MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[thunder38]

Sites announced: NCC and IWU playing at Wooster.  Wheaton headed to Whitewater.

[Titan Q]

How bout this road through D3's elite programs - vs UW-Stevens Point, vs Hope, vs Wooster.  Quite a line-up.

I honestly have no idea about Wooster's comparative level of ability, having not seen the Scots this season. And since your parity theory has thus far borne out, I certainly would not discount IWU's chances next Friday at all, regardless of the fact that Wooster was the national runner-up last season. But it needs to be said that what you're referring to in your "quite a lineup" bit is as much brand-name identity as anything. Yes, Hope was #1, and a great team, and IWU did a magnificent job last night of knocking off that team on its home floor. Titans fans can be very proud of that. But UWSP was not even close this year to being the UWSP of the three recent national championships -- and the Pointers were further held back on Friday night by the absence of their top scorer, Tyler Tillema, due to injury. Just some perspective.

I referred to "D3's elite programs."  I think everyone was pretty clear what I meant here Greg...but I know you'd hate for some positive IWU tidbit to hit the boards without going challenged, so I appreciate your clarification for the masses on UWSP's struggles.

And thanks for allowing Titans fans to be proud of the win @ Hope last night.  Much appreciated.

[David Collinge]

How bout this road through D3's elite programs - vs UW-Stevens Point, vs Hope, vs Wooster.  Quite a line-up.

And potentially vs. Wittenberg in the fourth round. Don't know if this has been pointed out in here yet (I gave up trying to follow the frenetic pace of this room several years ago), but the Wooster sectional features the three winningest programs in D3 history. Should be a great weekend for D3 fans.

[iwumichigander]

How bout this road through D3's elite programs - vs UW-Stevens Point, vs Hope, vs Wooster.  Quite a line-up.

And potentially vs. Wittenberg in the fourth round. Don't know if this has been pointed out in here yet (I gave up trying to follow the frenetic pace of this room several years ago), but the Wooster sectional features the three winningest programs in D3 history. Should be a great weekend for D3 fans.

Winningest programs mentioned on another board; I think all leaders in attendance also?

[David Collinge]

How bout this road through D3's elite programs - vs UW-Stevens Point, vs Hope, vs Wooster.  Quite a line-up.

And potentially vs. Wittenberg in the fourth round. Don't know if this has been pointed out in here yet (I gave up trying to follow the frenetic pace of this room several years ago), but the Wooster sectional features the three winningest programs in D3 history. Should be a great weekend for D3 fans.

Winningest programs mentioned on another board; I think all leaders in attendance also?

Wittenberg's attendance has dipped dramatically in recent years, but Wooster and IWU are surely among the attendance leaders for non-Michigan based D3 schools.

Speaking of attendance, I don't know what the ticket arrangements will be, and there will be large crowds at the sectional, but I do not anticipate a sellout, so if anyone needs tickets and fails to get them through IWU or NCC, they should be available at the door without any problems. Timken Gymnasium seats 3300.

[thunder38]

One of the interesting storylines on the Wheaton side...last year Wheaton monkey-stomped Whitewater 92-66 at the Lee Pfund Classic.  McCrary had 22 and Jon DeMoss had 24 in that game.  Obviously both teams are improved over last year.  Surprisingly that was the only meeting between the two teams in their histories.

[Gregory Sager]

How bout this road through D3's elite programs - vs UW-Stevens Point, vs Hope, vs Wooster.  Quite a line-up.

I honestly have no idea about Wooster's comparative level of ability, having not seen the Scots this season. And since your parity theory has thus far borne out, I certainly would not discount IWU's chances next Friday at all, regardless of the fact that Wooster was the national runner-up last season. But it needs to be said that what you're referring to in your "quite a lineup" bit is as much brand-name identity as anything. Yes, Hope was #1, and a great team, and IWU did a magnificent job last night of knocking off that team on its home floor. Titans fans can be very proud of that. But UWSP was not even close this year to being the UWSP of the three recent national championships -- and the Pointers were further held back on Friday night by the absence of their top scorer, Tyler Tillema, due to injury. Just some perspective.

I referred to "D3's elite programs."  I think everyone was pretty clear what I meant here Greg...but I know you'd hate for some positive IWU tidbit to hit the boards without going challenged, so I appreciate your clarification for the masses on UWSP's struggles.

And thanks for allowing Titans fans to be proud of the win @ Hope last night.  Much appreciated.

Not a single person had mentioned Tillema in this room this weekend until I did a few hours ago -- not PS (in his gracious postgame remarks in here on Friday night), nor you in your lengthy Friday-night game recap. A casual fan who doesn't follow D3 in general or the WIAC very closely might've gotten the impression from your "elite programs" post early this morning that the Titans had beaten the equivalent of the Kalsow/Bennett crew on Friday, which was most definitely not the case. So, no, I don't think that you can make the assumption that "everyone was pretty clear" what you meant.

As for your "I know you'd hate for some positive IWU tidbit to hit the boards without going challenged" snark, you must've missed the point that I praised the Titans' achievement of beating #1 Hope in its own gym not once, but twice, in this room within the past eighteen hours. Nobody put a gun to my head to make me do it, either. I did it because it's the right thing to do, and as a pretty consistent presence in this room I felt that it's what should be done. Rather than simply take the easy way out, as I know some Hope fans are doing, by pointing exclusively to the Dutch's horrid FT performance as the explanation for the game's result, I talked about how IWU outworked Hope on the boards, and how the offensive rebound disparity was a key ingredient of the game's final outcome. And had I known that saying that "IWU did a magnificent job last night of knocking off that (#1) team on its home floor" was tantamount to spitting in the faces of Titans fans, I wouldn't have bothered.

I actually haven't gotten around yet to praising Wheaton upon reaching the Sweet Sixteen. The fact that none of the Wheaton posters have felt the need to bite off my head for my oversight speaks volumes about their relative graciousness.

[TitansIWU]

Flying back to Omaha from Phoenix...WIFI onboard.  Posting from 35,000 above Durango.

I've always wanted to join the Mile High Club, so this is exciting.

Yikes... Mile High Posting Club, right???

[Titan Q]

Some priceless expressions in the stands on the Victor Davis tip dunk...

http://hollandsentinel.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge_remote.asp?source=jsapi&remoteimageid=4121991


That play shocked the heck out of me as I was watching online - kind of came out of nowhere and I had to do a double-take.  It looked like something you'd see in a D1 game.  I think the play-by-play guy said something like, "Victor Davis with a grown man dunk!" which made me laugh outloud.

Victor had a really good weekend in Holland.  The dunk was huge, but his biggest basket came with 1:19 in the first OT with IWU down 2.  He hit an enormous 3 from just right of the top of the key to put IWU back up 1.  In addition to being impressed that he made the shot, I was impressed he had the guts, in that situation, to take it. 

Throughout the year there have been glimpses of what sophomore Victor Davis can become as a Division III basketball player, and there have been plenty of moments of inconsistency and struggles.  I thought things really came together for Victor this weekend -- he is going to be really good.  Physically, he is just a beast.

[iwu70]

Lighten up guys, it's just basketball.  You two "Gurus of the Board" act like Repbulican Presidential candidates at times.  Let's be happy the CCIW is doing so well.  Maybe it was just good luck that IWU faced the Pointers without their top guy.   Injuries are part of the game, each season . . . and surely Jordan and Kman were not exactly at full health last night either. 

My kudos to the Hope team and fans, as that team had no "stop-fighting" in them.  Snuggerud was outstanding, amazing.  I think the key thing was four Hope guys fouling out, and the Titans shooting so many FTs, and hitting a better-than-season-average of them.  The atmosphere and fan support at Hope is surely the top in D3hoops, for which Hope and the Hope program and fans should be most proud.  Special place for a memorable win for the Greenies.  I 'm glad we will have more opportunities for Hope-IWU matchups in the next three years.  And, all I hope is that Mr. Snuggerud is a senior.   

Greg, I must say, though, that I was very glad last night that IWU had that non-elite, sore-footed, trey-shooting, skinny "gutty" guy from Delevan.  I think even Keelan and Korey will tip their hats to him today.  And he's still dancing, still shooting treys again next weekend.

Look forward to another great weekend of FIVE CCIW teams in the SWEET SWEET Sixteen.   Keep it rolling CCIW.

IWU70

[iwu70]

Q, loved the picture of Victor's dunk!  And, I agree totally with you on his courage to take that trey, and make it.  When he shot it, I thought, "oh no, not the shot we wanted," and my video stream froze as the ball approached the rim.  I didn't know for a buffering 12-15 seconds if it had gone in.  Saw it on Live Stats, before the video returned!  That was a key shot, at a big moment . . . and Victor really came through.  (I think there are many good moments like those two in his future . . . and also many moments like that from the arc for Parker Musselman in the next two-three years too).  I'm sure those Titans sitting on the bench are learning alot from this DIII tourney run, watching the seniors . . . and knowing what will be expected, hoped for them in the coming 2-3 years.

Great time to be a Titan fan -- of both our tourney teams.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

And, all I hope is that Mr. Snuggerud is a senior.   

Sorry, but he's only a junior.

Greg, I must say, though, that I was very glad last night that IWU had that non-elite, sore-footed, trey-shooting, skinny "gutty" guy from Delevan.

Zimmer played a great game last night. Those two money treys in the second OT were exactly what a team needs and should expect in that situation from its senior captain and top scorer.

[Titan Q]

A couple things that jump out from the boxscore...

http://www.hope.edu/athletics/mbb/stats/1112/0303iwuh.htm


* IWU scored 22 points in the second OT (Zimmer 12, Reed 6, Davis 2, Koschnitzky 1, Rudnicki 1) - it took the Titans 15 minutes in the 1st half to score 22 points

* IWU was 20-24 from the FT line during the final 10:00 of regulation (5-6), OT (5-6), and 2OT (10-12).

[NCF]

Flying back to Omaha from Phoenix…WIFI onboard.  Posting from 35,000 above Durango.

I've always wanted to join the Mile High Club, so this is exciting.

Yikes... Mile High Posting Club, right???

I was wondering the same thing:)

[Mugsy]

I actually haven't gotten around yet to praising Wheaton upon reaching the Sweet Sixteen. The fact that none of the Wheaton posters have felt the need to bite off my head for my oversight speaks volumes about their relative graciousness.

I was so angry and bitter that I could not muster the energy and forgiveness to visit the board until this afternoon.  It took multiple services at the Covenant church I attend this morning to help set aside the purposeful slight.