missed an easy two-handed slam, which would have been his third dunk of the game.

Jordan Robinson greeted his former teammates before tipoff and watched the game.