MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Dubuque 72
Elmhurst 71 (OT)

* Taylor Baxter: 15 pts, 4 reb , 4 assists

[Titan Q]

Millikin 60
Blackburn 51

[kenoshamark]

Back from the WLC - North Park game.  WLC wins by 15 (67-52).

http://wlcsports.com/stats/mbb12-13/1120wlnp.htm#GAME.BOX

As I sat and watched North Park warm up I was quite impressed with their size and athleticism.   When they stepped on the floor I wondered how WLC was going to be able to match up.   And then the game started...

WLC was up by nine at half with a nice solid effort but I certainly felt the game was still up for grabs.  I kept wondering why NP wasn't putting more pressure on WLC as they have been averaging about 20 turnovers in their first two games.  Sure enough, NP started the second half with some intense pressure and caused a turnover.   They continued this for a couple more minutes and then totally went away from it.   Not sure why...they certainly weren't afraid to substitute players (actually used 10 or 11 in the first ten minutes of the game).   Seems like using Aaron Weaver up top on a press would be very effective with his size.  He did have two nice steals and subsequent dunks but they were off good defensive plays and not any type of half or full court press.

Also, I felt like Holmes didn't touch the ball enough...he is very active and tough around the basket but he was non existant for a good portion of the first half.  Why he doesn't touch the ball every time down is odd to me.  He was double teamed when he did get it but it left their players open to slash to the hoop where they would be more effective than trying to create off the dribble.

What was more telling was the rebounding advantage for WLC 37 - 20.  And, more importantly, the huge differential in offensive boards (13 -3).   

Very obvious that NP is trying to find themselves in terms of what they want to do offensively and with their rotations...nothing seemed to flow for them on a consistent basis. 

Nonetheless, a good solid win for WLC who is projected to be at the bottom of the NAC south division.

[Titan Q]

Here is the On Demand video link, and D3hoops.com coverage, of the farce that was the Grinnell vs Faith Baptist game last night...

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/grinnell.portal?mode=link&eventId=79617&broadcastType=video#

http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2012/11/grinnell-taylor-puts-scoring-record-at-138


Jack Taylor scored 80 of his 138 points in the 2nd half.  The 2nd half starts at about 1:02 on the player.  For context of the game situation, keep the following Grinnell lead margins in mind as you watch:

Halftime: Grinnell up 39
15:00 2nd: Grinnell up 40
10:00 2nd, Grinnell up 43
5:00 2nd, Grinnell up 54


* Taylor scored his final 26 points in the final 5 minutes of the game with Grinnell up between 54 and 70 points

* Grinnell changed their usual 5 out/5 in substitution pattern in this game, going 4 & 4 to leave Taylor on the floor.  In the Grinnell system the best player usually plays about 20 minutes per game -- Taylor played 36 last night.

* After chucking up shots, you will see Taylor stay in cherrypick land, barely ever getting to halfcourt (again keep in mind his team was up 39+ the entire 2nd half and over 50 the entire final 5 minutes)


I would think that even supporters of the Grinnell system would struggle to get behind another contrived attempt to set an individual record against a terrible team, and the unbelievable running up the score that went alone with this effort.  It was one year and one day ago Griffin Lentsch scored 89 in a game that beforehand a Grinnell fan told me the Pioneers were going in seeking to break an individual scoring record.

Jack Taylor looks like a very talented player with a great skill set.  Unfortunately his name will be forever associated with this farce organized by Grinnell coach Dave Arseneault. 

Yet again, Division III is made to look like a joke on the big stage (ESPN, etc) due to the circus that is Grinnell basketball.

[augiefan]

The disgraceful run up the score performance by Grinnell last night discredits all that is great about Diii basketball. I constantly encourage fans disgusted with the corruption of big college BB to attend a DIII game to watch players still playing only for the love of the game, and when DIII BB finally gets publicity, it's this kind of story.

[D-3 watcher]

Dan Patrick going off on the Grinnell coach

[fightingscots13]

Dan Patrick going off on the Grinnell coach

Good for him..

[markerickson]

Did Grinnell deploy a full-court press the entire game?  Faith Baptist had 49 turnovers!!!

[Titan Q]

Did Grinnell deploy a full-court press the entire game?  Faith Baptist had 49 turnovers!!!

That is part of Grinnell's system, Mark...

http://www.d3hoops.com/columns/around-the-nation/2003-04/grinnell-system-begins-to-take-hold

The goals of Grinnell's system are as follows:

•100 shots per game
•50 3-point attempts per game
•32 turnovers forced
•A shot differential of plus-30
•An offensive rebounding percentage of 33%

[magicman]

ESPN is really glorifying Taylor's performance.  Now they are going to compare how his performance stacks up against other great individual performances. Haven't heard any negative comments yet. They are also going to have the coach of Faith Baptist on the show in the next few minutes to find out what it was like trying to stop Taylor. This should be interesting. 

[sac]

ESPN is really glorifying Taylor's performance.  Now they are going to compare how his performance stacks up against other great individual performances. Haven't heard any negative comments yet. They are also going to have the coach of Faith Baptist on the show in the next few minutes to find out what it was like trying to stop Taylor. This should be interesting.

If his answer is anything but "we don't play defense", he's lying.  Going into the game FB's opponents were shooting over 60% from the field.......60!

[NCF]

Glad to see others are angered about this as well. I heard the kid's interview with a radio host here in Chicago this morning. They were saying how great it was that noone would ever touch the record. All I could think of is that it was ridiculous and uncalled for.

[D-3 watcher]

I don't blame the kid, I blame the coach. It's a good thing it was a bible school, otherwise the opponents might have reacted differently. If you want to embarrass somebody, play somebody that can put up a fight. When Hope played and beat them last week it was at the NCC tourney. They didn't schedule them. They probable wished they played somebody a little better. Don't know why NCC didn't pull in better competition, but they are just not good. Before anybody jumps, I know sometimes it's hard to get teams to come and play, especially knowing 2 of the best teams in the country are there to beat you. I recall IWU played in one that only had three, because they couldn't find a fourth. But to agree to play them and then make it a joke, well it just doesn't pass the smell test to me.

[iwu70]

Glad to see the Titans go to 3-0 last night, but, yes, frankly, another ugly win.  The Titans should have put the Blue Boys away long before the 25 second mark when Overstreet, Zman and Mayberger hit FTs to confirm and assure the win.  BBs had come back to within five. 

Well, what to say . . . now that is clear that I'm not on drugs, not posting "some sh@t things" here on the board about Victor Davis.  Others advised me not to worry about Davis, playing "poorly," now in a funk, etc.  I guess now we can say, officially, that the Pantagraph in it's piece on the Titans is writing some "sh@t things," too, recognizing that Davis is not playing up to his expected level, at least not yet.   I'll leave the worrying to Ron Rose.  I was just observing, commenting on what is pretty obvious to all in the Shirk Center.  Q, if he's not playing "poorly" (frankly, last night he played badly), then we're not watching the same player.  Last night you could even see the other Titan players pounding on him, basically saying, to paraphrase, "Come on Victor, you are a better player than that!" or "Come on, Victor, what's wrong with you!"  (yes, my license with the quotes!).  Let's hope he finds his game sometime soon.

As to the others, solid games again from Musselman, Zman, Overstreet, Reed, Mayberger, Dortch and Anderson.  The game should have been put away much earlier, but again no killer instinct, not very good FT shooting.  The only player out there playing at anywhere near an all-CCIW level is Ziemnik, Zman.  Love the way he's playing so far in his first three games as a starter.  And, Dortch had another very good game, 11 pts., good D, good rebounding, lots and lots of energy, intensity.  He held the Blue Boys top scorer to 9.  Yes, very good to see Zimmer get some productive minutes and look much more ready and fit for regular varsity minutes.

We also saw a glimpse of another future key player last night -- in Bryce Dolan.  He came in, did his job, handled the ball well, made no errors, took a good trey from 2-3 steps beyond the arc, and, bang, three points.  He has a bright future. Seems Ron Rose is giving Nelms and Dolan a chance to prove which might be the better option when additional time at the PG and additional trey shooting might be needed.  Dolan is going to be good, in future, perhaps sooner rather than later, IMHO.  He reminds me a bit of Travis Rosenkranz, but with better threeball range.  No minutes for Oswald last night, very few for Nelms.  Experimentation continues.

Let's hope Victor Davis finds a way out of his funk very soon.  The Titans need him playing at a decent level, if not a top level.  If not, I say again, it might be a time for Rose to consider starting Musselman instead of Davis, and giving more time on the floor to Nick Anderson.  Call me crazy and on drugs, whatever you wish, but what I see on the floor is what I see on the floor. 

Titans have a tough road game now, then back home vs. the defending national champs in WI.-Whitewater.  By that game, sure hope all the pieces come together and that everyone can play at a higher, more coordinated level.  We need Victor Davis to contribute.

Go Titans!!!  Good, if ugly start, at 3-0, but a long long way to go.

As to Grinnell, it is what it is.  Everyone knows it's an aberration of team basketball as we know it.  But, give the kid credit that he could have such shooting ability, and still have is arms on his body after taking 100+ shots, making 52 and hitting 27 treys, and still  standing up at the end.  Even in endurance alone, you have to give him some props.  Just think how Faith feels, scoring 104 or some such, and losing by 70+.

Great women's basketball in The Shirk this weekend -- Saturday and Sunday.  Hoping our women Titans can come out of the weekend with two big wins again top 25 teams.  Coe, Wash U and DePauw all in town . . . what a great line-up of top programs.  No Faith cupcake in this quartet.   

IWU70
 

[Titan Q]

Well, what to say . . . now that is clear that I'm not on drugs, not posting "some sh@t things" here on the board about Victor Davis.  Others advised me not to worry about Davis, playing "poorly," now in a funk, etc.  I guess now we can say, officially, that the Pantagraph in it's piece on the Titans is writing some "sh@t things," too, recognizing that Davis is not playing up to his expected level, at least not yet.   I'll leave the worrying to Ron Rose.  I was just observing, commenting on what is pretty obvious to all in the Shirk Center.  Q, if he's not playing "poorly" (frankly, last night he played badly), then we're not watching the same player.  Last night you could even see the other Titan players pounding on him, basically saying, to paraphrase, "Come on Victor, you are a better player than that!" or "Come on, Victor, what's wrong with you!"  (yes, my license with the quotes!).  Let's hope he finds his game sometime soon.

My problems with your posts were,

1) After IWU's first game - first - you suggested that Ron Rose should experiment with a starting lineup that did not include Victor Davis.  That's just plain silly. 

2) You believe Davis played poorly in IWU's second game.  I disagree -- I think he played pretty well vs Loras.


Victor Davis is off to a very bad start to the 2012-13 season, and has had two awful games.  You say three awful games.  Either way, we have the entire 2011-12 season (in which Davis was named to the All-CCIW team, and was a huge reason the Titans got to Salem) to look at and feel confident that Davis is a good player and someone who will be critically important to IWU's success this year.

Ron Rose doesn't need to do anything other than keep trotting Victor out there.