MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[USee]

Wheaton was down 10-1 early in an ugly game and didn't have a field goal in the game until there was about 8 min left in the first half.  and then down by 13 w 6.30 left when Aaron Garriot and Tim McCrary took over. Garriott had a great look for a 3 and the win but Spencer Schultzes put back sent it into the 1st OT. gamble made a ridiculously tough shot in McCrarys face to send it into OT2 and Raridon missed an elbow 2 that would have meant a 3rd OT.

Garriott had 23
McCrary had 22 and 11

Tiknis had 17 and 11 for NCC before fouling out in regulation. Raridon had 7 and Gamble 15.

[augie_superfan]

One thing that was extremely disappointing was the rebounding, yes, the rebounding.  Augie gets outrebounded 48-30...just crazy for this team. 

How is that possible?

I mean, Elmhurst is a good rebounding team, but Augie was ranked 3rd in nation in rebounding margin at like +12 or +13 a game...that makes this game roughly a 30 rebound difference from their average margin...just doesn't make sense.  I didn't get a chance to see the whole game so I'm not sure why it happened but that was obviously the difference in this game.  Usually Augie can play ugly and get enough extra chances to make up for the bad shooting.  Unfortunately for them, it didn't work that way tonight.

[Titan Q]

Tough night at the Shirk for Carthage fans made better by Miss America results...

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/miss-america-crowning-winner-las-vegas-15360261#.TxJgxUtHlhE

[Mr. Ypsi]

Tough night at the Shirk for Carthage fans made better by Miss America results...

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/miss-america-crowning-winner-las-vegas-15360261#.TxJgxUtHlhE

We all knew the CCIW had the best looking women in the country!

[CCIWchamps]

Wheaton was down 10-1 early in an ugly game and didn't have a field goal in the game until there was about 8 min left in the first half.  and then down by 13 w 6.30 left when Aaron Garriot and Tim McCrary took over. Garriott had a great look for a 3 and the win but Spencer Schultzes put back sent it into the 1st OT. gamble made a ridiculously tough shot in McCrarys face to send it into OT2 and Raridon missed an elbow 2 that would have meant a 3rd OT.

Garriott had 23
McCrary had 22 and 11

Tiknis had 17 and 11 for NCC before fouling out in regulation. Raridon had 7 and Gamble 15.

When Tiknis fouled out with 10 seconds left, it took out a player who had been providing the offense and rebounding push for North Central.  Had the game ended in regulation, him fouling out would not have been a big deal.  But they really missed him in the extra 2 periods. 

[Titan Q]

Tough night at the Shirk for Carthage fans made better by Miss America results...

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/miss-america-crowning-winner-las-vegas-15360261#.TxJgxUtHlhE

We all knew the CCIW had the best looking women in the country!

http://www.iwu.edu/CurrentNews/newsreleases11/alum_MissIllinois_00211.shtml

[Mr. Ypsi]

Tough night at the Shirk for Carthage fans made better by Miss America results...

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/miss-america-crowning-winner-las-vegas-15360261#.TxJgxUtHlhE

We all knew the CCIW had the best looking women in the country!

http://www.iwu.edu/CurrentNews/newsreleases11/alum_MissIllinois_00211.shtml

Kool!  The CCIW sweeps both Wisconsin and Illinois!

BTW, the Titans are 8-0, combined men and women.  I am NOT predicting they will go a combined 28-0, but am noting that no one else has a shot at it!   TWO titles (whatever the records) would be fantastic!

[thunder38]

Congratulations to Tim McCrary on becoming the 12th player in Wheaton history to reach 1500 points and becoming the fifth player in DIII history to post 1500 points, 750 rebounds, and 350 assists.  Impressive feat regardless but especially when considering he was about the fifth or sixth scoring option on that team in 07-08.

[thunder38]

As Coach Schauer said in the postgame interview on WETN, that game for the first 25 minutes or so may have set basketball back a few years.  Both teams struggled shooting and Wheaton's end numbers mask the fact that they were 0-11 from 3 at one point in the game.  I felt for sure North Central had this one in the bag when they were up 50-37 with 6:30 left and again when Gillespie hit a clutch 3 to make it 56-48 with two minutes left but Wheaton made some big plays and NCC got a little careless with the ball and Schultze was there for the tip in to beat the clock.  Schultze finished the night with  only three points but he made a huge impression on the overtimes with a couple of massive blocks in the middle.  Both he and Raridon were impressive in staying on the floor for so long with 4 fouls down the stretch.  Gamble had a rough night but still had enough clutch in him to push the game to 2OT.  Tiknis had a great game but his presence was missed in the overtimes and I was surprised to see NCC stop running Kmiec off the baseline screens to get him open for those wing 3's after they were so successful with that in the middle of the second half.  All in all a very very fun basketball game to watch with some great defense.  Also thanks to the Wheaton St. Francis High School pep band for entertaining the fans at the game.  They were terrific and helped present a great atmosphere.

[markerickson]

I believe there were more non-student Big Blue fans (approx 85) at the Viking victory than the home team attracted, which is both impressive and pathetic. 

Please keep in mind that a pivot foot ala Rob Berki is legit.  NPU's Mike Gabriel knows how to use a pivot foot to create a shot so fans of Viking opponents need not yell "traveling" throughout the game.

[Titan Q]

Comments from some CCIW coaches last night...

Coach G
http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=577455

"They just whipped us,'' said Augie coach Grey Giovanine, whose club returns home Tuesday to host North Park to open a five-game homestand. "They has 23 offensive rebounds. We guarded them fine, but couldn't get a rebound. We've got guys who have become timid scoring; nobody wants to shoot it but our freshman.''
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"They were going to allow us open looks and the seniors that we need to step up and make shots, didn't do it,'' said Giovanine. "We're 9 for 16 from the free-throw line, get outrebounded by 23, you can't win. We've got a one-and-one with our senior on the line with :11 left and a one-point lead? You're supposed to win that game.''
----------
"This makes it awful tough,'' said Giovanine of crawling back into the league race. "We've won it a few times with three losses, but we'd have to have an unbelievable run. Right now, our focus is on trying to win our next game.''


Mike Schauer (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDebR6gEOHI&feature=player_embedded


Bosko
http://athletics.carthage.edu/news/2012/1/14/Mens_Basketball_0114121615.aspx

"The winner of this game was the Illinois Wesleyan defense," said Carthage coach Bosko Djurickovic.  "Their half-court defense was good enough that it made it difficult for us to get easy shots.  When that happened, we reverted back to our early-season offense of holding onto the ball and holding onto the ball.  That's my fault.  We have to have some creativity where the ball moves, and we screen better.  The game was played at our pace, we pressured them into a lot of turnovers, but we couldn't convert as many times as we needed to.  We had some opportunities down the stretch, but unfortunately, our offense is not far enough along.  We have to develop an inside game and get our people to the foul line.  I love our defensive posture, I really do.  I'm not in any way, shape or form discouraged.  I know we're pretty good, and the Illinois Wesleyan people will tell you they took a deep breath tonight.  That's not enough for us--We have work to do."
----------
"If you play in people's face for 40 minutes, you are going to get some fouls," said Carthage coach Bosko Djurickovic. "What won this game was Wesleyan's defense. That's the best Wesleyan half-court defense I've seen in a long, long time."

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/anderson-s-career-high-lifts-iwu-men-over-carthage/article_57640714-3f34-11e1-a6a8-001871e3ce6c.html#ixzz1jXVPsAqB


Ron Rose
WJBC postgame (audio):
http://wjbc.com/iwu-men-win-9th-straight-women-win-on-late-3/

Pantagraph:

"Carthage scrambled around and challenged us to make plays," said Wesleyan coach Ron Rose. "We probably had as many unforced errors and lack of execution as we've had in a few weeks. It wasn't a feel good game. But it's a win."
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"This group found a way to win when not playing our best basketball," Rose said. "Carthage is quick and they contest shots. We were very fortunate to come away with a win."

[Titan Q]

Augie's Bryant Voiles and Brian DeSimone from 3-point range during CCIW play...

Bryant Voiles
@ Millikin: 0-2
vs NCC: 2-8
@ IWU: 1-5
@ Elmhurst: 1-8
Total: 4-23 (.174)

Brian DeSimone
@ Millikin: 0-3
vs NCC: 2-9
@ IWU: 1-4
@ Elmhurst: 0-5
Total: 3-21 (.143)


Combined: 7-44 (.159)

If these two don't snap out of it, Augie's going to rack up more losses.  Everyone is going to keep zoning the Vikings.

While it's clear Augie's perimeter players need to knock down shots, I do question how Augustana handles a zone defense.  In the games I've seen, the Vikings just move the ball around the perimeter until they final someone wide-open (usually a player who looks very hesitant to shoot).  It seems like they always end up taking the exact shot the defense wants them to take.  There is just no "attack" to it - when opponents zone Augie, the Vikings seem to end up very passive, and on their heels. 

Last night I watched IWU face the Carthage zone for almost all 40 minutes - when the Titans were executing the best against it, they were in attack mode.  Good things happened when they got the ball to Andrew Ziemnik at the FT line, and he quickly passed or drove.  I just don't see that type of ball movement in Augie's zone offense.

[MoEv27]

Safe to say that the level of play is significantly down in the CCIW this year.

[TitansIWU]

Hey Mr. Sager...

I've been waiting all night and day for your commentary on your team. I really want to know what you thought about that. Did NPU play down to their competition?

Three months ago, if I had told you North Park would be tied with Augustana, you'd probably have been thrilled.

A wacky CCIW race is definitely on!

[Titan Q]

Updated Midwest Region ranking projection through games of Wed, Jan 11...

- "In-region" record listed
- Includes "in-region" wins over teams I project would be ranked in Midwest (below) or other regions (example, UW-Stevens Point in West)
- Also includes all losses 

1. Grinnell (MWC), 9-0 (won vs Ripon)
2. Illinois Wesleyan (CCIW), 10-2 (won vs Wash U, vs Wheaton, vs Augustana...lost @ Ripon, @ UW-Whitewater)
3. Washington U (UAA), 9-2 (won vs Augustana, vs Wheaton...lost @ Whitworth, @ IWU)
4. Transylvania (HCAC), 11-1(won vs Wabash, vs Hanover...lost @ Defiance)
5. Lake Forest (MWC), 9-1 (none...lost @ Edgewood)
6. Ripon (MWC), 6-2 (won vs Illinois Wesleyan...lost @ Grinnell, @ St. Norbert)
7. Augustana (CCIW), 10-3 (won vs UW-Stevens Point ...lost @ Wash U, vs North Central, @ IWU)
8. Wheaton (CCIW), 9-3 (none...lost @ Hope, @ Wash U, @ IWU)
----------
9. Hanover (HCAC), 9-3 (won vs Ohio Wesleyan, vs Rose-Hulman...lost vs Ohio Northern, @ Manchester, @ Transylvania)
10. Rose-Hulman (HCAC), 12-2 (none...lost vs Wabash, @ Hanover)
11. Edgewood (NATHC), 9-3 (won vs Lake Forest...lost vs UW-Stevens Point, @ UW-Whitewater, @ MSOE)

Notable results since Wednesday (losses, or wins over other teams above)...

* Grinnell lost at Carroll, 109-106

* Transylvania beat Rose-Hulman, 60-46

* Lake Forest won @ Ripon, 84-75

* Augustana lost @ Elmhurst, 56-55


My updated Midwest Region ranking projection through games of Sunday, January 15...

- In-region record listed
- Includes "in-region" wins over teams I project would be ranked in Midwest (below) or other regions (example, UW-Stevens Point in West)
- Also includes all losses 

1. Transylvania (HCAC), 12-1 (won vs Wabash, vs Hanover, vs Rose-Hulman...lost @ Defiance)
2. Illinois Wesleyan (CCIW), 11-2 (won vs Wash U, vs Wheaton, vs Augustana...lost @ Ripon, @ UW-Whitewater)
3. Washington U (UAA), 11-2 (won vs Augustana, vs Wheaton...lost @ Whitworth, @ IWU)
4. Lake Forest (MWC), 11-1 (won @ Ripon...lost @ Edgewood)
5. Grinnell (MWC), 10-1 (won vs Ripon...lost @ Carroll)
6. Wheaton (CCIW), 10-3 (none...lost @ Hope, @ Wash U, @ IWU)
7. Hanover (HCAC), 10-3 (won vs Ohio Wesleyan, vs Rose-Hulman...lost vs Ohio Northern, @ Manchester, @ Transylvania)
8. Rose-Hulman (HCAC), 12-3 (none...lost vs Wabash, @ Hanover, @ Transylvavia)
----------
9. Augustana (CCIW), 10-4 (won vs UW-Stevens Point ...lost @ Wash U, vs North Central, @ IWU, @ Elmhurst)
10. Edgewood (NATHC), 10-3 (won vs Lake Forest...lost vs UW-Stevens Point, @ UW-Whitewater, @ MSOE)
11. Ripon (MWC), 6-3 (won vs Illinois Wesleyan...lost @ Grinnell, @ St. Norbert, vs Lake Forest)