MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gotberg]

OK North Park faithful, I'll leave it up to you. 20 years of following these guys, 15 years of announcing. I take this year off, and the only game I attend they lose by 40.

Am I allowed to drive to Naperville on Saturday?

Furthermore, am I ever permitted to attend another game?

I am sure there will be a nice video stream of the game for you

[Titan Q]

Interesting to see what is happening to this team.  Over the course of the conference season, offense goes missing and match ups with other teams strengths are not properly managed.  IWU's is short on big men and way, way, way too deep on guards.  In fact we are so deep on guards, one has to question whether we are not playing players who need to play and who need to be developed.  Another question which increasingly needs to be answered, why is Brady Rose playing so many minutes - and not producing on a points per minute stat - and Stemple is not playing.  Stemple is in a few games ago and scores 11 in a very short span.  Stemple plays last year and produces, yet now it's all Brady Rose.  What is driving the playing time decisions?  What impact does Ron Rose's decision to play his son so much have on the psyche and opinion of the other players on the team?  This team has now underperformed in two key games in a row.  I know that Ron is beloved by the IWU community, but suddenly the decision making appears to be biased, and not in the best interests of the team.  The judgement related to his own son, and motivation of players, and game strategy, now all seem to be sliding downwards.  Why are we so incredibly deep in guards for the class of '16, '17, '18?  Where are the big men to replace Victor and Z?  Why so many guards (1's, 2's, 3's) and no big men?  How can we develop this many guards and maintain a leading D3 team?  I'm not seeing it, and the beginning of a slide may be at hand.  Welcome the thoughts of others, but the awful loss to Augie at home and NPU on the road in key contests suggests otherwise.

Interest post.  Regarding IWU, a very clear issues:  1) Ron Rose has already cast aside recruits to be replaced by his son, regardless fo their skills or commitment.  2) IWU is dearly lacking bigs.  A huge deficit!  And on that will not change in the next 4 years.  3) Ron's reputation is that as a coach who 'hoards' players.  Case in point, his roster of 29 players is far larger than any other CCIW school from what I see.  Carthage, NPU, NCC... all have around 19-20 players on roster.  Hoarding will begin to affect recruitment.  Why would a recruit go to IWU when they see other very good players get shoved down the depth chart or off the playing time list completely.  A growing issue for IWU...

Ron Rose has a solid track record of recruiting the right mix of players and putting the right pieces together the floor.  Here are some numbers from the time the members of his first recruiting class (Sean Johnson, Doug Sexauer, Travis Rosenkranz, etc) were juniors...

(2009-10 through 2014-15 so far...last 6 seasons)

Total Wins
Illinois Wesleyan: 133
Augustana: 121
Wheaton: 113
North Central: 108

CCIW Wins
Illinois Wesleyan: 63
Augustana: 56
Wheaton: 54
North Central: 53

NCAA Tournament Wins (last 5 completed seasons)
Illinois Wesleyan: 14
North Central: 6
Wheaton: 6
Augustana: 4
Carthage: 2


In an absolutely fantastic league with amazing coaches, Ron Rose has done a really nice job.  IWU has certainly had a couple rough games in a row now (games where the other team has played incredibly well I might add), but I'm not sure it makes a lot of sense to all of the sudden question Rose's recruiting philosophy or overall judgment regarding personnel and playing time.  That seems overly reactionary and panicky.

As far as big guys, sometimes you don't get all of the guys you want.  Over the last few years, IWU came very close on a bunch of 4s and 5s who are now on scholarship school rosters.  You do your best to recruit great players, and when the season starts you play the guys you have.  Relative to other 2014-15 CCIW rotations, I think IWU's post group of Ryan Coyle (Jr), Trevor Seibring (So), Mike Marietti (Jr), and Alec Bausch (So) actually stacks up extremely well.  I'm also very excited about the potential of several of the current freshmen posts.

As far as playing Brady Rose, IWU needed to get from 11 players down to 10 when CCIW play started...11 is just one too many, even for a deep team.  That decision seems to have come down to Rose vs Stempel...tough call, as both kids have nice upsides and are talented.  I can tell you, based on conversations I've had with Ron Rose this season, that he is naturally inclined to not play Brady...because of perceptions.  I know that for him to have made that decision that he truly believes that Brady is the right guy to have on the floor.  It's not because he's his son - I do know that for sure. 

As far as "hoarding" players, this is Division III where kids choose to go to school where they want to go to school.  IWU has several kids on the current roster who were told by Ron Rose (something like), "There are a lot of other guys ahead of you at your position...you need to know that coming in...you might not play here."  (And a lot of kids who've heard this have chosen to go elsewhere.)  IWU's 2014-15 roster, like most D3 rosters, is a collection of kids who were recruited strongly by Ron Rose and his staff, and others who were not.  The kids who were heavily recruited almost always end up being the guys on the floor as juniors and seniors.

Questioning the coach when things aren't going well is part of sports, so I get it - it's all good.  But again, looking at the big picture, Ron Rose has done really well at IWU for several years now and has probably built up a little equity to get through a bad stretch...or even a bad season.

[Gregory Sager]

IWU's is short on big men and way, way, way too deep on guards.

2) IWU is dearly lacking bigs.  A huge deficit!

I'm shaking my head in utter disbelief.

These four gentlemen:

Ryan Coyle (6'6, 208, Jr.)
Trevor Seibring (6'8, 235, So.)
Mike Marietti (6'8, 245, Jr.)
Alec Bausch (6'6, 210, So.)

... each and every one of whom is a rotation player, were in last night's game for a grand total of 81 collective minutes. Stop and think about that for a moment. There was nary a time in last night's game when IWU didn't have two experienced bigs on the floor, and there were several moments in which the Titans had three of them on the floor (to IWU's detriment, but that's another story).

Looking at the Illinois Wesleyan roster, I see seven other players besides those four who are 6'5 or taller. Seven. And I'm not even including 6'8 Brandon Heyen among them, since he's a non-contributing senior who is soon out the door.

Illinois Wesleyan is absolutely loaded with bigs. Every coach in this league, with the exception of Grey Giovanine, would give his eyeteeth to have IWU's boatload of big men. Look at who was wearing white uniforms in the crackerbox last night. In terms of bigs, Tom Slyder is making do with 6'4, 205 Michael Hutchinson and with a couple of other guys, Matt McNamara and Joe Biko, who are really only effective at one end of the floor apiece (symbiotically, they're opposite ends of the floor). And that's it. Period. Finito. NPU's used five guards on the JV team for almost the entire season, because there's nobody else on the team besides Hutch, Mac, and Biko who's any bigger than 6'3, 185 Jordan Robinson.

(And, lest anyone think I'm crying "woe is me," look at the rosters of the other CCIW teams. Aside from Augie, who else has a large assortment of big men that's anywhere close to the volume of IWU's? Do you honestly think that Bosko Djurickovic wouldn't give anything to have some of Wesleyan's largesse, given the fact that his big-man situation right now is Cam Van Wyk and Mr. Yourguessisasgoodasmine? How would numbers-strapped Mike Schauer love to have Wesleyan's "we have no big men" problem? Or Todd Raridon, who'll be bereft after this year once Rosenberg and Burchett are history? Sheesh.)

And if CCIW teams can't match Wesleyan's collection of big men, how in the world does anyone outside of the league? We all know that, in terms of desirable players, the CCIW is able to recruit with just about anyone in all of D3.

I don't mean to be rude to a new poster, but the assertion that IWU is lacking in big men is easily the most preposterous thing that I've read on CCIW Chat in ages.

Again, enjoyed and appreciated Greg's call of the game, his knowledge of both teams and his enthusiasm for his Vikings.  It was a wonderful evening of very competitive and high quality D3 hoops.  Just wish we'd got Bryce Dolan one more good look.  Greg was kind to "tip his hat" to Dolan during the broadcast.  A class way of calling the game.

Thanks, Mark. I appreciate that. Dolan looked as though he was tossing in 21-foot layups last night. I think that he's the best pure shooter in the league.
 

Sure looks to me like Juwan Henry has a pretty darn good shot at MOP in the CCIW.

I won't campaign on his behalf, since: a) it won't do any good; and b) it might be hard for CCIW coaches to say "no" to a senior like Dylan Overstreet who's meant so much to a top-two team over the past four seasons; but I personally think that Juwan's earned it.

Given their young and talented players, I agree NPU likely in the top tier of the CCIW in the coming few seasons.

As Chuck said last night, it's crucial that NPU acquire some bigs. Perhaps iiwwuu would agree to let us borrow a few of the ones who are currently wearing green, since, you know, they don't really exist and all.

[Gregory Sager]

OK North Park faithful, I'll leave it up to you. 20 years of following these guys, 15 years of announcing. I take this year off, and the only game I attend they lose by 40.

Am I allowed to drive to Naperville on Saturday?

Furthermore, am I ever permitted to attend another game?

I am sure there will be a nice video stream of the game for you

ROTFL!

TD, if I see you set one foot in the airplane hangar next Saturday, I'm gonna sic Luke Johnson on you.

[Titan Q]

Greg, you did a great job on the call last night.  You give the time and score consistently - the late Art Kimball, my dear friend, would appreciate that.

[Titan Q]

Ron Rose postgame on WJBC...

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=711&c=3911&f=4003493


The roller coaster of emotions that a college basketball coach must go through.  You can hear the sting in last night's loss in Rose's voice.

[Gregory Sager]

Greg, you did a great job on the call last night.  You give the time and score consistently - the late Art Kimball, my dear friend, would appreciate that.

Thanks, Bob. I've always taken to heart Art's advice, and I'm also keenly aware of the fact that the North Park webcast does not have graphics that indicate time and score ... which means that it's all up to me in that regard.

[Gregory Sager]

Last night's IWU @ NPU game is available on the Internet for viewing. The decision regarding whether or not to archive games for later public viewing is a judgment call for the programs that are able to offer the service; I know that Tom Slyder is reluctant to put most North Park games online after the fact, because it's in essence offering upcoming opponents more game film for them to look at. So I appreciate that, after a couple of this season's big wins (vs. Augie, vs. IWU) he's allowed North Park SID Kevin Shepke to post the archived webcasts online.

[DFLDWarriorsCCIW]

Rosenberg took over late last night.  Cards came back to take the lead and I thought they were going to hold on in regulation.  Tough loss.  Gotta get a W against the hottest team in the CCIW on Saturday to get the 4th spot.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'll be interested to see if the coaches for IWU and Elmhurst do anything differently in their game this week.  After all, they are already assured of an 'instant replay' in the tourney semis, regardless of the outcome (they will be the #2 and #3 seeds, in whichever order).

[Greek Tragedy]

As I posted before, I think IWU's NCAA tourney life is on the line at 17-7. I don't think they play it safe at all. They need to win, IMO. I also think if NCC doesn't beat North Park, they might miss a Pool C bid since they won't even be playing in the CCIW tourney, finishing 17-8. Interested to see what the CCIW posters and, especially, the IWU posters think of their chances...I don't know, maybe it would be better to finish 17-8 and miss out on the CCIW tourney than to finish 18-9 (1-1 in the CCIW tourney).-the assumption IWU and NCC lose their final games of the regular season.

[markerickson]

Seems like every year since I stepped foot on North Park's campus decades ago that IWU rosters a plethora of players over 6'5".

Valentine's Day dinner was not as satisfying as watching the second half of the Viking victory!

[AppletonRocks]

Interesting to see what is happening to this team.  Over the course of the conference season, offense goes missing and match ups with other teams strengths are not properly managed.  IWU's is short on big men and way, way, way too deep on guards.  In fact we are so deep on guards, one has to question whether we are not playing players who need to play and who need to be developed.  Another question which increasingly needs to be answered, why is Brady Rose playing so many minutes - and not producing on a points per minute stat - and Stemple is not playing.  Stemple is in a few games ago and scores 11 in a very short span.  Stemple plays last year and produces, yet now it's all Brady Rose.  What is driving the playing time decisions?  What impact does Ron Rose's decision to play his son so much have on the psyche and opinion of the other players on the team?  This team has now underperformed in two key games in a row.  I know that Ron is beloved by the IWU community, but suddenly the decision making appears to be biased, and not in the best interests of the team.  The judgement related to his own son, and motivation of players, and game strategy, now all seem to be sliding downwards.  Why are we so incredibly deep in guards for the class of '16, '17, '18?  Where are the big men to replace Victor and Z?  Why so many guards (1's, 2's, 3's) and no big men?  How can we develop this many guards and maintain a leading D3 team?  I'm not seeing it, and the beginning of a slide may be at hand.  Welcome the thoughts of others, but the awful loss to Augie at home and NPU on the road in key contests suggests otherwise.

Sounds like there's no joy in Mudville. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Bryce Dolan has (deservedly) gotten the accolades for IWU in last night's game, but Mike Marietti has (undeservedly) been completely ignored.  He merely went 7 of 8 from the field - I was 'shocked' when he finally missed one, halfway thru the 2nd.

[AppletonRocks]

Another serious question, of course you guys will call trolling:  Is it likely that only your tournament champ gets a bid?