MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NCF]

Hey, Mark (iwu70) - how 'bout them Yankees?!

(I'll be dancing with my broom the rest of the week!)

Picture please

Sorry, it's a private celebration.  No paparazzi permitted!

Yea, the mental video I see is probablly better than any picture anyway

[iwu70]

Yes, let's at least arm Bambi.  The Illinois pheasants are already all gone. 

Q, totally agree with you about the new DIII tourney schedule.  I had doubts, a strong negative reaction from the day the whole new scheme was announced.  Guess we put up with it this year . . . but surely hope they revert to the previous type tourney and both semis and natonal championship game in Salem, or wherever, on the same weekend in March.  Let's let DI do its own thing and leave the DIII tourney formula and excitement alone, on its own.  IMHO.

GO TITANS . . . sounds like a great opportunity for the newly gathered Titans and their NBA-style workout, practice. 

IWU70

Ypsi, are you riding that broom or dancing with it!?!?  Still, your Tigers deserve all praise and kudos.  My Yanks really stunk it up.  MS 

[Titan Q]

Last year Stephen Rudnicki chronicled IWU's season with some "behind the scenes"-type video footage.  I recently added links to these 5 Youtube videos to IWUhoops.com (you'll find on the far right side of the page).

http://www.iwuhoops.com

IWU fans will enjoy in particular, but I think most will find entertaining and enjoy this off-the-court look at a D3 team going through the season. 

(I especially like Coach Rose showing off his dance moves at the 4:38 mark of Part 5.)

[Titan Q]

Interesting opportunity for the IWU basketball team tomorrow per the team's Facebook page...

The Titans will travel to the University of Illinois tomorrow where they will demonstrate in front of Illinois High School coaches. Stan Van Gundy, the former coach of the Orlando Magic, will be the clinician, and will put the Titans through an NBA style workout. This is a great opportunity for our players to learn from one of the NBA's finest.

A couple photos from this...

http://www.iwuhoops.com/news.html

[izzy stradlin]

Wheaton roster posted:

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/roster.aspx?path=mbball&

The key to Wheaton's season will be what kind of frontcourt they can put together after losing McCrary and Schultze (basically all of their production down low).  You hate to rely of freshmen underneath, but it some form or another, Wheaton will have to.  Schauer brought in three good bigs:

Joel Smith 6-6 220lbs
Drew Wikelius 6-7 225lbs
Michael Berg 6-6 200lbs

However it looks like Wikelius may miss time (maybe the season?) due to injury. 

[Titan Q]

Wheaton roster posted:

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/roster.aspx?path=mbball&

The key to Wheaton's season will be what kind of frontcourt they can put together after losing McCrary and Schultze (basically all of their production down low).  You hate to rely of freshmen underneath, but it some form or another, Wheaton will have to.  Schauer brought in three good bigs:

Joel Smith 6-6 220lbs
Drew Wikelius 6-7 225lbs
Michael Berg 6-6 200lbs

However it looks like Wikelius may miss time (maybe the season?) due to injury.

Wheaton fans should be excited about the addition of 6-3 SG Brayden Teuscher, the transfer from Wash U.  As a freshman last year Teuscher averaged 17 minutes per game, scoring 7.9 points per.  He was 28-72 (.389) from 3-point range and 55-63 (.783) from the FT line.

I watched Wash U a lot last year on video stream and while Teuscher was pretty inconsistent from game to game, I always left with the feeling that he was going to be really good as he got older.  He has good size at the 2 and can really shoot it. 

I'll be shocked if Teuscher doesn't start at the 2 for the Thunder.  I expect him to have a big SO season.

I'm also interested to see how small school superstar Michael Berg does.  From all indications, this kid is going to be a CCIW stud in time.

I think Wheaton's talented, young big guys will have trouble with some of the really physical teams in the CCIW this year -- like IWU, Augie, and North Central.

[newCCIWfan]

Looks like Millikin has also posted 2012-13 roster. Only 4 returners from last season.
http://athletics.millikin.edu/roster.aspx?path=mbball& Quite a rebuilding process underway down south.

[Titan Q]

Looks like Millikin has also posted 2012-13 roster. Only 4 returners from last season.
http://athletics.millikin.edu/roster.aspx?path=mbball& Quite a rebuilding process underway down south.

Is Drew Bollier related to Wheaton assistant coach (and former player) Tony Bollier?

http://athletics.millikin.edu/roster.aspx?rp_id=1721&path=mbball

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2012/7/9/MBB_0709121843.aspx

[izzy stradlin]

Wheaton roster posted:

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/roster.aspx?path=mbball&

The key to Wheaton's season will be what kind of frontcourt they can put together after losing McCrary and Schultze (basically all of their production down low).  You hate to rely of freshmen underneath, but it some form or another, Wheaton will have to.  Schauer brought in three good bigs:

Joel Smith 6-6 220lbs
Drew Wikelius 6-7 225lbs
Michael Berg 6-6 200lbs

However it looks like Wikelius may miss time (maybe the season?) due to injury.

Wheaton fans should be excited about the addition of 6-3 SG Brayden Teuscher, the transfer from Wash U.  As a freshman last year Teuscher averaged 17 minutes per game, scoring 7.9 points per.  He was 28-72 (.389) from 3-point range and 55-63 (.783) from the FT line.

I watched Wash U a lot last year on video stream and while Teuscher was pretty inconsistent from game to game, I always left with the feeling that he was going to be really good as he got older.  He has good size at the 2 and can really shoot it. 

I'll be shocked if Teuscher doesn't start at the 2 for the Thunder.  I expect him to have a big SO season.

I'm also interested to see how small school superstar Michael Berg does.  From all indications, this kid is going to be a CCIW stud in time.

I think Wheaton's talented, young big guys will have trouble with some of the really physical teams in the CCIW this year -- like IWU, Augie, and North Central.

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what Teuscher can do.  I think there is a good chance he will lead the Thunder in scoring. 

[newCCIWfan]

Looks like Millikin has also posted 2012-13 roster. Only 4 returners from last season.
http://athletics.millikin.edu/roster.aspx?path=mbball& Quite a rebuilding process underway down south.

Is Drew Bollier related to Wheaton assistant coach (and former player) Tony Bollier?

http://athletics.millikin.edu/roster.aspx?rp_id=1721&path=mbball

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2012/7/9/MBB_0709121843.aspx

They are brothers

[Gregory Sager]

Looks like Millikin has also posted 2012-13 roster. Only 4 returners from last season.
http://athletics.millikin.edu/roster.aspx?path=mbball& Quite a rebuilding process underway down south.

Is Drew Bollier related to Wheaton assistant coach (and former player) Tony Bollier?

http://athletics.millikin.edu/roster.aspx?rp_id=1721&path=mbball

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2012/7/9/MBB_0709121843.aspx

We've covered that already:

The Thunder have a replacement for Owen Handy. A familiar face on the bench.....

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2012/7/9/MBB_0709121843.aspx?path=mbball

Great hire for the Thunder

Also will make for an interesting brother v. brother matchup.

Tony (Wheaton Coach) v. Drew (Millikin Sophomore Transfer)

[iwu70]

Yup, pretty interesting transitions at WC and at MU.  Millikin roster has 17, yes, count them, 17 freshmen on it.  I guess that's rebuilding . . . or abdication.  I would not envy the now not-so-new coach at MU and his efforts to bring the Big Blue roundball program back to some level of respectability. 

I agree with Q that WC's new bigs will have a tough time at first, perhaps even a rude introduction to CCIW play with the likes of Augie, NCC and IWU bigs, experienced front court players, in abundance. 

IWU70

[iwu70]

Coaches' chat soon, and CCIW pre-season poll:

I'd say (in order):  NCC, IWU, AC, CC, WC, NPU, EC, and sad MU

What say you, ladies and gentlemen?

IWU70

[Titan Q]

As far as my preseason ballot goes, I'm still in the same place I was 5 weeks ago...

Two-time defending champion North Central is clearly the favorite this year with three all-conference frontcourt players returning -- 1st Teamers Landon Gamble (13.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Derek Raridon (12.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg) and 2nd Teamer Aaron Tiknis (11.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.7 apg).  The Cards will have to replace a very good PG in Kevin Gillespie, who was a huge part of their success in 2011-12.  And I think SG C.J. Goldthree has left NCC??  So a clear #1, but certainly plenty of issues to sort out. 

After NCC, it's hard to pick a definitive #2 if you had to do a preseason ballot right now.  It seems like you could make a case for Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan, Augustana, or Wheaton.  IWU, Augie, and Wheaton all lost a lot, but it seems all three have plenty of talent to be right in the mix this year, and plenty of history of quick reloads.

Elmhurst recruited a whole new roster it seems - lots of intriguing new talent.  North Park returns two studs in 6-6 Mark Holmes and 6-8 Mike Gabriel (both former D1 guys).

Millikin would seem to be a clear #8 until the Big Blue prove otherwise.


My preseason ballot as of today is...

1. North Central
2. Illinois Wesleyan
3. Carthage
4. Augustana
5. Wheaton
6. North Park
7. Elmhurst
8. Millikin


I put IWU #2 banking on Ron Rose having plenty of talent to choose from in sorting out his new perimeter situation, while having an outstanding frontcourt, led by 6-5 F Victor Davis, 6-4 F Andrew Ziemnik, 6-7 F Kevin Reed, and 6-9 C Nick Anderson.

[izzy stradlin]

Augie's roster:

http://www.augustana.edu/x47781.xml

No Kameron Norton.    Old news?