MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[unanimous22]

There is definitely an audio available for the IWU/NCC game and should be live stats.

I'm not sure about the video, but I would guess no.

[Gregory Sager]

NPU 58
Millikin 55

I watched the broadcast.  Millikin was in it until the end with a chance to win with the ball down 1 and 20 seconds left.

Wow, I can't wait to hear what Greg has to say about this game

NPU was simply awful on Saturday. The Vikings succeeded early against the Millikin 2-3 zone by putting Mike Gabriel at the high post; his size and talents are exceptionally well-suited to use him as the high-post zone breaker. However, after he picked up his second foul the NPU coaching staff took him out for the duration of the first half and never went back to using him that way again.

The other factor in NPU's favor was torrid first-half shooting from Mark Holmes from beyond the arc (5-7). Unfortunately, he only got one measly deuce in the second half, finishing with 21 points. Part of that was a great defensive job on him by Nikko Robertson, but it was mostly a result of the Vikings just not looking in his direction, and Holmes not being aggressive enough.

There were two reasons why MU was in the game at all. One was that junior PG Rodney Clark had the game of his life: 23 points on 9-13 shooting, and five assists to go along with it. It was one of those games where anything and everything he tossed up went into the basket. I've always thought that he was a good player, but he took it to another level on Saturday. (The assists went mostly to support Matt Merrigan, who was more or less just a spot-up shooter last year but has developed the ability to score off the dribble.) The other reason why the Big Blue were in it was because Matt Nadelhoffer employed an excellent stall strategy; MU took the air out of the ball and didn't start its offense until there were only 10-12 seconds left on the shot clock on every possession. It kept the score down (and, with Clark shooting the way he was, thus kept it close as well), and it completely took NPU out of any offensive rhythm it might've had. Still, the Vikings had a six-point lead with two and a half minutes remaining, and then just completely bollixed up their offense with very little aid from the MU defense. Fortunately for the Vikings, they were able to force a non-shooter, Kelvin Jacobs, to take the crucial last shot for MU and Josh McNaughton was able to get the long rebound.

I've watched North Park games for 33 seasons now, and Brock Van Nordeck's full-court heave at the buzzer marked the first time that I've ever seen anyone hit the ceiling of the crackerbox in a basketball game. Pete McBride and I were commenting on that as we watched the NCC @ Wheaton game later that night -- and, sure enough, someone hit the ceiling of King Arena with an overtime heave, the first time I've ever seen anyone hit the ceiling in Centennial/King. What a weird night.

NPU just isn't very good this season. The team is full of holes, and, while Mark Holmes and Mike Gabriel are outstanding talents who are only getting better as ballplayers, they simply are not capable at this point in their respective careers of carrying a team with so many deficiencies all by themselves. That's the long and short of it. I'm dreading the trip to Decatur next month.

[Gregory Sager]

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.

The first half of that game was one of the worst-played -- by both teams --that I've seen in a long time. The defenses were decent, but the reason why the score was only 21-19 at intermission was that the shooting was just absolutely horrible. Wheaton, in particular, showed amazingly bad form on one shot after another. The Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance's shots weren't even close misses.

The game picked up both in pace and quality as it went along, and by the end of the second overtime it was a certifiable classic. As is always the case in a two-overtime affair, each team had legitimate chances to win the game; NCC should've won in regulation, but Derek Raridon missed a key free throw at :07 with the Cards up by two, and then Landon Gamble didn't box out Spencer Schultze after Garriott's missed trey attempt (which wasn't really all that great a look -- it was from a little deeper than he usually shoots, and he was leaning back a little too much in an attempt to put on the brakes after rushing pell-mell up the floor). Wheaton should've won it in the first overtime, as Tim McCrary missed a baseline bunny -- his specialty shot, one that he usually can make in his sleep -- with twenty seconds left and Wheaton up by two, leading to Landon Gamble's last-second heroics at the other end.

North Central played better over the course of those fifty minutes, but Wheaton won because it's a deeper team. That was my postgame assessment, and the Wheaton coaches agreed with me. It was good and proper for Derek Raridon to attempt a trey at the end of the second OT -- an attempt that came very close to being the game-winner, as it hit the inside of the rim and then bounced out to the left corner, too far away for NCC to track it down and send up another shot -- because NCC was simply exhausted and its two best remaining scoring options, Gamble and Raridon, had four fouls apiece. Aaron Tiknis, who was the best player on the floor for either team on Saturday night, fouled out by deliberately grabbing Tyler Peters with ten seconds left in regulation  in order to keep Wheaton from getting off a trey attempt in what was at that juncture a three-point NCC lead. Second-guessing abounded after the game, since Tiknis was so badly missed by NCC in the two overtimes. But I agree with what Todd Raridon did in having Tiknis commit that foul, for the same reason that I agree with his son taking a trey attempt at the end of the second overtime when a deuce would've tied the game: NCC ran out of useful players, and the Cardinals were thoroughly gassed. In both situations, you play to win the game right then and there, not to keep the game going.

Great game. Well worth the trip out to the suburbs.

[Gregory Sager]

Elmhurst has the Zack Boyd game winner online now...

http://www.elmhurstbluejays.com/index.aspx?tab=basketball&path=mbball


Best part - at the end of the EC bench is a kid sitting down, with crutches - watch him after Boyd makes the shot.  Classic!

You know, having watched it again, I'm wondering if that should that have been a technical foul on the Elmhurst bench.  The kid was way out on the floor with time still on the clock.  Augie was not yet inbounding the ball, but still, you can't have a guy out on the floor can you??

He hopped about five steps out onto the floor, suddenly realized that the game was still in progress, and quickly hopped back to the bench. What's interesting is that it all happened right in front of referee Gerald Morrow, who looked right at the kid in crutches and didn't do a thing about it. A no-call that was an act of compassion by Morrow, perhaps? Or simply a thought that making a drastic call like that which may well have reversed the outcome of the game wouldn't have been prudent -- especially since it would've gone against the home team?

But how ironic would it have been if Augustana, a team whose head coach is notorious for his inability to stay in the coaching box while the game is in progress, won a game on a bench technical because an opponent in street clothes was too far out on the floor during live action?

[Gregory Sager]

Who would have guessed Luke Scarlatta would be Augie's half season MVP this year? His departure and Brian DeSimone's bad play have trashed Augie's chances to win the CCIW regular season title.

Sorry, but I'm with augie_superfan on this one. I think that the major cause for Augie's downfall is Bryant Voiles's ineffectiveness first, and DeSimone's ineffectiveness second. I, too, am wondering if Voiles is fully healthy. Alas, he'll probably come roaring back to form tonight against the Park.

[Mugsy]

Wheaton escapes with another squeaker win at home after seeing a 14 point 2nd half lead disappear: 79-73.  Carthage actually led by 3 late in the game. 

McCrary with 27 pts, 9 rebs, 3 ast, 5 steals, but 6 TO's
Pflederer with 14 pts
Schultze with 12 pts

Mitch Thompson with 12pts, 10 rebs, 1 ast, 1 steal for Carthage.
Reese Herth with 12 pts
Malcom Kelly with 18 pts
Tyler Pierce with 11 pts

[Gregory Sager]

Augustana 73
NPU 52

It was close until about nine minutes to go, when Augie just found the throttle and pulled away. Just too many NPU players on the floor who can't score; nothing, really, that Dylan Howard can do about that this year. That means forced shots by Mark Holmes and Mike Gabriel, and that always seems to lead to bad things for the Park. Augie did a nice job on Gabriel and Holmes throughout the night, although Emanuel Crosby (19 pts, 7 rebs) certainly did his best to keep NPU competitive. Kendell Greer (12 pts) had his best game in eons tonight, which was good to see.

Augie looked very impressive during that final nine minutes, but very unimpressive in the 31 minutes before that. The Doggies shot just fine (55% FG, 41% trey), and, of course they whomped North Park on the boards as expected, 41-22, but Augie turned the ball over an inexplicable 21 times -- most of them unforced.

All in all, Augie did not look like a Top 25 team tonight. But they did what you have to do at home; they stepped up down the stretch to shuck off an outmanned visitor.

[Gregory Sager]

The live stats were stuck with seven seconds left at the Griz, with Elmhurst up handily on MU, 71-49.

[Gregory Sager]

NCC 82
IWU 69

Cards dominated this one. Titans had a mid-second-half run to cut a 19-point deficit down to nine with about seven minutes to go, but that's as close as they got.

[iwu70]

Poor night shooting, (40%, NCC shooting almost 60%), and getting NC in the double bonus early, as NCC made 37 FTs.  Titans couldn't overcome an early deep hole, down ten early, never getting closer than 9.  Disappointing night.  NCC has gotten it back together, it is clear.  They were the better team tonight, at home.

Gonzalez had a decent game leading with 16 points,  Kevin Reed also played pretty well.  NCC is a very hard team to play from behind.  No one else played particularly well.  Very poor game by Victor Davis tonight.  Not as much as in recent games from the bench bigs.  Gotta come out more prepared for road games.  No easy road games.  Look how tough Carthage played Wheaton tonight. 

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

NCC has gotten it back together, it is clear.

That was clear long before tonight. NCC hasn't played a bad game yet in CCIW play. As I said earlier today, the Cards actually outplayed Wheaton on Saturday at King Arena; Wheaton won that game because Mike Schauer has a deeper squad, and it simply outlasted a North Central team that just doesn't go deep enough to handle double-overtime contests against decent opponents, especially double OT games as physical as that one was. I thought that Wheaton played a tough, gritty game to come back from a double-digit deficit in the second half and win, but I also thought that North Central was (and is) the better team.

Aaron Tiknis, who semi-flirted with a triple-double tonight, is playing at an All-CCIW first-team pace. Landon Gamble is, IMHO, the best center in the league this season, and the resumes of Derek Raridon and Kevin Gillespie speak for themselves. Now Charlie Rosenberg and Vince Kmiec are starting to emerge, and C.J. Goldthree came back from his four-game concussion hiatus tonight to score 13 points in only 17 minutes of action.

The Cards got it back together two weeks ago when they lit up Carthage by 23. You're just catching up to that now because they took it to your team tonight.

[thunder38]

I know this is Q's thing so I apologize but I was curious as to where we stood at this point.

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


+/- Standings through 1/17
North Central +1
Wheaton +1
Illinois Wesleyan +1
Augustana +0
Carthage +0
Elmhurst 0
North Park -1
Millikin -2


(Usually takes +4 to win the title)

Saturday 1/21
Wheaton @ North Park 4 PM
North Central @ Millikin 7 PM
Illinois Wesleyan @ Elmhurst 7 PM
Carthage @ Augustana 7:30 PM

[John Gleich]

Elmhurst has the Zack Boyd game winner online now...

http://www.elmhurstbluejays.com/index.aspx?tab=basketball&path=mbball


Best part - at the end of the EC bench is a kid sitting down, with crutches - watch him after Boyd makes the shot.  Classic!

You know, having watched it again, I'm wondering if that should that have been a technical foul on the Elmhurst bench.  The kid was way out on the floor with time still on the clock.  Augie was not yet inbounding the ball, but still, you can't have a guy out on the floor can you??

He hopped about five steps out onto the floor, suddenly realized that the game was still in progress, and quickly hopped back to the bench. What's interesting is that it all happened right in front of referee Gerald Morrow, who looked right at the kid in crutches and didn't do a thing about it. A no-call that was an act of compassion by Morrow, perhaps? Or simply a thought that making a drastic call like that which may well have reversed the outcome of the game wouldn't have been prudent -- especially since it would've gone against the home team?

But how ironic would it have been if Augustana, a team whose head coach is notorious for his inability to stay in the coaching box while the game is in progress, won a game on a bench technical because an opponent in street clothes was too far out on the floor during live action?

Has anybody ever actually seen that happen before... and get called?  It seems like they would do something more like just blow the whistle, clear the floor, and then play out the remaining...  But maybe that would only be if multiple people ran out there... not just one dude hoppin'.


The only thing I've ever seen close to it was my freshman year doing stats for Wheaton North's varsity boys basketball... something bad happened out on the floor and Bob Ward grabbed a guy off the bench and said "Get in there!" 

The player whipped off his shooting shirt and ran right out on the floor.

Oops.  That one got the Tech called!

[Pat Coleman]

Elmhurst has the Zack Boyd game winner online now...

http://www.elmhurstbluejays.com/index.aspx?tab=basketball&path=mbball


Best part - at the end of the EC bench is a kid sitting down, with crutches - watch him after Boyd makes the shot.  Classic!

You know, having watched it again, I'm wondering if that should that have been a technical foul on the Elmhurst bench.  The kid was way out on the floor with time still on the clock.  Augie was not yet inbounding the ball, but still, you can't have a guy out on the floor can you??

He hopped about five steps out onto the floor, suddenly realized that the game was still in progress, and quickly hopped back to the bench. What's interesting is that it all happened right in front of referee Gerald Morrow, who looked right at the kid in crutches and didn't do a thing about it. A no-call that was an act of compassion by Morrow, perhaps? Or simply a thought that making a drastic call like that which may well have reversed the outcome of the game wouldn't have been prudent -- especially since it would've gone against the home team?

But how ironic would it have been if Augustana, a team whose head coach is notorious for his inability to stay in the coaching box while the game is in progress, won a game on a bench technical because an opponent in street clothes was too far out on the floor during live action?

Has anybody ever actually seen that happen before... and get called?  It seems like they would do something more like just blow the whistle, clear the floor, and then play out the remaining...  But maybe that would only be if multiple people ran out there... not just one dude hoppin'.


The only thing I've ever seen close to it was my freshman year doing stats for Wheaton North's varsity boys basketball... something bad happened out on the floor and Bob Ward grabbed a guy off the bench and said "Get in there!" 

The player whipped off his shooting shirt and ran right out on the floor.

Oops.  That one got the Tech called!

That happened once to a team I was coaching. Of course, this was fifth and sixth graders!

[AndOne]

und63, dream on my friend.   

No takers on key points for tonights IWU-NCC showdown???

I'll try a few:

* This Titan team plays well when the post is secured, winning the rebounding and interior defensive battle, getting out in transition. I think that will be so tonight.  Basically how the combination of the 6-7 IWU bigs matches up in the post area with the NCC post players.

* Depth, and length of rotation could play a part, especially in a close, or OT, game.  Who has the freshest troops, freshest legs to throw into the battle, and IWU surely has a possible advantage here, even going as deep as Musselman and Overstreet, beyond the normal varsity rotation, if needed.

* Defensive intensity overall, and how much the Titans new-found strong defensive play can disrupt what must be very crisp, efficient offensive sets by NCC.

* Of course, how much scoring production IWU gets from Zimmer and the other wing, perimeter players.  One has to believe there will be a few new sets, new crinkles in the IWU offense tonight to free Zimmer from treyville.  They've been getting pretty good output from Rudnicki and Gonzalez as well as their good normal ball-control, defense and FT shooting contributions, esp. in close games.

********

As usual, in close games like this, key is a few extra possessions, so Titans must try to win the rebounding, TOs, steals and blocks score lines, as well as shooting a good percentage from 2, 3 and FT line.  Basic solid IWU offense, with good markers in these lines will, I think, get the job done tonight vs. NCC.  One of the changes from previous seasons is that the Titans are making some mark with steals, blocks, etc. unlike in previous CCIW seasons, when the defensive mindset was more passive. 

IWU70

IWU---

As you indicate, depth could likely be an important factor in tonight's game. The Cards starters can obviously play with anyone. Beyond that, it becomes a game of attrition. It would greatly help if someone from the NCC bench could make a noticeable contribution tonight, either offensively or defensively.

As far as Zimmer, I'm sure the Cards will change up defenders on him throughout the evening, thus forcing him to operate against different defensive strengths.

Other important factors will be a) How often the Cards, especially Derek Raridon and Kevin Gillespie, can get to the line. If they are successful in so doing, I think that will be a big boost to NCC's fortunes, and b) who wins the TO battle. Which team can force the other into more mistakes will play a big factor.

I'm sensing the rebound battle will be pretty close. If either team loses this battle by a significant margin, its lights out.

Another factor that I'm hoping might work in the Cards favor is the bigger open background expanse in the infamous cavernous "hangar." IWU is used to a much more compact shooting background when playing in the friendly confines of the Shirk Center than in the hangar which has so much open space behind the baskets.

Lastly, if CJ Goldthree can return tonight, and play at his usual level, that will be a definite plus.

Someone left the birdcage door open tonight and, as a result, the evening was filled with Cardinals flying high in the venerable hangar all evening long. Leading from wire to wire, they primarily used a combination of tenacious defense, a record setting performance from the free throw line, and an unusually strong boost from the bench to end an impressive 9 game winning streak by the opposing Green Weenies. Several of the points highlighted above played a role in NCC's 82-69 victory.

* Immediately off the opening tip Wesleyan sharpshooter Zimmer came out firing. I think part of the IWU game plan was to bury the Cards early, largely by means of an onslaught of 3 balls. However, the Cardinals, primarily in the form of Kevin Gillespie, with able assistance from CJ Goldthree, held Mr. Zimmer to a very subpar 4 of 12 shooting night, including only 2 of 9 from distance. Whether or not the vast open spaces beyond the baskets played a role, as I suggested might be a possibility, is open to question. I think primary credit must go to Kevin, with able assistance from CJ Goldthree.

* Not only on Zimmer, but against the entire Wesleyan lineup, the NCC defense excelled, holding the visitors to 39.3% shooting, including 36.0% from distance. IWU shot 60% (12 of 20) from the line. IWU, obviously subscribing to the theory more is better, hoisted up 61 shots, including 25 threes, in what proved a feeble attempt to pierce the Cardinals defensive umbrella.

* Eliud Gonzalez somewhat played into NCC's hand by putting up 4 threes. As a Wesleyan opponent, you would much rather have a .238 3 point shooter firing from beyond the arc rather than Zimmer or Koschnitzky. Every shot he put up was one less from the aforementioned pair. Also, I suspect many of Jordan's and John's baskets come off  assists from Mr. Gonzalez. His shots removed this possibility. To his credit Eliud hit 3 of his 4 trey attempts. With his 15 points and 3 assists, the NCC staff felt he was the most valuable Titan of the night.

* As you know, I've long been lamenting the absence of CJ Goldthree from the Cardinal lineup due to a concussion injury sustained way back on 12/30 against Manchester. CJ's return tonight provided the Cards with an instant shot in the arm. Defensively, CJ assisted Kevin Gillespie in blanketing the Titans leading 3 point threat, and on the offensive end, he banked 13 points in only 17 minutes of action.

* Wesleyan came in averaging 39.5 rebounds compared to their opponents 31.7. The Cardinals displayed heart, hustle, and muscle in out rebounding the visitors 35-27.

* NCC's bench, virtually non-existent previously this season, erupted for 33 points, led by Charlie Rosenberg's career high 16 along with the returning CJ Goldthree's 13. Ryan Broyles and Pat Rourke provided a combined 13 minutes of solid help and chipped in 2 points each.

* As far as getting to the line being important, I'd have to say the Cardinals really exceeded expectations. Between attacking the basket, consistently gaining inside position, and the Titans being forced to foul in an attempt to catch up, the Cardinals went to the line 43 times, converting an all-time school recored 37!

* North Central shot a season high 55.6% from the floor led by Rosenberg's 16, and Goldthree's 13, both off the bench. Landon Gamble scored 12, and Gillespie added 11. Vince Kmiec had a perfect night hitting his only shot (a 3), and going 6 for 6 from the line for 9 points. Aaron Tiknis,continuing to show all-conference form, scored 8 points, and led the Cardinals with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 blocks.

* Overall, the #1 star of the evening goes to Charlie Rosenberg who was just a beast off the bench. Defensively, Kevin Gillespie takes the prize for being the primary force in limiting the Titans most explosive scorer.