MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

I hope this doesn't happen, but does the two teams that falls short in the semi's get two players chosen for the All-Star game. Zimmer and who else for IWU? And who from the other teams that may fall short. Does anybody know who has been chosen for the game already? Tim McCrary comes to mind.

http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2012/03/all-star-rosters-announced

The column does not mention players from the losing teams of Friday.

[D-3 watcher]

Missed that, thank you Ypsi.  Q, who's the favorite, and what's the spread?

[Pat Coleman]

I hope this doesn't happen, but does the two teams that falls short in the semi's get two players chosen for the All-Star game. Zimmer and who else for IWU? And who from the other teams that may fall short. Does anybody know who has been chosen for the game already? Tim McCrary comes to mind.

Last year the losing players from Friday refused to participate so I don't know what to make of the possibility this year. I believe it's just one from each team, now, however. The addition of the fan vote took one of those spots.

[D-3 watcher]

Thank you as well, well they would be Seniors, thus making them more than likely 21, and maybe they, well you know.

[NCF]

To the best of my knowledge, there has NEVER before been a mid-March tornado in Michigan.  I know people in the area hardest hit, but due to power outages have been unable to learn if everyone is OK.  Sorry to have had a human response.

My, oh my.  I've sparred the room from my answer but if readers in the room would like a brief history on Michigan tornadoes, Mr. Y can pass on my links I've provided for him.

PS  We've had tornadoes in March.

hmmmm...thanks for the information, saved me some time this morning looking it up. But, I would have liked to hear your answer anyway.

[Titan Q]

Chicago Tribune on the IWU women and men...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-spt-0316-haugh-illinois-wesleyan-college-basket-20120316,0,1134173.column

[NCF]

Chicago Tribune on the IWU women and men...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-spt-0316-haugh-illinois-wesleyan-college-basket-20120316,0,1134173.column

Great article about the coach and the fact that a (gasp)D3 school has TWO teams in the Final Four while no Illinois D1 teams even made the tourney. That fact alone would gather interest from the Chicago media in a D3 tournament final.

[Titan Q]

A few more newspaper stories on the games tonight in Salem. 


http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/iwu-men-want-dream-to-continue-at-final-four/article_85ea8118-6ef4-11e1-ba8d-0019bb2963f4.html

http://wjbc.com/sophomores-show-poise-in-iwus-final-four-run/

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/men-s-final-four-notes-walton-moss-sparks-iwu-foe/article_11e2f920-6f09-11e1-ab9d-0019bb2963f4.html

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/306290

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/142878635.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/sports/142867085.html

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan (23-7, 10-4 CCIW) vs Cabrini (30-1, 18-0 CSAC)...

- D3hoops.com Top 25 rank: Cabrini #5, IWU n/a
- Massey Index rank: IWU #8, Cabrini #12
- Massey Strength of Schedule rating: IWU #2, Cabrini #245


PG
(CC) Cory Lemons, 5-10 Sr - 17.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.1 A/TO (196-403 FG, .486)
(IWU) Eliud Gonzalez, 5-9/170 Sr - 6.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.3 A/TO (62-144 FG, .431)

SG
(IWU) Jordan Zimmer, 6-5/190 Sr - 15.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.9 apg (102-242 3-point, .421)
(CC) A.J. Williams, 5-10 Jr - 9.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.4 apg (22-70 3-point, .314)

G/F
(CC) John Boyd, 6-3 Sr - 10.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg (48-158 3-point, .304)
(IWU) John Koschnitzky, 6-6/205 Sr - 9.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg (93-236 FG, .394)

F
(IWU) Victor Davis, 6-5/225 So - 10.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg (124-244 FG, .508)
(CC) Fran Rafferty, 6-4 So - 9.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg (34-87 3-point, .391)

F/C
(IWU) Kevin Reed, 6-7/225 Jr - 8.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg (116-194 FG, .598)
(CC) Goran Dulac, 6-7 Jr - 6.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg (73-150 FG, .487)

Bench

(CC) Jeremy Knowles (G), 6-1 Jr - 12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.4 apg (53-151 3-point, .351)
(CC) Aaron Walton-Moss (G), 6-1 Fr - 11.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.6 apg (77-125 FG, .616)
(CC) Jon Miller (F/C), 6-6 So - 4.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, (44-78 FG, .564)
(CC) Abraham Bah (F), 6-4 Jr - 4.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg (28-81 FG, .486)

(IWU) Andrew Ziemnik (F), 6-5/225 So - 7.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg (72-165 FG, .436)
(IWU) Stephen Rudnicki (G), 6-3/173 Sr - 6.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.2 apg (30-65 FG, .422)
(IWU) Nick Anderson (C), 6-9/200 So - 4.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg (47-89 FG, .528)
(IWU) Eric Dortch (F), 6-3/210 So - 3.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg (29-73 FG, .397)


Team stats...

PPG
Cabrini - 85.1
IWU - 76.5

Opp PPG
IWU - 66.2
Cabrini - 71.8

FG
Cabrini - .470
IWU - .465

Opp FG
Cabrini - .411
IWU - .413

3-point
IWU - .363
Cabrini - .355

Opp 3-point
Cabrini - .301
IWU - .357

Reb. Margin
Cabrini - +8.9 per game
IWU - +5.9/game

FT
Cabrini - .701
IWU - .678

A/TO
Cabrini - 1.1
IWU - 1.1

Opp A/TO
IWU - 0.7
Cabrini - 0.8

[NCF]

Illinois Wesleyan (23-7, 10-4 CCIW) vs Cabrini (30-1, 18-0 CSAC)...

- D3hoops.com Top 25 rank: Cabrini #5, IWU n/a
- Massey Index rank: IWU #8, Cabrini #12
- Massey Strength of Schedule rating: IWU #2, Cabrini #245


PG
(CC) Cory Lemons, 5-10 Sr - 17.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.1 A/TO (196-403 FG, .486)
(IWU) Eliud Gonzalez, 5-9/170 Sr - 6.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.3 A/TO (62-144 FG, .431)

SG
(IWU) Jordan Zimmer, 6-5/190 Sr - 15.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.9 apg (102-242 3-point, .421)
(CC) A.J. Williams, 5-10 Jr - 9.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.4 apg (22-70 3-point, .314)

G/F
(CC) John Boyd, 6-3 Sr - 10.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg (48-158 3-point, .304)
(IWU) John Koschnitzky, 6-6/205 Sr - 9.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg (93-236 FG, .394)

F
(IWU) Victor Davis, 6-5/225 So - 10.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg (124-244 FG, .508)
(CC) Fran Rafferty, 6-4 So - 9.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg (34-87 3-point, .391)

F/C
(IWU) Kevin Reed, 6-7/225 Jr - 8.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg (116-194 FG, .598)
(CC) Goran Dulac, 6-7 Jr - 6.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg (73-150 FG, .487)

Bench

(CC) Jeremy Knowles (G), 6-1 Jr - 12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.4 apg (53-151 3-point, .351)
(CC) Aaron Walton-Moss (G), 6-1 Fr - 11.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.6 apg (77-125 FG, .616)
(CC) Jon Miller (F/C), 6-6 So - 4.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, (44-78 FG, .564)
(CC) Abraham Bah (F), 6-4 Jr - 4.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg (28-81 FG, .486)

(IWU) Andrew Ziemnik (F), 6-5/225 So - 7.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg (72-165 FG, .436)
(IWU) Stephen Rudnicki (G), 6-3/173 Sr - 6.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.2 apg (30-65 FG, .422)
(IWU) Nick Anderson (C), 6-9/200 So - 4.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg (47-89 FG, .528)
(IWU) Eric Dortch (F), 6-3/210 So - 3.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg (29-73 FG, .397)


Team stats...

PPG
Cabrini - 85.1
IWU - 76.5

Opp PPG
IWU - 66.2
Cabrini - 71.8

FG
Cabrini - .470
IWU - .465

Opp FG
Cabrini - .411
IWU - .413

3-point
IWU - .363
Cabrini - .355

Opp 3-point
Cabrini - .301
IWU - .357

Reb. Margin
Cabrini - +8.9 per game
IWU - +5.9/game

FT
Cabrini - .701
IWU - .678

A/TO
Cabrini - 1.1
IWU - 1.1

Opp A/TO
IWU - 0.7
Cabrini - 0.8

This should be a great game!

[Titan Q]

Consensus here in Salem, in talking to a lot of D3 coaches in town, is that we have 4 very different, but very even, teams taking the floor this evening.  Most seem excited to see such a balanced Final Four field.

Everyone I talked to seems intrigued with the Cabrini vs IWU game, because of the contrast in styles.  A D3 coach summed it up well last night, simply calling it "a great Final Four matchup."  He pointed to Cabrini's quickness and athleticism vs IWU's height and skill.  It's a game that legitimately can go either way - seems to be a true "pick em."

I sense that most who have not seen IWU play discount how athletic the Titans are.  People naturally picture the skilled and offensively machine-like IWU teams of the past...and this team just does not fit that mold.  With guys like Eliud Gonzalez, John Koschnitzky, Victor Davis, Eric Dorth, and Nick Anderson, the Titans have some really nice pure athleticism on the floor at all times.  It should really help in a game like tonight's.  The Titans are not the offensive powerhouse most are expecting them to be...but they're also way better defensively than people familiar with IWU basketball expect.

It sounds like Cabrini has two very legitimate D1-caliber players in Lemons and Walton-Moss - the Titans are going to have trouble containing both guys.  On the flip side, Cabrini is going to have matchup problems with guys like 6-6 John Koschnitzky, 6-5 Victor Davis, 6-7 Kevin Reed, 6-5 Andrew Ziemnik, and 6-9 Nick Anderson.

Got here to Salem late yesterday afternoon and was reminded last night how great this trip is.  It's great to talk D3 basketball with all of the head and assistant coaches that make the trip here each March - that's a great group.

Should be two great games tonight...looking forward to them!

[Titan Q]

Congratulations to IWU sophomores Nick Anderson and Lexi Baltes on the academic awards they won last night at their respective banquets...

http://www.iwusports.com/news/2012/3/15/mbb_0315125710.aspx


Illinois Wesleyan sophomores Lexi Baltes and Nick Anderson are the recipients of the Elite 89 awards for the 2012 NCAA Division III women's and men's basketball championships, respectively.

The student-athletes were presented with the awards during their respective championship sport banquets on Thursday night (March 15) in Holland, Mich., where the women are playing in the final round, and in Salem, Va., where the men are participating in their final round.

Baltes has a 3.876 grade-point average majoring in English with a concentration in secondary education and political science at Illinois Wesleyan. A 5-7 guard, she has played in all 31 games and started nine, averaging 4.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Anderson, an accounting major with a 3.975 GPA, has played in all 30 games and scores 4.2 points per game while gathering in 2.8 rebounds.

The Elite 89, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

A few more newspaper stories on the games tonight in Salem. 


http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/iwu-men-want-dream-to-continue-at-final-four/article_85ea8118-6ef4-11e1-ba8d-0019bb2963f4.html

http://wjbc.com/sophomores-show-poise-in-iwus-final-four-run/

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/men-s-final-four-notes-walton-moss-sparks-iwu-foe/article_11e2f920-6f09-11e1-ab9d-0019bb2963f4.html

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/306290

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/142878635.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/sports/142867085.html

article in the Daily Herald this morning about Kevin Reed from Prospect HS (if the kid had been from Fremd the article would have been on page one)

[Titan Q]

article in the Daily Herald this morning about Kevin Reed from Prospect HS (if the kid had been from Fremd the article would have been on page one)

Thanks Dennis...

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120315/sports/703159567/

[CCIWFAN6]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-cph-haugh-ncaa-20120315,0,3136582.story

Nice article in the Tribune on both IWU teams.