MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just occurred to me that IWU is not only the only school in both Finals Fours, the CCIW is the only conference in both!  As an indication of the power center in d3 basketball, 5 of the 8 teams are from the Midwest/Central and West regions (i.e., 2 of 8 regions have 5 of 8 teams).

[mactitan]

He reminds me so much of Dave Coulier from the TV show Full House.

It sometimes makes me feel like Uncle Joey is coaching the Titans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WnoQYAXRSY&feature=related

I can see it.  I guess that would make Coach Sodemann Uncle Jesse.

I tried to think of a Full House character Coach Stein could be, but I just don't think they'd let him anywhere near a kids' show.

Bob - I don't know coach Stein at all, but have  you seen Bob Sagget's stand-up?  There's no way that guy should have been near a kids' show either.

I remember the Final Four in 1997 when Hope was in Salem too - their fan base was incredible.  If I remember correctly, they were pulling for IWU in our semifinal against Rowan, and many IWU fans at the championship sort of adopted Hope as "their" team.  That new arena they built is incredible - it makes that win in Holland all the more impressive.

I love the double Final Four, but I feel bad that the green fan base is going to be split.  It will be interesting to see how many fans travel to Holland and Salem.  I wonder how many fan buses will go to each. 

[Hoosier Titan]

Courtesy of the MIAA board, check out this video of the crowd and atmosphere at the IWU/Hope game...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEuAYQ3q7kw


Every IWU fan I ran into at Wooster this past weekend that was at Hope said basically the same thing -- that the atmosphere at DeVos, and the fans, were just amazing.  Each in some way said it was the best Division III atmosphere they've ever seen.

I was at Thomas More with the women's team, but everyone I spoke with on campus--from players to IWU students who were there to old timers--said the same thing.  It looks fantastic.  The players even said they wished the students would "choreograph" moves the way the Hope fans did.  Maybe a return to the cheer blocks of old, or something better?

[uva_iwu]

Courtesy of the MIAA board, check out this video of the crowd and atmosphere at the IWU/Hope game...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEuAYQ3q7kw


Every IWU fan I ran into at Wooster this past weekend that was at Hope said basically the same thing -- that the atmosphere at DeVos, and the fans, were just amazing.  Each in some way said it was the best Division III atmosphere they've ever seen.

I was at Thomas More with the women's team, but everyone I spoke with on campus--from players to IWU students who were there to old timers--said the same thing.  It looks fantastic.  The players even said they wished the students would "choreograph" moves the way the Hope fans did.  Maybe a return to the cheer blocks of old, or something better?

Hope's crowd appears to be doing their version of the "Interlude Dance," a quasi-phenomenon started at Northern Iowa.

http://www.uni.edu/this-is-uni/interlude-dance

I imagine it would be quite the sight if an entire packed arena was doing it at once. There's even footage floating around the internet of Michelle Obama doing the dance in Iowa w/ thousands of school kids.

[Titan Q]

Southtown Star article on Eliud Gonzalez and John Koschnitzky...

http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/sports/11239184-419/disabato-southlanders-fuel-illinois-wesleyans-d-iii-run.html

[Mr. Ypsi]

Eliud is on the front page of d3hoops.com - nice writeup!

My prediction is that he sufficiently shuts down Cory Lemons to reach the final, but the winner of MIT/UWW is just too tough to overcome.  But I'm willing to be wrong - on the second part, not the first!

Likewise for the women - I think Olivia and company can down St. Thomas, but I fear the winner of Amherst/GF is just too much to overcome.

IF IWU does still have two teams playing on Saturday, hopefully AT LEAST one will prove my fears unfounded!

[veterancciwfan]

I haven't had time to view all the recent posts. But want to share a few thoughts after the trip home from Wooster:

1) Ron Rose's record in 2011 vs. CCIW teams was 10-6 (9-5 in conference and 1-1 in CCIW tournament. That's a winning % of .625.
2) His record in 2012 vs. CCIW teams was 10-5 (10-4 in conference and 0-1 in CCIW tournament) for a winning % of .666
3) However, his record in 3 NCAA tournaments (2010, 2011, & 2012 and not finished) is an eye-ball popping 8-2 (you can do the math).

Which proves that the NCAA is a cakewalk compared to battling CCIW teams (tounge in cheek!). Another stat which is hard to fathom: In 7 games in 2012 vs. the other 3 top CCIW teams, IWU goes 2-5 (0-2 vs. NCC; 1-2 vs. WC & 1-1 vs. AC). But against 4 good to excellent teams from outside the CCIW in NCAA tournament play, IWU goes 4-0. And 2 of the 4 games are on the road in extreme hostile environments.

Last item: Eliud Gonzalez is one of my all-time 'favorite to watch" IWU players. What a ridiculous stat line for him in the Wooster game: 3-7 in FGs including draining the 10-foot jumper from the right baseline on a fake pump with 20 seconds left and the score tied; 5 rebounds (tied for 2nd best behind 8 by Koschnitzky); 7 assists: 1 TO & 2 steals. Plus airtight, in-your-face harassing defense that wore more than one Wooster guard down. And he follows that with even better stats against W'berg: 4 for 6 FGs including 1 for 2 in 3s; 10 points; 5 assists; 2 TOs; and 6 steals! And he was in involved in one other steal. When is the last time you have seen one player in a huge game against a good team with 6 steals? I am going to miss IWU b'ball after this weekend and I am really going to miss seeing Eliud playing. He is an amazing young man and I think he is a big reason why IWU has a decent chance to be D3 kings on Mar. 16 in Salem.

[NCF]

He reminds me so much of Dave Coulier from the TV show Full House.

It sometimes makes me feel like Uncle Joey is coaching the Titans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WnoQYAXRSY&feature=related

I can see it.  I guess that would make Coach Sodemann Uncle Jesse.

I tried to think of a Full House character Coach Stein could be, but I just don't think they'd let him anywhere near a kids' show.

Bob - I don't know coach Stein at all, but have  you seen Bob Sagget's stand-up?  There's no way that guy should have been near a kids' show either.

I remember the Final Four in 1997 when Hope was in Salem too - their fan base was incredible.  If I remember correctly, they were pulling for IWU in our semifinal against Rowan, and many IWU fans at the championship sort of adopted Hope as "their" team.  That new arena they built is incredible - it makes that win in Holland all the more impressive.

I love the double Final Four, but I feel bad that the green fan base is going to be split.  It will be interesting to see how many fans travel to Holland and Salem.  I wonder how many fan buses will go to each.

Would be great if the Final Four for men and women would be at the same site! What a great week-end of basketball that would be!

[NCF]

Eliud is on the front page of d3hoops.com - nice writeup!

My prediction is that he sufficiently shuts down Cory Lemons to reach the final, but the winner of MIT/UWW is just too tough to overcome.  But I'm willing to be wrong - on the second part, not the first!

Likewise for the women - I think Olivia and company can down St. Thomas, but I fear the winner of Amherst/GF is just too much to overcome.

IF IWU does still have two teams playing on Saturday, hopefully AT LEAST one will prove my fears unfounded!

With the way these two teams are playing, I would not be surprised at all to see both of them in the finals and at least one of them with the trophy.

[Just Bill]

Would be great if the Final Four for men and women would be at the same site! What a great week-end of basketball that would be!

It has been discussed and I think Salem may have even made a a bid for that at one time, but I know the women's championship committee is afraid of having their national finals games look like the "JV warmup" for the men's games. I agree it might be cool, but I also understand each tournament wanting to have their own spotlight.

[cciwrabblerouser]

Would be great if the Final Four for men and women would be at the same site! What a great week-end of basketball that would be!

It has been discussed and I think Salem may have even made a a bid for that at one time, but I know the women's championship committee is afraid of having their national finals games look like the "JV warmup" for the men's games. I agree it might be cool, but I also understand each tournament wanting to have their own spotlight.

i bet that, if the women's basketball committee talked to the women's soccer committee, it would be an eye-opening conversation.  men's and women's soccer have a same site final weekend, and it is awesome.  and we're talking HOOPS here, so the crowd for the women would be very large as well.  nothing for the women's basketball committee to be worried about.

[Titan Q]

Would be great if the Final Four for men and women would be at the same site! What a great week-end of basketball that would be!

It has been discussed and I think Salem may have even made a a bid for that at one time, but I know the women's championship committee is afraid of having their national finals games look like the "JV warmup" for the men's games. I agree it might be cool, but I also understand each tournament wanting to have their own spotlight.

i bet that, if the women's basketball committee talked to the women's soccer committee, it would be an eye-opening conversation.  men's and women's soccer have a same site final weekend, and it is awesome.  and we're talking HOOPS here, so the crowd for the women would be very large as well.  nothing for the women's basketball committee to be worried about.

I agree.  In the CCIW we now have men's/women's doubleheaders regularly.  Most Saturday evenings this year I watched the IWU women play, and then the men.  I honestly never looked at the women's game as a "JV warmup"-type game.  I looked at it as two big games, with the women's simply tipping at 5:15 and the men's at 7:30.  And these were just regular season games -- in the Final Four, I don't think anyone could possibly consider any game played as a "warmup."  There is just enough natural intensity to these games and energy in the building to prevent that from happening.

I like the thought of the men and women going to one site.  You'd obviously have to play 2 afternoon games Friday (maybe 1:00pm, 3:30, 6:00, 8:30), but I don't think that would be a bad thing.  Sounds like a great day of basketball at the Salem Civic Center.  Then Saturday you'd have 2 national championships.  Recently we had the consolation game Saturday, which was kind of blah...now we have the all-star game, which I have never seen, but I would guess is kind of blah.  Imagine two title games Saturday - sounds cool.

Bring the entire Division III baketball community under one roof for 2 days...just seems like a good idea.

[Just Bill]

You'll have to have new nets on standby after the winners of the first title game cut them down! I agree it could be very cool if done right.

Do soccer teams ever cut down the nets? That could take a while.

[cciwrabblerouser]

in an effort to be "fair," the soccer championship weekend is set up so that, one year, the women play the afternoon games and the men play the night games.  then, the next year, the men play in the afternoon ane the women play at night.  it works out very well.  and i have talked to the athletes on these championship weekends, and they really enjoy playing at the same site -- it just creates an incredible amount of excitement for everyone ... and can you imagine the iwu women and men at the same site?  it's a dream come true for fans who happen to have both teams in the final weekend.

[Just Bill]

The bigger challenge would be getting in all the necessary practice times. Each team gets 90 minutes on the day before their first game. So you're talking about a Thursday practice schedule of 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, 6:00, 7:30, which would be workable except for the fact that there is usually a Thursday night awards banquet as well.

Then on Friday, each team gets a 60 minute shoot around. I don't know how you can possibly work in 8 hours of practice and four games on the same day. You could use an alternate practice site I suppose, but the whole idea of the practice sessions are to get time in the competition facility.

I know the NCAA penny pinchers wouldn't like it, but you might have to go an extra day.

So, it's not impossible, but it would take some serious logistical planning to make it all work.