MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Now that the NPU bus has left for Bloomington, I can reveal Tom Slyder's strategy for tonight:

1) He had all of his players take naps this afternoon prior to boarding the bus.
2) An hour before tipoff, he will inform Ron Rose that, much to his chagrin, the Vikings left their uniforms back in Chicago.
3) He will make a great show out of trying to find someone to drive back to Chicago to get the unis. But, given the minimal number of NPU folks who will be traveling down to Blo-No tonight for the game, it will take some doing before Tom finally finds a willing uniform courier.
4) By the time the blue road unis finally arrive at Shirk late this evening, the Titans will be visibly yawning. Meanwhile, the nap-refreshed Vikings will be ready to go, no matter how late the refs toss up the ball for the opening tipoff.

Fingers crossed that he pulls this one off.

Maybe Jordan Zimmer can drive up to North Park and get the unis? 

[D-3 watcher]

Q,  since IWU has never hosted the CCIW tourney, if you would guarantee a win, I'll call the pilot and see if he can fly up there and get them.

[Titan Q]

Q,  since IWU has never hosted the CCIW tourney, if you would guarantee a win, I'll call the pilot and see if he can fly up there and get them.

I'd rather save that bullet for your pilot picking me and bringing me to Central Illinois Regional Airport for a CCIW tournament or NCAA game.

Let's send J. Zimmer tonight. "D3 teams forget their uniforms...so God made a farmer."

[Pat Coleman]

Wheaton's 13-5 in-region record looks right to me.  I'm not sure where we were off in arriving at 14-5.

It was an error that has since been corrected. (Alma had marked two games in-region which it shouldn't have.)

[Titan Q]

Really big game in the Midwest region tonight - Augustana @ Wheaton.  No chatter about it?  Big regional ranking implications in this one.

[D-3 watcher]

Q, I'll take Wheaton, give you 6 points. After seeing both teams last week, and with the home cooking, that's fair. You name the wager

[Titan Q]

Q, I'll take Wheaton, give you 6 points. After seeing both teams last week, and with the home cooking, that's fair. You name the wager

I know your first offers are usually very generous, but I decided to do some research anyway.  I found that when these teams played last time, Wheaton won by 19...in Rock Island.

I'm going to need Augustana and 8.5.  Dinner and drinks with the wives in B-N, full tab...and no, you can't pick the restaurant you own.  Neutral court.  This is my final offer.

[Titan Q]

Brady Zimmer (back) is not dressed tonight for IWU.

[iwu70]

Titans will not need Brady Zimmer tonight . . . and NPU will need more than uniforms to cover their weaknesses on the court, nap or no nap.  Hope Zimmer gets rested, recovered for the next phase, even resting 'til the CCIW tournament, if necessary.  Backs are very tricky, esp. the way Zimmer plays, slicing and slashing through defenses, twisting himself in all sorts of shapes. 

Titans up by 19 at the half.  Again, good D, rebounding and very balanced scoring all 'round.

IWU70

[titanhammer]

During the Bridges era, the Titans were always a lanky bunch of dead-eye shooters who ran their halfcourt sets with crisp perfection, typically considered defense something of an afterthought, and generally operated by the principle that, while you couldn't stop them, they'd be able to stop you just often enough to gradually accumulate a lead that you'd never be able to overcome.

Greg, thanks for leaving me completely out of the Bridge's era (although, he was my coach).  I was neither lanky...or a dead-eye shooter...and defense/rebounding was my first/only priority.  Other than me, your description is probably somewhat accurate.

[magicman]

Regional Rankings just released by the NCAA. They will probably be up on the D3 website shortly.

[D-3 watcher]

Wheaton -3
NCC -5

[Mr. Ypsi]

Final in B'town: Titans 88, Vikings 44.

Ron Rose showed proper sportsmanship - Dylan Overstreet logged 23 minutes, no one else had more than 20.  On the other hand, Tom Slyder properly refused to throw in the towel too quickly, as three Vikings logged more minutes than Overstreet.

[izzy stradlin]

Wheaton 58
Augie 57

Another bad night from 3 point land: 4-19.  Got the win nonetheless.   

Augustana played a ton of zone with which Wheaton had trouble. 

[iwu70]

Titans showed total domination tonight vs. NP at home.  It was men vs. boys, it would appear, with the final score at 88-44 as Ypsi has reported.  It is clear that IWU has basically three totally competent, even dominant units.  Everyone got major minutes tonight and played very well.  The starters were sitting at about 12:00 minutes to go and NPU at 29 points.  Bigtime rebounding advantage, four starters in double figures, basically a very smooth machine running full steam.  Overstreet orchestrating.  Zimmer in street clothes.  Victor Davis is coming back into the form, the paint presence we all expected when the season started.  Zman both inside and out, a superb game.  Kevin Reed guarding people with grace and speed on the press, on the perimeter.  Amazing.  Lots of members of the rotation coming in and doing their part, playing strong D, running the floor, scoring well.  Mighty happy, nice place to be at this point in the season in Titanland right now. 

Congrats to the Titans and Coach Rose on the CCIW crown, at least a share.   Special for Ron Rose, his first CCIW regular season championship trophy.  A very special season in the works, to be sure. 

Keep it rolling Titans.  Let's go for the outright, sole possession of the CCIW crown.

IWU70