MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[bopol]

Maybe the CCIW should take a cue from the NE Smalls and schedule a weak nonconference schedule to get the great record.

You mean be a conference in name only, as far as I'm concerned. If you're only playing a single round-robin, as the NESCAC does, then you're an entirely different animal than all of the other conferences in D3, which either play full double round-robins (as ours does) or modified double round-robins, in which you only play one game against one or two conference foes (as a few of the supersized conferences do).

Yes, the NESCAC plays a postseason tournament, but that hardly makes up for only having to play one league game against all of your league foes.

Now, Greg, they have 3 Top 25 teams in the D3hoops survey, so they must be doing something right.  The CCIW might only have one (1!) after this weekend as the voters hunt through the standings to find a 2-loss team from an inferior conference to put in the Top 25.

[Gregory Sager]

Maybe the CCIW should take a cue from the NE Smalls and schedule a weak nonconference schedule to get the great record.

You mean be a conference in name only, as far as I'm concerned. If you're only playing a single round-robin, as the NESCAC does, then you're an entirely different animal than all of the other conferences in D3, which either play full double round-robins (as ours does) or modified double round-robins, in which you only play one game against one or two conference foes (as a few of the supersized conferences do).

Yes, the NESCAC plays a postseason tournament, but that hardly makes up for only having to play one league game against all of your league foes.

Now, Greg, they have 3 Top 25 teams in the D3hoops survey, so they must be doing something right.  The CCIW might only have one (1!) after this weekend as the voters hunt through the standings to find a 2-loss team from an inferior conference to put in the Top 25.

I didn't say that the NESCAC didn't have some great basketball programs. It's blindly obvious that they do, as the success of Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury (and Trinity CT, back in the day) have demonstrated. My beef with their fans is with their league's scheduling policies, not with their contention that they play great basketball in that circuit. They clearly do.

(Consider that a pre-emptive strike in case nescac1 comes in here to complain about my previous post. )

[iwu70]

Agree with Q that Wheaton is pretty much in as a Pool C candidate.  Can't see it panning out another way at this point.  Great to see the big battle emerging for the final CCIW tournament spots.  Would love to see Elmhurst pull it off, leaving the Doggies out.  I admit I thought Augustana would be, play better this season.  Wheaton has stayed healthy and pretty much dodged their issues with overall team depth. 

Big day at the Shirk Saturday with the two "Pink Zone" Games -- men and women's hoops, also CCIW Diving Championships on Friday/Saturday, and the big Keck Invitational Track and Field meet indoors featuring Titan Senior Day as well.   Come early, parking could be an issue.  With the "Pink Zone" games, a great cause to support in local cancer research and support via the local Cancer Center.  Given the illnesses of so many in the community and at IWU (i.e. Dr. Minor Myers, jr. and Mia Smith) this is a very personal, close-to-the heart campaign and effort.  I hope there's a huge turn-out with great generosity for this effort.  Some great basketball too, of course.

Let's hope the voters of the D3 poll are paying attention and put Wheaton in the top 25 this week.  I think Cabrini goes to #1.  Of course, Point still a top 5 team given their run through the WIAC season schedule.

I see Eureka College got another $1 million gift from  the Reagan family.  The tradition and legacy of "Dutch" Reagan continues in Central Illinois. 

IWU70

[iwu70]

#3 WPI and #6 Wesley also go down Thursday night.  Emerson coming on . . .

IWU70

[kiko]

Maybe the CCIW should take a cue from the NE Smalls and schedule a weak nonconference schedule to get the great record.

You mean be a conference in name only, as far as I'm concerned. If you're only playing a single round-robin, as the NESCAC does, then you're an entirely different animal than all of the other conferences in D3, which either play full double round-robins (as ours does) or modified double round-robins, in which you only play one game against one or two conference foes (as a few of the supersized conferences do).

Yes, the NESCAC plays a postseason tournament, but that hardly makes up for only having to play one league game against all of your league foes.

Now, Greg, they have 3 Top 25 teams in the D3hoops survey, so they must be doing something right.  The CCIW might only have one (1!) after this weekend as the voters hunt through the standings to find a 2-loss team from an inferior conference to put in the Top 25.

I didn't say that the NESCAC didn't have some great basketball programs. It's blindly obvious that they do, as the success of Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury (and Trinity CT, back in the day) have demonstrated. My beef with their fans is with their league's scheduling policies, not with their contention that they play great basketball in that circuit. They clearly do.

(Consider that a pre-emptive strike in case nescac1 comes in here to complain about my previous post. )

This still feels a little over the top.  Back in the days of the great should-there-be-a-CCIW-tournament debate, we were clearly marching to our own drummer on a topic where the overwhelming majority of the D3 membership had a different philosophy.  But at the time, we felt not having a tournament worked best for our schools.  I don't see how this is any different from what the NESCAC does.  They follow all of the D3 guidelines to be Members In Good Standing(tm), and make some quirky choices across sports that they feel work best for them.  That doesn't make them a conference in name only; it makes them a conference whose members have found dance partners who share similar philosophies around scheduling (and football postseason play, and the need to sponsor squash teams) that work best for them.  Sounds like a fine solution to me.

[kiko]

Agree with Q that Wheaton is pretty much in as a Pool C candidate.  Can't see it panning out another way at this point.  Great to see the big battle emerging for the final CCIW tournament spots.  Would love to see Elmhurst pull it off, leaving the Doggies out.  I admit I thought Augustana would be, play better this season.  Wheaton has stayed healthy and pretty much dodged their issues with overall team depth. 

Big day at the Shirk Saturday with the two "Pink Zone" Games -- men and women's hoops, also CCIW Diving Championships on Friday/Saturday, and the big Keck Invitational Track and Field meet indoors featuring Titan Senior Day as well.   Come early, parking could be an issue.  With the "Pink Zone" games, a great cause to support in local cancer research and support via the local Cancer Center.  Given the illnesses of so many in the community and at IWU (i.e. Dr. Minor Myers, jr. and Mia Smith) this is a very personal, close-to-the heart campaign and effort.  I hope there's a huge turn-out with great generosity for this effort.  Some great basketball too, of course.

Let's hope the voters of the D3 poll are paying attention and put Wheaton in the top 25 this week.  I think Cabrini goes to #1.  Of course, Point still a top 5 team given their run through the WIAC season schedule.

I see Eureka College got another $1 million gift from  the Reagan family.  The tradition and legacy of "Dutch" Reagan continues in Central Illinois. 

IWU70

Yes, but what time is the glee club competition?  And do they call those meets? Sing-offs? Matches?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Maybe the CCIW should take a cue from the NE Smalls and schedule a weak nonconference schedule to get the great record.

You mean be a conference in name only, as far as I'm concerned. If you're only playing a single round-robin, as the NESCAC does, then you're an entirely different animal than all of the other conferences in D3, which either play full double round-robins (as ours does) or modified double round-robins, in which you only play one game against one or two conference foes (as a few of the supersized conferences do).

Yes, the NESCAC plays a postseason tournament, but that hardly makes up for only having to play one league game against all of your league foes.

Now, Greg, they have 3 Top 25 teams in the D3hoops survey, so they must be doing something right.  The CCIW might only have one (1!) after this weekend as the voters hunt through the standings to find a 2-loss team from an inferior conference to put in the Top 25.

I didn't say that the NESCAC didn't have some great basketball programs. It's blindly obvious that they do, as the success of Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury (and Trinity CT, back in the day) have demonstrated. My beef with their fans is with their league's scheduling policies, not with their contention that they play great basketball in that circuit. They clearly do.

(Consider that a pre-emptive strike in case nescac1 comes in here to complain about my previous post. )

This still feels a little over the top.  Back in the days of the great should-there-be-a-CCIW-tournament debate, we were clearly marching to our own drummer on a topic where the overwhelming majority of the D3 membership had a different philosophy.  But at the time, we felt not having a tournament worked best for our schools.  I don't see how this is any different from what the NESCAC does.  They follow all of the D3 guidelines to be Members In Good Standing(tm), and make some quirky choices across sports that they feel work best for them.  That doesn't make them a conference in name only; it makes them a conference whose members have found dance partners who share similar philosophies around scheduling (and football postseason play, and the need to sponsor squash teams) that work best for them.  Sounds like a fine solution to me.

"conference in name only" IS a bit over the top, but NESCAC is the ONLY conference which doesn't even attempt a double round-robin.  Which HAS led to years where the top teams are slated (perhaps) because the winner was at home to the loser.  Not quite the same as a double round-robin conference not having a conference tourney (the UAA still doesn't) - I've come to like the conference tourney, but I see nothing wrong with the champion over the long haul getting the AQ.

And the NESCAC doesn't just spurn the postseason in football - they spurn ALL outside competition.  Personally, I do not even consider them to be in d3 for football.

[Mr. Ypsi]

NCC 64, Millikin 60 - final.  That moves NCC to 4-6.  IF Elmhurst loses at IWU (highly likely) and IF Augie loses in Kenosha (my prediction) and IF NCC wins at NPU (again, quite likely), a Battle Royale is shaping up for the 4th conference tournament slot: Elmhurst would be 5-5, NCC and Augie each 5-6!  (As long as Carthage wins at home against Augie on Saturday, I'd say IWU, Wheaton, and Carthage are all pretty well locks for the tourney, with the tourney's location quite possibly coming town to the final day game of IWU @ Wheaton.)

Here are their final games:

Elmhurst: @Carthage, @Augie, Millikin, NCC

NCC: IWU, Wheaton, @Elmhurst

Augie: @Millikin, Elmhurst, @NPU

Anything can happen, but I'm gonna say Augie rights the ship enough to go 8-6 and take the 4th spot.

[kiko]

Maybe the CCIW should take a cue from the NE Smalls and schedule a weak nonconference schedule to get the great record.

You mean be a conference in name only, as far as I'm concerned. If you're only playing a single round-robin, as the NESCAC does, then you're an entirely different animal than all of the other conferences in D3, which either play full double round-robins (as ours does) or modified double round-robins, in which you only play one game against one or two conference foes (as a few of the supersized conferences do).

Yes, the NESCAC plays a postseason tournament, but that hardly makes up for only having to play one league game against all of your league foes.

Now, Greg, they have 3 Top 25 teams in the D3hoops survey, so they must be doing something right.  The CCIW might only have one (1!) after this weekend as the voters hunt through the standings to find a 2-loss team from an inferior conference to put in the Top 25.

I didn't say that the NESCAC didn't have some great basketball programs. It's blindly obvious that they do, as the success of Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury (and Trinity CT, back in the day) have demonstrated. My beef with their fans is with their league's scheduling policies, not with their contention that they play great basketball in that circuit. They clearly do.

(Consider that a pre-emptive strike in case nescac1 comes in here to complain about my previous post. )

This still feels a little over the top.  Back in the days of the great should-there-be-a-CCIW-tournament debate, we were clearly marching to our own drummer on a topic where the overwhelming majority of the D3 membership had a different philosophy.  But at the time, we felt not having a tournament worked best for our schools.  I don't see how this is any different from what the NESCAC does.  They follow all of the D3 guidelines to be Members In Good Standing(tm), and make some quirky choices across sports that they feel work best for them.  That doesn't make them a conference in name only; it makes them a conference whose members have found dance partners who share similar philosophies around scheduling (and football postseason play, and the need to sponsor squash teams) that work best for them.  Sounds like a fine solution to me.

"conference in name only" IS a bit over the top, but NESCAC is the ONLY conference which doesn't even attempt a double round-robin.  Which HAS led to years where the top teams are slated (perhaps) because the winner was at home to the loser.  Not quite the same as a double round-robin conference not having a conference tourney (the UAA still doesn't) - I've come to like the conference tourney, but I see nothing wrong with the champion over the long haul getting the AQ.

And the NESCAC doesn't just spurn the postseason in football - they spurn ALL outside competition.  Personally, I do not even consider them to be in d3 for football.

And they seem quite okay with this setup.  There is nothing in the D3 charter that says they have to play a conference schedule that approximates a double-round robin format.  And nothing that says they can't be completely insular in football.  I just don't see why they need to be held to our parochial Midwestern standards.

And the conference tournament?  Still wish we would drown that thing.  Not playing it generally would leave our teams in better shape for Pool C consideration.  And I don't like the idea of someone winning two well-placed games and potentially being recognized at the expense of someone who earned the regular season title over the course of two months of play.

Now get off my lawn...

[iwu70]

Boy, Kiko, you are in a bad mood today.  Wrong side of the bed?   I'll check and see when the Glee Club is singing.  It might be a calming, heart-warming and civilizing experience for you.  Dawn Upshaw or a US $1 million gift from anyone would make us all feel better.  (and winter ending, right?).

At least I haven't called any football field a "pitch" as yet.  We'll save that for rugby and soccer, and for those of us who live in a "British sports realm," like we do here in Hong Kong.  All athletic fields here are called "the pitch."

As for our funny friends in the NESCAC "back east," my philosophy is "live and let live."   I'm sure they don't want to be told how to run their league any more than we would (and we can't agree on quite a lot either!).

IWU70

[Titan Q]

Agree with Q that Wheaton is pretty much in as a Pool C candidate. 

I certainly didn't say Wheaton would be a Pool C lock.  I just said they'd be in the mix basically.

More importantly, Wheaton might not need a Pool C.  As I see it, the Thunder are the favorite, on paper, to win the regular season title (at 12-2) and host the conference tournament. 

[mwunder]

IWU @ Wheaton decides the host of the tourney.

IWU--W (make-up), W, W, W, W, W    12-2  (Host tourney)
Carthage--L, W, W, L, W                      10-4  (Undefeated at home for season)
Wheaton--W, W, W, W, L                     11-3  (#2 seed in tourney)
Augie--L, L, W, W, W                            8-6   (#4 seed)
Elmhurst--W (make-up), W, L, L, L, L    6-8   (outside looking in)

Still right on schedule after last night's Elmhurst win.

[wheels81]

Agree with Q that Wheaton is pretty much in as a Pool C candidate. 

I certainly didn't say Wheaton would be a Pool C lock.  I just said they'd be in the mix basically.

More importantly, Wheaton might not need a Pool C.  As I see it, the Thunder are the favorite, on paper, to win the regular season title (at 12-2) and host the conference tournament.

Come on Q you sound like Lou Holtz 

[Titan Q]

Agree with Q that Wheaton is pretty much in as a Pool C candidate. 

I certainly didn't say Wheaton would be a Pool C lock.  I just said they'd be in the mix basically.

More importantly, Wheaton might not need a Pool C.  As I see it, the Thunder are the favorite, on paper, to win the regular season title (at 12-2) and host the conference tournament.

Come on Q you sound like Lou Holtz 

That's not my intention.  I am just going by "on paper" favorites the rest of the way.  Massey has Wheaton as the CCIW favorite now - it has Wheaton 12-2 and IWU 11-3.  (Massey has Wheaton as the favorite in the game at King Arena on Feb 22...and that seems logical to me.)

http://www.masseyratings.com/rate.php?s=cb2014&sub=11620

[Pat Coleman]

Just seems like I should point out for the uninitiated that Amherst, Williams and Wesleyan all play each other twice in the NESCAC and Bates, Bowdoin and Colby all do so as well. A couple of the perennial powers are on that list.