MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan vs Benedictine, 7:00pm...

Illinois Wesleyan (20-9, 10-4 CCIW)
G - Brady Rose, 6-2/180 So. (Brian Nelms, 5-11/170 Sr.)
G - Bryce Dolan, 6-1/165 Sr. (Joel Pennington, 6-0/180 Sr.)
F - Andy Stempel, 6-4/192 Jr. (Colin Bonnett, 6/3/195 Fr.)
F - Ryan Coyle, 6-6/210 Sr. (Alec Bausch, 6-6/210 Jr.)
F - Trevor Seibring, 6-8/235 Jr. (Rob Mahlke, 6-8/200 Sr.)

Benedictine (18-9, 15-5 NACC)
G - John Dodson, 6-0/185 Sr. (Mack Brown, 6-0/190 Sr.)
G - Tahron Harvey, 6-2/185 Jr.
G - Michael Blaszczk, 6-3/190 Jr.
F - Adam Reynolds, 6-5/225 Jr. (Tim Reamer, 6-5/240 Sr.)
F - Luke Johnson, 6-9/235 Sr. (Shawn Soelter, 6-7/255 Jr.)


Pantagraph - http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/iwu-men-welcome-benedictine-for-basketball-opener/article_4b2a4e9c-1684-5279-a33a-3a88aba7db0a.html

Live video/stats - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/iwu/

WJBC Radio - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/wjbc/

[Titan Q]

I watched the 1st half of the Augustana/UW-La Crosse game last night.  A few takeaways...

* Wow.  Augustana is really, really good...not a single weakness or question mark I can find.  And a crazy deep and talented rotation.

* 6-5 junior Jacob Johnston (19 minutes), a perimeter player turned post, looked very good.  Long, athletic kid who can score around the basket and knock down a 3.

* 6-2 freshman point guard Chrishawn Orange (18 minutes) is a future CCIW 1st Teamer and All-American.  Statistically, nothing he did in that 1st half I watched jumped out...but I can just tell he is going to be an absolute stud.

* Augie has a nice balance of all of the returning guys we know about and some new blood - the two guys I mentioned above plus 6-7 junior Michael Hoekstra.  And that's big in my opinion - I think it injects some new life and personality in a team.  I've seen some teams that play all returning guys (especially seniors) struggle at times.

* This isn't your typical Coach G Augie team, known first for size and strength in the low post.  The Vikings are certainly big by D3 standards...but they are not huge.  And this is really more of an outside/in team as opposed to inside/out.  Augie has a great inside game, but I see this as a perimeter-oriented team.


Very impressed with the Vikings...they have a chance to have a special 2015-16.

[Titan Q]

Also watched the second half of Carthage/Iowa Wesleyan.  Freshman PG Jordan Kedrowski is a very good player, but my main takeaway is that Carthage is accurately slotted in that 8th slot in the CCIW preseason poll. I think the Red Men are really going to struggle in CCIW play this year.

[iwu70]

I also watched the first half of the Augie game.  Q got it right.  This team is very very good.  Most impressed with their quickness and their terrific outside shooting.  Big crowd . . .and the usual tough Augie defence. 

IWU70

[Titan Q]

Adrian 69
Carthage 59
(in Kenosha)

Adrian is picked 6th in the MIAA.

[Red and black]

A lot of ups and downs for the Red Men this weekend. I'm not that discouraged yet there were a lot of bright spots.

Adrian is very talented.  They will for sure finish better than 6th. A position they were chosen for well before a lot of new faces appeared. If they keep everyone around they might finish towards the top of that league.

[sac]

Adrian 69
Carthage 59
(in Kenosha)

Adrian is picked 6th in the MIAA.

A lot of ups and downs for the Red Men this weekend. I'm not that discouraged yet there were a lot of bright spots.

Adrian is very talented.  They will for sure finish better than 6th. A position they were chosen for well before a lot of new faces appeared. If they keep everyone around they might finish towards the top of that league.

I obviously have not seen Adrian yet but the only comment I'll make is Ben Rodak was a 22 game starter, 30 min/game player a year ago, this year he is not starting playing 20 min.  Adrian is starting 4 players who were not in the program a year ago.

So yes , they might be better than 6th.

[mr_b]

North Park tops Chicago, 72-66.  Juwan Henry (29) and Jordan Robinson (27) led the scoring attack but T.J. Cobbs had a key steal and two free throws to seal the deal.  Quite a day at Foster & Kedzie, after the Viking football team defeated IWU earlier in the day. And Greg's voice will take a well-deserved rest after calling both exciting games.

[Titan Q]

Benedictine 88
IWU 86

http://www.iwusports.com/boxscore.aspx?id=3473&path=mbball

* Joel Pennington: 21 points (6-8 FG, 5-6 3-point, 4-4 FT)
* Alec Bausch: 15 points, 7 reb
* Trevor Seibring: 14 points, 5 reb

* Michael Blaszczyk: 23 points, 5 reb
* Adam Reynolds: 12 points, 7 reb
* Lucas Johnson: 11 points, 6 reb
* Tahron Harvey: 9 points, 7 reb, 6 assists


The Titans led by 8 with 8:22 to play and 4 with 3:48, but could never shake a very talented Benedictine team.  IWU trailed 86-83 when senior Joel Pennington knocked down a 3 with 0:17 to go to tie the game.  After a timeout, Josh Dodson missed a tough shot with 2 seconds to play and the ball bounced high off the rim and towards the baseline.   6-9 Lucas Johnson caught it in the air and somehow twisted the ball around the backboard...and it dropped in at the buzzer.  I'll have to watch the play again to understand exactly how he made the shot.

Tough, tough loss at home in the opener for the Titans.  Benedictine is a very good team that should do very well this season.

IWU really misses 6-8 Mike Marietti.  Tonight Trevor Seibring had 2 fouls early and had to sit a bunch in the 1st half...there is a huge drop-off for the Titans when he leaves the game now.  With Marietti, IWU will have either Seibring or Marietti on the floor for 40 minutes...and that makes a huge difference.

[Titan Q]

The IWU/BU game is now available on demand.  BU's final possession starts at 2:02:50.  Quite a rebound and shot by Lucas Johnson.

http://portal.stretchinternet.com/iwu/

[robberki]

What's the deal with the attendance at IWU games? That place used to be packed all the time.

[Titan Q]

Six CCIW teams have played so far - here is a look at rotations on opening weekend.  (Bench players listed in order of minutes played...any player 5+ minutes included.)

Augustana
Starters:
   G - Hunter Hill, 5-9/165 Sr.
   G - Jawan Straughter, 6-0/186 Sr.
   G - Griffin Pils, 6-4/216 Sr.
   F - Tayvian Johnson, 6-6/196 Sr.
   F - Ben Ryan, 6-5/216 Sr.

Bench:
   G - Dylan Sortillo, 6-3/175 So.
   F - Jacob Johnston, 6-5/194, Jr.
   G - Chrishawn Orange, 6-2/178 Fr.
   F - Brandon Motzel, 6-7/210 Sr.
   F - Michael Hoekstra, 6-7/204 Jr.

Carthage
Starters:
   G - Jordan Kedrowski, 6-3/185 Fr.
   G - Myles Olsen, 6-1/190 Sr.
   F - Drew Joiner, 6-4/185 Fr.
   F - Mike Stevenson, 6-4/195 Jr.
   F - Scott McNellis, 6-5/190 Jr.

Bench:
   F - Brad Kruse, 6-4/195 So.
   G - Mike Kjeldsen, 6-3/195 Jr.
   G - Kevin Kozil, 6-1/180 Sr.
   F - Sean Valentine, 6-4/200 Sr.
   G - Derek Mason II, 5-10/175 So.

Illinois Wesleyan
Starters:
   G - Brady Rose, 6-2/180 So.
   G - Bryce Dolan, 6-1/165 Sr.
   F - Andy Stempel, 6-4/192 Jr.
   F - Ryan Coyle, 6-6/210 Sr.
   F - Trevor Seibring, 6-8/235 Jr.

Bench:
   F - Alec Bausch, 6-6/210 Jr.
   G - Joel Pennington, 6-0/180 Sr.
   G - Colin Bonnett, 6-3/105 Fr.
   G - Brian Nelms, 5-11/170 Sr.
   F - Rob Mahlke, 6-8/200 Sr.

Millikin
Starters:
   G - T.J. Griffin, 6-0/168 Sr.
   G - T.J. Sims, 5-8/156 So.
   G - Jack Simpson, 6-0/182 Fr.
   F - Elijah Kinmon, 6-5/195 Sr.
   F - Tommy Pilackas, 6-4/210 Sr.

Bench:
   G - Tyler Pygon, 6-0/160 Fr.
   F - Zach Long, 6-5/185 So.
   F - Leighton Lark, 6-5/180 So.
   F - Bryn Agnew, 6-8/200 Jr.
   G - Nick Novak, 6-1/185 So.

North Park
Starters:
   G - Juwan Henry, 5-10/165 Jr.
   G - Colin Lake, 5-7/145 So.
   G - T.J. Cobbs, 5-10/165 Jr.
   F - Jordan Robinson, 6-3/205 So.
   F - Michael Hutchinson, 6-4/205 Sr.
   
Bench:
   G - Armahn Mooring, 6-2/180 Jr.
   G - Cam Burnett, 5-5/140 Jr.
   F - Joe Biko, 6-8/225 Jr.
   F - Matt McNamara, 6-6/250 Jr.

Wheaton
Starters:
   G - Jonathan Bernsten, 6-0/190 Sr.
   G - Ricky Samuelson, 6-3/185 So.   
   G - Murad Dillard, 6-4/195 So.
   F - Trae Masten, 6-6/185 Fr.
   F - Michael Berg, 6-6/210 Sr.

Bench:
   G - Riley Teuscher, 6-3/185 Sr.
   G - Troy Morrison, 5-11/165 Fr.
 

[sac]

The IWU/BU game is now available on demand.  BU's final possession starts at 2:02:50.  Quite a rebound and shot by Lucas Johnson.

http://portal.stretchinternet.com/iwu/

That's a must watch.

[Gregory Sager]

The IWU/BU game is now available on demand.  BU's final possession starts at 2:02:50.  Quite a rebound and shot by Lucas Johnson.

http://portal.stretchinternet.com/iwu/

I'm glad that He Who Shall Not Be Named is now being called by his formal moniker. Maybe a certain poster from Naperville won't pick up on the fact that it's the same guy.

[Gregory Sager]

Last night's non-reported scores:

Wheaton 80
Franklin 68

Rose-Hulman 85
Millikin 78