MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Augustana 59
North Park 57

Troy Rorer: 16 pts
Bryant Voiles: 9 pts, 13 rebs

Mark Holmes: 15 pts, 8 rebs
Mike Gabriel: 12 pts, 4 blks

It wasn't artistic, but it sure was exciting. NPU just had no quit in it tonight. The m.o. for the Vikings in January and February has been to play about two out of every three games fairly close for 30-32 minutes, and then just run out of gas as the thinness of the Vikings rotation and the inability of the team to keep up on the scoreboard due to a lack of scorers wears them down. That didn't happen tonight.

This evening Augie led from wire to wire, but never put the Park away. The biggest Augie lead was 11 points in the middle of the first half, and for most of the second half the Augie lead wavered between 4 and 8. Somehow, even with big men Mike Gabriel and Emanuel Crosby saddled with four fouls apiece fairly early in the second half, the host Vikings held it together and took the game down to the final buzzer. NPU had it down to three with two minutes and change left, but Ro Russell's wide-open attempt at what would've been a tying trey front-rimmed out, and Augie got the rebound and scored. With 1.4 seconds left and trailing by two the Park had to go 94 feet to score, and a Mark Holmes baseball pass to Gabriel between the circles on the other end of the court was right on the money. With Brandon Kunz all over him Gabriel dribbled once to his right, and then turned and faded away while launching a 40-footer, but it was just short.

Troy Rorer was really the story for Augie tonight. He drove hard to the basket early and often, and used the glass skillfully to bank in shot after shot against the upraised arms of the NPU interior defenders. Brian DeSimone and Danielius Jurgutis (I'm not gonna call him "the Lithuanian kid" anymore ) likewise did a nice job of driving and getting to the FT line. Augie attemped only seven treys this evening, as Grey Giovanine's game plan was obviously to pound the ball inside and draw the best players on the NPU team (the big men) into foul trouble. It worked like a charm. Problem was, although Augie got to the line plenty -- they were in the bonus with 13 minutes to go and the double bonus with over 10 minutes to go -- the Doggies did a poor job of converting the shots from the field that they had. Augie shot only 21-59 from the field tonight (.356), and, while I'd like to attribute most of that to NPU's defense, the fact of the matter is that Augie's bigs just didn't finish well.

Mike Gabriel came back from his concussion and played a fantastic game. Coming in off the bench, he shot 6-8 from the field (including his final desperation miss), and that included several jumpers as well as a terrific series of baseline moves he executed in the low post against the helpless Bryant Voiles, who, as a small forward playing out of position, just doesn't seem to be much of a post defender. Gabriel also blocked four shots, all in the first half, and gave North Park a lot of energy and hope with his effort.

Mike Rice, who has been badly overmatched all season, had by far his best game as a Viking. Knowing that NPU has a number of guys who either can't shoot or won't shoot, or both, he took it upon himself to fire 'em up at will tonight. Some were bad choices, and he's really not a great shooter, but it's great to see a freshman assert himself against the league's best perimeter defense. The fact that he can create his own shot is a nice bonus. He also did a terrific defensive job on Mark Roth, who was invisible (no shot attempts in 20 minutes of action). Sophomore center Nate Rummel, pressed into extended minutes by the foul trouble of Crosby and Gabriel, played with a lot of guts tonight. At the end of the seven-minute stint in which he was out on the floor late in the game, the seldom-used reserve was running on fumes -- and he still found a way to get a crucial offensive rebound and put-back basket down low that kept Augie from getting the lead into double digits. And Mark Holmes had his usual strong game that, by now, everyone has come to expect from him. Seventh-place teams don't get any love come All-CCIW time, but he's playing at about a second-teamer level right now, all while being the focal point of every opponent's defensive game plan.

A disappointing finish, as this would've been an upset for the ages if Gabriel's final shot had gone down. But I can't fault either the effort or the execution by NPU tonight. This was probably the best game that the royal blue and gold has played all year, and they played it against a team hanging on the edge of fourth place that was not in a position to take them -- or anybody, for that matter -- lightly. I'm proud of the way that the Park played tonight.

[spencer1988]

I will also say that the older crowd at IWU are very loyal but they lack some basketball knowledge based on the comments they yell at the refs every game I have attended.  Tonight I thought the worst was when Zimmer was hurt by running into the shoulder of a screen.  The North Central player setting the screen may have ducked a shoulder but it clearly wasn't malicious and maybe not even a foul.  The IWU fans are spouting at the ref during the first few minutes that Zimmer lay on the ground with a trainer over him.  This wasn't the students this was the older Titan fans.  I appreciate the passion but a real lack of perspective to be yelling at the officials for a couple minutes when one of your players is laying on the ground injured.  Just an observation.

[Gregory Sager]

Also, I'm sorry to say that we got outcoached tonight and we played stupidly down the stretch on the final possessions within 2-3 minutes of the end, with TOs, and why oh ?? no three ball attempt down three with 20 seconds to go.  What was Rudnicki thinking? Surely you at least want to try to tie the game and get to OT?   I don't get it.

I have absolutely no issue with that play, 70.  Rudnicki missed that layup (which he should have made) with about :15 left.  If he makes it, you're down just 1 and have plenty of time to foul.  You hope they miss 1 or 2 FT's to put you in position to just need a 2 to tie it/go ahead.  And even if they make both, you can take the 3 on that next possession (with plenty of time - 10 seconds or so).

I'd say most coaches would go for the quick 2 there.  There was nothing strange about that decision at all.

I agree. I watched the last couple of minutes of the NCC @ IWU game, and I thought the same thing -- take the easy two, foul, call a timeout, and draw up a good play that can get you a tie or a win if you execute it right, which you can do if you've got eight or ten seconds to work with. The problem wasn't that Rudnicki made a bad decision; the problem was that he blew the layup.

The bigger issue I'd have, if I was an IWU fan, was the inbounds play after Rudnicki's made FT with 33 seconds left made it a one-point game. IWU pressed the inbounds pass, but didn't get a steal or a foul. Instead, the Titans allowed Kevin Gillespie to dribble right through them and fire a pass to Aaron Tiknis, who was all alone under the basket at the other end and made the uncontested layup that put IWU in that situation where the Titans were down by three in the waning seconds. Whether it was drawn up poorly or (more likely) executed poorly, it was simply unforgivable that: a) a Cardinal was allowed to dribble through the press; and b) that nobody had followed Tiknis down the floor to prevent him from cherry-picking.

[veterancciwfan]

IWU's Ft shooting has been a problem all year. Entering tonight, IWU was shooting a less than mediocre .675 while their opponents had a .730 mark from the line. FTs, or a lack thereof, plus turnovers have been the two main issues for IWU. Have to remember how many minutes the sophomores play, but that's really no excuse at this point of the season. Looks like Carthage still has a decent chance to make the CCIW tournament. If Augustana can win by only 2 at NPU, it's entirely possible that AC will finish with 6 CCIW losses (@ Cathage and @ Wheaton).

[Titan Q]

The Jordan Zimmer injury play starts at about the 1:23:30 mark on the player...

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/iwu.portal#

(55-51 NCC, just under 11:00 to play.)


It looks like the no-call was correct.  I don't see much movement from Landon Gamble on that screen.  When watching live I thought it looked like a freak play, and watching the replay didn't change my mind.  It looks like Zimmer just did not see the screen.

[Gregory Sager]

Looks like Carthage still has a decent chance to make the CCIW tournament.

Carthage's chances are more than decent. The Red Men still have yet to play the two fourth-place teams, Augie and IWU, and they will get to play them up in the Toolshed in Kenosha. Carthage's chances are very good.

Of course, Bosko & Co. can't look past Elmhurst, which the Red Men have to face in Faganel Hall on Saturday night. EC is very tough in its own building. That game's got Admiral Ackbar written all over it.

If Augustana can win by only 2 at NPU, it's entirely possible that AC will finish with 6 CCIW losses (@ Cathage and @ Wheaton).

One thing's got nothing to do with the other. This same Augie team, remember, bulldozed Wheaton by 24 points just two weeks ago, three days after pounding Carthage by 20. How Augie played against NPU tonight will have no impact whatsoever upon the rest of Augie's games ... except that it may make Grey Giovanine scream a little harder.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The Jordan Zimmer injury play starts at about the 1:23:30 mark on the player...

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/iwu.portal#

(55-51 NCC, just under 11:00 to play.)


It looks like the no-call was correct.  I don't see much movement from Landon Gamble on that screen.  When watching live I thought it looked like a freak play, and watching the replay didn't change my mind.  It looks like Zimmer just did not see the screen.

That is a tough hit, but I agree... watched it several times and think it was a completely clean screen that Zimmer didn't see or didn't expect (especially the tight curl around the screen - like players should be coached to do). Zimmer took a hard hit and I only wish him the best on his return.

[Gregory Sager]

The Jordan Zimmer injury play starts at about the 1:23:30 mark on the player...

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/iwu.portal#

(55-51 NCC, just under 11:00 to play.)


It looks like the no-call was correct.  I don't see much movement from Landon Gamble on that screen.  When watching live I thought it looked like a freak play, and watching the replay didn't change my mind.  It looks like Zimmer just did not see the screen.

That is a tough hit, but I agree... watched it several times and think it was a completely clean screen that Zimmer didn't see or didn't expect (especially the tight curl around the screen - like players should be coached to do). Zimmer took a hard hit and I only wish him the best on his return.

I watched it three times, and I concur as well. Clean screen, good no-call, unfortunate injury.

[Gregory Sager]

Final from Faganel Hall:

Elmhurst 61
Millikin 51

This might be the most surprising result of the evening, which is really saying something. The Big Blue were actually up at the half, 25-24, and were down by a point with nine and a half minutes to play before Elmhurst went on a 9-0 run to give itself a bit of a cushion. The Big Blue got the EC lead down to seven several times within the last three minutes, but just couldn't get over the hump. MU actually outshot the 'jays in all three phases, which boggles the mind, although Elmhurst's 46-30 rebounding bulge was the obvious difference in the game.

I just did not expect Millikin to play Elmhurst anywhere near that close at Faganel Hall, where the 'jays are usually so tough. Perhaps it was a matter of Elmhurst taking the Big Blue too lightly -- although that should've worn off by halftime -- or perhaps the 'jays have lost a little bit of an edge now that it's fairly obvious that they're just playing out the string. Another thing to consider is the fact that starting PG D'Ante Foster, who hurt his ankle in the first half of the game at Wheaton on Saturday, didn't play tonight. Brandon Grubl, a freshman whom I think has great potential but who needs to improve his outside shooting, has been playing the point in Foster's absence, but he's really more of an off guard than a point guard.

This makes me wonder if Foster is hurt so badly that he won't be playing on Saturday against Carthage -- which would make the task of winning at Faganel much easier for the Red Men -- or if Mark Scherer just sat him tonight to get him as healthy as possible for Saturday, knowing that the 'jays were (or should have been) more than capable of dispatching Millikin without him.

[cardinalpride]

This makes me wonder if Foster is hurt so badly that he won't be playing on Saturday against Carthage -- which would make the task of winning at Faganel much easier for the Red Men -- or if Mark Scherer just sat him tonight to get him as healthy as possible for Saturday, knowing that the 'jays were (or should have been) more than capable of dispatching Millikin without him.

GS, I believe the Jays are at Augie on Saturday.

[Gregory Sager]

Yeah, you're right. Carthage @ Elmhurst is next Tuesday. But the principle is the same: Sit out your gimpy point guard at home against the worst team in the league so that you can use him on Saturday against a team in the CCIW tourney race.

[AndOne]

The Jordan Zimmer injury play starts at about the 1:23:30 mark on the player...

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/iwu.portal#

(55-51 NCC, just under 11:00 to play.)


It looks like the no-call was correct.  I don't see much movement from Landon Gamble on that screen.  When watching live I thought it looked like a freak play, and watching the replay didn't change my mind.  It looks like Zimmer just did not see the screen.

That is a tough hit, but I agree... watched it several times and think it was a completely clean screen that Zimmer didn't see or didn't expect (especially the tight curl around the screen - like players should be coached to do). Zimmer took a hard hit and I only wish him the best on his return.

I watched it three times, and I concur as well. Clean screen, good no-call, unfortunate injury.

I was sitting in the 2nd row directly in line with the play:
* As TQ said, Zimmer did not see the Gamble screen. The reason--he was intently watching the man he was chasing around the screen. His entire focus was on his man.
* Landon made no move into Jordan and neither lowered his shoulder nor raised his elbow.
* The Wesleyan announcers both said Gamble did nothing illegal and "Jordan just did not see the screen."

[AndOne]

Also, I'm sorry to say that we got outcoached tonight and we played stupidly down the stretch on the final possessions within 2-3 minutes of the end, with TOs, and why oh ?? no three ball attempt down three with 20 seconds to go.  What was Rudnicki thinking? Surely you at least want to try to tie the game and get to OT?   I don't get it.

I have absolutely no issue with that play, 70.  Rudnicki missed that layup (which he should have made) with about :15 left.  If he makes it, you're down just 1 and have plenty of time to foul.  You hope they miss 1 or 2 FT's to put you in position to just need a 2 to tie it/go ahead.  And even if they make both, you can take the 3 on that next possession (with plenty of time - 10 seconds or so).

I'd say most coaches would go for the quick 2 there.  There was nothing strange about that decision at all.

1) I agree. I watched the last couple of minutes of the NCC @ IWU game, and I thought the same thing -- take the easy two, foul, call a timeout, and draw up a good play that can get you a tie or a win if you execute it right, which you can do if you've got eight or ten seconds to work with. The problem wasn't that Rudnicki made a bad decision; the problem was that he blew the layup.

2) The bigger issue I'd have, if I was an IWU fan, was the inbounds play after Rudnicki's made FT with 33 seconds left made it a one-point game. IWU pressed the inbounds pass, but didn't get a steal or a foul. Instead, the Titans allowed Kevin Gillespie to dribble right through them and fire a pass to Aaron Tiknis, who was all alone under the basket at the other end and made the uncontested layup that put IWU in that situation where the Titans were down by three in the waning seconds. Whether it was drawn up poorly or (more likely) executed poorly, it was simply unforgivable that: a) a Cardinal was allowed to dribble through the press; and b) that nobody had followed Tiknis down the floor to prevent him from cherry-picking.

1. I concur. I believe if you took a poll of however many head coaches you wanted, the vast majority would say if there are more than 10 seconds remaining, take (and especially MAKE) the TWO if you have an opening. Then foul, stop the clock, and hope for the missed free throw(s). If there are less than 10 seconds left, shoot the THREE.

2. The answer is poor execution. Kevin split 2 defenders to get to the point from where he made the pass ahead, and whoever was assigned to guard Aaron left his brain on the bench after the time out as Tiknis just ran free down the near sideline to underneath the basket. When he caught the ball under the basket, I don't think the closest Titan was any closer than about the foul line

[AndOne]

North Central 80
Illinois Wesleyan 73

* Aaron Tiknis: 23 pts, 8 reb
* Landon Gamble: 16 pts, 9 reb
* Derek Raridon: 15 pts, 5 reb, 3 assists
* CJ Goldthree: 15 pts

* Victor Davis: 19 pts, 3 reb
* Jordan Zimmer: 14 pts
* Eliud Gonzalez: 11 pts, 5 reb, 4 assists
* John Koschnitzky: 11 pts, 5 reb

1) IWU leading scorer Jordan Zimmer left the game with about 11 minutes remaining after a scary injury - he ran into a screen (did not see it coming) and suffered what was probably a concussion.  He did not return.

Without Zimmer, IWU hung in there and chipped away at a 8-9 point NCC lead.  IWU took a 66-62 lead with 5:51 on a Victor Davis 3-pointer.  NCC showed a lot of poise though, going on a 5-0 run to reclaim the lead.  IWU tied it at 71 with 1:08 to go on a Davis conventional 3-point play, but Aaron Tiknis (who was huge for the Cards tonight) hit the game winning shot on the next possession - a 3 from the top of the key.  IWU had the ball down 3 with about :20 to play, but Stephen Rudnicki missed a shot in the lane to basically end the game.

Obviously the Zimmer injury was a huge factor in the final 10 minutes of the game, but that said, North Central out-played IWU tonight. 2) In my opinion, the Titans lost the game in the final 10 minutes of the 1st half, and the opening of the 2nd when they just couldn't get anything going offensively, and could not contain CJ Goldthree from beyond the arc.  The Titans also executed very poorly down the stretch on both ends of the floor, after securing that 4-point lead with 5:00 or so to play.

North Central is not spectacular, but they are are very smart, balanced, fundamentally sound, and well-coached team.  The Cardinals don't ever do much to hurt themselves.  The Titans, on the other hand, just suffer from so many self-inflicted wounds throughout the course of games - missed FTs, turnovers, and empty possessions.

1. Before leaving the gym tonight I spoke with a couple of Titan players who confirmed they had been told that the injury is indeed a concussion.

2. I think the Titans lost the game between about the 16 and 11 minute marks of the 1st half. After building a 12-0 lead out of the gate, they both took their foot off the gas, and their mind off business. They played like they thought they had the game in the bag, and let the momentum they had built slip away by going away from the things that resulted in their initial success. During this time frame they allowed the Cardinals to outscore them 13-2. At that point the Cardinals had seized the mo back and in so doing gained the feeling that they could accomplish whatever was necessary during the remainder of the game to secure the victory.

[TitansIWU]

I will also say that the older crowd at IWU are very loyal but they lack some basketball knowledge based on the comments they yell at the refs every game I have attended.  Tonight I thought the worst was when Zimmer was hurt by running into the shoulder of a screen.  The North Central player setting the screen may have ducked a shoulder but it clearly wasn't malicious and maybe not even a foul.  The IWU fans are spouting at the ref during the first few minutes that Zimmer lay on the ground with a trainer over him.  This wasn't the students this was the older Titan fans.  I appreciate the passion but a real lack of perspective to be yelling at the officials for a couple minutes when one of your players is laying on the ground injured.  Just an observation.

It's really just a matter of some of them being of the age where they have absolutely no filter on what they say or the rationale behind it. I agree it is pretty annoying, but I have sat in the stands around them enough times to know that they really are not mean spirited people, they just have somehow lost a sense of what is appropriate. For a long time, I wondered if it was just their generation. I am still not 100% sure, but I lean towards them just being verbally reckless as they age.

Either that or their green tinted glasses are so thick, it impairs their ability to think clearly before they speak?

Some actually never say a word, but there are a couple of groups that are truly brutal, and they say things that if you said when you were younger might even cause a fight in the stands!

God bless them all for being out there, we all have to get older and I hope I am as active as many of them someday.

I hope Zimmer is okay, I remember seeing a similar collision years ago in high school, this was before the precautions of today. The player ended up going back in the game and later in the locker room, he asked "did we win?"

So, I am glad they take more precautions today, the effects of a concussion can be felt for a lifetime.