MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

On Millikin recruit David Babb...

http://chicagohoops.hoops247.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1477:milikin-lands-pontiac-star-david-babb&catid=34:recruiting

[monsoon]

Great atmosphere in the hangar last night.  Hotter than heck, but a great atmosphere.

[Titan Q]

Final Pool C projection for the day...

http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=4232.msg1406803#msg1406803


I had IWU starting the day at #18 and finishing #19.  That's not bad considering there were two big upsets - Mary Hardin-Baylor and Birmingham-Southern.  A huge result was William Paterson (which I had as a Pool C) winning the NJAC @ Richard Stockton (which is now a Pool C candidate, but nowhere near as competitive as William Paterson). 

If the 3 favorites below win tomorrow, I think IWU has a pretty good chance of getting in as #18 or #19.  The Titans have zero room for error though - IWU can't afford any of these 3 games to go the wrong way.

IWU finished the day better than I would have guessed this morning.   


Sunday Bubble Burster Games (Virtual Pool C locks - would clip teams off the current Pool C list)
1. MIT: 24-2 (.923), .514, 2-2 - vs Springfield tomorrow in NEWMAC title
2. Va Wesleyan: 23-4 (.852), .529, 2-3 - vs Randolph tomorrow in ODAC title
3. Transylvania: 22-3 (.880), .508, 3-1 - vs Rose-Hulman tomorrow in HCAC title

There are live stats/video links for these 3 games on the frontpage.  Tip times (Central time) are...

- MIT vs Springfield (noon)

- Transylvania vs Rose-Hulman (1:00pm)

- Virginia Wesleyan vs Randolph, @ Salem Civic Center (2:30pm)

[iwumichigander]

I doubt Wheaton will host now, thought they had a great shot at it if they had gotten an automatic qualifier due to their regional ranking coming in to this week. Heck, has Wheaton hosted since that AWFUL, EVIL game against Calvin in 2005 which I still have PTSD from? Maybe we don't want to host, hah.

Wheaton has hosted a couple times since then. I think they have a decent, but not great shot at hosting. No offense to NCC, but the hangar isn't a great hosting gym, and Wheaton has done it successfully multiple times before.

That is not to say that one of them will for sure host, but I feel like there usually is a Chicago area based host for the first two rounds.

More experienced posters, correct me if I'm wrong about that.

Provided NCC applied to host; NCC and The Hangar should easily meet the requirements for a host .  Usually, the NCAA will make an effort to award to host to highest ranked teams which would likely eliminate NCC and Wheaton as hosts in 1st round play.

[cardinalpride]

Big Congrats to my NCC Cardinals for unifying the CCIW crown this year!  A Big Congrats also to Men's Track & Field as well for winning their 12th consecutive indoor CCIW championship right next door!

[John Gleich]

Tell that to Whitewater two years ago.  They won the conference and lost the conference tourney final, went into the NCAAs at 22-5 or so and got shipped to Wooster.    It'll be interesting this year!

I was sitting at dinner tonight making a list of potential Hope opponents.  We all felt the list looked more difficult than it should.  But that's just this part of the country isn't it.

Stevens Point was on this list.

Moving teams around more in recent years has been one of the nice improvements the tournament has made.

Over on the multi-region section, somebody put the (potential) field in Google Maps.

Looks like I forgot Northwestern (MN) in my list.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201288344535022760091.0004b9cf822bd1249d87b&msa=0

It seems like there could be some obvious pods by region (UWRF, Northwestern, GAC/UST, Buena Vista, for example, UWW, UWSP, Carroll, Edgewood for another) but 1) I don't know how those shake out in terms of good matchups (i.e. higher vs. lower seeds) and 2) I know they try to steer away from conference foes meeting in the first round and possibly even in pods... so that might affect where certain teams end up too.

There are two west coast teams this year and three Texas teams... so they're all on and island by themselves.

It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

[iwu70]

MIT wins.  Transy up.

IWU70

[shepherd]

IMHO: After reading the other posts the CCIW chances of hosting look slim out of necessity.  That probably means at least one CCIW team going to Wash U. with anybody else going to UWW or Hope.  Just my speculation on what the committee will do.

[Titan Q]

Rose-Hulman 76
Transylvania 73 (OT)


Pretty safe to say that this is the knockout blow for IWU.  Titans are most likely now 4th in the Midwest region Pool C mix...

- Wheaton
- Transylvania
- Lake Forest
- IWU

[A Lover of the Game]

How much of a chance do you predict the Titans have at getting in at this point?

[TitansIWU]

How much of a chance do you predict the Titans have at getting in at this point?

I am pretty sure it will take a miracle, but don't forget last year!

[Mr. Ypsi]

I think the only realistic chance for the Titans is if the regional or national committee sees fit to drop Lake Forest behind them. 

[Titan Q]

How much of a chance do you predict the Titans have at getting in at this point?

I've looked at this a closer, and here is where I am...

If the Midwest committee puts IWU ahead of Lake Forest, I think the Titans have about a 50% chance of getting in right at the end (spots 18/19) - I like IWU's chances quite a bit in that scenario (they'd be on the board for several rounds).  If the Midwest committee puts Lake Forest ahead of IWU, I think there is about a 10% chance - in this scenario I think IWU might up team #20.

And, honestly, the committee's decision is about a coin flip...

- Lake Forest: 19-4 (.826), .516, 0-1
- Illinois Wesleyan: 17-7 (.708), .541, 3-6 (secondary criteria wins over Staten Island, Bethany)

There is a very good chance that IWU's "results vs regionally ranked" puts IWU ahead of Lake Forest -- all of my projections have considered Lake Forest ahead of IWU.

So for me, this is what IWU's chances hinge on.

I'm very confident in saying that IWU's chance are nowhere near "it will take a miracle" status...not even close.  Even if Lake Forest is ahead of IWU, again, I have the Titans #20 (out of 19).  In other words, either way, the Titans are right there on the bubble, and in the discussion at the very end.

[Gregory Sager]

You're leaving out a primary criterion, Bob: In-region common opponents.

Lake Forest (6-0): Defeated Chicago, Carthage, Ripon (twice), and Illinois College (twice)
Illinois Wesleyan (4-1): Defeated Chicago, Carthage (twice), Illinois College, lost to Ripon

[AndOne]

I think Mr Q is doing some wishful thinking---or perhaps a bit of campaigning?       

Does school reputation play any part in the selection?