MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Based on what I've seen this year, here's how I'd rank the CCIW teams in terms of frontcourts, backcourts, and benches right now...


Starting Backcourts
1. Wheaton (Peters, Teuscher)
2. Illinois Wesleyan (Overstreet, Sodemann)
3. Millikin (Griffin, Windemuller)
4. North Central (Williams, Kmiec)
5. Carthage (Logan, Herth)
6. Augustana (Jurgutis, Thompson)
7. Elmhurst (Foster, Baxter)
8. North Park (Cassita, Hyrn)

Starting Frontcourts
1. North Central (Raridon, Tiknis*, Gamble)
2. Illinois Wesleyan (Ziemnik, Davis, Reed)
3. Augustana (Johnson, Ryan, Kunz)
4. Wheaton (Smith, Berg, Haynes)
5. Carthage (Van Wyk, Thompson, Pierce)
6. Elmhurst (Ackerman, Sanford, Morgunov)
7. Millikin (Kinmon, Owens, Wilfer)
8. North Park (Peterson, Benjamin, Holmes)

Benches
1. Illinois Wesleyan (Zimmer, Mayberger, Musselman, Anderson)
2. Augustana (Hoepfner, Pills, Roth, Dexter)
3. North Central (Burchett, Rosenberg, Rourke)
4. Millikin (Robbins, Johnson, Pilackas)
5. Wheaton (Kwam, DeMoss, Smith)
6. Carthage (Senior, Matthews, Sykes Jr, Lee)
7. North Park (Weaver, Clarke, Morgan)
8. Elmhurst (Wuest, Dornfield)

* injured

[iwu70]

Q, thanks for all the rundown, through four games.   And, don't forget Dortch and Dolan off the Titan bench too.  Two seemingly good, quality players also playing a positive role.  Yes, I know they are less in the primary rotation now that Ron Rose has focussed in on his CCIW season rotation.  Dortch has played some useful minutes, Dolan less so to date in these four conference games.  Musselman has clearly come back into frequent use when the other IWU bigs get into foul trouble or otherwise appear to be having an off night.

Sure looks positive for out Titans, as you say, given the tremendous improvement, scoring contributions from the backcourt -- Overstreet, Sodemann, Zimmer, and Mayberger.   So happy to see Overstreet's success and rapid development at PG.  Very likely one of the keys to a very successful season.

IWU70

[Titan Q]

Q, thanks for all the rundown, through four games.   And, don't forget Dortch and Dolan off the Titan bench too.  Two seemingly good, quality players also playing a positive role.  Yes, I know they are less in the primary rotation now that Ron Rose has focussed in on his CCIW season rotation.  Dortch has played some useful minutes, Dolan less so to date in these four conference games.  Musselman has clearly come back into frequent use when the other IWU bigs get into foul trouble or otherwise appear to be having an off night.

It would be extremely misleading to put Dolan in any mention of IWU's bench -- he hasn't been in Ron Rose's CCIW rotation at all.  There is no reason to think that will change in the 10 games to follow.

It's also obvious Eric Dortch is now just playing a very limited role.  He's a great weapon to employ - one of the best perimeter defenders in the league - but it seems obvious he's not really in the "rotation" right now.

Ron Rose has basically tightened the rotation up to a solid 8 (Zimmer, Mayberger, Anderson), with Musselman and Dortch used in special situations.

[havej]

Q, enjoyed your summary of stats by position and your rankings of back courts and front courts.  All conference recognition is based solely on CCIW play only, correct?  Also all CCIW is not by position?  Do you agree with that philosophy?  Reason I ask is in watching a Big Ten game today, the color man said that the point guard is the most "important" position in college basketball, especially on a good team.  So if all league is not by position, a PG could get slighted if not possessing eye popping stats.

[D-3 watcher]

Q, as of right now your correct about the rotation, but I wouldn't be shocked if Dolan spells Overstreet for a quick blow. I do love an 8 man rotation. Helps the players stay in the flow. Most starters probably would like to play around 35 min. don't you think. That's if the game is tight.

[AndOne]

Q, enjoyed your summary of stats by position and your rankings of back courts and front courts.  All conference recognition is based solely on CCIW play only, correct?  Also all CCIW is not by position?  Do you agree with that philosophy?  Reason I ask is in watching a Big Ten game today, the color man said that the point guard is the most "important" position in college basketball, especially on a good team.  So if all league is not by position, a PG could get slighted if not possessing eye popping stats.

Indeed, CCIW all-conference designation is the result of voting by the head coaches based players performance in conference games only. It is not position based. Last season, no centers were listed listed on the entire team. The previous year, 2 centers were selected on the 3rd team. In today's college game, many teams no longer even employ a traditional true center.

Point guard is usually the most important position on a team, and no team is going to win the a championship without good guard play. However, depending on the personnel makeup a team, the most important position on a team can certainly be someone other than the PG. Additionally, in today's game, the player occupying the PG position can actually be a "combo" guard who could also fill the 2 guard position very capably. A PG need not always have eye popping statistics, especially in terms of a ppg average, but can be deemed a great player due to his ability to make the other players around him better.       

[Titan Q]

Q, enjoyed your summary of stats by position and your rankings of back courts and front courts.  All conference recognition is based solely on CCIW play only, correct?  Also all CCIW is not by position?  Do you agree with that philosophy?  Reason I ask is in watching a Big Ten game today, the color man said that the point guard is the most "important" position in college basketball, especially on a good team.  So if all league is not by position, a PG could get slighted if not possessing eye popping stats.

Indeed, CCIW all-conference designation is the result of voting by the head coaches based players performance in conference games only. It is not position based. Last season, no centers were listed listed on the entire team. The previous year, 2 centers were selected on the 3rd team. In today's college game, many teams no longer even employ a traditional true center.

Point guard is usually the most important position on a team, and no team is going to win the a championship without good guard play. However, depending on the personnel makeup a team, the most important position on a team can certainly be someone other than the PG. Additionally, in today's game, the player occupying the PG position can actually be a "combo" guard who could also fill the 2 guard position very capably. A PG need not always have eye popping statistics, especially in terms of a ppg average, but can be deemed a great player due to his ability to make the other players around him better.     

Let me take this opportunity to type some things I rarely get to type...

I agree with everything AndOne says above.  He's absolutely right.

[AndOne]

And let me take this opportunity to say:

1. Thank you. 

2 Miracles do happen. 

3. It is a wise man who takes advantage of his opportunities. 

[D-3 watcher]

Get a room

[AndOne]

Get a room

Rather than signing in either to continue to carry on a personal vendetta, or to otherwise instigate trouble, why don't you try writing something about basketball every once in a while.
You doing so would be much more shocking than Titan Q and I periodically agreeing. 

[AndOne]

No chatter about it so far, but a really big game in Naperville tonight between #17 Augustana (2-1) and #1 North Central (2-1).  I've watched both teams several times now online.  If NCC is healthy I'd say the Cards are about a 9-point favorite at home. 

The last two Augie/NCC games at Gregory Arena have been incredibly physical (by all accounts), halfcourt grind-it-out type games:

2/9/11: NCC 50 Augustana 46
2/4/12: NCC 43 Augustana 41

This year I don't think the Vikings want that kind of game.  Augie doesn't really have the horses down low this year to win that kind of battle with the Cardinals.  I'm pretty sure Augie will try hard to speed the game up and make it less of a halfcourt grind type of game...which sounds strange to say.


I see NCC winning this one fairly comfortably.  I think there is some pretty significant separation between these two teams, and in Naperville I'd be surprised if there's an upset.  In Rock Island I'd have the line at about NCC -3.

"If NCC is healthy."
Unfortunately, such was not the case Saturday evening in downtown Naperville when an audience of well over 2,000 (counting non-paying students and guests) showed up for the 7:30 viewing of 'True Grit.'
Forced into playing the visiting Vikings from the banks of the Mississippi without a sizeable portion of their regular lineup, the remaining members of the cast of North Central Cardinals stepped things up to grind out a 13 point victory over the visitors. The eventual 13 point margin was, as Titan Q had predicted, "fairly" comfortable. However, it was particularly remarkable in that it was achieved without the Cardinals having the services of all-conference forward Aaron Tiknis who sustained a dislocated kneecap in the previous battle at Carthage and did not even dress, and with both all-conference and all-region forward Derek Raridon and starting point guard Brandon Williams at no more than 50%. Raridon also due to an injury sustained earlier and aggravated in the Carthage contest, and Williams being ill most of the week with the same malady that has affected much of the team. NCC ground out the victory mainly on the heels of a gritty defensive effort that limited the Vikings, who came in shooting 47.8%, to a final total of only 34.7%. It was the 8th time this season than the Cardinals have held an opponent to a shooting percentage of less than 35%.
Charlie Rosenberg started for Tiknis, and scored 6 points to go along with 4 rebounds and 3 steals. He was frequently seen banging down low with Augie leading scorer Brandon Kunz, who was held to 8 points on the evening. Jack Burchett, providing able relief for both Rosenberg and Landon Gamble throughout the game, contributed 8 points on 4 of 6 shooting, and pulled down 6 rebounds in 24 minutes of action. Raridon played through  his injury to score 6 points while contributing 4 assists, a steal, and a block. Williams overcame the effects of his illness to bank 9 points to go along with 2 rebounds and 2 steals. SG Vince Kmiec had an off night shooting going 1/6, but contributed mightily to the defensive effort by pulling down 5 rebounds and coming away with 3 steals. Pat Rourke came off the bench to hit 2 important three balls while effectively managing the halfcourt offensive grind.
Leading scorer for the Cards was Landon Gamble who the visitors had no answer for. Gamble dominated the low post hitting 6 of 9 shots including both right and left handed baby hooks. He went 10 of 12 from the line to total a game high 22 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 2 ssists, and a block.
Dan Jurgutis led Augie in scoring with 13, including 4 FTs. However the Cardinal defense forced him to take 12 shots in order to successfully bank just 4.   

[D-3 watcher]

And one, you need to unwind, the bands are just to tight. That was a joke, and if you have never said that to anybody I'd be amazed. But if you and Q, felt that it was anything other than that, O well, I was just joking.
And to saying anything about basketball on this board, wasn't it me that started the coach g discussion? That ran for a couple of pages and days. In fairness he is an easy target so I don't believe I really did much.
I don't believe I need to tell everyone how many points, rebounds, and assist each member of the team got in the game. The box score does that. I don't mind that others do. I find it interesting, reading how others view the game, because depending on who you are rooting for, it's hardly ever the same.

[thunder38]

North Central down to #5
IWU up to #18
Wheaton steady at #20
Augie down to #23

[Titan Q]

Efficiency numbers for CCIW play, through 4 games...

Offensive Points per 100 Possessions
1. Illinois Wesleyan: 110
2. Wheaton: 105
3. Augustana: 103
4. Millikin: 101
5. North Central: 96
6. North Park: 90
7. Carthage: 87
8. Elmhurst: 86

Opponent Points per 100 Possessions
1. North Central: 82
2. Illinois Wesleyan: 90
3. Augustana: 91
4. Millikin: 95
5. Wheaton: 98
6. Carthage: 100
7. Elmhurst: 108
8. North Park: 113

Differential per 100 Possessions
1. Illinois Wesleyan: +20
2. North Central: +14
3. Augustana: +12
4. Wheaton: +7
5. Millikin: +6
6. Carthage: -13
7. Elmhurst: -22
8. North Park: -23


Possessions estimated as: FGA – Oreb +TO + (.475 x FTA)

[Titan Q]

Possessions per game
1. Wheaton: 71.2
2. Millikin: 70.9
3. Illinois Wesleyan: 70.2
4. Carthage: 70.1
5. Elmhurst: 69.9
6. North Park: 66.5
7. North Central: 65.7
8. Augustana: 64.0


(who plays the fastest, who the slowest)