MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Hardwood]

Mixing politics and this years CCIW teams....

Carthage & IWU -- Wealth in players -- Republicans

Augustana -- "Big" machine politics / blue collar workers -- Democrats

North Central -- building strength in numbers -- Tea Party

Millikin - Always there but no impact -- Libertarian

North Park, Wheaton, Elmhurst....Any thoughts???

[Gregory Sager]

NPU: Same wealth in players as Carthage and Wesleyan -- Republicans

(Is it too obvious to say that IWU should actually be the Greens?)

Elmhurst: They're "for the little guy" -- Democrats

Wheaton -- Whig Party  

[Titan Q]

Speaking of IWU and Republicans, come on Billy Brady...this is a tight race!

[usee]

Wheatons mens ball preview

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2010/11/1/MBB_seasonpreview.aspx

[Mr. Ypsi]

Maybe it's just my generation, but every political discussion I got into at the 40th anniversary reunion 3.5 weeks ago, every Titan was a liberal.

Don't know if Bloomington is still as Republican as the town that voted against hometown candidate Adlai Stevenson both times in the 50s, but our class doesn't seem to have turned out very Republican!

[Gregory Sager]

Maybe it was a mistake for me to encourage Hardwood's initial post by finishing it for him against my better judgment. I've always been the one who has tried to keep politics out of this room. Guilty as charged.

But I just couldn't resist the urge to make that Whig jibe at Wheaton.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Maybe it was a mistake for me to encourage Hardwood's initial post by finishing it for him against my better judgment. I've always been the one who has tried to keep politics out of this room. Guilty as charged.

But I just couldn't resist the urge to make that Whig jibe at Wheaton.

And you won't get any more politics out of me - just couldn't resist that one opportunity (and B'town history lesson).

[John Gleich]

PointSpecial,

What was your take on the scrimmage?

A few thoughts...

Very entertaining to watch.  Both of these teams are going to be very good and both battled really hard.  At many times, it was difficult to see that these teams had only been practicing a couple of weeks.

Carthage seemed to shoot really really well, especially in the second scrimmage.  I would have liked to see stats from both halves, but especially from the second half.

The aforementioned big boys from Carthage are, indeed, BIG boys.  SP's big guys are generally more agile than space eaters (though I could tell that they'd spent the off-season in the weight room... they were out-weighed by quite a bit with both of those guys and held their own).

As I said, Carthage seemed to be really hitting in the second half... and Point was pretty cold on makable shots.  For whatever reason, that happened a few times last year too... they had long stretches (at the beginning of the second half) where they just couldn't make anything.  Now, it wasn't that bad Sunday night, but Point was down 24-12 fairly quickly in the half and made a few runs, only to have Carthage hit another shot.

This was my first time seeing Steve D play and he was everything that was advertised.  Point actually matched up decently well speed-wise (Jerrel Harris is lightening quick and was able to keep up with Steve for the most part) but Point was giving up quite a bit of size (Jerrel is listed at 5'10".  That Pinocchio pic might be appropriate THERE too...).  I think that, if this had been a real game, Carthage might not have gotten some of the looks that they did get (lobs to a back-cutting Steve from the big guys at the top of the key).  Appropriate ball-pressure on those bigs helps to take away some of those looks and forces the big guys to put the ball on the floor.  Point actually drew at least 2 charges in the second half as those big guys tried to create something off the dribble.  I do have to say that I was generally impressed by the the bigs' mobility (especially Guzman), though he did seem out of control at times.  Looking at stats, he appears to have a good outside shot... again, ball pressure takes away those looks too and makes him put it on the floor where he is less effective as a player and less effective as other Carthage players off the dribble.


One last thought.  I wasn't very happy with the officiating.  In the first half, the fouls were 9-1 and in the second half, it was 6-1 (against Point).  I know that Steve is protected... but the foul calls weren't just protecting him... they seemed to be protecting all of the Carthage players.  Things generally evened out... but at certain points, it seemed like the scrimmage was prevented from being the teaching tool that it should have been because of the calls.  There was one foul in particular (against Harris) that was blatant and wrong... on a rebound, Harris went after the ball and Steve D did too and knocked him over... and they both went sprawling, and the foul was called on Harris.  There were also about 3 balls that went out of bounds that were called incorrectly (all against Point).  And finally, there was a "closely guarded" call that wasn't made... that led to a Carthage 3.  The "closely guarded" call was made on the next possession, but it deflated a Point run that had cut the Carthage lead.

If this game had actually counted, I would have been irate.  Instead, I was more just disappointed than anything else.  A scrimmage is what it is... but I felt like a portion of that was taken away by the way it was called.

That said, I don't know what the impact of a more evenly called game would have been.  Because of Point's inability to make shots that they really should have been able to make in the second scrimmage and Carthage's ability to make a bundle of three's likely would have tipped the scales on Carthage's favor anyway... but the final tally of the second half probably wouldn't have been 12.

All-in-all, I'd love to see this game played in one that counts.  I think it's unrealistic to think it could happen in Salem by the sheer fact that the schools are so relatively close... and it just sets up the potential for another bracket of death.  Hopefully, if that's the case, it's as late in the tournament as possible.


I penciled in a few (non-Point) games that I wanted to see this season... and the IWU @ Carthage game in January is still tops on that list!

[AndOne]

Mixing politics and this years CCIW teams....

Carthage & IWU -- Wealth in players -- Republicans

Augustana -- "Big" machine politics / blue collar workers -- Democrats

North Central -- building strength in numbers -- Tea Party Independents

Millikin - Always there but no impact -- Libertarian

North Park, Wheaton, Elmhurst....Any thoughts???

Lets remove the Tea Party/Closet Republican tag from the young Cardinals and define them, along with many of the County's young adult population, as young Independents seeking their own identity.  

And, politically speaking, there are few places in the universe more Republican and conservative than Wheaton--both the home of Billy Graham U, and the county seat of DuPage County where to this day, the Democrats don't even bother with the sheer folly of running a candidate for the majority of the elected county positions.  

Elmhurst, an "old" money town is another Republican bastion and home to the new DuPage County Board Chairman.  

NPU--Perhaps a small Republican outpost surrounded by quite possibly the nation's most highly oiled and successful Democratic machine.  

[dansand]

And, politically speaking, there are few places in the universe more Republican and conservative than Wheaton--both the home of Billy Graham U, and the county seat of DuPage County where to this day, the Democrats don't even bother with the sheer folly of running a candidate for the majority of the elected county positions.  

Billy Graham's a Democrat.

[AndOne]

A stab at CCIW starting lineups at the start of the non-conference season.  Some projections based on opinions posted here, others via best guess.

Let me know where I'm off.

* returning all-CCIW player

North Central
G – Kevin Gillespie, 5-11 Jr
G – Brian Evans, 6-3 Sr
F - Derek Raridon, 6-6 So* (2nd Team) (national "Rookie of the Year")
F – Brad Hallstein, 6-8 Fr
F - Landon Gamble, 6-6 Fr

The only thing definite about the starting lineup for North Central at this point is that Derek Raridon will start (duh).
There are probably four guards vying for starting spots.
Along with Derek, there are as many as SIX Cardinals still in the fight for the 2 other front line positions including Brian Evans who may start at either guard or forward.

I have a hard time believing that Brian Evans won't start for NCC, Mark. And I'm surprised that you of all people have him in the "maybe" pile, given how much of a sales job you did on CCIW Chat on his behalf last season.

Greg--

Hmmmmm. Read the above over a few times now, and still can't see where I said Brian won't start. After effectively being the Cardinals' center last season, and leading the league in offensive rebounds at 6'3", he'll likely play both guard and forward this year. Thats why I said he "may start at either guard or forward," which I don't think is the same thing as saying he won't start. However, depending on the lineup presented by the evening's opponent, it may be possible that he actually doesn't start, at least on a periodic basis. One thing the Cardinals have going for them this season thats been severely lacking in recent years is depth, including the ability to go bigger and stronger or smaller and quicker depending on what the game dynamics call for. How Brain may fit into the game plan on any particular evening remains to be seen.   

As far as my championing Brian's cause last year, it was entirely warranted. What were the odds of a 6'3" guard leading the league in offensive rebounds. Would you have wagered much money on that possibility at the beginning of last season, or any season for that matter? He deserved recognition for that accomplishment alone. I feel confident in saying it was at least as impressive as a 6'6" player leading the league in blocked shots. Additionally, Brian was ranked highly in several other important statistical categories. Accordingly, his being left off the all conference team was a function of his team's placement in the league standings rather that his ability in comparison to players who were rewarded, at least partially, for their teams higher finish. Its a demonstrated fact, and there can be no debate, that there is a definite correlation between a teams finish and the number of players it lands on the all conference team. So yes, even though I realized it would do no good, I promoted a "sales job," as you put it, on Brian's behalf.   

[Titan Q]

For any interested IWU fans, sounds like a good opportunity to see the men's and women's teams Saturday...

http://www.iwusports.com/news/2010/11/1/MBB_1101101843.aspx?path=mbball

The Illinois Wesleyan women's and men's basketball teams will be on public display during the "Titan Hoops Fan Fest", which will be staged in the Shirk Center on Saturday, Nov. 6 immediately following the IWU football game against Carthage that afternoon.

Both teams will scrimmage for 15 minute periods and there will be a poster autograph session for both squads.

There will also be a 3-point shooting contest for both genders with the winners competing against each other along with a dunk contest for the men's team. There will also be a "two-ball" contest where IWU players will team up with someone in the audience.

In addition to the Titan teams playing, there will be opportunities for fans to win prizes, including making a half-court shot for a television and other opportunities to win cash in the "Heartland Bank Shootout", a season athletics pass and a car wash.

Concessions will be available and many other free giveaways are planned.

[pgkevin]

What about the women's dunk contest?

[Gregory Sager]

Hmmmmm. Read the above over a few times now, and still can't see where I said Brian won't start.

I didn't say that you had. I was reacting to your statement that Derek Raridon was the only guaranteed starter, a point that you then amplified in your second post by saying:

However, depending on the lineup presented by the evening's opponent, it may be possible that he [Evans] actually doesn't start, at least on a periodic basis.

... and I reiterate that I have a hard time seeing that. Added depth or not, Evans is a very versatile and proven player who has one thing that very few Cardinals will have this season: Experience. I just don't fathom how Todd Raridon can keep him out of the lineup.

What about the women's dunk contest?

A woman's dunk only counts for two points.

[RogK]

It might be fun for the Titan guys to use the women-size ball (a tad smaller) in their dunk contest.
I think the main reason for prohibiting the IWU women from participation in the dunking is to prevent Holly Harvey from bruising her chin on the rim again.