MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

Andy's last game was Webster (12/10) and the ortho told him to give it at least 4 to 5 weeks maybe more. He has been rehabing in a boot. Harris will not play him until he has a full clearance from the ortho. What is fun to watch is that Wheaton has not even missed a beat with him out. Imagine what it will be like when he returns!

Wheaton--

Thanks for the update/info.

If the doc said 4 or 5 weeks from 12/10, this w/b 1/7 or 1/14. I think you're going to have to add 1-2 weeks for re-conditioning, so it seems reasonable that Andy will not be back to full strength until 1/14 at the earliest, to as long as 1/28. A possible big blow to WC.

[augiefan]

Millikin ekes out a 55-54 victory over Md. Baptist per the Millikin website

[augiefan]

Make that Millikin over Md. Bible College.

[Titan Q]

Video highlights from the IWU/Illinois College game...

http://www.icn5.com/replay.html

[usee]

IWU did a good job making Kent Raymond work hard for his points in all three games.  In the first Raymond was 6-13 from the field (17 pts), in the second 7-18 (17 pts), and in the conference tournament game he was 10-25 (34 points).  In that final game, 9 of Raymond's points came in the final :44, when IWU was in pretty firm control of the game (up 7 before the flurry)...despite the 34 points, I still think the Titans did a pretty good job on him that night.  In the three games combined, Raymond was 23-56 from the field (.410) and, again, I think Sean Dwyer and IWU at least made him work really hard for his points.

IWU lost 6-4 power forward Darius Gant (12.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, .559 FG), a 1st Team All-CCIW player, from the 9-5 squad of 2008 and replaced him with 6-7 sophomore Doug Sexauer (11.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, .535 FG).  Doug is a very different player than Darius, but he is one of the better back-to-the-basket low post threats in the league.  The other big difference from last year is that IWU does not start 3 guards any longer.  In 2008 they started 5-10 Sean Dwyer, 6-0 Travis Rosenkranz, and 6-1 Sean Johnson.  This year they start Rosenkranz and Johnson, with 6-6 freshman John Koschnitzky (9.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg) at the small forward spot.  6-6 Koschnitzky and 6-7 Sexauer make the Titans much bigger (just as Wheaton is bigger with 6-6 McCrary in the lineup), and Koschnitzky adds a lot of versatility because he can play outside or inside.  Dwyer is IWU's most important player off the bench - he averages 22 minutes per game, comes in to guard the opponents best perimeter player, and is on the floor during all key moments down the stretch.  Sean has 42 assists to just 16 turnovers on the season.

My feeling is that this IWU team is better than last year's team at this stage.  Rosenkranz, Johnson, and Sexauer are a year older and stronger...freshmen Koschnitzky and Jordan Zimmer (8.0 ppg, 23-42 3-pt, .548) have added a lot...and just a lot more chemistry and confidence than when IWU entered league play last year.  Still, the '08-09 Titans were inconsistent during non-conference play, looking terrific for stretches during games and shaky during others.  Wednesday will be a great test to see where the Titans are.  I'd be surprised is it's not a really tight game throughout.

These are good points Q. Sexauer played 14 minutes on average last year vs Wheaton and contributed significantly to the IWU wins. I imagine he has developed into a bigger force since then. As you note, Wheaton is also not a 3 guard team this year and they bring Jahns, a starter last year, off the bench now. They are a better team than last year in a couple of key areas.

You mention how hard Raymond had to work for his shots. Last year we all know he was the show for wheaton and, while that isn't going to change significantly, this Wheaton team is much more versatile than last years version. Last year the numbers looked like this:

Raymond   36 min  24.5 pts   4.2 reb
Wiele  31.4 min   15.2 pts    10.5 reb
Panner 35.2 min  13.6 pts   2.8 reb
Jahns  26.9 min   6.2 pts    3.0 reb
Carwell 20.3 min  4.9 pts   3.3 reb

Denham 17.8min   3.1 pts   3.1 reb
Young    16min     1.9pts    2.0 reb
Bernsten 17.5min  1.5pts   1.5 reb

This year they have:

Raymond  29.8 min   23.2 pts   2.8reb
Wiele       30.8min    19pts      9.4 reb
Panner     30.7min    13.2pts   2.8 reb
McCrary    26.7min    9.7pts    6.5 reb
Carwell     22.4min    7.8pts    5.4 reb

Jahns    24.4min    5.4pts    2.8 reb
Pflederer 16min    4.8pts     1.2reb
Smith        14min   2.3pts     2.4 reb

6,7,8 are a lot better than a year ago and give Wheaton more versatility in matchups. I realize the minutes will grow for the top 5 in closer conference games but the difference is pretty clear. Wheaton has more depth and more options for scoring, defense and rebounding than they had last year.

IWU without Sean Johnson is as big a blow as Wheaton without Wiele in my opinion. I thought Sean Johnson was terrrific vs wheaton last year. I don't know if he will be ready but I can't imagine he will be close to 100%

I agree the game should be close throughout.

[cardinalpride]

IWU without Sean Johnson is as big a blow as Wheaton without Wiele in my opinion. I thought Sean Johnson was terrrific vs wheaton last year. I don't know if he will be ready but I can't imagine he will be close to 100%

Usee, I will have to disagree with you on that statement.  I could list a number a reasons why Wiele's absence could be a more significant blow to the Thunder than Johnson's absence could be to the Titans. Imho, Rebounding is the biggest one.   Because of the close encounters these two teams had a year ago, we are to suspect that this year will be more of the same.  If we are correct, tough defensive rebounding will be huge down the stretch.  Without Wiele the Thunder will be at a decided disadvantage due to IWU size. 

[Dennis_Prikkel]

"Now the CCIW season begins in earnest..."

Where's earnest?

dgp

Is it close to Grand Detour, Alto Pass, or Modoc?

[almcguirejr]

Where's earnest?

He's right here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJUmIuc1X5s

This, unfortunately, launched what became rap music.

His grandson, Ice-T, dropped his last name when he followed his grandfather into show business.

[usee]

IWU without Sean Johnson is as big a blow as Wheaton without Wiele in my opinion. I thought Sean Johnson was terrrific vs wheaton last year. I don't know if he will be ready but I can't imagine he will be close to 100%

Usee, I will have to disagree with you on that statement.  I could list a number a reasons why Wiele's absence could be a more significant blow to the Thunder than Johnson's absence could be to the Titans. Imho, Rebounding is the biggest one.   Because of the close encounters these two teams had a year ago, we are to suspect that this year will be more of the same.  If we are correct, tough defensive rebounding will be huge down the stretch.  Without Wiele the Thunder will be at a decided disadvantage due to IWU size. 

I won't disagree that Wiele is a bigger cog in the Thunder wheel than Johnson has been for IWU (both literally and figuratively). But consider this: 1-Wheaton has more scoring and rebounding this year than last from its supporting cast. Losing Wiele last year likely results in IWU winning by double digits. I think they can still win this year without him. 2-Sean Johnson had some of his best games versus Wheaton in the 3 contests last year. His season averages were 32.4min, 11.6pts, 37.5% behind the arc, 2.7 assits. Vs Wheaton he went 35min, 15.3 pts, 50% from 3pt range, and 3.6 assists in 3 games.

I can see that IWU is a different team with more scoring options as well but in those 3 games Sean Johnson was as big a factor for IWU (or more) as Wiele was for Wheaton.

[wheatonfanaddict]

If there is one area over all that has been the greatest improvement for Wheaton so far this season versus last season is in defense. Through 11 games their defense has been smothering and the scoreboard reflects that. One and all they are playing at a completely different level defensively. Personally I think it has been due to the addition of McCrary and Pflederer, both very disciplined and extremely well coached young men. When others are playing harder and smarter it tends to encourage you to step up your game. Add to that a year older, wiser and conditioned Panner and Carwell and now you have a force to be reckoned with. I think the confidence that the team earned through post season last year with the addition of more depth (defensively) will be the factor for Wheaton through the conference schedule.

[petemcb]

"Now the CCIW season begins in earnest..."

Where's earnest?

dgp

Is it close to Grand Detour, Alto Pass, or Modoc?

And, more importantly, does it count as in-region?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Not that it matters, but out of curiosity does anyone know why NPU and Augie met early rather than (I assume) Feb 18th?  Some sort of facility conflict?

[Dennis_Prikkel]

Not that it matters, but out of curiosity does anyone know why NPU and Augie met early rather than (I assume) Feb 18th?  Some sort of facility conflict?

me thinks that that week in february is augie's finals week.

dgp

[Dennis_Prikkel]

I think the loss of Sean Johnson will hurt IWU more than the loss of Wiele to Wheaton.

However, I think one of the key matchups for IWU will be the play of Dwyer in guarding Raymond.  I think Raymond gets "turned on" by the defensive intensity of a player like Dwyer and its gets him more into the game.  Dwyer was one of the most intense defensive players I saw last year - so it will be interesting when these two players grind it out on Wheaton's offensive end of the floor to see if it sends Raymond's game to that superstar level.

dgp

[petemcb]

Not that it matters, but out of curiosity does anyone know why NPU and Augie met early rather than (I assume) Feb 18th?  Some sort of facility conflict?

Are they on a trimester or quarter system?  That's a strange time for finals.  I thought NCC was the only trimester school in the conference.  Do they schedule around their finals week too?  It seems like those two teams would be the early-in-the-year game.