MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[titanfan]

IWU beats Millikin 75-56. 

Ryan Connolly scored 24 points on 10-10 from the field.

[augiefan]

Augie 70 Wheaton 57 Final

[iwu70]

IWU over the Big Blue by about 20.  A career night for Ryan Connolly.  I'm still of the view that this guy should be playing 25-30 minutes per night and do not, as yet, share Q's view about the crucial role that Doug Sexauer plays in the IWU offensive set-up.  Yes, he's more mobile, has better, quicker moves around the basket, but look at the numbers, production through almost 3/5s of the season, shooting percentages etc.  I also go with the view that Schick and Schouten are more reliable and consistent at this stage than Victor Davis.  The Titans, both men and women, just don't have the turnover and rebound margins we've had in past years, hence the need for consistent, reliable hands that don't turn over the ball and don't take poor and poor percentage shots.  Glad to see we now have two games at home, a time to really sort things out and get the rotation set for the tougher phase of the CCIW season.  Everyone needs to play more consistently . . . can we really say that anyone on the Titans has played in a consistently outstanding, all-Conference fashion to date?  (Only one I see on either Titan team is Stacey Arlis -- really putting together an All-Conference 1st team season). 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Mark, I've got to agree with you about Connolly, though not having seen him in person, I hesitate to disagree with Bob about his minutes.  PER MINUTE, he may have the best stats in the history of the CCIW!   I have no clue whether or not his stats would hold up if he had more minutes.

If Sexauer really is severely hampered, I would hope that we will find out.

[dansand]

Great win for Augie tonight. It wasn't really as close as a 13-point final margin would indicate. Vikes led by 20 at the half and were up by 24 with about 11 1/2 minutes left.

Augie's defense was tremendous. The real key stretch was when the Vikes held Wheaton scoreless for seven minutes in the first half and went on a 16-0 run to take a 22-6 lead. Augie forced eight turnovers--including five in a row at one point--and Wheaton only got off four shots in those seven minutes. Augie doubled Tim McCrary the entire game and held him to just eight points, but what was more impressive was how well they rotated over to cover Wheaton's shooters when McCray kicked it out, which he's very good at.

Bryant Voiles was outstanding with 19 points. He just took over in the last 10 minutes of the first half. He scored 12 of 18 Augie points in a six-minute stretch. It was great to see Mike Avallone get his most playing time of the season and come through with 11 points in 11 minutes. I also love it that four players tied for the team lead with three assists.

Tough one at Carthage on Saturday.

[armywife]

It's great to see Augie doing so well.

[Titan Q]

Here is the IWU/Millikin boxcore...

https://www.millikin.edu/SITES/ATHLETICS/MBASKETBALL/Pages/2010-11MillikinStatistics.aspx


* Ryan Connolly: 24 pts (10-10 FG), 4 reb (17 min)
* Jordan Zimmer: 15 pts (5-8 3-pt)
* Travis Rosenkranz: 10 pts, 4 reb, 5 assists
* Doug Sexauer: 10 pts, 6 reb

IWU: 11-21 3-pt

[Titan Q]

IWU over the Big Blue by about 20.  A career night for Ryan Connolly.  I'm still of the view that this guy should be playing 25-30 minutes per night

Last year Ryan Connolly was limited to 10-12 minutes per game because of his physical conditioning.  Anyone who saw the Titans play in 2009-10 would agree that Connolly just could not get up and down the floor well enough to play him much more than that.  

Physically, Connolly is a different player this season.  He lost a bunch of weight in the off-season and just runs the floor a lot better.  I think he could play 25 minutes or so if called upon.

Where Connolly still frustrates, however - and the reason I'm not yet ready to say he should be playing any more than about 15 minutes per game - is in game-to-game consistency.  In several games this season, Connolly has just not played well enough on either end of the floor to help the team win.  And then others (Cal Lutheran and Millikin come to mind) he looks really good.  I watched the 2nd half last night on video stream, and you could just tell that the big man was locked in.  Now, some of that had to do with the fact that the Big Blue just could not possibly matchup with him, but a lot of it had to do with the fact he played smart.  He got the ball in the low post, identified where the double was coming from (or was not coming from), and made a quick decision.  As he told the Pantagraph: "They played behind in the post so it was easy to get post entries...They didn't send the double team early enough so I just put the ball in the basket."

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/article_1e574f18-1ecd-11e0-949a-001cc4c03286.html

I won't change my opinion that Connolly is basically just a 12-15 minute backup center until he is more consistent with those 12-15 minutes from night to night.  I am rooting for him though - I like "BC" a lot and really enjoy the games where plays smart and effectively.  IWU would be a lot better team if Connolly earns 20+ minutes per game.

[Titan Q]

Home win = +0
Road win = +1
Home loss = -1
Road loss = +0


+/- Standings through 1/12
Augustana +1
Carthage +1
Illinois Wesleyan +1
North Central +1
Wheaton +0
Elmhurst -1
Millikin -1
North Park -2

(Usually takes +4 to win the title)


Wednesday, 1/15
Millikin @ North Central
North Park @ Wheaton
Augustana @ Carthage
Elmhurst @ Illinois Wesleyan

[dansand]

Wheaton coach Mike Schauer was very complimentary of Augie's defense in one of the local papers this morning:

"This is my 22nd year associated with the CCIW and this is as good a defensive basketball team I've been around,'' said second-year Wheaton coach Mike Schauer. "It may not be the best one, but it's in the upper echelons and demands so much composure from the opposition against them and it's difficult, particularly on the road, to find that. I really thought they took us out of anything we wanted to do."

[wheels81]

Ever since I pointed out that he had 2 typos in his last post he's been silent.  I should have recognized the symptoms of something gone amuck!

Or amok.

Not quite referring to a murderous frenzy I prefer the #2 definition
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/amuck

[petemcb]

Here is the IWU/Millikin boxcore...

https://www.millikin.edu/SITES/ATHLETICS/MBASKETBALL/Pages/2010-11MillikinStatistics.aspx


* Ryan Connolly: 24 pts (10-10 FG), 4 reb (17 min)

I was going to comment on Connolly's low rebounding numbers until I realized that, when you go 10-10 from the field, there weren't many opportunities for him to rebound his own miss and put it back in......    I have joined the camp that wants to see more minutes out of Connolly  -  especially if Sexauer is hobbled.  I think an injured player's backup has earned the minutes by virtue of being the first option off the bench.  It's time.

[CCIWFAN6]

IWU over the Big Blue by about 20.  A career night for Ryan Connolly.  I'm still of the view that this guy should be playing 25-30 minutes per night

Last year Ryan Connolly was limited to 10-12 minutes per game because of his physical conditioning.  Anyone who saw the Titans play in 2009-10 would agree that Connolly just could not get up and down the floor well enough to play him much more than that.  

Physically, Connolly is a different player this season.  He lost a bunch of weight in the off-season and just runs the floor a lot better.  I think he could play 25 minutes or so if called upon.

Where Connolly still frustrates, however - and the reason I'm not yet ready to say he should be playing any more than about 15 minutes per game - is in game-to-game consistency.  In several games this season, Connolly has just not played well enough on either end of the floor to help the team win.  And then others (Cal Lutheran and Millikin come to mind) he looks really good.  I watched the 2nd half last night on video stream, and you could just tell that the big man was locked in.  Now, some of that had to do with the fact that the Big Blue just could not possibly matchup with him, but a lot of it had to do with the fact he played smart.  He got the ball in the low post, identified where the double was coming from (or was not coming from), and made a quick decision.  As he told the Pantagraph: "They played behind in the post so it was easy to get post entries...They didn't send the double team early enough so I just put the ball in the basket."

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/article_1e574f18-1ecd-11e0-949a-001cc4c03286.html

I won't change my opinion that Connolly is basically just a 12-15 minute backup center until he is more consistent with those 12-15 minutes from night to night.  I am rooting for him though - I like "BC" a lot and really enjoy the games where plays smart and effectively.  IWU would be a lot better team if Connolly earns 20+ minutes per game.

Having had a chance to see him a number of times in the first two years of his career, I think part of the problem with consistency came from a lack of maturity.  He seemed to get extremely emotional over the course of the game, negatively and positively.  When things went well for him, they continued to go well, however, when a call went  against him or he turned the ball over, the wheels fell off.

It then becomes increasingly important for Coach Rose to monitor this closely too see which Ryan Connolly has shown up that night. 

[markerickson]

Since I could not stomach any more of the game, I left Foster and Kedzie with 90 seconds remaining with the Vikings down by 13 or so.  At that juncture, North Park had scored roughly as many points in the first 10 minutes of the game as compared to the remainder.  In the first half of the first half, NP led 22-9.  The game's first head-scratching move came when Cahill went to the bench after nailing his first three trey attempts very early in the game.  He was feeling it, and then sat and sat.  NP was inexplicably down at the half.

NCC's tallest starter, Burchett, earned his fourth foul with 12 minutes to play.  Did NP attack him when he was in the game after picking up his fourth?  I don't think so.  He fouled out on a blatant charge with three minutes to go.  E. Crosby missed four shots within two feet of the basket, including an airball on a dunk attempt.  He and Wali must be taught one does not need to put the ball on the floor every time you are within three feet of the bucket.

NP had a grand total of nine assists for the game.  Phil S. did not play.  If he is not hurt, he can help this team, especially given his dedication to the program after returning from two major injuries.

I think I have to step back for a longer period than Greg. 

[iwumichigander]

IWU over the Big Blue by about 20.  A career night for Ryan Connolly.  I'm still of the view that this guy should be playing 25-30 minutes per night

Last year Ryan Connolly was limited to 10-12 minutes per game because of his physical conditioning.  Anyone who saw the Titans play in 2009-10 would agree that Connolly just could not get up and down the floor well enough to play him much more than that.  

Physically, Connolly is a different player this season.  He lost a bunch of weight in the off-season and just runs the floor a lot better.  I think he could play 25 minutes or so if called upon.

Where Connolly still frustrates, however - and the reason I'm not yet ready to say he should be playing any more than about 15 minutes per game - is in game-to-game consistency.    IWU would be a lot better team if Connolly earns 20+ minutes per game.

From previous post by Q --- IWU only has 2 guys right now who are legitimate back-to-the-basket scoring threats - Doug Sexauer and Ryan Connolly (6-9 freshman Nick Anderson is developing on the JV team...just not ready for varsity).  As most know, IWU's offense is built around an inside/outside game.

IWU70 and Mr Ypsi - I'll 'weigh in here' ;  when I saw Connolly at the tip-off tournament this season I did not recognize him immediately.  Q is correct about prior seasons, BC often 'sucked wind' trying to get up and down the floor.  Post players have a little longer development time line adjusting to college from high school. 
1) BC has had to make an additional adjustment --- getting accustomed to a trimmer, more efficient body which means you have to adjust your foot work and leverage points also.
2) As Q noted, Ryan and Doug are the true "5s" on this Titan team.  Doug is going to get the starting assignment over Ryan.  I think if Nick Anderson develops to the point he earns some varsity minutes, then we might see Ryan starting with a rotation on the floor with Doug and Nick.  This brings scenario would bring another 'opportunity' for Ron Rose - if you start Connolly and Sexaurer what other starter becomes a 6th guy coming off the bench?
3) Last, a couple of CCIW teams would just be bad match-ups with Connolly as a starter.