MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[titanhammer]

Refs did a nice job protecting Zach Freeman tonight giving him a total of 11 FTA's
just one more and he would have doubled what any other player received.

Sports, I'm guessing that you weren't actually at the game, tonight.  Most of the charity stripe tosses that Z took were in the second half.  He could have had many more.  From the start, you could see that the officials were going to "let them play".  That's fine, but don't say the officials were protecting Zach.  He was absolutely mugged a few times and no whistle blew (just as Michael was bumped on some shots and no whistle).  The beginning of the second half, the officials tried to "reel it back in".  Touch calls here and there.  Then it went back to the physical play.  There were several times that the Bluejay Bigs could have been called for extending their arms or pushing off, but that's just the kind of thing they were not calling.  I couldn't understand why Scherer would say anything to the officials about foul calls:  it was just the type of whistle that he wanted.

All that being said, the officials had nothing to do with the outcome of the game.  Elmhurst played a great game and were the better team.  From the opening tip, where Ruch fought for the ball to gain the opening possesion, to being up 15 - 4 at the 16:10 mark, to the end of the game...they battled and won.  I would start naming Elmhurst players that had a good game, but I don't recall one that played poorly.

[titanhammer]

Burks is going to be something special in this league.  He should be a first team CCIW player this year and I expect he's going to make a run for MOP his next couple years.  I guess MOP is not out of the question for this year!  He gets tons of focus put on him on defense - yet when he gets his shots - he WILL make them.  Just wait til you start seeing this guy shoot 15-20 times per game.  Definately will fill it up in a hurry.  Ryan is now 57-59 from the free throw line in conference play.  Not bad for a kid from Manito 

Ruch is just dominant.  He is an absolute steal of a player for Elmhurst.  If it wasn't for a couple injuries in highschool, this kid would have been D1.  If he gets it in the paint - it's 2 points.  In my opinion he is one of the top candidates for MOP this season.  And he's only a sophomore!

Not to diminish Burks ability, but he had some open looks tonight...that he knocked down all too frequently.  I don't know what his exact stats were, but I can tell you the ones he missed:  they were when he would try to draw the foul/jump toward the defender while shooting (mostly in the second half).  Any time he took his normal shot, the chances were better than average that it was going in.

To say Ruch is a "dominant player" is a bit overstated for tonight.  However, he did absolutely nothing to hurt the team and I was very impressed with his team play...almost too unselfish.  Very nice traffic dunk in the first half.

A point I left off of my prior post to Sports, Zach Freeman could have had two more foul shots in the first half on his "half dunk":  but, again, that's the kind of whistle that was working the game.

[titanhammer]

A point I left off of my prior post to Sports, Zach Freeman could have had two more foul shots in the first half on his "half dunk":  but, again, that's the kind of whistle that was working the game.

Actually, it would have been only "one" more foul shot...since the "half dunk" went in.

[redmen1]

Kenoshamark great job with the post game wrap. I love Navarro and Scott Hood. Both want the team to win and will do anything for their team. Don't know if you noticed it was Jersey night for us students. Not planned just called whoever was up in Kenosha to root for the Redmen. Also, this was the biggest game for Carthage this year and there was nobody there. It is now J-Term break so many students went home. For the fans that were there it was a great atmosphere. No band, no students, just loyal Carthage fans.

Great win tonight for the Redmen and Let's go Bears!!!!

[petemcb]

Augie was out-played and out-coached tonight---

Yeah, but was he wearing a tie is what we all want to know.

[sports]

Refs did a nice job protecting Zach Freeman tonight giving him a total of 11 FTA's
just one more and he would have doubled what any other player received.

Sports, I'm guessing that you weren't actually at the game, tonight.  Most of the charity stripe tosses that Z took were in the second half.  He could have had many more.  From the start, you could see that the officials were going to "let them play".  That's fine, but don't say the officials were protecting Zach.  He was absolutely mugged a few times and no whistle blew (just as Michael was bumped on some shots and no whistle).  The beginning of the second half, the officials tried to "reel it back in".  Touch calls here and there.  Then it went back to the physical play.  There were several times that the Bluejay Bigs could have been called for extending their arms or pushing off, but that's just the kind of thing they were not calling.  I couldn't understand why Scherer would say anything to the officials about foul calls:  it was just the type of whistle that he wanted.

All that being said, the officials had nothing to do with the outcome of the game.  Elmhurst played a great game and were the better team.  From the opening tip, where Ruch fought for the ball to gain the opening possesion, to being up 15 - 4 at the 16:10 mark, to the end of the game...they battled and won.  I would start naming Elmhurst players that had a good game, but I don't recall one that played poorly.

Actually I watched the entire game on streaming video very nice benefit Wesleyan offers. I'll totally agree with you the refs had nothing to do with the outcome of the game. But, when the big men underneath are battling as hard as they were and the trips to the charity stripe for one player is so out of balance with all the other players (on both sides) somethings not right.

[Titan Q]

Refs did a nice job protecting Zach Freeman tonight giving him a total of 11 FTA's
just one more and he would have doubled what any other player received.

Sports, one of the Elmhurst coaches said after the game, "We threw all the fouls we could at him."  Mark Scherer's quote in the Pantagraph today is:

"Wesleyan's strength is inside, and we have a lot of respect for Zach," Elmhurst coach Mark Scherer said. "But we have four bodies we can throw at him and over the course of a game wear him out."


I don't think Zach's FT total indicates anything more than he was fouled a lot.  Pretty hard to gauge that from a computer screen.

[Titan Q]

As I said on the broadcast last night, IWU and Elmhurst could play 20 times and I do not think IWU would come out on top once.   The Titans just simply do not match up with the Bluejays.  First, IWU's perimeter players do not handle the ball well enough to get the Titans into the offense consistently vs that hard-nosed Elmhurst pressure defense.  This fact, by the way, is not the fault of anyone in the building last night...the guys IWU is playing at point-guard this season (Andrew Gilmore, Anthony Gunnell, Kevin Bryant when healthy) are being asked to play out of position.  They're doing the best they can, but they are just not point-guards.  I wasn't one that ever took Adam Dauksas for granted a second he was on the floor in his IWU career, but after having a point-guard that good for four years, it is difficult to watch my alma mater play without a healthy one on the roster.  I commend Andrew Gilmore for how hard he plays on those terrible knees and I hope all IWU fans do.  Second, like many Division III teams - heck, probably a lot of Top 25 teams - IWU cannot combat 6-9/250, 6-10/235 and then also the perimeter quickness of Brian Lee and the 3-pt shooting of Ryan Burks.

After seeing Elmhurst again, my impression of the Bluejays is still the same as it was a few weeks ago -- that they are most talented team in the CCIW by a pretty good margin.  Now, I did not see any of the 3 recent losses or the backcourt struggles during those games - maybe I've just seen them at their best in the two IWU games - but if I had to pick one team's personnel to go into the NCAA tournament with, it'd be the Bluejay's.  Talent-wise, I do not think Elmhurst vs Augustana is even close.

[rknuppel]

Refs did a nice job protecting Zach Freeman tonight giving him a total of 11 FTA's
just one more and he would have doubled what any other player received.

Sports, one of the Elmhurst coaches said after the game, "We threw all the fouls we could at him."

I don't think Zach's FT total indicates anything more than he was fouled a lot.  Pretty hard to gauge that from a computer screen.

You guys are right.  I did fail to mention that this was a very physical game which played into the Jays favor.  They set the tone from the get go and the refs did seem to let it go.  Lots of pushing, holding and contested layups/dunks.

Not to diminish Burks ability, but he had some open looks tonight...that he knocked down all too frequently.  I don't know what his exact stats were, but I can tell you the ones he missed:  they were when he would try to draw the foul/jump toward the defender while shooting (mostly in the second half).  Any time he took his normal shot, the chances were better than average that it was going in.

Burks is good at getting himself open.  He'll move without the ball and use screens wisely to get that open look.  He did take a couple off balance shots in the 2H, but that was only to try and draw that early 5th foul on Morris.

As for the crowd.  The Elmhurst crowd was probably 1/4 of the total attendance.  The IWU fan section is just not as 'hostile' as I remembered when I played.  I just got the feeling that everyone in building knew Elmhurst was going to beat IWU before it even began.  Who knows.

[Titan Q]

So what are IWU's prospects for next year? Any idea how their recruiting is going? From the results I've seen, they are pretty far off...

Rob, IWU is going to go through a rebuilding process, but Ron Rose has a chance to have a real good recruiting year this year and will have to get back out there again next.  Remember, the last two times an Illinois Wesleyan coach needed a big class - let me rephrase that - the last two times an Illinois Wesleyan coach recruited with this intensity, it worked out OK...

2002 (Trost):

Dauksas, Amelianovich, Jones, Jones, Schweer, McGraw, Fisher, Arnold, McKean (transfered)

1999 (Bridges)

Kasten, Hubbard, Camardella, Silagi, Starkey, Cross, Eich


Not suggesting that Rose is close to landing future All-Americans like above (still a long way to go in recruiting), but IWU has a history of getting good recruits.  IWU has a lot of good things to offer a high school senior -- good school, good facilities, great fan support, strong tradition, etc.  (Add immediate playing time to that list this year.)   It may take a few years to get things going again, but I have a lot of confidence that the Titans will be back.  Also, I think there are a few nice pieces on this IWU team to build with -- I really believe Andrew Gilmore, for example, will be a very good CCIW guard once he has that off-season knee surgery he is scheduled for and then next year, when healthy, can move to the 2.  As I have mentioned before, the 2006 Daily Herald Player of the Year, Sean Dwyer, has been on crutches all season long.  There are a few others on the roster I think will be players too, like Jordan Morris who keeps getting better.

Last year - with 3000 at big CCIW games, a #1 ranking for a good chunk of the year, a Final Four trip, and 8 seniors clearing out to free up playing time - should have been a big recruiting year.  Unfortunately the coaching transition is what it is and now Rose is in a position to need impact players immediately.  As opposed to, for example, being left with Luke Kasten, John Camardella, Seth Hubbard, Laban Cross, Chris Silagi, Eric Starkey, Jim Lehan, Sean McGuire, etc -- all juniors and sophs.  Scott Trost had a little time to settle in...he won the CCIW his second year with Dennie's players plus point-guard recruit Adam Dauksas.  Ron can't win it next year with Scott's players plus just one recruit (unless that recruit is Eric Gordon).  Just need to go find a few impact freshmen...easier said than done I realize...to go along with the talent that Scott left to start building it back up.  And Scott did leave several good players in the FR/SO/JR classes...just not the next IWU superstars. 

I think IWU fans realize what the deal is though and are ready to support the rebuilding process.  I know I am.

[Titan Q]

As for the crowd.  The Elmhurst crowd was probably 1/4 of the total attendance. 

Elmhurst certainly brought a great crowd, but I don't think that is an accurate statement.  I'd say EC had about 250 people of the 2300 at the Shirk Center.

It's fun to go on the road with a great team and feel like your team is going to play well and win.  In following IWU over the years, most of my favorite Titan victories were on the road (@ Manchester in the 1994 tournament, regular season win @ Wheaton in 1997, @ Chicago to go to the Final Four in 2001, @ Wash U in the 2003 Round 2, @ Hanover in the 2004 tournament, @ Lawrence last year, etc).  Something about seeing your team win on the road is just very satisfying.  The Bluejay faithful were certainly out last night, as they should be...Elmhurst is really good.

[usee]

I was in attendance at King arena last night and I must say when Wheaton led 14-0 and then 17-0 it felt a lot like a football score than a basketball score. I also can't remember seeing a game with a score of 21-1 very often. North Park scored its first point on a free throw with 11:06 left in the first half. they didn't score again until a layup at 10:03 gave them a total of 3 points. The game was never really close but NPU did make a nice run in the second half to cut a 23 point lead to 8 a couple different times. Each time Wheaton answered by pushing the lead back out to double digits.

Wheaton brought their usual defensive intensity and North Park seemed surprised by it. I can't remember a North Park possession that had more than 1 or 2 passes as they relied on their athleticism to try and get free. Wheaton's defense resulted in many off balance, contested shots that wouldn't fall for the park. On the other end the NPU defense was pretty pathetic. John Mohan comes in and drains 2 wide open 3 pointers and then 3 possessions later he takes the ball, after an NPU basket, the length of the floor and makes a 3 with no one guarding him. In a CCIW game, I have never seen the point guard bring the ball up against air and shoot a 3 as if he's the only guy on the floor. NPU gave up way to many open looks and uncontested layups to be comptetitive in this game. Having said that their run in the second half was the result of them relying on their athleticism to play inspired defense. they forced wheaton into turnovers and stole passes that resulted in quick baskets. Uriah Rice also made some impressive 3's from well beyond the arc and a defender all over him.

Bottom line is wheaton is a much better team than NPU from what I could tell. North Park is athletic but doesn't play team defense nor do they look to work the ball around on offense.

this was Wheaton's 8th straight victory over North Park.

Wheaton has a game in Rock Island Wednesday that begins a road swing to end the regular season that is brutal. 2 games away (augie, iwu), home vs millkin and then 2 away (elmhurst and carthage). we will see what they are made of now.

[Titan Q]

For anyone who watched the IWU.edu video stream last night, please send any feedback re: the broadcasters to me:

bobquill@aol.com

I've been working with the student broadcasters as the school has rolled this out and I'd like to go back to them with constructive feedback.  They work hard and want to get better.  I appreciate it.

[usee]

The attendance at King arena was awful from the student section, save the usual football guys. Apparently the school, in its omniscience, decided to hold the student "airband" contest at the same time as the game. I don't know whats more disappointing, the fact that my alma mater has no clue in scheduling a student event in conflict with a sports contest, or the fact that most of the students chose the "airband" contest over the "airball" contest.

[79jaybird]

I was listening to the IWU/EC game last night, and I did not think the officials made a difference in the game, which is good.  They let the players duke it out in and the fouls were not influential.  The players decided the outcome and that's all that matters.
The key for Elmhurst is consistency and intensity. When they have their A game, they have only lost once and that was @ Wheaton.  IMO, the losses at Augie and Wed. vs. Millikin, Elmhurst had their "evil twins" out there, and didn't have their A game.  As the CCIW Tournament approaches and (potentially) the NCAA Tournament, you need to have the consistency and intensity with you.  This was a solid road win for Elmhurst in a difficult setting.  Now the important thing is to bring that same quick start/discipline/intensity back home to face Carthage on Wednesday.   You know the Redmen are thinking "payback" for what we did in Kenosha earlier this year.

I feel for Zach Freeman who again was basically a 1 man arsenal last night.  1 man cannot do it all.

While Ruch did not have his usual 15-25 points last night,  I disagree with some earlier posters saying he was a non-factor.  He was grabbing rebounds, dishing the ball off, and just having his large frame inside makes the (opposition's) defense have to respect that.  This is partly why I like this year's team is that they have 2 big bodies inside, not just one that can get double teamed.

I agree with Titan Q that any time you go (as a fan/player) to a road building and you see a large backing of your colors in the stands, there is a warm feeling you get inside.  As a former player, I can tell you that seeing familiararities in the stands pumps you up.