MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[robertgoulet]

What a FANtastic game last night at NCC. I hope the NCAA sets the tournament up so it's possible that IWU and NCC could meet in Atlanta. I thought the refs had an incredibly hard game to officiate with so much contact, especially underneath. Gamble was the difference in OT and Kmiec kept NCC from losing in regulation. The 25'+ 3 by Zimmer to tie the game at 79-79 with 3:58 in OT was the most amazing shot of the game. I thought IWU missed a great opportunity to win at the end of regulation but NCC's defense was very good in that last 26 seconds. IWU settled for a driving off-balance shot by Overstreet after a timeout with 2.2 seconds left.

Merner Fieldhouse is a horrible place to watch a game if you are a visiting fan. I go to any other CCIW fieldhouse on the road and I can sit wherever I want (except for the student or band sections). There are no reserved seats. But at NCC, all the decent floor seats are reserved for NCC alums. Next year, I'll buy a NCC sweatshirt and sit in those seats. I sat in the end zone and missed so much of the critical action at the other end of the court. I don't know who the incompetent architect was who drew up the plans for the worst basketball venue by far in the CCIW.

I couldn't find any information on the architect.  However, Merner was dedicated in 1931, after the original facility (Nichols Gymnasium) burnt to the ground in 1929.  The NC website says that the original structure remains the unchanged (no kidding!).  No doubt that Merner needs an upgrade/face lift, but I suppose that architect commissioned to render the plans in 1930 didn't consider the vantage points and comfort of D3 Hoops fans some 83 years later.

I hope Merner is around another 80+ years----just with permanent seating, air conditioning and some of the other comforts that fans routinely enjoy in this century, and the past 20-30 years of last century.   

There were always rumors when I was in school (00-04) that they were "close" to building a new rec center with a new gym for the bball teams. The reason being (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that Merner had, like Wrigley Field, some historic significance (I believe it had to do with the indoor track) so they were really limited in what they were able to do with a renovation.

Now, they DID end up building a rec center, but it's not set up for varsity bball events. I wish they would have. I love Merner and it's quirks, but it's about run it's course.

[robertgoulet]

What a FANtastic game last night at NCC. I hope the NCAA sets the tournament up so it's possible that IWU and NCC could meet in Atlanta. I thought the refs had an incredibly hard game to officiate with so much contact, especially underneath. Gamble was the difference in OT and Kmiec kept NCC from losing in regulation. The 25'+ 3 by Zimmer to tie the game at 79-79 with 3:58 in OT was the most amazing shot of the game. I thought IWU missed a great opportunity to win at the end of regulation but NCC's defense was very good in that last 26 seconds. IWU settled for a driving off-balance shot by Overstreet after a timeout with 2.2 seconds left.

Merner Fieldhouse is a horrible place to watch a game if you are a visiting fan. I go to any other CCIW fieldhouse on the road and I can sit wherever I want (except for the student or band sections). There are no reserved seats. But at NCC, all the decent floor seats are reserved for NCC alums. Next year, I'll buy a NCC sweatshirt and sit in those seats. I sat in the end zone and missed so much of the critical action at the other end of the court. I don't know who the incompetent architect was who drew up the plans for the worst basketball venue by far in the CCIW.

Well become a NCC Tip off club member and you can sit wherever you want in Merner....

I also learned to reply to the Alumni emails to get the free food

[Pat Coleman]

Athleticism of IWU players is also a topic on the NESCAC board. You guys might want to weigh in there.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Athleticism of IWU players is also a topic on the NESCAC board. You guys might want to weigh in there.

I already did, but the Midd supporters are now doing a fine job of defending the CCIW (and 'midwestern' basketball in general).  And it has also been noted that the poster who raised this issue thinks Wesleyan (of the NESCAC, not IWU) is better than Williams or Midd!

[NCF]

What a FANtastic game last night at NCC. I hope the NCAA sets the tournament up so it's possible that IWU and NCC could meet in Atlanta. I thought the refs had an incredibly hard game to officiate with so much contact, especially underneath. Gamble was the difference in OT and Kmiec kept NCC from losing in regulation. The 25'+ 3 by Zimmer to tie the game at 79-79 with 3:58 in OT was the most amazing shot of the game. I thought IWU missed a great opportunity to win at the end of regulation but NCC's defense was very good in that last 26 seconds. IWU settled for a driving off-balance shot by Overstreet after a timeout with 2.2 seconds left.

Merner Fieldhouse is a horrible place to watch a game if you are a visiting fan. I go to any other CCIW fieldhouse on the road and I can sit wherever I want (except for the student or band sections). There are no reserved seats. But at NCC, all the decent floor seats are reserved for NCC alums. Next year, I'll buy a NCC sweatshirt and sit in those seats. I sat in the end zone and missed so much of the critical action at the other end of the court. I don't know who the incompetent architect was who drew up the plans for the worst basketball venue by far in the CCIW.

Well become a NCC Tip off club member and you can sit wherever you want in Merner....

I also learned to reply to the Alumni emails to get the free food

Then you must also be a member of the Quarterback Club-lots of free food there as well

[A Lover of the Game]

Athleticism of IWU players is also a topic on the NESCAC board. You guys might want to weigh in there.

I already did, but the Midd supporters are now doing a fine job of defending the CCIW (and 'midwestern' basketball in general).  And it has also been noted that the poster who raised this issue thinks Wesleyan (of the NESCAC, not IWU) is better than Williams or Midd!

Thanks, Mr. Ypsi. 

[TitansIWU]

Athleticism of IWU players is also a topic on the NESCAC board. You guys might want to weigh in there.

Is "weigh in" an intended pun?   

[Pat Coleman]

Heh. No. But I do aim for subtlety, so I wish I could claim credit.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Probably won't matter much, but IWU just picked up another secondary criterion asset as Tufts (whom they beat at the WashU tourney) has entered the NE regional rankings.  IF they win twice this weekend, they should have nothing but home games until Salem (if they last that long), but if they don't win the tourney this just might be enough extra to keep them #1 in the region (at least if Wheaton wins it, since they would still be 2-1 against the Thunder).

[cardinalpride]

Probably won't matter much, but IWU just picked up another secondary criterion asset as Tufts (whom they beat at the WashU tourney) has entered the NE regional rankings.  IF they win twice this weekend, they should have nothing but home games until Salem (if they last that long), but if they don't win the tourney this just might be enough extra to keep them #1 in the region (at least if Wheaton wins it, since they would still be 2-1 against the Thunder).

Ypsi, what if NCC wins the tourney? Would they then claim the #1 seed in the region?

[cardinalpride]

Why is Wash U. ranked ahead of Wheaton even though the thunder beat them head to head? There isn't that much separation between the two teams criteria!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Probably won't matter much, but IWU just picked up another secondary criterion asset as Tufts (whom they beat at the WashU tourney) has entered the NE regional rankings.  IF they win twice this weekend, they should have nothing but home games until Salem (if they last that long), but if they don't win the tourney this just might be enough extra to keep them #1 in the region (at least if Wheaton wins it, since they would still be 2-1 against the Thunder).

Ypsi, what if NCC wins the tourney? Would they then claim the #1 seed in the region?

Not sure; quite possibly.  At least they would almost certainly pass IWU, since they would then be 2-1 vs. the Titans.  (All of this has assumed that IWU doesn't lose to Augie.)

[toooldtohoop]

random thoughts and comments:

Ziemnik may not be the poster child for what folks think a player should look like, but he's a guy that you love to play WITH and not AGAINST.

Merner should be blown up.

Congrats to IWU on their season.  I remember a lot of Greenies were pretty worried about their squad in November!

CCIW conference play has been really fun to watch this season.  Hopefully, lots of exciting things yet to come for the teams that make the tournament. 

[Pat Coleman]

Why is Wash U. ranked ahead of Wheaton even though the thunder beat them head to head? There isn't that much separation between the two teams criteria!

Agreed. They clearly seem to be valuing the 10 results (and six wins) vs. RRO here over a two-point win at home. I also think common opponents is a wash -- Wash U is 2-1 vs. Chicago, Elmhurst and IWU while Wheaton is 3-2.

I don't like this. Seven RRO results and four wins for Wheaton is a good resume as well.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The only difference between the two I can see is vRRO... Wash U 6-4, Wheaton 4-3... though I don't know if I would have used this as the tie-breaker over the head-to-head.

Haven't tackled secondary criteria - I wonder if that is where the committee went.