MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Calvin 83
Washington (MO) 75

[Denny McKinney]

(cricket sound)

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan 84
St. Norbert 68

http://www.iwusports.com/boxscore.aspx?id=2782&path=mbball

* Jordan Nelson: 20 pts, 3 assists
* Dylan Overstreet: 16 pts, 3 reb, 5 assits
* Mike Marietti: 12 pts, 6 reb
* Pat Sodemann: 12 pts, 2 reb, 4 assists
* Victor Davis: 11 pts, 7 reb

* Kam Cerroni: 19 pts
* Brandon Gries: 18 pts, 8 reb, 6 assists
* Izaiah Anderson: 15 pts, 5 reb

IWU: 20 assists/11 turnovers; 51% FG


The Titans played extremely well tonight in all phases of the game.  Defensively the Titans were as good as they've been in a long time - St. Norbert made just 20 FG and nothing seemed to come easy for them.  The Green Nights entered the game as the Division III leader in 3-point %, and have one of the elite shooters in the country in Kam Cerroni, and IWU held them to zero made 3s in the 1st half.  Offensively, IWU played much smarter and much more aggressively than last night.  The Titans had a great balance of inside/outside scoring.

Ron Rose made a significant change to the starting lineup, going back to a big lineup - 6-8 C Mike Marietti started at the 5, with Andrew Ziemnik and Victor Davis returning to what I believe their most effective positions are (the 3 and the 4 respectively).  Marietti led IWU in scoring in the first half with 10 points and was very good on both ends of the floor.  I like to see IWU going back to the big starting lineup - it presents a lot of matchup problems for opponents.  It's not so much that Mike Marietti is a better player than Mike Mayberger, it's that Victor Davis is a much tougher matchup for the opposing team as a 4 than a 5, and Ziemnik as a 3 vs a 4.

Dylan Overstreet had a great game on both ends of the floor.  Most of the things Overstreet does to help IWU win games don't end up in a boxscore.  He's become such a good floor general and leader.

IWU's perimeter group put up some huge numbers - 56 points and 17 assists for Nelson, Overstreet, Sodemann, Dolan, and Mayberger.

That was an impressive performance by the Titans.

[Titan Q]

The Sectional will feature:

* IWU vs Calvin
* Wheaton vs Dickinson

I think IWU has a great chance to be the host...we'll know tomorrow before noon or so.

[Titan Q]

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/titans-avoid-collapse-cruise-into-sweet/article_64cdbc77-fb8b-5eff-b1b7-df3df7ab3062.html


"The first half Illinois Wesleyan's defense gave us a lot of trouble. We had trouble running any semblance of offense," St. Norbert coach Gary Grzesk said. "The second half we were more aggressive running our stuff, but we didn't get many stops."
----------
"Within our league we don't see that type of physicality or depth," said Grzesk. "Depth is one of their greatest strengths."


Ron Rose and Victor Davis postgame on WJBC - http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=711&c=3911&f=2527953

[jtsmith231]

Any thoughts on why someone other than IWU would host, and what the justification might be? I know there's been a lot of posts about the various criteria that are considered, but I'm just wondering if anyone has any alternate theories about lines of reasoning that could lead to a different site. Hard to imagine it not being at the Shirk, but just curious!

[Titan Q]

Any thoughts on why someone other than IWU would host, and what the justification might be? I know there's been a lot of posts about the various criteria that are considered, but I'm just wondering if anyone has any alternate theories about lines of reasoning that could lead to a different site. Hard to imagine it not being at the Shirk, but just curious!

I can't really think of any.

[iwu70]

Agree with Q's assessment of the Titans' performance tonight.  Just a solid overall high-quality outing, one of the best of the year coming at a very good time.  Marietti and Davis were outstanding, and Sodemann and Overstreet played very well.  Five players in double figures, with Jordan Nelson leading the way with 20.  IWU did give St. Norbert a lot of headaches defensively in the first half.  The depth of the Titans is really on show in a game like that when the zebras are tooting way too much early on.  Second half was more reasonable way to call the game.

You know it's going to be a good night when the Titans hit that many treys, even 3 from Vic Davis!

Some big upsets today with Cabrini and Wash U going down.  Sure hope Shirk is the site for next weekend.   I wouldn't be at all surprised to see IWU-WC playing again on the Shirk hardwoods for the Final Four spot.

Congrats to Coach Rose and all the Titans, Titan fans, Pep Band and the B/N community on the SWEET SIXTEEN.  Sweet Sixteen, baby! 

Go Titans, keep it rolling.

IWU70

[veterancciwfan]

The St. Norbert fans were first class basketball lovers. Talked to Brandon Gries's father after the game. His son is an excellent example of what student-athlete means at D3.

[GoPerry]

Any thoughts on why someone other than IWU would host, and what the justification might be? I know there's been a lot of posts about the various criteria that are considered, but I'm just wondering if anyone has any alternate theories about lines of reasoning that could lead to a different site. Hard to imagine it not being at the Shirk, but just curious!

WC more centrally located with more flights/less cost than flying to Bloomington?  But not sure if that's ever been a criteria before . . .  all I can think of.  Clearly IWU deserves to host if seeding holds.

[Titan Q]

A look at IWU vs the Calvin Knights.  The Titans will have their hands full Friday against a very big and talented Calvin team that is playing its best basketball of the season.

Rotations:

Illinois Wesleyan (25-4, 12-2 CCIW)
G - Dylan Overstreet, 6-3/180 Jr (10.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.3 apg)
G - Pat Sodemann, 6-3/195 Jr (9.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)
F - Andrew Ziemnik, 6-5/220 Sr (12.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.0 apg)
F - Victor Davis, 6-5/235 Sr (11.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg)
C - Mike Marietti, 6-8/245 So (4.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

G - Jordan Nelson, 6-1/170 Jr (11.3 ppg)
F - Mike Mayberger, 6-6/205 Sr (7.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
G - Bryce Dolan, 6-0/160 So (5.2 ppg)
F - Eric Dortch, 6-4/210 Sr (4.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
G - Brady Zimmer, 6-4/180 Sr (3.8 ppg)

Calvin (24-5, 12-2 MIAA)
G - Jordan Brink, 6-3/185 Jr (15.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.1 apg)
G - Jordan Daley, 6-3/185 So (8.9 ppg, 3.5 ppg, 2.0 apg)
F - Tyler Dykstra, 6-8/200 Jr (7.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
F - Mickey Devries, 6-7/235 Sr (9.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
C - Tyler Kruis, 6-9/235 Sr (15.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)

G - Austin Parks, 6-0/185 So (6.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.4 apg)
F - B.J. Van Loo, 6-6/205 So (4.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
G - Brad Visser, 6-3/170 Fr (4.2 ppg)
C - Daniel Stout, 6-9/230 Jr (2.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
G - T.J. Huizenga, 6-4/205 Jr (1.9 ppg)


Team Stats:

PPG: IWU 83.0; Calvin 78.0

Opp PG: Calvin 64.0; IWU 68.3

FG: IWU .502; Calvin .491

Opp FG: Calvin .399, IWU .415

3-point FG: IWU .420; Calvin .384

Opp 3-point FG: IWU .318; Calvin: .348

FT: Calvin .731; IWU .710

Reb Margin: Calvin +7.6, IWU +4.9

A/TO: Calvin 1.6; IWU 1.4


Rankings:

Massey: IWU #4, Calvin #17

D3hoops.com: IWU #6, Calvin #24


Strength of Schedule:

Massey SOS: IWU #6, Calvin #112

Massey conference: CCIW #1, MIAA #20


Common Opponents:

Calvin 78 Manchester 50 (at Manchester)
IWU 89 Manchester 60 (at IWU)

Carthage 74 Calvin 68 (at Calvin)
Carthage 80 IWU 73 (at Carthage)
IWU 80 Carthage 66 (at IWU)
IWU 76 Carthage 71 (at IWU)

Calvin 78 Wheaton 51 (at Calvin)
IWU 78 Wheaton 71 (at IWU)
IWU 97 Wheaton 88 (at Wheaton)
Wheaton 87 IWU 66 (at IWU)

Hope 71 Calvin 63 (at Calvin)
Hope 83 Calvin 65 (at Hope)
Calvin 78 Hope 53 (at Hope)
IWU 91 Hope 83 (at Hope)

Calvin 83 Wash U 75 (at Wash U)
IWU 98 Wash U 73 (at IWU)


Hardware:

Calvin: 1992 & 2000 NCAA Division III national champions

IWU: 1997 NCAA Division III national champions

[D-3 watcher]

Due to the miles, and seeding, I have to have IWU hosting.

[Titan Q]

IWU will host the sectional - http://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2014/sectional-hosts-announced.

This will be the first time IWU has hosted a sectional since 1996-97.

[bopol]

IWU will host the sectional - http://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/men/2014/sectional-hosts-announced.

This will be the first time IWU has hosted a sectional since 1996-97.

Doesn't 1997 has some sort of minor significance in IWU hoops history?

[oldknight]

* (2:04:40) Gorloks up 70-69 with 0:08 to play.  IWU's Dylan Overstreet makes 2 FTs.  On the in-bounds, Webster may have gotten away with a turnover.  Hunter Ward in-bounds to a player who is in-bounds heading back out-of-bounds.  He seems to catch it in the air in-bounds and land out-of-bounds.  I'm honestly not sure what the rules are on this.

--I'm not certain about my answer on the inbounds play. Technically, it's a turnover but I also know that officials seem to typically interpret it in such a way that if the first player to grab the ball after a made basket or FT was not trying to inbound it (only handing it to the player who is supposed to inbound it) then it's a judgment call by the official. If that speculation is correct, the first "pass" really wasn't a pass and can be ignored. One of my closest friends is a high school and college ref and I'll see him at church tomorrow and find out how that is ruled.

I talked to my friend and he says going by the book it was a rules violation and the ball should have been awarded to IWU, though he admits it isn't always called. He was interested to know if the first player merely handed the ball to the second or if it was passed in the air to the second Webster player. He likened the way most refs handle this call to the phantom tag at second base on a double play ball which seems to be more of area call. How much leeway are you going to give? Interestingly, he said that most refs would likely hold closer to the letter of the law if the stakes were higher (such as the end of a close game). That surprised me since I expected him to say the opposite.

That's one refs perspective for the FWIW Dept.