MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[unanimous22]

Pretty hideous game from the Titans tonight. They were not prepared whatsoever for the revenge Augie had on their minds. Other than Alec Bausch I don't think anyone else really played well tonight.

Just a poor, poor effort in a huge game.

[kiko]

First regional rankings...

http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2015/02/11/first-regional-rankings-released-today/

There are a series of links on that page to the datasheets that the NCAA used to detail how every team in the region fares against the selection criteria.  (NCAA motto: we're fully transparent, until we're not...)  Very interesting to see this broken down in one place.

I can't remember those being available previously.  Am I getting senile or is this the first time those have been available?  (Or both...)

[Titan Q]

First regional rankings...

http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2015/02/11/first-regional-rankings-released-today/

There are a series of links on that page to the datasheets that the NCAA used to detail how every team in the region fares against the selection criteria.  (NCAA motto: we're fully transparent, until we're not...)  Very interesting to see this broken down in one place.

I can't remember those being available previously.  Am I getting senile or is this the first time those have been available?  (Or both...)

Those have been published with the regional rankings for at least the last 2-3 years.

The transparency problem, of course, is that they don't release the final regional rankings (used in the selection/seeding process).

[kiko]

Sooooo in the past eight days, we've had:

North Central over Augie by 2 at Carver

Illinois Wesleyan by 32 over North Central at the Shirk

And, naturally, Augie over Illinois Wesleyan by 26 at the Shirk.


What a weird year this has been in the conference.

[kiko]

First regional rankings...

http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2015/02/11/first-regional-rankings-released-today/

There are a series of links on that page to the datasheets that the NCAA used to detail how every team in the region fares against the selection criteria.  (NCAA motto: we're fully transparent, until we're not...)  Very interesting to see this broken down in one place.

I can't remember those being available previously.  Am I getting senile or is this the first time those have been available?  (Or both...)

Those have been published with the regional rankings for at least the last 2-3 years.

The transparency problem, of course, is that they don't release the final regional rankings (used in the selection/seeding process).

Thanks.  Senile it is.

And, the final double-secret region rankings are the "until we're not" part of the motto...

[Dennis_Prikkel]

The iwu class of 1977 (Sikma) included seven all staters. The Angie class of 1973 (Laing).  Millikan class of 1968 (Sunderlik and Hill).  Almost any Wheaton class 1956-59.

[Mr. Ypsi]

After reading about the Augie @ IWU game, I'm almost glad I was on the road in a snowstorm coming back from a visit to my grandson in South Bend rather than watch the game!   Maybe the Titans were better off NOT being ranked.

[Titan Q]

Ron Rose postgame on WJBC...

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=711&c=3911&f=3990083

[CCIW >]

I can think of several:

* North Park's Class of '80 included Michael Harper, Modzel Greer, and Keith French (who joined the class after beginning his career at a juco). They won three national championships; Harper was a multi-year All-American, NABC National Player of the Year, and a three-time CCIW MOP, while Greer was a four-time All-CCIW player (three times first team) and French was the 1980 D3 tourney MVP; all three were drafted by the NBA; and Harper played for the Portland Trailblazers for two years.

* North Park's Class of '85 included Justyne Monegain (2,000-point scorer, All-American, and CCIW MOP), Ernie Hubbard (1985 D3 tourney MVP; he, too transferred in), Lars Anderson (1985 All-CCIW first-teamer), and fellow starters Johnny Kuehn and Adam Lazich. These five players were the heart of the team that won the 1984-85 national title.

* North Park's Class of '88 included Michael Starks (All-American and 1986-87 CCIW MOP), Mike Barach (All-American and 1987-88 CCIW MOP), both of whom arrived in 1985-86 as sophomore transfers, and Dan Mulkerin (multi-year All-CCIW player, including first-teamer in 1986-87). This trio made up the dominant portion of the 1986-87 national championship team.

And that's just off of the top of my head. If you want me to branch out to other CCIW schools, I could go on all day (Elmhurst's Class of '01, Carthage's Class of '02, Wesleyan's Class of '06, etc.).

Greg,
Those sound great. 
I am still impressed by NCC's class though!  They had 6 all-conference players in that class (Assuming we see Burchett and Rosenberg on the All-CCIW Team this year)...And they went from 6th to 1st in one year behind those guys. 

Has any program ever had 6 All Conference players in one class?!
And has anyone ever gone from 6th (Or lower) to 1st in one year?
Curious to hear everyone's take.

[GoPerry]

Wheaton gets the welcome win over Millikin tonight 70-67.  No points for prettiness for either team as Wheaton shoots 41% from the field. Teuscher sat out long stretches with foul trouble, but even with him the Thunder looked out of rhythm  offensively all night.  The big exception was freshman Ricky Samuelson who led Wheaton tonight with 18 pts on 5-8 from 3pt, 4 rebs, 2 blocks and a steal.  Mid-way through the 2nd half he stroked 4 catch and shoot treys in a row including a 4pt play to bring his team from down 6 to leading by 3.  Murad Dillard also had another solid game with 8 pts/5rebs including a thunderous tip dunk off a Bernsten miss.  Not sure there's been a King Arena dunk like that in a long time.

If anyone can enlighten me as to why Joel Smith takes so many 3 pointers (1/8 tonight), I'd welcome the insight.

Junior TJ Griffin had a terrible night for Millikin shooting an uncharacteristic 1/13 from the floor  contributing to an overall 36% FG for Matt Nadelhoffers squad.

Low attendance and long game.  Both teams were in the bonus, 7 fouls each, with 15 mins remaining in the 2nd half.  Still hoping WC grabs two more wins and avoids the cellar- they could actually finish as high as 5th.

[veterancciwfan]

Only consolation was an IWU JV win tonight. Wow, is this a tough league. Nothing makes sense. Augie loses by 2 at home to NCC, NCC looks like one of the worst D3 teams in the nation Sat. at Shirk, and IWU was outplayed, outshustled, and you can fill in at least 3 more Out-s tonight. Still 2 more totally unpredictable games left before conf. tournament.

[Mr. Ypsi]

In the event of an 11-3 tie, Augustana wins the tie-breaker over IWU.  Augie looks very good right now to host the CCIW tournament.

I've forgotten the tie-break order beyond h-to-h.  Why would Augie already be known to win the tie-break?  (Their sweep of Elmhurst?)

[kiko]

In the event of an 11-3 tie, Augustana wins the tie-breaker over IWU.  Augie looks very good right now to host the CCIW tournament.

I've forgotten the tie-break order beyond h-to-h.  Why would Augie already be known to win the tie-break?  (Their sweep of Elmhurst?)

After H2H it goes:
Record against third-place team
Record against fourth-place team
etc
etc

Either Elmhurst or North Central will finish third.

If it's the Cardinals (yay!), then both leaders split with the Redbirds and we go to record versus #4, and Augie's sweep of the Jays carries the day.

If Elmhurst finishes third (boo!), then we get same result but with one less level of tiebreaker involved.

[cardinalpride]

I can think of several:

* North Park's Class of '80 included Michael Harper, Modzel Greer, and Keith French (who joined the class after beginning his career at a juco). They won three national championships; Harper was a multi-year All-American, NABC National Player of the Year, and a three-time CCIW MOP, while Greer was a four-time All-CCIW player (three times first team) and French was the 1980 D3 tourney MVP; all three were drafted by the NBA; and Harper played for the Portland Trailblazers for two years.

* North Park's Class of '85 included Justyne Monegain (2,000-point scorer, All-American, and CCIW MOP), Ernie Hubbard (1985 D3 tourney MVP; he, too transferred in), Lars Anderson (1985 All-CCIW first-teamer), and fellow starters Johnny Kuehn and Adam Lazich. These five players were the heart of the team that won the 1984-85 national title.

* North Park's Class of '88 included Michael Starks (All-American and 1986-87 CCIW MOP), Mike Barach (All-American and 1987-88 CCIW MOP), both of whom arrived in 1985-86 as sophomore transfers, and Dan Mulkerin (multi-year All-CCIW player, including first-teamer in 1986-87). This trio made up the dominant portion of the 1986-87 national championship team.

And that's just off of the top of my head. If you want me to branch out to other CCIW schools, I could go on all day (Elmhurst's Class of '01, Carthage's Class of '02, Wesleyan's Class of '06, etc.).

Greg,
Those sound great. 
I am still impressed by NCC's class though!  They had 6 all-conference players in that class (Assuming we see Burchett and Rosenberg on the All-CCIW Team this year)...And they went from 6th to 1st in one year behind those guys. 

Has any program ever had 6 All Conference players in one class?!
And has anyone ever gone from 6th (Or lower) to 1st in one year?
Curious to hear everyone's take.

NCC,
Interesting point you make about North Central's recruiting class that year headed by 4 year All-CCIW 1st team Landon Gamble. In terms of true freshman recruits, I would put Gamble's class up against any CCIW school in the last twenty years. Unquestionably, the best NCC class during that span and argueably ever.  There are 4 other kids in the Gamble class that if healthy and remained in school would have helped NCC win 4 consecutive CCIW titles. All due respect to Titan nation. One of them was mention previously, CJ Goldthree (all conf. as a sophomore). The other 3 were Brad Hallstein (6'8 stretch forward from Bloomington), Chris Smith (true pg from rich central), Mortell Flowers (6'4 super athletic wing from oak park).
Hallstein was a kid that flirted with some div 1 offers out of HS. In 2011, he made a couple of huge baskets in Kenosha to help knock off Carthage on the road in Steve D. final season.
Smith was a quick PG that suffered a devastating injury early in his 2nd year. He would have really helped NCC in 2012 as a relief to Kevin Gillespie had it not been for injury.
Flowers was the wildcard, an athletic and strong defensive wing that pushed Raridon in practice until he fell victim to injury and finances during his freshman year.
Goldthree was definitely on display his 1st 2 years in an NCC uniform until he decided to take his talents to SIU Edwardsville.
I know the "what if" game is dangerous to play, however those four young men would have given NCC the talent and depth to sustain a four year run, IMHO.

[CCIW >]

NCC,
Interesting point you make about North Central's recruiting class that year headed by 4 year All-CCIW 1st team Landon Gamble. In terms of true freshman recruits, I would put Gamble's class up against any CCIW school in the last twenty years. Unquestionably, the best NCC class during that span and argueably ever.  There are 4 other kids in the Gamble class that if healthy and remained in school would have helped NCC win 4 consecutive CCIW titles. All due respect to Titan nation. One of them was mention previously, CJ Goldthree (all conf. as a sophomore). The other 3 were Brad Hallstein (6'8 stretch forward from Bloomington), Chris Smith (true pg from rich central), Mortell Flowers (6'4 super athletic wing from oak park).
Hallstein was a kid that flirted with some div 1 offers out of HS. In 2011, he made a couple of huge baskets in Kenosha to help knock off Carthage on the road in Steve D. final season.
Smith was a quick PG that suffered a devastating injury early in his 2nd year. He would have really helped NCC in 2012 as a relief to Kevin Gillespie had it not been for injury.
Flowers was the wildcard, an athletic and strong defensive wing that pushed Raridon in practice until he fell victim to injury and finances during his freshman year.
Goldthree was definitely on display his 1st 2 years in an NCC uniform until he decided to take his talents to SIU Edwardsville.
I know the "what if" game is dangerous to play, however those four young men would have given NCC the talent and depth to sustain a four year run, IMHO.
[/quote]

Cardinalpride,

I am impressed with your insider knowledge.  I knew all 4 of those guys but didn't want to bring them up or play the "what if" game.  But if you do factor in those guys, I can't see an argument against that being the best recruiting class in the last 20 years...  Chris Smith would have been a three year starter for the Cardinals, in my opinion, if he had not tore his Achilles. And that is saying something because Gillespie, Rourke, and Williams were all above average PGs.