MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[WheatonFanChris]

Also, if I'm not mistaken, a 16-0 start would be the best by a CCIW team since Wesleyan started 20-0 in '95-96.

There was recently a blurb in the Pantagraph's From Pages Past about that IWU team...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/scoreboard/from_pages_past/article_df6f8162-1f9e-11e0-8481-001cc4c03286.html


IWU was ranked #1 and Wheaton #2 at the time of that game (not sure by who - it was pre-D3hoops.com).  To this today, that January 13, 1996 game vs Wheaton, capped by the Brady Knight to Chris Simich play, is the best game I've ever seen at the Shirk Center.

About 3 weeks later IWU traveled to Wheaton's Memorial Gymnasium - again, IWU #1 and Wheaton #2.  People were in line to get in at 5:00pm for the 7:30 game.  The JV game was played in front of a completely sold-out gym, and they had to turn people away at the door as early 6:15 or so.  Wheaton ended IWU's 20-game winning streak to start 1995-96 in another incredible game.  (Most IWU fans do not remember that the 1995-96 team - considered by many to be IWU's best non-Sikma team...and IWU's first Final Four squad - did not win the CCIW.  IWU finished 12-2 and Wheaton 13-1.)

Watching those IWU/Wheaton games in 1994-95 and 1995-96 are some of my favorite memories of following Division III basketball and IWU.  When I think of IWU vs Wheaton games in general over the course of the last 16 years or so, I can't remember many that were not incredible games, decided in the final minute.

As a ten year old at the time, the game in Centennial Gym is one of my favorite childhood memories. Getting there 2 hours early, losing my voice, dying to one day be either #24 Wesley Pitts or a Crusader Crazy, chanting at Wheaton North product Bryan Crabtree, and sweating like crazy. A fantastic night i'll always remember. Wish I was old enough to have made the trip down to Bloomington at the time! But there has not been a Wheaton home game to match that since. Maybe the IWU game in 97, or the CCIW championship game vs. Elmhurst in King in 09 would place 2nd and 3rd in my experience, but still could have had a seat at 7:00 for those games.

And Titan Q, thanks for bringing up those memories, and to all of you, thanks for putting up with my nostalgia.

And Lets Go Thunder tonight! Looking for Jahns to carry home a W from Bloomington one last time (hopefully!)

[John Gleich]

Also, if I'm not mistaken, a 16-0 start would be the best by a CCIW team since Wesleyan started 20-0 in '95-96.

There was recently a blurb in the Pantagraph's From Pages Past about that IWU team...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/scoreboard/from_pages_past/article_df6f8162-1f9e-11e0-8481-001cc4c03286.html


IWU was ranked #1 and Wheaton #2 at the time of that game (not sure by who - it was pre-D3hoops.com).  To this today, that January 13, 1996 game vs Wheaton, capped by the Brady Knight to Chris Simich play, is the best game I've ever seen at the Shirk Center.

About 3 weeks later IWU traveled to Wheaton's Memorial Gymnasium - again, IWU #1 and Wheaton #2.  People were in line to get in at 5:00pm for the 7:30 game.  The JV game was played in front of a completely sold-out gym, and they had to turn people away at the door as early 6:15 or so.  Wheaton ended IWU's 20-game winning streak to start 1995-96 in another incredible game.  (Most IWU fans do not remember that the 1995-96 team - considered by many to be IWU's best non-Sikma team...and IWU's first Final Four squad - did not win the CCIW.  IWU finished 12-2 and Wheaton 13-1.)

Watching those IWU/Wheaton games in 1994-95 and 1995-96 are some of my favorite memories of following Division III basketball and IWU.  When I think of IWU vs Wheaton games in general over the course of the last 16 years or so, I can't remember many that were not incredible games, decided in the final minute.

As a ten year old at the time, the game in Centennial Gym is one of my favorite childhood memories. Getting there 2 hours early, losing my voice, dying to one day be either #24 Wesley Pitts or a Crusader Crazy, chanting at Wheaton North product Bryan Crabtree, and sweating like crazy. A fantastic night i'll always remember. Wish I was old enough to have made the trip down to Bloomington at the time! But there has not been a Wheaton home game to match that since. Maybe the IWU game in 97, or the CCIW championship game vs. Elmhurst in King in 09 would place 2nd and 3rd in my experience, but still could have had a seat at 7:00 for those games.

And Titan Q, thanks for bringing up those memories, and to all of you, thanks for putting up with my nostalgia.

And Lets Go Thunder tonight! Looking for Jahns to carry home a W from Bloomington one last time (hopefully!)

I remember going to this game too... I think I was 14 at the time.  Great atmosphere...!

[sac]

This might be getting weird.

[augiefan]

Winners are NCC, IWU, Augie and Elmhurst. The only close one at the end was NCC at Carthage, where Carthage missed a FT that would have tied the game with 16 secs. to go. Two NCC FTs wrapped it up 66-63. NCC should be fired up going to Augie with a chance to play for first place on Saturday.

[Titan Q]

IWU 82
Wheaton 72

* John Koschnitzky: 19 pts, 7 reb, 3 assists
* Jordan Zimmer: 16 pts, 7 reb
* Matt Schick: 14 pts, 4 reb, 2 assists
* Doug Sexauer: 12 pts, 9 reb
* Sean Johnson: 11 pts, 5 assists

* Jon DeMoss: 15 pts, 4 reb
* Andrew Jahns: 14 pts, 5 reb
* Tim McCrary: 11 pts, 8 reb, 5 assists


The first 15 minutes or so were very close, but the Titans pulled away in the final 5 minutes of the 1st half.  IWU shot 52% against the Thunder.  There seemed to only be one stretch in the game (early in the 2nd half) where Wheaton could stop IWU from scoring.  IWU led fairly comfortably the final 25 minutes or so of the game.

Eliud Gonzalez (now IWU's starting PG due to the injury to Travis Rosenkranz) picked up his 2nd foul about halfway through the 1st.  Stephen Rudnicki, formerly the 3rd PG on the depth chart, had to close out the half, and that was the stretch IWU pulled away from Wheaton.  Listening to the game, those Rudnicki minutes seemed significant.

It sounded like John Koschnitzy and the Titans did a very good job on Wheaton star Tim McCrary.

[Titan Q]

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


+/- Standings through 1/19
Augustana +2
North Central +2
Illinois Wesleyan +1
Wheaton +0
Carthage -1
Elmhurst -1
Millikin -1
North Park -2

(Usually takes +4 to win the title)


Saturday, 1/22
Carthage @ Millikin
Wheaton @ Elmhurst
Illinois Wesleyan @ North Park
North Central @ Augustana

[iwu70]

Good win by IWU tonight.  Just what the (Sheldon) doctor ordered . . . good performances by Matt Schick, JZim and Kman.  When everyone is scoring, rebounding and moving the ball, getting assists, the Titans have a very solid overall team effort.  Eliud and Rudnicki seem to be doing a great job at the PG position so far. 

NCC seems to be the surprise . . . so interesting match-up next with Augie-NCC game at Rock Island. 

Titan women won pretty easily tonight over previously 4-0 Wheaton women.  Stacey Arlis is having quite a season. 

[Titan Q]

http://athletics.carthage.edu/news/2011/1/19/Mens_Basketball_0119115351.aspx


"Close but not good enough has become a way-too-familiar refrain," said Carthage coach Bosko Djurickovic. "Good teams win games like these. We've now lost four home games, and we've put ourselves in a very difficult position in the CCIW. North Central plays with nice energy, and we didn't play particularly well. We looked like we had never seen a zone defense in our lives. Malcom Kelly's third foul really hurt us, as well. Steve Djurickovic wasn't very alive tonight, and we seemed to be chasing shots. They really out-rebounded us, 41-22. Brian Evens is a warrior for them. He's a winner, and he really gets the job done. We're finding a way to be short, and given the expectations going into the season, that's disappointing. There was a lot of talk in the summer about how good this team might be—it's not going to happen."   

[Titan Q]

NCC's Brian Evans had 12 pts and 14 rebounds tonight...

http://athletics.carthage.edu/custompages/men's%20basketball/2011%20stats/ncc1.htm

[Mr. Ypsi]

Apologies if this has already been discussed, but I just noticed an oddity at the end of the conference schedule.  The Augie at IWU game, which 'should' have been the 4th game on Wednesday, 2-16, will instead be the only game played the following week (on Tuesday, 2-22).  What's up with that?  (All I can figure is some sort of conflict at the Shirk, but that seems odd during the conference season.)  Anyone know?

(Maybe someone had a hunch that that could be a showdown for 'all the marbles', and wanted to increase the drama! )

[iwu70]

When was the last time Stevie D was held to 10 points?  Wow, Carthage is indeed in trouble. 

[WheatonFanChris]

Coach Schauer's strong words in the post game interview:

"We've got some problems that unless we get sorted out, we're gonna be in trouble. We are unable to guard people at one of our 5 spots. And it's gotten to the point that i don't really know who to play as that fifth person. But unless we get an interior defender who can protect the basket and guard his guy we are in a lot of trouble.... We've regressed defensively."

"We've got a lot of work to do, and I'm not doing a very good job."

"We may have to go zone, which I'm sure will give Coach Harris a heart attack, but I'm not sure I have any other answer. We may just have to concede that we can't stop anybody.... We've got to find a way to stop somebody and rebound the ball. It's becoming a bit of an epidemic now."

These are the quotes that stuck out to me, I think a large overstatement on his job, but that unnamed 5th defender has been lacking for sure in the post. I assume practice the rest of this week will be quite enjoyable and that come Saturday at Elmhurst, the Thunder will be working their tails off boxing out and on the defensive end.

[Titan Q]

Apologies if this has already been discussed, but I just noticed an oddity at the end of the conference schedule.  The Augie at IWU game, which 'should' have been the 4th game on Wednesday, 2-16, will instead be the only game played the following week (on Tuesday, 2-22).  What's up with that?  (All I can figure is some sort of conflict at the Shirk, but that seems odd during the conference season.)  Anyone know?

(Maybe someone had a hunch that that could be a showdown for 'all the marbles', and wanted to increase the drama! )

It started with this, from Feb 18 last year:

http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=480383

"Giovanine was not happy that his kids were playing basketball in finals week and vowed "it will never happen again if I have anything to do with it. Our academic calendar changed, and we have to change with it. We spent the first 15 minutes in a fog. Then I thought we outplayed them for 25 minutes. But we were so bad the first 15 that we couldn't overcome it."


I'm sure it's not easy playing during finals week, but IWU has led Augie for about 79 of the 80 total minutes this season...and maintained leads throughout both games of about 8 points on average.  I'm not sure I buy Coach G's excuse.

The original 2010-11 CCIW schedule had Augustana @ IWU on Wednesday, Feb 16.  Augie asked IWU if they'd be willing to move the game from finals week to another date.  I'm not sure how those negotiations went and who was involved, but obviously, the game was moved to the Tuesday of conference tournament week.

[Titan Q]

I have to give some grief to the WETN color guy on the call last night.  For the entire game, he called IWU's #34 "Crotchnitzky."  Now I know the name "Koschnitzky" has a lot of letters and consonants going on and stuff, but "Crotchnitzky"??  Come on dude, there is no "R" to be found!  (And even if you thought you saw an "R", wouldn't you do a double take before actually saying "Crotchnitzky" 25 times on the air??)

Otherwise a fine job by the WETN crew...but that was kind of bush league.

[coebball70]

Titan Q .... well at least the color guy didn't say "Crotchnitzky was itching for the ball", hopefully!