MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

But be forewarned - Point Special is, what, 6'8"?

Yeah, he's got the reach, but if rabblerouser fights dirty he might be able to take him.

[CCIWFAN3]

Don't worry Rabblerouser they did similar stuff to me.  They will lay off soon.  It's kinda like the new kid in class....they test you for awhile.  Their bark is much worse than their bite.  Just agree with them every once in a while:)

Getting too boring...

1st Team
Russell
Stevie
Travis
McCrary
Sexauer

Here comes the novel and some stats....

[Mugsy]

Steve Djurickovic and Tim McCrary Named CCIW Co-Men's Basketball Players of the Week

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Carthage's Steve Djurickovic and Wheaton's Tim McCrary were named College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Co-Men's Basketball Players of the Week Monday.

Djurickovic, a junior guard from Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and Bradford High School, scored a game-high 25 points on nine-of-15 field goal shooting and seven-of-nine free throw shooting during Carthage's 85-71 win at North Central last Wednesday. He also finished with five rebounds and eight assists against the Cardinals. Djurickovic followed that performance with a game-high 24 points on five-of-11 field goal shooting and 14-of-19 free throw shooting, along with five rebounds and nine assists in the Red Men's 68-55 win over Millikin on Saturday. Djurickovic is an Exercise and Sport Science major.

McCrary, a sophomore forward from Wilmette, Ill., and New Trier High School, led the Thunder to a pair of CCIW victories last week as he averaged 24.5 points and 13 rebounds per game. McCrary shot 62.5 percent (20-of-32) from the field, with 5.5 assists per game and 2.5 blocked shots per game. McCrary scored a game-high 31 points and pulled down 12 rebounds last Wednesday night in Wheaton's 66-65 victory against 17th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan. On Saturday, he led the Thunder with 18 points and 14 rebounds in a 70-43 victory against Elmhurst. McCrary has recorded a double-double in points and rebounds in four straight games and he has done it a total of seven times this season. He is a double major in Business & Economics and Christian Formation & Ministry.

[Gregory Sager]

1st Team
Russell
Stevie
Travis
McCrary
Sexauer

Travis? As in Rosenkrantz? You really need to get out of Bloomington more, Tom.

Take him off and replace him with Derek Raridon. And I think that you can make a very good case for Kyle Nelson supplanting Ro Russell on that list, too. The Augie junior big man is quietly putting together an outstanding season.

[usee]

I think Steve D, McCrary and Sexauer are locks for 1st team All CCIW (unless some apocalypse happens during the next 8 games). The other two spots likely will depend on how the top teams fare down the stretch. Possible candidates include:

Ro Russell
Derek Raridon
Kyle Nelson
Ben Panner

There are some other capable players out there that could have monster 2nd halves and get into this picture but these names probably capture 90% of the possibilities.

[Mr. Ypsi]

IF IWU wins the title, I think either Rosenkrantz or Johnson has a shot at joining Sexauer, but I'm not even sure which one.  Would coaches more value the floor general or the streak shooter who can take over a game?

But while I think Travis and Sean will both make all-CCIW, I doubt it will be first-team.

[Gregory Sager]

IF IWU wins the title, I think either Rosenkrantz or Johnson has a shot at joining Sexauer, but I'm not even sure which one.  Would coaches more value the floor general or the streak shooter who can take over a game?

But while I think Travis and Sean will both make all-CCIW, I doubt it will be first-team.

I think that we're a very long way away from saying who will make the second and third teams, and who will be left out in the cold.

I think that the seven players USee named are pretty much shoo-ins at this point to be on the All-CCIW team, because short of injury or illness it's inconceivable that they will collapse in the second round-robin. Beyond that, there's not much that we can say with certitude.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Oh, I agree the speculation is premature.  But if others have already started, you didn't think I'd stay out of it did you?!

On a complete tangent (but raised by your post), I've always thought it was 'shoe-in' (as in the salesman at the door), not shoo-in - anyone have an authoritative statement of the term's origin?  (Oughta take Greg about 45 seconds for that one! )

[CCIWFAN3]

Gotta stay with Russell for now.  Derek...2nd team for now.  Travis is just too good.  I know his numbers aren't as fantastic as some but he just makes everyone else better...  I agree if IWU wins the CCIW then Travis or Johnson will get 1st team for sure.  My opinion is Travis is 1st team regardless.  

G.S. Kind of off the subject but...do you know which AAU team Russell played for?

[Titan Q]

Very different players, but both of IWU's starting guards are having very good CCIW seasons so far...

Sean Johnson - 15.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.0 A:TO (too many turnovers)
Travis Rosenkranz - 10.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 4.3 apg, 4.3 A:TO


Travis has developed into a very good floor general and pure point-guard.  Sean has added so much to his game with the development of the dribble-drive.

Quite a luxury to have a backcourt like this...and then to bring Sean Dwyer off the bench.  I think back to just 3 years ago (Ron Rose's first year) when the Titans had 1st Team All-American Zach Freeman in the low post and just no point-guard at all.  IWU actually started a "walk-on" by the name of Anthony Gunnell at PG in a CCIW game that year...and at Augustana, Jordan Morris (a pure 2 that in no way could be called a "combo guard") started at the point.  The Titans have come a long way since then.  At the Carthage game, I told someone during a big moment in the 2nd half that I feel very comfortable as an IWU fan anytime Travis Rosenkranz has the ball in his hands...and Sean Johnson is one of the best clutch shooters around.

[usee]

Oh, I agree the speculation is premature.  But if others have already started, you didn't think I'd stay out of it did you?!

On a complete tangent (but raised by your post), I've always thought it was 'shoe-in' (as in the salesman at the door), not shoo-in - anyone have an authoritative statement of the term's origin?  (Oughta take Greg about 45 seconds for that one! )

I believe GS is right "Shoo-in" is correct. It comes from the verb "shoo" which means to drive, push in a certain direction using noises. Seems to be tied to horse racing being fixed in the early 1900's.

[Gregory Sager]

On a complete tangent (but raised by your post), I've always thought it was 'shoe-in' (as in the salesman at the door), not shoo-in - anyone have an authoritative statement of the term's origin?  (Oughta take Greg about 45 seconds for that one! )

Here's the definition of shoo-in, and here's the etymology.

[Titan Q]

Travis? As in Rosenkrantz?

Check your spelling, Mr. Particular. 

[Gregory Sager]

G.S. Kind of off the subject but...do you know which AAU team Russell played for?

Nothing But Net.

Travis? As in Rosenkrantz?

Check your spelling, Mr. Particular. 

Sorry. I should've known that something was rotten in the state of Denmark with that spelling.

[John Gleich]

Yep, I'm a new poster, but I've been following this board since it was created.  CCIW basketball is the best Division III hoops in the land.  There -- I said it, and if I'm being too "authoritative" about it, well, just deal with it...  And, on this one, I did the bold type myself!

I'll leave you and PointSpecial alone to lock horns over that.

I'll just say this now (and perhaps more later if I have time, though I'm not sure it's necessary...)

Back in... 1994(?) when I was in middle school, attending the Wheaton College Crusader camp, I made a statement saying pretty much the same thing you did to then-Coach Bill Harris.  He actually corrected me and said the WIAC was probably a better league but the CCIW was #2.

I didn't know it at that time, but I would end up at one of those schools and win two National Championships there.  One year, we didn't win our conference (and got swept by the #7 team in the league before ratting off 9 straight to win the title).  The next year, we tied for first and lost to each of the top 3 teams in the league, by 8 or more points in each game.

This year isn't the year to be waving that battle flag.  The WIAC has won over 80% of its games against D-III opponents (77.9% overall) with 3 games remaining where the WIAC team would be a double-digit point favorite.

The CCIW is (correct me if I'm wrong Greg) at 65%. 

And, for that matter, the WIAC has won 5 of the 6 WIAC/CCIW matchups this year.

But be forewarned - Point Special is, what, 6'8"?

6'9" actually, and still growing (though no longer vertically...).