MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Greek Tragedy]

I'm concerned with IWU's height in the post.  Point can do a good job of defending the post by playing team defense.  In the WIAC tourney title game, Point doubled, and sometimes tripled, Dustin Mitchell in the post.  I think he may have had just 5 field goal attempts or so.  The key may be IWU's guards and I'm guessing Sean Johnson would be the key there.  They'll have to make the buckets if the post is defended well. 

As has been the case since the departure of Kalsow, Point is a perimeter oriented team.  They may have some "thick" guys, but no one really ever posts up, except from Matt Moses.  If there is a "go to guy," it's been Moses lately.  It's going to be a tight game, for sure.   

[Titan Q]

I'm concerned with IWU's height in the post.  Point can do a good job of defending the post by playing team defense.  In the WIAC tourney title game, Point doubled, and sometimes tripled, Dustin Mitchell in the post.  I think he may have had just 5 field goal attempts or so.  The key may be IWU's guards and I'm guessing Sean Johnson would be the key there.  They'll have to make the buckets if the post is defended well.  

As has been the case since the departure of Kalsow, Point is a perimeter oriented team.  They may have some "thick" guys, but no one really ever posts up, except from Matt Moses.  If there is a "go to guy," it's been Moses lately.  It's going to be a tight game, for sure.    

Yes, when I think of facing the WIAC in the tournament, I think of that Eau Claire team that dismantled Carthage in 2000 with all that size...or Oshkosh from 2002-03 with those two stud big guys...or the Stevens Point national championship teams (2004, 2005) with all of their great size.  (And of course, Bo Ryan's national championship teams.)  This UW-Stevens Point team is not the typical WIAC team I think of with tons of size in the low post.  The Pointers are definitely an outside/in team.

I honestly think the two teams are dead even on paper.

A key player tonight for IWU - Jordan Zimmer.

[theseguysaregood]

I'm concerned with IWU's height in the post.  Point can do a good job of defending the post by playing team defense.  In the WIAC tourney title game, Point doubled, and sometimes tripled, Dustin Mitchell in the post.  I think he may have had just 5 field goal attempts or so.  The key may be IWU's guards and I'm guessing Sean Johnson would be the key there.  They'll have to make the buckets if the post is defended well.  

As has been the case since the departure of Kalsow, Point is a perimeter oriented team.  They may have some "thick" guys, but no one really ever posts up, except from Matt Moses.  If there is a "go to guy," it's been Moses lately.  It's going to be a tight game, for sure.    

Yes, when I think of facing the WIAC in the tournament, I think of that Eau Claire team that dismantled Carthage in 2000 with all that size...or Oshkosh from 2002-03 with those two stud big guys...or the Stevens Point national championship teams (2004, 2005) with all of their great size.  (And of course, Bo Ryan's national championship teams.)  This UW-Stevens Point team is not the typical WIAC team I think of with tons of size in the low post.  The Pointers are definitely an outside/in team.

I honestly think the two teams are dead even on paper.

A key player tonight for IWU - Jordan Zimmer.

Just to clear up a little controversy from the second half last night...a quote from the Kenosha News

"After Djurickovic banked in a 3-pointer to cut it to 75-72 with eight seconds left, Johnson sealed the deal with two free throws with seven seconds on the clock."

[pistol]

As far as the IWU center and his post moves, traveling comes to mind. He's very good (quick) at shuffling his feet while backing down his player. If the same footwork were used on the perimeter, it's called everytime.

And before anyone with less experience comments, I've been a patch offical and assigner for the IHSA for 14 years. It's not my opinion, it's there for everyone to see.

It's traveling more often then not. 

[augiefan]

Much was expected from IWU's junior class, and they are proving the expectations were warranted. Essentially the Titan juniors are now seasoned with 3 years in the CCIW under their belts, as they have really evolved and improved all year, but particularly since the ugly loss in Kenosha. They have already beaten 3 highly regarded teams including the two time defending champs on their home court. UWSP is good but was fortunate to beat Carleton in the opening round on their home court.

I think the Titans are ready, willing and able to win tonight and advance to the FF.

[John Gleich]

I'm concerned with IWU's height in the post.  Point can do a good job of defending the post by playing team defense.  In the WIAC tourney title game, Point doubled, and sometimes tripled, Dustin Mitchell in the post.  I think he may have had just 5 field goal attempts or so.  The key may be IWU's guards and I'm guessing Sean Johnson would be the key there.  They'll have to make the buckets if the post is defended well.  

As has been the case since the departure of Kalsow, Point is a perimeter oriented team.  They may have some "thick" guys, but no one really ever posts up, except from Matt Moses.  If there is a "go to guy," it's been Moses lately.  It's going to be a tight game, for sure.    

Yes, when I think of facing the WIAC in the tournament, I think of that Eau Claire team that dismantled Carthage in 2000 with all that size...or Oshkosh from 2002-03 with those two stud big guys...or the Stevens Point national championship teams (2004, 2005) with all of their great size.  (And of course, Bo Ryan's national championship teams.)  This UW-Stevens Point team is not the typical WIAC team I think of with tons of size in the low post.  The Pointers are definitely an outside/in team.

I honestly think the two teams are dead even on paper.

A key player tonight for IWU - Jordan Zimmer.

And I think the key for Point tonight is D-I transfer Ross Forman.  He's really turned it on since joining the team at the semester (playing his final year of eligibility after being hampered with injuries at Loyola of Chicago) and has led Point in rebounding 4 of the last 6 games and he's a big body at 6'8" 220.

Concerning the inside/outside nature of Point, this Pointer team is led in scoring by the guards... but the makeup of this team is very different than Pointer teams from the last 4 years (teams with guys like Hicklin, Jon Krull, Pete Rortvedt, etc).  Those teams were definitely outside oriented and shot a TON of outside shots.  They shot over 40% of their shots from 3 point land.  This year's Pointers, however, shoot about 25% from deep and while I wouldn't necessarily say that this team struggles from 3 point land, it isn't one of their major strengths.  This team is much more comfortable taking the ball off the dribble and the strength and size of Moses and Jenkins really helps that.  With Lou Hurd at the 3, Point starts 6'2", 6'4", 6'5" 6'7", 6'7" and while the two inside guys Krull (Jeremy, the youngest of the bunch!) and Hoelzel aren't overly beefy, they can hold their old... I expect Krull to be put on Sexauer... he's really Point's defensive stopper.  And if Scott Hoelzel is having a good game, he's very crafty around the basket and can score in bunches.  He's not really big himself but is a great leaper.

I'm looking forward to this match up.  I think that the more conventional nature (spreading scoring around as opposed to a star like SD).  It isn't that Point lacks individual defensive stoppers (I was actually looking forward to seeing how they were going to deal with Steve), but they are a very, very sound TEAM defensive team (straight from the department of redundancy department!)

This should be a very good game!  I'm looking forward to it!

[Greek Tragedy]

With Lou Hurd at the 3, Point starts 6'2", 6'4", 6'5" 6'7", 6'7" and while the two inside guys Krull (Jeremy, the youngest of the bunch!) and Hoelzel aren't overly beefy, they can hold their old... I expect Krull to be put on Sexauer... he's really Point's defensive stopper.  And if Scott Hoelzel is having a good game, he's very crafty around the basket and can score in bunches.  He's not really big himself but is a great leaper.

I'm looking forward to this match up.  I think that the more conventional nature (spreading scoring around as opposed to a star like SD).  It isn't that Point lacks individual defensive stoppers (I was actually looking forward to seeing how they were going to deal with Steve), but they are a very, very sound TEAM defensive team (straight from the department of redundancy department!)

This should be a very good game!  I'm looking forward to it!

1.) Try NICK Krull.   

2.)  Department of said department.  Not redundant at all. 

[Greek Tragedy]

Much was expected from IWU's junior class, and they are proving the expectations were warranted. Essentially the Titan juniors are now seasoned with 3 years in the CCIW under their belts, as they have really evolved and improved all year, but particularly since the ugly loss in Kenosha. They have already beaten 3 highly regarded teams including the two time defending champs on their home court. UWSP is good but was fortunate to beat Carleton in the opening round on their home court.

I understand and agree that IWU's recent wins may have been more impressive than Point's.  True is the fact that our win over Carleton was a little, ok, a lot, tougher than expected.  But, sometimes finishing the year hot will carry your team and make it better than what the record shows.  Carleton was on a hot streak. They were just 10-8 in conference, but were 9-1 in their last 10 conference games.  The only loss being to St. Thomas, by 3.  They also beat St. Thomas in the conference tourney.  So, at the end of the year, they were playing really well.  Point, on the other hasn't played all that well recently, but they are still winning and that's what counts.  It'll be a great game tonight.

[Gregory Sager]

In 6-7/225 junior Doug Sexauer (15.6 ppg, .624 FG), IWU has a pure back-to-the-basket star in the low post.  Doug is as polished as any D3 center out there this season.

That's an overstatement. Sexauer is a very good D3 center. But "as polished as any D3 center out there"? I really, really doubt that. What about Tyler Sanborn? Brandon Altmann? Dustin Mitchell? Marcel Esonwune? John Mantel? And there's probably other centers in the D3 ranks who are at least Sexauer's equal.

Heck, you can make a strong argument that the best center in the CCIW isn't Sexauer, it's Kyle Nelson of Augustana. Sexauer's a little better than Nelson when facing the basket; Nelson's a better rebounder than Sexauer, and he can also use his off-hand better than can his IWU counterpart. In fact, Sexauer's reluctance to shoot with his right hand belies any claim that he's fully polished.

I've seen Sexauer play numerous times, including twice this season. As I said, he's very good -- and opposing defenses have to take him very seriously. But at least at this point in his career he's nowhere near the level of, say, a Jeff Skemp or a Brent Ruch. And I doubt that he's on the level of a Tyler Sanborn, either.

Greg, I've seen Tyler Sanborn play (last year in Salem), and I think I am very familiar with what the center landscape looks like at this level. I'll stand by my statement - Doug Sexauer is as polished as any center in Division III.  I didn't say he is the "most dominant" or "the best"...I said he " is as polished..."  Certainly there are centers who are bigger, like 6-9/260 beast Sanborn, and many who are more athletic - and those players may be better because of it - but in terms of pure low-post "polish" (skill), I'll stack Sexauer up with anyone.  

Doug's post moves are fantastic, and that includes his ability to go right.  This is why, despite not being terribly athletic, Doug is a very impressive 208-332 (.627) from the field this year.  The fact you say he "has a reluctance to shoot with his right hand" makes it sound like you have not seen him play many times this season (just @ Chicago and @ North Park I believe?).  I think Carthage, Wash U, and Central fans would tell you Doug goes right in some huge situations with the game on the line.

Tonight - 26 points, 12-18 FG

http://www.iwusports.com/custompages/MBB/MBB2010/HTML/ncaa04.htm

This was really Doug Sexauer's game tonight. We didn't double on him, and that was my fault. When they needed a basket, he got it. - Bosko

http://athletics.carthage.edu/news/2010/3/12/Mens_Basketball_0312100059.aspx


I believe the statement I made was very fair and I'd be willing to bet most CCIW and D3 coaches (who have seen Sexauer) would agree with me.  (I've heard two D3 coaches with a few national titles between them make that exact statement in the last week.)

I stand by what I said. I don't think you've seen every center out there, which makes your statement hyperbolic. And the fact of the matter is that Sexauer does excessively favor his left hand, to the point where he will eschew using his right hand in natural use-the-right situations such as a layup from the right block. I've seen him play plenty of times, and it's indisputably true. Yes, he goes to his right quite a bit -- but he doesn't shoot with his right when he moves that way.

[Titan Q]

Yes, he goes to his right quite a bit -- but he doesn't shoot with his right when he moves that way.

http://www.iwuhoops.com/dsright1.JPG

http://www.iwuhoops.com/dsright2.jpg

[titanfan]

Does anybody know if there will be video for iwu-uwsp?  I can't find anything.

[Gregory Sager]

IWU was the better team tonight but I think you will see Carthage again next year.  With Stevie D and the youngsters they are going to be a force.  While Bosko didn't extend his lead of NCAA wins, he still has a commanding lead on active CCIW coaches.  I didn't realize until you posted this list that Coach G has only won three games in the NCAA tourney.  What is his record?

Giovanine is 3-3 in D3 tourney play.

Yes, he goes to his right quite a bit -- but he doesn't shoot with his right when he moves that way.

http://www.iwuhoops.com/dsright1.JPG

http://www.iwuhoops.com/dsright2.jpg

I saw the pictures the first time you posted them, Bob. No need to post them again. And you're forgetting that I also mentioned after the IWU @ Chicago game that Sexauer took two right-handed shots that afternoon -- an awkward scoop shot that went in, and an open layup that he short-rimmed. Doesn't change anything. He is still reluctant to use his right hand to shoot, and he will still use his left in most situations that are typically right-handed shot situations.

This isn't something that I'm just making up. Everybody knows this, and it's been a perpetual topic of conversation in this room throughout his career. Methinks you doth protest too much.

[Titan Q]

Does anybody know if there will be video for iwu-uwsp?  I can't find anything.

http://all-access.cbssports.com/player.html?code=ncaa&media=173199

http://www.sidearmstats.com/uwsp/mbball/index.htm

[titanfan]

Does anybody know if there will be video for iwu-uwsp?  I can't find anything.

http://all-access.cbssports.com/player.html?code=ncaa&media=173199

http://www.sidearmstats.com/uwsp/mbball/index.htm

thanks q!

[Pat Coleman]

Does anybody know if there will be video for iwu-uwsp?  I can't find anything.

Live Games box on the front page has a link for it.