MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Eric, Q pretty much nailed it with regard to NPU @ Benedictine. Matt Harrison is a decent shooter on the perimeter, and Jimmy Franklin is a good athlete and solid rebounder who hasn't really been required to step up and take a major role thus far in his career. Apart from that, Benedictine is basically in the same boat as NPU -- a bunch of unknowns trying to find their way and establish chemistry.

Under those circumstances, I think that NPU has a decent shot at winning Friday night's game. We'll see what happens.

[dansand]

Q,

Pretty good All-CCIW picks. My only beef (as an Augie homer) would be that Drew Wessels should be on there somewhere, especially considering you're pretty front-court heavy. Stick him in there in place of Swetalla. If Nate proves me wrong with a great season, all the better .

[Titan Q]

"Titans seniors ready to take their last shot at Salem"...

http://www.pantagraph.com/stories/111705/spo_20051117043.shtml

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

So what's the real story with Arnold?

[Titan Q]

Hoops Fan, the Matt Arnold situation was discussed in pretty good detail earlier in the week.  See page 57.  It sounds like you may have missed that.

[Gregory Sager]

Wow. Clear the chopper pad and cue up "Suicide Is Painless", because NPU has officially become a M*A*S*H unit.

Get a load of this injury list:

* Mike Peterson tore his ACL and is officially out for the year. He'll go the medical redshirt route and return for his senior season in 2006-07.

* Uriah Rice is still not back from the torn meniscus he suffered this fall. He's still probably two weeks away from being able to practice, and from there on it'll be a matter of his getting into game shape and getting the offense down.

* Brett Mathisen is being held out of tomorrow night's game on doctor's orders after suffering a mild concussion in practice yesterday. He says it'll be the first game he's ever missed in his life. He'll be back in practice on Monday.

* Glen Woodside had an MRI done on his knee today. No word yet on how it came out, or (obviously) on how long he'll be out of the lineup. It was just two weeks ago that he was cleared to practice after breaking his index finger during open gym.

* Mike Haehn broke his hand last week in NPU's football finale at North Central. He's out indefinitely.

* Steve Reynolds has reaggravated an ankle injury. Not sure on how long he's out, either.

* Nathan Mook hurt his foot and has been in a boot for several weeks now.

I can't remember a team ever suffering so many injuries at once. And the strange thing about it is that it's still preseason; tomorrow night marks the season opener for the Vikings. One almost cringes at the thought of what could happen once NPU starts playing actual games. As big as the Vikings roster is this season, by my count they're nevertheless down to fifteen guys who can suit up. Accordingly, NPU has canceled tomorrow's JV game; a couple of the players who probably would've been playing JV under normal circumstances will be playing important roles for the varsity tomorrow instead.

I told Paul Brenegan today that the team should start holding practices with the players encased in plush pillows. He's staying upbeat about this injury plague, saying that it'll give the Vikings a chance to get some early playing time for guys who otherwise would've been further down the depth chart. I'd like to say something similar, along the lines of, "This might lead to the emergence of a new star who could've otherwise been overlooked," but none of my spin can change the bottom line. The issue at hand here is that the Park is an inexperienced team stocked with newbies who need the experience and repetition that comes from playing together as a group. With several key players out, they're not going to get that experience and repetition -- at least not until we're well into December.

[Titan Q]

IWU vs Texas-Dallas can be heard on WJBC, AM-1230 this evening at 5:00pm (CST).

http://www.wjbc.com/

Tomorrow's Titan game in the Little Giant Tipoff Classic can be heard on WJBC2.com - consolation game at noon, championship at 2:00pm (CST).

http://www.wjbc2.com/


Other articles/notes on the tournament...

http://www.pantagraph.com/stories/111805/spo_20051118027.shtml

http://www.iwuhoops.com/PREVIEWS.HTM


Texas-Dallas returns 7 of their top 9 from last year's team that won the ASC-East conference tournament and then gave Trinity (TX) a good game in Round 1 (72-66).  In talking to Scott Trost, he seems the most concerned with 6-0 guard Martin Salinas.  Salinas was 85-199 from beyond the arc last year...that is a lot of attempts and a great percentage (.427).  Besides Salinas, it sounds like the Comets are athletic and pretty big.  I'm guessing Texas-Dallas is comparable to playing a 4th/5th place CCIW team.

If IWU gets Wabash Saturday, that should be a pretty good game.  Wabash hosts Albion in football at 12:00pm EST, with the basketball championship game at 3:00pm EST.  Should be a nice crowd that filters into the hoops game after football.  This same group of Titans faced this nucleus of Little Giants in 2003-04 when the IWU guys were sophomores and Wabash all freshmen.  IWU was up 30 at halftime in that game, but I'd expect a meeting on their court this weekend to be much more competitive.  As I recall, Wabash almost beat Wittenberg last year in the NCAC tournament semis - I listened to that game on the net and I think the Little Giants led most of the way before Witt made a late charge and forced OT.

http://www.iwu.edu/~iwunews/sports/mbb2004/Miwu11.htm

[Knightstalker]

Suicide is Painless

[David Collinge]

What's the deal with Q's karma, anyway?     Since he's been back, he posted like Joe Friday--"just the facts, ma'am."  I'm not sure what he's done to deserve to be smited so often.  I doubt that he cares about his negative karma, but it's a little odd, to say the least.

[Ralph Turner]

What's the deal with Q's karma, anyway?     Since he's been back, he posted like Joe Friday--"just the facts, ma'am."  I'm not sure what he's done to deserve to be smited so often.  I doubt that he cares about his negative karma, but it's a little odd, to say the least.

Must be irrational "Titan-hate"!

TitanQ is one of the finest sources of authoritative D3 information in the country.

[CardinalAlum]

How will North Central be?  Seems like they have gotten off to a good start the last 2 years and then faded.

[devildog29]

About the karma, I think some people go through and just blanket change the karma for everyone.  I've noticed my karma change when I haven't even posted anything for a week or more.  As has already been said, Q is the most factual, straight and narrow poster on here, and I would be extremely surprised if any of the CCIW regulars are responsible for it.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Thanks for the heads-up Q.  With the speed this board goes, I'm not sure how I could have missed that... oh well.

[augiefan]

As best I can tell I have no karma. It must be part of the aging process.

[dansand]

Man, I got chopped two karma points without even making a post

And I haven't even bashed Lakeland or the IBC all week.