MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Someone please tell E. Crosby that when he gets the ball in the paint, there is a move where you do not dribble, but instead turn on the pivot foot.  Also, use the glass more often.  Even Pierce did the ole move for two.

Stevie D was in fine form tonight.  He passed crisply, but missed several assists because the teammate didn't execute.  He hit from inside and outside, drew the fouls, and actually missed two from the charity stripe.  Just like last year, Steve is the most chronic whiner in the league.  For example, after the technical, which happened under the basket while Steve was at the top of the key, he continued to jaw with the ref through both free throws.

Cayhill is a pure scorer.  He can create a shot from 15' and beyond.  He tried two layups where he switched to his left hand, but missed both.  I thought Robinson did an ok job guarding Steve.  Greer...mmmm...not as good.  Gabriel led the surge to cut the game to six.  Not only did the game get close, but the Vikings got into the double-bonus...perhaps after 12 minutes elapsed in the second half.
The taller, stronger Vikings should have won this game.  

The taller, stronger Vikings should have swept Elmhurst.  I think NP should have defeated NCC in Chicago.  Having said that, I believe NCC is the weakest CCIW second-place finisher in at least 20 years.

Mark,
Your last sentence is a bit premature!...However ill raise it by saying NP is the strongest 6TH PLACE FINISHER in at least 20years!

No need to lash out at Mark by taking a dig at NPU, cp. When you think about it, he's paid North Central a compliment. When I read the words "weakest CCIW second-place finisher in at least 20 years," the first word that popped into my head was "overachieving." Dunno how you folks in Naperville view that word, but I consider it high praise. When a team squeezes every last drop of talent out of itself in a game and then some, and it manages to win games that an experienced observer really doesn't think that team should win -- and NCC has certainly won games of that ilk over the past two months -- it's a testimony to the desire and work ethic of the players, as well as an encomium on behalf of the head coach and his assistants for the great job that they are doing in preparing and motivating their team.

I've heard more than one coach in this league say things about North Central that are similar to what Mark Erickson said. The difference is that Mark left you hanging with the compliment implicit in that statement, whereas the coaches end with, "But it doesn't matter how good I think the Cardinals really are, because they beat us, which says something for them," or words to that effect.

NPU may or may not be the strongest sixth-place finisher in at least twenty years -- have you even been around the CCIW for twenty years, cp? -- but it is one of the most talented. All the more reason for NPU fans to be upset with how things have shaken out for the Vikings in 2010-11.

[Naperick]

Just as I thought might happen, North Central had a devil of a time pulling out a 68-64 win over Elmhurst at Faganel tonight. The Bluejays actually had a chance to tie in the final minute, but James Robertson couldn't connect on a trey; that makes twice in the past couple of weeks that Elmhurst has missed a trey that would've either tied the game or put them in the lead in the final minute (the loss to IWU being the other). Landon Gamble and Derek Raridon worked the same sort of two-man magic for NCC that Djurickovic and Thompson worked for Carthage in the crackerbox, as they scored 54 of NCC's 68 points. Gamble had a 30 and 7 night, while Raridon scored 24.

I'll tell you what; Landon Gamble is making a serious bid for first-team All-CCIW. He's the second-leading scorer in the league behind Djurickovic, and he's taken over the FG shooting percentage lead from Emanuel Crosby. His numbers are better than Kyle Nelson's, and they're substantially better than Doug Sexauer's.

Just one more weird element to a weird season in the CCIW.

Getting back to the NCC @ EC game ... if I was Mike Schauer, I would move heaven and earth to make sure that my team takes Elmhurst very, very seriously on Saturday night. If Wheaton gives anything less than a sincere, hard effort, Elmhurst will win the upset that they've been threatening to pull off against somebody over the last few weeks.

As a NCC fan, I must say I thought Elmhurst played a helluva game tonight. Every time the Cardinals landed a blow, the Bluejays struck back. Cardinals fans were nervous the entire night. I think EC's main problem was letting both Gamble AND Raridon get theirs. If they could have shut just one off a little, the victory would have fallen to the hosts.

Derek and Landon worked an almost magical 2 man game game tonight. Kevin Gillespie handled out 6 nice assists, feeding both Derek outside and Landon inside.
However, the fans choice for unsung hero of the evening was Aaron Tiknis who hit both of his FG attempts and a FT, pulled down 3 rebounds (one a put back), had 2 beautiful assists, and intercepted 2 passes down low.  

Elmhurst did play well.  They had no answer for Gamble and Raridon.

Does anyone know what the 2nd technical foul was about?  I believe Bruce Hill, the P.A. guy at Elmhurst, said it was on the NCC bench.  The 1st one seemed like it was for coach Raridon being after the officials too much.

Overall, a fun game to watch.  Elmhurst missed too many free throws but hit enough threes to stick around.

Naper---

The 2nd tech was on one of the NCC ass't coaches.
On the play involved, NCC attempted an entry pass down low, and the bounce pass sailed out of bounds. The reason for that was the intended receiver couldn't move a step or two forward to meet the lead pass because he was being held by a defender, so it was Elmhurst ball out. As the teams headed back down toward the EC basket, the NCC ass't yelled "#30 was holding him." which he was. For that, he/NCC was hit with their 2nd T of the game. The problem was the T was whistled not by the ref closest to the NCC bench, nor. I believe, even the ref who the comment was directed at. It was called by the ref stationed on the other side of the court from the benches, and in the far corner across from the EC bench.
I think this was the same ref who had earlier called the T on the NCC head coach. He had the whistle and the authority, and by gosh, he was going to assert it. Thin guy with a shaved head.

In total the two 2 Ts, plus the ensuing ball out afforded Elmhurst the opportunity for EC to score 4 FTs, plus 4-6 more points on the possessions after the Ts in what proved to be a 4 point NCC win.

This is to take nothing away from EC. As I said last night, they played a strong game and the issue was in doubt until the final seconds.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

While we're on the subject of officiating, IMHO, I feel the officiating I've seen in the CCIW this season has been, lets say, below average. Those of you reading this can probably think of several different instances this year where you saw the refs blow calls that your mom could have seen from heaven. Its gotten so bad, that on Monday night after NCC beat Wesleyan in Naperville, several Wesleyan fans with whom I was discussing the game afterwards said "I thought the refs were supposed to favor the home team. Those refs tonight didn't do you guys any favors." Now, thats the other team's fans telling an opposing fan that the refs blew several calls that favored their team. You know its pretty bad when that happens because I think most of us would admit its hard to admit the refs blown call actually favored your team.
I see high school games almost every Tues and Fri night. I've seen several HS refs that I'd bet lots of money could do a better job than several of the CCIW refs I've seen not just this year, but over an extended time.
Sure, there are several good CCIW refs but I, for one, think it would be nice to see some new blood in the form of some new refs come into the league. I know the college game is both quicker and rougher than that played on the HS level, but there are good refs out there that I'm sure could competently handle the different level of play. Thoughts?
 

AndOne,

Thanks for the explanation!  I knew the ref that issued the 2nd "T" was far away from the play.  Raridon just looked stunned.  He couldn't believe the call.  He held back because the game was close and he knew that ref was waiting for more from the NCC bench.  Coach Raridon did a nice job of restraining himself.

The Bluejays were not shooting free throws well but those technical fouls could have changed the outcome of the game.

I have not seen as many games in person as most on this board have seen, but the officiating seems to be below average this year.  I know it's a tough job but it just seems like a bad year for the zebras.

[CCIWchamps]

Since no one else has mentioned it yet, the sun came up again on Monday, and Steve Djurickovic won CCIW player of the week honors for the 4th time this season and 14th time in his career.  

If Carthage doesn't make the conference tournament, is there any way he doesn't get the MOP?

Well since nobody mentioned it either, Tim McCrary won CCIW player of the week honors for the 2nd time this season LAST week:
http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2011/2/7/MBB_0207111707.aspx?path=mbball

I guess we just focus on the team accomplishments when it comes to the Thunder....


(post #1)

I'll bite.  2 championships since 1999..shouldn't be a lot of posts from Wheaton fans in this forum as far as team accomplishments go if the above is indeed a true statement.

Touche!  But to be fair (to myself), the comparison was between an individual MOP award and conference tournament team participation, which would provide Wheaton with a higher number than 2.  That, and I was just stirring the pot.

I know...just messin with ya!  It's all in good fun

Understood 

[cciwrabblerouser]

mr. sager:  are you suggesting that "npu is the best sixth-place finisher in the cciw in the last 20 years" be the recruiting pitch to attract next year's class to the park?

[thunder38]

Pretty good lookin all conference teams AO.  Some may call it homerish but I think you're right to put Gamble ahead of Sexauer on the first team.  Augie's a tough team to figure out for all conference picks just due to their balance but I do agree that Nelson is definitely their first teamer and Voiles their second.  Tough year for all conference picks when Sean Johnson is falling to the third team.

[TitansIWU]

Excuse my ignorance, but when do they select the CCIW all conference teams?

Is it before the conference tournament or after it?

If it is after it, there is still a chance for some players to improve their stock with break-out performances that are left in the minds of those voting.

I am just thinking some players might move up a team if they have some big games to close out conference play.

Is this possible?

[BlueJay21]

All conference teams are selected before the conference tournament.

[Titan Q]

A nice article on IWU's Sean Johnson, who was Ron Rose's first recruit, leading up to Senior Night Saturday...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/article_2c55d2fe-3b26-11e0-9971-001cc4c03286.html


Sean is a heck of a competitor and has really been a good player at Illinois Wesleyan.  He has been a fixture in IWU's starting lineup for 4 years.

Special thanks to Sean for all of the hard work and sacrifice it takes to be a successful student-athlete.

[sac]

Thin guy with a shaved head.

It always seems to me like it's the guys with the shaved heads or the bald guys who call the majority of T's. 

If he's got hair on his head, then you're pretty safe (unless you do something that multiple refs T you up for, like tossing a chair, etc).

That's profiling, and profiling is wrong.

[John Gleich]

Thin guy with a shaved head.

It always seems to me like it's the guys with the shaved heads or the bald guys who call the majority of T's. 

If he's got hair on his head, then you're pretty safe (unless you do something that multiple refs T you up for, like tossing a chair, etc).

That's profiling, and profiling is wrong.

Is it profiling... or just astute observation?

[AndOne]

The other amusing moment came in the JV game. The Carthage bus was an hour late getting to the crackerbox, so the JV game ran very late -- in spite of the fact that its halftime was cut to only three minutes. When regulation ended 55-55, the coaches agreed to do something I've never seen in a basketball game before: Sudden death. First team to score wins. Carthage won the tip, couldn't score, and when NPU came down the floor with the ball the Carthage JV coach blew a gasket because the shot clock was turned off. Well, of course the shot clock was turned off -- there was no game clock, since it was sudden death, therefore there was no shot clock. Sitting there at the scorer's table keeping the book, I just looked over at the Carthage coach and said, "Old-time basketball, coach."

(NPU's Stephawn Woodley ended up getting fouled in the act of shooting and made the second FT to win the JV game for the Park.)

Greg----

You are scaring me a bit. Perhaps in sitting next to me at the NCC-NPU game in Naperville a few weeks ago, you absorbed some of the symptoms of my Mad Cow, which has begun to effect your otherwise impeccable memory.
Although the memory evidently escaped you momentarily, you have previously borne witness to a game decided by sudden death. Let me refresh your memory......................
I take you back 2 years ago to another JV game. This one featuring NPU and NCC.
The game actually went to a THIRD OT. I believe the 1st OT was the normal 5 minutes, and, by coaches agreement, the 2nd OT was cut to 4 minutes. When the score was still tied after the 2nd OT, the coaches agreed that the matter would be settled by means of sudden death. I'm not sure if NCC got the tip or not, but they did end up scoring the winning points in the 3rd, sudden death, OT. I believe Brett Hulett of NCC may have hit the winning basket.
Is it coming back now?    

[AndOne]

Pretty good lookin all conference teams AO.  Some may call it homerish but I think you're right to put Gamble ahead of Sexauer on the first team. Augie's a tough team to figure out for all conference picks just due to their balance but I do agree that Nelson is definitely their first teamer and Voiles their second.  Tough year for all conference picks when Sean Johnson is falling to the third team.

Thank you thunder.

As you say, "some my call it homerish," but objectively speaking, placing Landon Gamble on the 1st team rather than Doug Sexauer was a no brainer.
I based my reasoning on the fact that Gamble leads Sexauer in scoring, rebounding, FG%, FT%, and steals. Furthermore, in head to head competition this season, Landon has outscored Doug by a 38-26 margin, and won the rebounding battle 15-10.

Continuing on the theme of possible "homerish" behavior, I realize some may question my inclusion of Brian Evans on the 2nd team. After all, he ranks only 26th in scoring. However, I believe the fact that he currently ranks 3rd in total rebounds, 6th in FG%, 3rd in assists, tied for 7th in steals, 4th in assist/TO ratio, 6th in defensive rebounds, and, at 6'3", FIRST in offensive rebounds is testimony to his versatility, and presents compelling evidence of his meriting 2nd team selection. I doubt you will find few, if any, other players who rank as highly in as many different and varied statistical categories. Furthermore, Brian is the glue that has bonded a largely inexperienced team together to the point where they have exceeded expectations by the widest margin of any CCIW conference team from the beginning of the season through today.

With no "homerish" influence present, I understand my placement of Zak Boyd on the 2nd team and Sean Johnson on the 3rd team may raise some eyebrows. However, consider Johnson has much more help being on a much better overall team than does Boyd. Additionally, while their current scoring averages are separated by only .1% and their offensive skills are basically equal, I believe Boyd plays tougher defense than does Johnson and thus, is a more complete player who warrants higher placement. And hey, I mean selecting Sean to my 3rd team as an honor. Its not like 3rd team all-conference is anything remotely associated with anything bad.

As I said, the picks I posted are just my personal preferences. I certainly don't have all the answers, and I fully realize good arguments can be made for some players I didn't select.    

[petemcb]

OK, in trying to decide whether to go to Wheaton or NCC tonight, I was trying to figure out which game had bigger potential ramifications for the CCIW tournament.  I checked on cciw.org for a little help on the tie-breaker situations.  Augie - NCC is big because a win by the Cardinals, in tandem with an Augie loss @ IWU puts the tournament @ NCC next weekend.  Unlikely, but not inconceivable.  Then I go down to third/fourth place tie-breakers - most of which are addressed in the CCIW.org notes from 2-17.  What I can't find addressed is what happens in the event of a Wheaton loss to Elmhurst tonight, again not too likely but certainly not inconceivable.  If Wheaton were to lose to Elmhurst tonight, and Carthage beats Millikin (highly likely) and IWU beats NPU at the Shirk tonight (pretty likely) and then loses to Augie Tuesday night at the Shirk that would put Carthage in 3rd at 9-5 while Wheaton and IWU would be tied at 8-6.  How do those tie-breakers work?  If this has already been addressed back a few pages then I missed it.

And then, if the above scenarios play out and IWU beats Augie, then Wheaton is on the outside looking in, aren't they?

Help me out.

[petemcb]

Different topic:  I'm setting the over/under for attendance at the Elmhust @ Millikin game next Tuesday at 35.  Anyone else?

[Titan Q]

IWU's JV team faces an alumni squad this afternoon at 2:45pm.  The alums include...

Adam Dauksas
Keelan Amelianovich
Zach Freeman
Jason Fisher
Mike McGraw
Steve Schweer
Tyler Smith
Andrew Freeman
Mike Harrigan
Brian Nussbaum
Andrew Gilmore