MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

The Titans are really a mess...holy smokes.  Losing by almost 30 to Millikin?

Looks like I picked a great year to be out of town.

[Titan Q]

Ben Panner coming into tonight:

CCIW play: 6-28 3-pt (.214)
Overall season: 19-65 3-pt (.292)

Tonight: 10-18 3-pt

10 made 3's is a new CCIW single-game record (9, Brett Andricks, Millikin vs Wheaton, 1991).

[Titan Q]

Through Wednesday:

Wheaton 10-3
Elmhurst 9-4
Augustana 8-5
North Central 8-5
Carthage 7-6
IWU 5-8
Millikin 5-8
North Park 0-13

[Ralph Turner]

Through Wednesday:

Wheaton 10-3
Elmhurst 9-4
Augustana 8-5
North Central 8-5
Carthage 7-6
IWU 5-8
Millikin 5-8
North Park 0-14

Does North Central clinch a bid?

[Gregory Sager]

Through Wednesday:

Wheaton 10-3
Elmhurst 9-4
Augustana 8-5
North Central 8-5
Carthage 7-6
IWU 5-8
Millikin 5-8
North Park 0-14

Does North Central clinch a bid?

Yes, the Cards did, although they backed into it tonight. If both NCC and Carthage end up 8-6, NCC gets the #4 seed by virtue of having swept the Red Men. In fact, if NCC ties Augie for third, NCC gets the third seed -- the Cards and the Doggies split this season, but NCC has a win over Wheaton and Augie doesn't.

[Gregory Sager]

Ben Panner coming into tonight:

CCIW play: 6-28 3-pt (.214)
Overall season: 19-65 3-pt (.292)

Tonight: 10-18 3-pt

10 made 3's is a new CCIW single-game record (9, Brett Andricks, Millikin vs Wheaton, 1991).

The irony of this is that Carthage shot much better from beyond the arc tonight than did Wheaton, despite Panner's en fuego evening. In fact, Carthage shot much better overall than did the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance. Wheaton won this game on the boards, where it absolutely dominated the Red Men.

[Titan Q]

Wheaton, Elmhurst, and North Central are in the conference tournament.  The final spot comes down to Augustana and Carthage.  If Augie loses @ IWU and Carthage wins @ Elmhurst (neither is likely, let alone both), Carthage wins the 8-6 tie-breaker via 1-1 vs Wheaton (vs Augie's 0-2 vs Wheaton).

[Gregory Sager]

I would've had a hard time believing it if someone had told me in November that Augie would need to win a road game on the final night of the regular season just to clinch a spot in the CCIW tournament field.

[Mugsy]

Ben Panner coming into tonight:

CCIW play: 6-28 3-pt (.214)
Overall season: 19-65 3-pt (.292)

Tonight: 10-18 3-pt

10 made 3's is a new CCIW single-game record (9, Brett Andricks, Millikin vs Wheaton, 1991).

The irony of this is that Carthage shot much better from beyond the arc tonight than did Wheaton, despite Panner's en fuego evening. In fact, Carthage shot much better overall than did the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance. Wheaton won this game on the boards, where it absolutely dominated the Red Men.

I would also point to FTs.  19-22 I believe.  Oddly enough it is FTs that cost Wheaton last against Carthage.

[Titan Q]

If Elmhurst beats Carthage Saturday, Wheaton has to beat North Central to win the league outright and host the tournament.  Wheaton loses a 10-4 tie-breaker with Elmhurst in that scenario...the Thunder would be 0-2 vs North Central while Elmhurst is 2-0.

North Central has won 5 consecutive games over Wheaton.

Wheaton tries to get Bill Harris his 3rd CCIW title.

[Gregory Sager]

Ben Panner coming into tonight:

CCIW play: 6-28 3-pt (.214)
Overall season: 19-65 3-pt (.292)

Tonight: 10-18 3-pt

10 made 3's is a new CCIW single-game record (9, Brett Andricks, Millikin vs Wheaton, 1991).

The irony of this is that Carthage shot much better from beyond the arc tonight than did Wheaton, despite Panner's en fuego evening. In fact, Carthage shot much better overall than did the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance. Wheaton won this game on the boards, where it absolutely dominated the Red Men.

I would also point to FTs.  19-22 I believe.  Oddly enough it is FTs that cost Wheaton last against Carthage.

Good point. But that rebounding disparity is glaring: Wheaton 34, Carthage 21, including a 14-3 bulge on the offensive boards.

Lots of weirdness from beyond the arc in that game. Bob's pointed out what a lackluster season Panner was having from downtown before tonight. On the other side, Joe "I Won't Shoot The Ball Even If You Put A Gun To My Head" Higgins, who had been 0-for-9 from three-point range coming into tonight, hit a pair of treys in the first half. I'll bet all the corn in Manito that there wasn't a Wheaton defender within ten feet of him when he took those shots.

[Mugsy]

Ben Panner coming into tonight:

CCIW play: 6-28 3-pt (.214)
Overall season: 19-65 3-pt (.292)

Tonight: 10-18 3-pt

10 made 3's is a new CCIW single-game record (9, Brett Andricks, Millikin vs Wheaton, 1991).

The irony of this is that Carthage shot much better from beyond the arc tonight than did Wheaton, despite Panner's en fuego evening. In fact, Carthage shot much better overall than did the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance. Wheaton won this game on the boards, where it absolutely dominated the Red Men.

I would also point to FTs.  19-22 I believe.  Oddly enough it is FTs that cost Wheaton last against Carthage.

Good point. But that rebounding disparity is glaring: Wheaton 34, Carthage 21, including a 14-3 bulge on the offensive boards.

Lots of weirdness from beyond the arc in that game. Bob's pointed out what a lackluster season Panner was having from downtown before tonight. On the other side, Joe "I Won't Shoot The Ball Even If You Put A Gun To My Head" Higgins, who had been 0-for-9 from three-point range coming into tonight, hit a pair of treys in the first half. I'll bet all the corn in Manito that there wasn't a Wheaton defender within ten feet of him when he took those shots.

I believe the rebounding disparity was even worst at one point in the 2nd half, I recall a +15 for Wheaton.  Crazy game.

[Titan Q]

Ryan Burks' scoring had been down a bit heading into tonight - 14.8 ppg in CCIW play (17.4 ppg last year and exactly the same his soph year, 17.4 ppg).  He came to play tonight in a huge game - 28 points on 9-13 FG (4-6 3-pt) and 5 rebounds.

After tonight, Burks is now averaging 15.8 ppg in CCIW play with one big game to play.

[Darryl Nester]

The members of this board are probably capable of sorting out how things look from here on, but for what it's worth, here's what my program says:

Team	#1	#2	#3	#4	Tournament?
Wheaton (Ill.)	75.00%	25.00%	--	--	Yes
Elmhurst	25.00%	75.00%	--	--	Yes
North Central (Ill.)	--	--	62.50%	37.50%	Yes
Augustana	--	--	37.50%	50.00%	87.50%
Carthage	--	--	--	12.50%	12.50%

[Titan Q]

So there is a 12.5% chance that IWU will beat Augie and Carthage will beat Elmhurst.  Makes sense to me.

Augie is in pretty good shape as far as the CCIW tourney goes.