MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Ron Rose's third season reminds me of Scott Trost's third season at IWU in a lot of ways.  In 2003-04, Trost had the young group of...

- Keelan Amelianovich (So.): 17.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg
- Adam Dauksas (So.): 13.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.4 apg
- Zach Freeman (Fr.): 11.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg
- Cory Jones (So.): 10.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg
- Jim Lehan (Sr.): 7.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.5 apg
- Jason Fisher (So.): 5.7 rpg, 1.2 rpg
- Steve Schweer (So.): 4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg
- Chris Jones (So.): 4.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg 

Through 6 games in Ron Rose's third year, IWU's production comes from:

- Sean Johnson (So.): 13.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 3.2 apg
- Travis Rosenkranz (So.): 11.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.3 apg
- Doug Sexauer (So.): 11.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg
- John Koschnitzky (Fr.): 9.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg
- Ed O'Callaghan (So.): 7.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg
- Jordan Zimmer (Fr.): 7.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg
- Brett Chamernik (Sr.): 7.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg
- Duncan Lawson (So.): 5.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg
- Sean Dwyer (Jr.): 4.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.2 apg


This non-conference season seems to be shaping up similar to that '03-04 team's as well:

@ Chicago, W
vs Trinity (Tx), at Chicago, L
@ Beloit, W
vs Johns Hopkins, at Wash U, W
@ Wash U, L
vs Olivet Nazarene, W
vs Hanover, L
vs Benedictine, W
@ Johnson & Wales (FL), W
@ Florida Gulf Coast, L
vs Wabash, W


IWU was 7-4 heading into the CCIW, started 2-2 in the league, and then ran the table to finish 12-2 to win the conference.  After that second CCIW loss, something just started to click with that young team and they started to play with confidence and like a veteran group.

This is a much different team in a lot of ways, including the fact they do not have an Amelianovich (CCIW MOP as sophomore) that I see out there, but it is a team that could certainly turn the corner as the season goes on.  The '08-09 Titans are very talented.  Of course, with the ridiculous status of the CCIW this year, there really isn't any time for a young team to settle in.

Seems like that 4th place prediction in the coaches poll is very fair right now, but I won't be surprised if the Titans win the CCIW this year, or if they finish 6th.  It will be fun to see what happens.

[HopeConvert]

Question to those who would know....
Will either of the Calvin/Hope games count as in-region wins for Wheaton?

Hope does, Calvin is just outside the in-region mark. It's a favorite subject around these parts.

If you really want to get an interesting conversation going, ask whether Hope/Carthage is an in-region game, particularly when lake Michigan is frozen over.  

[AndOne]

Question to those who would know....
Will either of the Calvin/Hope games count as in-region wins for Wheaton?

Hope does, Calvin is just outside the in-region mark. It's a favorite subject around these parts.

If you really want to get an interesting conversation going, ask whether Hope/Carthage is an in-region game, particularly when lake Michigan is frozen over.  

Just take the Ice Bridge, you know.

[Titan Q]

The Pantagraph's article on IWU/Hamilton...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/12/07/usports/doc493c864dba756693200140.txt

"It wasn't in-region, but it was a big win for us," said Johnson, who led all scorers with 16 points. "We really turned it on and came together as a team."

It's funny how the players all understand the in-region game situation.  This from Doug Sexauer earlier in the year:

"The Manchester win was in-region so that's big for us because last year we didn't get into the NCAA Tournament because we didn't win enough of those games."

[robberki]

Titan Q - I don't think Ron Rose's group is as talented as Scott Trosts....that was an exceptional group of players.

[Titan Q]

Titan Q - I don't think Ron Rose's group is as talented as Scott Trosts....that was an exceptional group of players.

I agree 100%, but I do think this group has a chance to become just as good of a team in time.  We'll see.

[Gregory Sager]

New gym is much improved but they must not anticipate any crowds as it seats maybe 1000.

No, the Ratner Center's posted capacity of 1,900 is quite accurate. It definitely seats more than Faganel, and a lot more than the crackerbox -- and you can squeeze 1,100 people into the crackerbox if you really work at it.

Wheaton came alive in the second half and beat Hope by a dozen.
KRay's 34 points set a game record breaking Lil Bosko's 33 set last night.

I know that several people have called him that on CCIW Chat, and that nobody means any harm by it, but I don't like that nickname. I realize that long and cumbersome Serbian surnames are a pain in the starka to type, but calling Steve Djurickovic "Little Bosko" is a bit demeaning. He is his own man, not an extension of his father/coach. I'll bet that there's not a person in the world that Steve respects more than his dad, but when you're nineteen or twenty years old, being your own person and not merely your father's son means everything to a young man.

In fact, Bosko would be the first to tell you that Steve is a very different -- and much better -- player than he ever was. I wasn't around to watch Bosko play for North Park, but I've been told (and Dennis P. will confirm it) that in his day he was a very accomplished role player and sidekick for NPC superstar Keith McDonald. His senior year he was named an All-CCIW third-teamer. By contrast, by the time Steve is a senior he may very well be the best D3 basketball player in America. Heck, he may reach that milestone as a junior. As a sophomore he's already keeping Steve Marovich busy by shredding the Carthage record book.

His game appears to be more like his mom's than his dad's. Becky Johnson Djurickovic was one of the most versatile and dominant women's basketball players in North Park history, and she is one of a select few women in the NPC/NPU Thousand Point Club. One of the things I like best about Becky's career is that she still holds the single-game assists record for the Carthage gym, male or female -- she dished out 15 dimes against the Lady Reds in Kenosha her senior year (1982-83), and I'm delighted to point out that not even Grinnell's David Arseneault has been able to snap that mark.

And, to head off any of you smart-alecks, I'm not advocating that he be called "Little Becky", either. If you don't want to wrestle with your keyboard over his last name, "Steve D." works just fine.

By the way, here's his stat line from this weekend against Hope and Calvin:

18-37 FG (.486), 4-8 3FG (.500), 25-27 FT (.926), 10 reb (5 rpg), 65 pts (32.5 ppg), 19 assists (9.5 apg), 2 turnovers, a block, and four steals.

Yikes!

I think anyone at the game today would agree that this was a game between two pretty evenly matched teams in terms of talent, with one just being older, more experienced, and more ready to win a game like this.

I wonder if any Aurora or Anderson fans thought the same thing about their teams vis-a-vis the Bears?

So what are the thoughts on that La Crosse Elmhurst Augy comparison now???

Dunno, but I'd love to hear from a LaCrosseite -- LaCrosseian? LaCrosseling? LaCrossebearer? -- who was at both games as to what he or she thought of the two CCIW teams.

[John Gleich]

Nice Wheaton connection on Hoopsville last night... Wheaton Grad and former Wheaton assistant Coach Mike Schauer from Gordon was on tonight, talking about his 6-1 Fighting Scots.

Nice coverage, as usual, Bob, on Hoopsville.  I agree with your assessment that the CCIW is deeper this year than the WIAC, but I think that the top teams would all battle pretty hard.  Honestly, I think that the games would come to match ups.  Even if Point is fully healthy (which they probably won't be), they likely will struggle against Elmhurst next Saturday for the same reason that they will struggle against Platteville... EC and UWP both have dominant big men and Point simply doesn't. 

You said earlier in the year that you picked Platteville #1 in the preseason poll.  They are my pick in the conference too.  I don't see how the other WIAC teams are going to be able to handle Skemp inside AND be able to contain Platteville's guards, of which they have their full contingent from a year ago.  After seeing what Platteville did to Point last year in the regular season finale, I still don't know how Eau Claire managed to knock them off in the WIAC tournament, keeping them from the NCAA's.  Platteville is certainly the WIAC's most complete team and the team that has the potential to make a run to Salem this season.  I don't see them fittering away games like they did last year (losing twice to Eau Claire, once to Superior), and the word from Whitewater is that things may be cracking there in terms of chemistry (not enough balls to go around for both McKay, this year's leading scorer, and Goodwin, last year's conference POY).



And I'm not a La Crossedresser, but I think there are two scores that could help in the question about Augie and Elmhurst... La Crosse plays Stevens Point on Wednesday, and Stevens Point heads south to Elmhurst on Saturday (a game -the game?- I'm hoping to attend if the cards call right).  Now, Point is likely still not going to be at full strength (.... HOPING for a full, healthy roster by Jan 1?), but they still showed what they can potentially do on Saturday.  ... They showed also, however, what they're capable of last Wednesday against Lawrence, though the team may simply have been deflated due to the loss of Rortvedt the night before.  They sure LOOKED deflated on LU's webcast... and it wasn't just the mediocre announcing that caused a sick feeling in me while I watched it.

... And, as I said above, Point is going to struggle with Elmhurst... simply because they don't match up well.  But who knows... I was (happily) surprised by Saturday's upset win over Whitewater.

... There are just way too many factors, one of which is that last Saturday's game was in Faganel Hall and this past Saturday's game was in Mitchell Hall.  Is that (home court advantage) enough for the 16 point differential from Elmhurst's victory to Augie's defeat?  Right now I'd have to say yes... because I think to make a definitive statement until January 7th.

(The homecourt advantage falls apart when I remember that the Eagles, who ended up at 11-15 last year, beat the Vikings at Carver...  I think I just need to go to bed!)

[Mr. Ypsi]

FWIW, non-con records of some top conferences thru 12-7:

CCIW:   37-9 (.770)
WIAC:   37-20 (.644)
NESCAC: 44-27 (.619)
UAA:     33-21 (.611)

[Gregory Sager]

And I'm not a La Crossedresser

I like that even better than LaCrossebearer!

FWIW, non-con records of some top conferences thru 12-7:

CCIW:   37-9 (.770)
WIAC:   37-20 (.644)
NESCAC: 44-27 (.619)
UAA:     33-21 (.611)

It's 38-9 (.809) now, Chuck. Elmhurst, Millikin, and Wheaton have six wins apiece; NPU has five wins; Augie, Carthage, and IWU have four wins apiece; and NCC has three wins.

Here's the breakdown:

CCIW vs. D1	1-0
CCIW vs. NAIA-1	0-1
CCIW vs. NAIA-2:	2-1
CCIW vs. USCAA:	2-0
CCIW vs. D3:	33-7 (.825)
...	vs. D3 non-region:	7-0
...	vs. D3 region:	26-7 (.788)
...	...	vs. HCAC:	5-0
...	...	vs. IIAC:	3-0
...	...	vs. MIAA:	1-0	(4-0 overall)
...	...	vs. MIAC:	1-0
...	...	vs. MWC:	1-1
...	...	vs. NAthCon:	6-0
...	...	vs. SCIAC:	2-1
...	...	vs. SLIAC:	3-0
...	...	vs. UAA:	2-3	(3-3 overall)
...	...	vs. WIAC:	2-2

[markerickson]

I much prefer Lil Bosko to KRay.

[mwunder]

I much prefer Lil Bosko to KRay.

I'm partial to "The Free-Throw Line Assassin" because he will kill you by getting to the line.

[wheatonfanaddict]

kent must approve of it because now even coach harris uses it when talking about his all-american.

[Scots4]

I refer to him as "Barone."

[Late nite]

Haven't posted in awhile---Time to re-join the conversation---Your comment brought back some fond memories---Back in the day, I guarded Tom Gramkow, Johnny Butler, Randy Pfund and Kenny Anderson, to name a few---All great players and athletes---But none were more competitive than Keith MacDonald---I loved playing against him because he was a terrific player and a fierce competitor who could run all day---No cheap shots---Just tough---He never gave you a chance to relax at either end of the floor---I don't even remember Bosko---He must have been a role player, but that is understandable---This was a period when NPU was pretty talented----Sorry for the trip down memory lane

New gym is much improved but they must not anticipate any crowds as it seats maybe 1000.

No, the Ratner Center's posted capacity of 1,900 is quite accurate. It definitely seats more than Faganel, and a lot more than the crackerbox -- and you can squeeze 1,100 people into the crackerbox if you really work at it.

Wheaton came alive in the second half and beat Hope by a dozen.
KRay's 34 points set a game record breaking Lil Bosko's 33 set last night.

I know that several people have called him that on CCIW Chat, and that nobody means any harm by it, but I don't like that nickname. I realize that long and cumbersome Serbian surnames are a pain in the starka to type, but calling Steve Djurickovic "Little Bosko" is a bit demeaning. He is his own man, not an extension of his father/coach. I'll bet that there's not a person in the world that Steve respects more than his dad, but when you're nineteen or twenty years old, being your own person and not merely your father's son means everything to a young man.

In fact, Bosko would be the first to tell you that Steve is a very different -- and much better -- player than he ever was. I wasn't around to watch Bosko play for North Park, but I've been told (and Dennis P. will confirm it) that in his day he was a very accomplished role player and sidekick for NPC superstar Keith McDonald. His senior year he was named an All-CCIW third-teamer. By contrast, by the time Steve is a senior he may very well be the best D3 basketball player in America. Heck, he may reach that milestone as a junior. As a sophomore he's already keeping Steve Marovich busy by shredding the Carthage record book.

His game appears to be more like his mom's than his dad's. Becky Johnson Djurickovic was one of the most versatile and dominant women's basketball players in North Park history, and she is one of a select few women in the NPC/NPU Thousand Point Club. One of the things I like best about Becky's career is that she still holds the single-game assists record for the Carthage gym, male or female -- she dished out 15 dimes against the Lady Reds in Kenosha her senior year (1982-83), and I'm delighted to point out that not even Grinnell's David Arseneault has been able to snap that mark.

And, to head off any of you smart-alecks, I'm not advocating that he be called "Little Becky", either. If you don't want to wrestle with your keyboard over his last name, "Steve D." works just fine.

By the way, here's his stat line from this weekend against Hope and Calvin:

18-37 FG (.486), 4-8 3FG (.500), 25-27 FT (.926), 10 reb (5 rpg), 65 pts (32.5 ppg), 19 assists (9.5 apg), 2 turnovers, a block, and four steals.

Yikes!

I think anyone at the game today would agree that this was a game between two pretty evenly matched teams in terms of talent, with one just being older, more experienced, and more ready to win a game like this.

I wonder if any Aurora or Anderson fans thought the same thing about their teams vis-a-vis the Bears?

So what are the thoughts on that La Crosse Elmhurst Augy comparison now???

Dunno, but I'd love to hear from a LaCrosseite -- LaCrosseian? LaCrosseling? LaCrossebearer? -- who was at both games as to what he or she thought of the two CCIW teams.