MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Speculation Sunday (formerly Selection Sunday) is March 1st
Match-Up Monday is March 2nd

NCAA Tournament
First Round - March 5th & 6th
2nd Round - March 7th

Sweet 16 - March 13th (oof)
Elite 8 - March 14th

Semifinals - March 20th
Championships - March 21st

Easiest way to remember these dates in the future is look at the weekend when the regular season ends (i.e. championship game dates for conference tournaments)... the NEXT weekend is the start of the NCAA Tournament... and three weeks after the regular season finale weekend is the Chamionship Weekend.

[Gregory Sager]

I agree with you about Wheaton, but I also think Wheaton was made stronger by Raymond's injury and mid CCIW season slump.  There is something about a team that must take a step back and recharge itself that makes them way scarier down the stretch than the team that has been running the table all season.

I don't believe in good losses, although that's not really what you're implying. But I think that you're right about Wheaton being a better team now for having lost Raymond for a few games than it would've been otherwise. Since Wheaton is probably going to win the CCIW, I don't think that those losses sans Raymond are ultimately going to damage the team (unless there's some tournament seeding penalty for those three losses awaiting the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance on Selection Sunday). And learning how to play without their superstar will only help Wheaton down the road.

What worries me is that it'll help Wheaton for next year even more than it'll help Wheaton this year.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

Titan Q,

what is the biggest difference between the 2008 IWU-Wheaton series and this years? Because the teams are for the most part the same, yet last year IWU went 3-0, and this year 0-2. True, Wheaton is more experienced, but most IWU starters are back, so it's not like they have a completely new team. Last year they held Raymond to less points, and even with Kent's one outburst, they still won. What's different this year?

Gant.

That is some of it, and it certainly is the easy answer, but I'm not so sure.  Darius Gant's production last year in 3 IWU wins vs Wheaton:

1/23/08 – 9 pts (4-9 FG), 3 reb – 33 minutes
2/16/08 – 4 pts (2-4 FG), 8 reb – 34 minutes
2/29/08 – 6 pts (0-2 FG), 4 reb – 15 minutes

I was at all 3 of those games and Darius was pretty quite on both ends of the floor.  Like when matched against 6-9 Brent Ruch, Darius just could not do much vs 6-8 Andy Wiele.

6-4 Gant (12.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg, .551 FG – CCIW play) was replaced in the lineup this year with 6-7 Doug Sexauer (14.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, .570 FG – CCIW play).  Doug and Darius are totally different low-post players, but Doug commands a lot of attention in the paint too.  I'm not sure I'd buy the suggestion that Gant's offensive presence last year was significantly more than Sexauer's this year (in terms of opening the perimeter up, etc).

Also keep in mind, Gant's area of specialty (rebounding) is something IWU had no trouble with this year vs Wheaton.  At Wheaton, IWU out-rebounded the Thunder 37-23.  In Bloomington, the Titans had a 28-24 advantage.

I think the primary differences are three things:

1) Kent Raymond's ability to solve the way IWU defended him.  In the first two meetings last year, IWU held Raymond to 17 points in each game, and really frustrated him.  Kent ended up with a big game in the conference tournament, but a ton of his damage came very late, with IWU already up comfortably.  At halftime of that third game, I remember feeling like IWU was holding him down once again.  This year, he has absolutely torched the Titans twice.  He seemed to learn how to match Sean Dwyer's physical style and also to take advantage of his height advantage vs IWU's guards much more effectively.

2) Wheaton's defensive intensity on the perimeter – both the ability to disrupt the IWU offense and force turnovers, as well as the ability to contain the 3 better.  Here are IWU's turnover totals and number of made 3's from the 3 games last year:

1/23/08 -  13 T.O., 6 3's
2/16/08 – 11 T.O, 6 3's
2/29/08 – 12 T.O., 6 3's

This year:

1/7/09 – 17 T.O., 4 3's
2/14/09 – 19 T.O., 4 3's

Last night, Wheaton had 20 points off turnovers...in the first meeting this year, the Thunder had 22 points off turnovers.

WJBC color commentator Joel Swanson pointed out several times last night that Wheaton was pushing IWU's guards out 30 feet from the basket as they tried to initiate the offense.  That definitely did not happen last year.  The same IWU perimeter players (Rosenkranz, Johnson, Dwyer) had a lot more trouble this season vs the same Wheaton players.

3) Wheaton's balance and depth this year.  Last season Wheaton had 3 guys who could beat you (Raymond, Panner, Wiele) and absolutely no bench.  6-6 Tim McCrary gives Wheaton another offensive weapon, and he also gives them great size at the 3.  Last year Wheaton started 3 guards.  And while they still are not a terribly deep team, the bench this year is so much better.


To suggest that Darius Gant's absence this year is the primary reason for the difference in outcomes is discounting the fact that a) Wheaton is a better team in 2008-09 than they were in 2007-08, and b) Wheaton made significant adjustments, either in gameplan or execution, in the way they attacked IWU.

DISAGREE - the only impact player to leave from last year is Darius Gant so it is MUCH MORE than that. IWU had a losing season and lost twice to Wheaton because of:

LACK OF INTENSITY
LACK OF FOCUS
LACK OF WORK ETHIC
LACK OF OVERALL LEADERSHIP
The LACK of knowledge ON WHO TO PLAY at what positions

That Mr. Q, is the difference!!

Sorry, Mr. OurHouse (+K for you anyway on general principles), but Sager and TQ are correct that the biggest difference between the Titans of last year and this year is Gant - and his personal intensity.  Much the same way that Jay Alexander gave last year's North Park team that extra shot of adrenalin when he came in the game, Gant's hustle, intensity and leadership kept the Titans in several games last year that they had no business being in with such a freshmen dominated lineup.

dgp

[aceon2]

Its been awhile since I posted on the big board but as I was perusing through some stats today I noticed this little fun one.  Carthage has at least two games left, and with some good play and a lot of luck maybe more.  That being said currently Steve D is 225-271 from the free throw line.  I looked up the record for most free throws made in a season for Division 3 and that record is 249.  Therefore Steve would have to make 25 in the remaining games to break that record which has stood since 1975!  Although that seems to be a long shot, if Carthage can manage to sneak into the conference tournament I think Steve would have a very realistic chance at breaking that record. 

Also just thought Id point out a fun fact that the most points scored without time elapsing is 24!!  Apparently Rob Rittgers hit 24 consecutive free throws due to 12 bench technicals being called! 

Should be an interesting last week and conference tournament.

Go Red Men

[wheels81]

Its been awhile since I posted on the big board but as I was perusing through some stats today I noticed this little fun one.  Carthage has at least two games left, and with some good play and a lot of luck maybe more.  That being said currently Steve D is 225-271 from the free throw line.  I looked up the record for most free throws made in a season for Division 3 and that record is 249.  Therefore Steve would have to make 25 in the remaining games to break that record which has stood since 1975!  Although that seems to be a long shot, if Carthage can manage to sneak into the conference tournament I think Steve would have a very realistic chance at breaking that record. 

Also just thought Id point out a fun fact that the most points scored without time elapsing is 24!!  Apparently Rob Rittgers hit 24 consecutive free throws due to 12 bench technicals being called! 

Should be an interesting last week and conference tournament.

Go Red Men

The rate he's going he can make it. He's going to the line 12 to 15 times a game.
Congratulations to him on player of the week honors as well as he made his points the old fashioned and one way.
Raymond is also listed as co-player of week again so looks like Steve D. shares it again.
K Ray's 5th.  He's now in 7th place on CCIW career scoring.

[iwumichigander]

Its been awhile since I posted on the big board but as I was perusing through some stats today I noticed this little fun one.  Carthage has at least two games left, and with some good play and a lot of luck maybe more.  That being said currently Steve D is 225-271 from the free throw line.  I looked up the record for most free throws made in a season for Division 3 and that record is 249.  Therefore Steve would have to make 25 in the remaining games to break that record which has stood since 1975!  Although that seems to be a long shot, if Carthage can manage to sneak into the conference tournament I think Steve would have a very realistic chance at breaking that record. 

Also just thought Id point out a fun fact that the most points scored without time elapsing is 24!!  Apparently Rob Rittgers hit 24 consecutive free throws due to 12 bench technicals being called! 

Should be an interesting last week and conference tournament.

Go Red Men

The rate he's going he can make it. He's going to the line 12 to 15 times a game.
Congratulations to him on player of the week honors as well as he made his points the old fashioned and one way.
Raymond is also listed as co-player of week again so looks like Steve D. shares it again.
K Ray's 5th.  He's now in 7th place on CCIW career scoring.

His odds would increase to near certainty if the officiating crew for one or both games were the same crew that called the Wheaton @NCC contest!

[Gregory Sager]

Nick Williams has scored 986 points thus far in his career. If he hits his CCIW average in NPU's finale against Millikin in the crackerbox next Saturday he'll finish the season with 1,000 on the nose. That would be quite an accomplishment, as there aren't a lot of players who manage to join the Thousand Point Club before their senior years.

[iwumichigander]

Nick Williams has scored 986 points thus far in his career. If he hits his CCIW average in NPU's finale against Millikin in the crackerbox next Saturday he'll finish the season with 1,000 on the nose. That would be quite an accomplishment, as there aren't a lot of players who manage to join the Thousand Point Club before their senior years.

It would be nice to see Nick accomplish this.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

Nick Williams has scored 986 points thus far in his career. If he hits his CCIW average in NPU's finale against Millikin in the crackerbox next Saturday he'll finish the season with 1,000 on the nose. That would be quite an accomplishment, as there aren't a lot of players who manage to join the Thousand Point Club before their senior years.

It would be nice to see Nate accomplish this.

Who's Nate ?

[iwumichigander]

Nick Williams has scored 986 points thus far in his career. If he hits his CCIW average in NPU's finale against Millikin in the crackerbox next Saturday he'll finish the season with 1,000 on the nose. That would be quite an accomplishment, as there aren't a lot of players who manage to join the Thousand Point Club before their senior years.

It would be nice to see Nate accomplish this.

Who's Nate ?

I took a page out of Pelosi and Frank  - not what I typed but what I meant - I corrected my post

[Naperick]

Latest D3 polls out.  Wheaton is 7th, Elmhurst is 21st, Augustana is 26th, and North Central is 39th.

[Titan Q]

Augustana's 56-week D3hoops.com Top 25 streak is over...

http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/

Just last week, the Vikings took over for Amherst in the "longest streak" department...the Lord Jeffs had been in 105 straight polls.

The streak started with this poll, released November 28, 2005...

http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/06/week1.htm

Note that none of the top 3 from that poll are in the current poll - D3 powers Illinois Wesleyan, Wooster, and Wittenberg (the 3 winningest D3 programs) are all going through different degrees of rebuilding this season.

[AndOne]

Its been awhile since I posted on the big board but as I was perusing through some stats today I noticed this little fun one.  Carthage has at least two games left, and with some good play and a lot of luck maybe more.  That being said currently Steve D is 225-271 from the free throw line.  I looked up the record for most free throws made in a season for Division 3 and that record is 249.  Therefore Steve would have to make 25 in the remaining games to break that record which has stood since 1975!  Although that seems to be a long shot, if Carthage can manage to sneak into the conference tournament I think Steve would have a very realistic chance at breaking that record. 

Also just thought Id point out a fun fact that the most points scored without time elapsing is 24!!  Apparently Rob Rittgers hit 24 consecutive free throws due to 12 bench technicals being called! 

Should be an interesting last week and conference tournament.

Go Red Men

The rate he's going he can make it. He's going to the line 12 to 15 times a game.
Congratulations to him on player of the week honors as well as he made his points the old fashioned and one way.
Raymond is also listed as co-player of week again so looks like Steve D. shares it again.
K Ray's 5th.  He's now in 7th place on CCIW career scoring.

His odds would increase to near certainty if the officiating crew for one or both games were the same crew that called the Wheaton @NCC contest!

But the 2 refs whose 1st names begin with the letter D should never ref in the CCIW again.   

[AndOne]

Latest D3 pollis out.  Wheaton is 7th, Elmhurst is 21st, Augustana is 26th, and North Central is 39th.

And #39 has beaten #7 and #26. Tough conference!

[usee]

Latest D3 pollis out.  Wheaton is 7th, Elmhurst is 21st, Augustana is 26th, and North Central is 39th.

And #39 has beaten #7 and #26. Tough conference!

I would argue this isn't really true. But we will see soon enough!  8)