MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[TitansIWU]

The camera work at the Wheaton game seems to be as if you were in the back row of a crowded theater. They should mount it on one of the spectators heads with a helmet cam.

[NCF]

The UWW announcers are brutal. They have mispronounced multiple Wheaton player names. Different versions of Pflederer and Serenius even with the PA announcer saying it right.

that's what happens when the average ACT score of a UWW student is a negative number 

LOL

[NCF]

I went back to AndOne's  post from Senior Day and he mentioned two names

I had to go all the way back to Mark's February 18 post to see his one, off-hand mention of the fact that Broyles is a senior as well. But, meanwhile, the NCC website maintains that Broyles is a junior.

and you know I meant participation in four seasons in any sport now didn't you;)?

No, I didn't.

Maybe Broyles is a senior in the classroom, but missed a year of basketball somewhere along the way?

[cciwrabblerouser]

at the end of the game, the wheaton kid seemed to need a constant jock adjustment when standing at the line, waiting for the uww player to shoot free throws.

[Gregory Sager]

Very impressive game by UWW. The Warhawks held Wheaton to its second-lowest scoring total of the year. They did a tremendous job of limiting McCrary, who did get 15 points, but it took him 18 shots to get it -- and that's a bad points-per-shot average. He just had no open looks at all.

Wheaton defensed UWW superstar center Chris Davis nicely at the other end -- he had 14 points on 14 shots -- but the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance had no answer for 6'4 senior forward Alex Edmunds. On the same night that he held McCrary in check at one end of the floor, Edmunds erupted for 16 points at the other end, six above his season average. A very impressive performance by Edmunds.

Two down, one left ... and the team that's left is the third-place team. That's how it goes sometimes in the dance. One thing I've noticed, though, is that Ron Rose is developing a knack for getting his teams to play at a much higher level in March than they do in February. Illinois Wesleyan had to scrape in near the bottom of the Pool C pack on Selection Day after muddling through a 4-4 stretch, but now Rose's team is the only one left standing among the CCIW's three.

[John Gleich]

The UWW announcers are brutal. They have mispronounced multiple Wheaton player names. Different versions of Pflederer and Serenius even with the PA announcer saying it right.

that's what happens when the average ACT score of a UWW student is a negative number 

... Which C in CCIW stands for classy?  Oh, neither of them?




As was mentioned on the WIAC board earlier today, Whitewater is winning this season with a different formula... they're playing great defense this year instead of just trying to outscore opponents.  They're also being very methodical on offense and as a result, they're getting better shots.  Whitewater shot 60% in the first half on the way to that 16 point halftime lead.

Wheaton didn't roll over... we all knew they'd fight back, which they did.  But Whitewater caused 20 Wheaton turnovers for the game and kept throwing able bodies at McCrary.  Whitewater got to the line, sank their free throws, and played enough defense to shut down the Thunder.

[Gregory Sager]

The UWW announcers are brutal. They have mispronounced multiple Wheaton player names. Different versions of Pflederer and Serenius even with the PA announcer saying it right.

that's what happens when the average ACT score of a UWW student is a negative number 

... Which C in CCIW stands for classy?  Oh, neither of them?

Hey, don't paint us all with the same broad brush. Dennis doesn't speak for me.

[Mr. Ypsi]

IWU is now two-thirds of the way to what might be an unprecedented trifecta: a win AT the #1 ranked team in d3, a win AT the #2 all-time winningest program, and tomorrow (hopefully) a win against the #1 winningest program!  I am PUMPED!!

I hoped against hope for 15-0, but 13-2 ain't too shabby!  If IWU defeats Witt tomorrow, we will be the only conference with teams in both FFs (since IWU and Carthage play each other for a guaranteed spot in Holland).

[unanimous22]

The women's team already made the FF?

[Mr. Ypsi]

The women's team already made the FF?

Either IWU or Carthage has to win tomorrow night, since they play each other.  So, yes, a women's CCIW team has already made the FF.

[John Gleich]

The UWW announcers are brutal. They have mispronounced multiple Wheaton player names. Different versions of Pflederer and Serenius even with the PA announcer saying it right.

that's what happens when the average ACT score of a UWW student is a negative number 

... Which C in CCIW stands for classy?  Oh, neither of them?

Hey, don't paint us all with the same broad brush. Dennis doesn't speak for me.

I know.  It wasn't intended for the whole group by any stretch, though it did come off that way.  Sorry.

[AndOne]

Congrats to NCC and Wheaton on outstanding seasons. Sweet 16. Very nice work indeed by both squads. 
Congrats especially to IWU as they advance into the Elite 8.

I personally felt the IWU/Woo game was not as close as the final score. I think IWU was the better team by more than 2 points. Additionally, I will be very surprised if the Titans are not playing in Salem next weekend.

Its late, and my head and heart are both hurting a bit. More on a variety of topics after I get home tomorrow night.

[Titan Q]

IWU 69
Wooster 67

* Victor Davis: 18 pts, 3 reb
* Stephen Rudicki: 13 pts, 2 reb, 2 assists
* Andrew Ziemnik: 11 pts, 5 reb
* Eliud Gonzalez: 8 pts, 5 reb, 7 assists
* John Koschnitzky: 9 pts, 8 reb

http://www.iwusports.com/custompages/MBB/MBB2012/HTML/ncaa3.htm

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/iwu-men-tip-wooster-in-div-iii-tourney/article_17c094d2-6a5a-11e1-81a1-0019bb2963f4.html

Just a really good performance by the Titans last night in front of another large, hostile road crowd of 3000+.  Unlike last Saturday at Hope, the Titans were the aggressor in this one, seemingly forcing the action and dictating the tempo throughout the entire 1st half.  IWU led by 8-10 most of the 1st, and extended the lead to 15 by the break.  I thought Wooster, which would seem to want to be a slower, halfcourt-type of team, got sucked into IWU's up-and-down pace bigtime - that entire 1st half was played at exactly the pace the Titans wanted. 

Wooster made several runs at IWU in the 2nd half.  First they cut a 17-point deficit to 9 with 17:15 to play...but IWU responded by pushing the lead back to 14 with 15:34.  Then the Scots got it to 7 with 13:17...only to see IWU get it back to 13 with 10:28.  And then Wooster made its big charge, pulling within 1-point, 60-59, with 5:25 to play, and securing its first tie at the 3:39 mark.  It felt to me like once Wooster had climbed all the way back, that they'd find a way to win the game on their home floor.  It certainly wasn't a comfortable final few minutes.

With the game tied at 67, coming out of a timeout with about :26 to play, the Titans ran a play which seemed to breakdown.  IWU's senior PG, Eliud Gonzalez, seemed to realize things weren't going as planned on that critical possession and took a 10-foot jumpshot from the right baseline.  He hit, giving IWU a 2-point IWU lead.  After a timeout, Wooster missed a shot, but Gonzalez was whistled for a reach-in foul with 2.8 seconds to play on the rebound.  Josh Claytor missed the front-end, forcing the Scots to miss on purpose and try for a put-back.  They did not convert and IWU held on. 

Wooster never held a single lead in its own gym last night.  It was just a very impressive performance by the Titans.  As far as team stats, the one that jumps out to me is turnovers - IWU only turned it over 9 times vs a tremendous defensive team, in a very tough, hostile environment.

This was the first time I've seen the Titans play this year (in person - I've watched 15+ games online, of course).  This is certainly not the most talented IWU team I've ever seen but, without question, it's the most cohesive, team-oriented Titans squad I can remember.  These guys just play incredibly hard and support each other for 40 minutes.  There seems to be a genuine belief across the team that any guy on the floor can step up and make a play at any time.  It's truly like having 5 equal parts on the floor at all teams...and nothing changes when reserves enter the game.

It's a real pleasure to watch this group play - just a true "team."  Looking forward to the Wittenberg game tonight.

[Titan Q]

Wittenberg reminds me a little of Augustana, just because they're so big.  They start...

G - Zack Leahy, 6-0/170 So.
G - Josh McKee, 6-2/190 Sr
F - Michael Cooper, 6-5/215 Sr
F - Alex Brandt, 6-7/230 Sr
F - Clayton Black, 6-7/220 Sr

The Tigers bring 6-6/220 Jacob Weide and 6-5/240 Scott Masin off the bench, so they always have 2 big boys in the low post at all times. 

Also like Augustana, perimeter shooting is probably Wittenberg's biggest question mark.  They have several capable 3-point shooters, but probably not that one guy you really worry about at all times.

Wittenberg is bigger and stronger than IWU (and obviously IWU is a big, strong team) - IWU will give up a lot of points in the paint tonight as Witt's big boys back their way down.  But the Tigers will have plenty of matchup problems too - I'm not sure they can run with the Titans, and I think they'll struggle to guard IWU from the perimeter.  I can picture IWU's power forwards, Victor Davis and Andrew Ziemnik, giving Witt a lot of problems tonight.  And if his foot is feeling OK, Jordan Zimmer could have a big night from beyond the arc.

Should be a great game.  A trip to Salem on the line.

[Titan Q]

Congrats to Wheaton and North Central on great seasons, and impressive Sweet 16 runs.  Add in Augustana, and that CCIW top four was extremely strong this year.