MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NC_baller]

What a week for NCC to be cracking the Top 25..lol..  . Someone get me a Miller Lite, stat.... really looking forward to this upcoming week against the Viqueens and the Illinois Wesleyan's. NCC could really do some damage and make an even bigger name for themselves with a couple road wins. That f***ing buzzer beater to Benedictine sucks big time at the moment. Anyway...would much rather have had these games flip flopped and played the Titans Wednesday & Augie Saturday but what can we do..

Young Raridon having the game he did against Wheaton is going to pay huge dividends here coming up I think for my Cards. Him being around these road battles for around 8 years now may even payoff greater for NCC than the 25&10 he can provide any given night..

The matchup's this week for the Cards could be real intriguing and Todd definitely has some figuring to do.. But I don't see why the Cards length shouldn't effect every aspect of each games..
Pick to click: Connor Raridon. Will give Tayvian Johnson baskets just like the big bro used too.. And I am sure you all remember him 

[iwu70]

Yes, some really key games this week, to set the tone for the rest of the conference race.

I hear what folks are saying about Bonnett and Falatico -- hope they come on and perform better the rest of the way.  Surely both likely to play a big part in the Titan program when Dolan and Pennington graduate.  Ron Rose will surely be in the market for some new bigs as well, with Marietti gone and graduating, and Coyle also a senior.  Seibring and Bausch only one more year, so some new bigs are going to have to be developed, recruited.  Let's hope Brady Rose gets back to playing health soon.  Tough to have these injuries late in the non-conference schedule, then missing most or all of the conference slate. 

I wouldn't be too too surprised to see NCC beat Augie this week.

Great to have my IWU classmate and good friend, Bob Sweet '69, visit Hong Kong today.  Always good to have TITAN visitors come to Asia.  He and his spouse, Stacy, on their way to a wonderful 18 day tour of Vietnam and Cambodia.  Bob was Argus editor at IWU when I was Student Senate President.  He had a long and distinguished career with UPI (before it went down), then another long, successful career with Oracle.  Hope to visit him in CA. next summer, for some good golf.

IWU70

[CCIW >]

What a week for NCC to be cracking the Top 25..lol..  . Someone get me a Miller Lite, stat.... really looking forward to this upcoming week against the Viqueens and the Illinois Wesleyan's. NCC could really do some damage and make an even bigger name for themselves with a couple road wins. That f***ing buzzer beater to Benedictine sucks big time at the moment. Anyway...would much rather have had these games flip flopped and played the Titans Wednesday & Augie Saturday but what can we do..

Young Raridon having the game he did against Wheaton is going to pay huge dividends here coming up I think for my Cards. Him being around these road battles for around 8 years now may even payoff greater for NCC than the 25&10 he can provide any given night..

The matchup's this week for the Cards could be real intriguing and Todd definitely has some figuring to do.. But I don't see why the Cards length shouldn't effect every aspect of each games..
Pick to click: Connor Raridon. Will give Tayvian Johnson baskets just like the big bro used too.. And I am sure you all remember him 

Well said, I couldn't agree more about Connor Raridon. People who havent seen him play might not realize it yet, but this young man is without a doubt the best overall player in the CCIW... He may not be a 10-10 shooter, or passer, or rebounder... But i can assure you he is as well rounded as anyone in D3 basketball. As only a freshman, you can see clearly that he is the smartest player on the court every game. Whether it is the way he defends, boxes out, runs the offense, gets in opposing players heads, etc.. it is an unbelievable asset to the Cards. I hope he gets the 1st Team All CCIW recognition as a Freshman, but i dont think POTY will come until next year. Even though he will probably deserve it at the end of the conference run the Cards are about to make.

[iwu70]

NCC, a little too much Kool-Aid, me thinks, re: your freshman.  No doubt he has a bright future in the league, but there are at least 4-5 players that are overall better, more valuable to their team's conference chances, than dear Connor this season in the league.  IMHO.

'70

[AndOne]

Although only a freshman, Connor is playing beyond his years and is, not surprisingly, having an outstanding initial campaign. However, let's remember that he is indeed only a freshman. As he continues to gain experience and strength, he will no doubt reach, and likely exceed the level of achievement that some exceptionally talented, more experienced, and stronger players have already reached. Rather than simply hand him such high accolades at this beginning stage of his career, let's just relax and allow Connor to progress at his own speed, trusting that his dedication, talent, and further development will ultimately enable his reaching the lofty heights that he certainly appears capable of attaining.

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan (8-6, 2-1) at Millikin (6-8, 0-3), 7:00pm...

Illinois Wesleyan (8-6, 2-1)
G - Joel Pennington, 6-0/180 Sr.  (9.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.9 rpg)
G - Bryce Dolan, 6-1/165 Sr.  (15.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.3 apg)
G - Andy Stempel, 6-4/192 Jr.  (10.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.6 apg)
F - Ryan Coyle, 6-6/210 Sr.  (8.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
F - Trevor Seibring, 6-8/235 Jr.  (14.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg)

Millikin (6-8, 0-3)
G - T.J. Griffin, 6-0/168 Sr.  (11.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.6 apg)
G - T.J. Sims, 5-8/156 So. (22.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.0 apg)
F - Tommy Pilackas, 6-4/210 Sr.  (13.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.3 apg)   
F - Elijah Kinmon, 6-5/195 Sr.  (6.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
F - Bryn Agnew, 6-8/200 Jr. (3.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg)


Pantagraph - http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/iwu-hopes-to-solve-road-woes-at-millikin/article_f032e067-7aa7-5fc9-a1bb-60af58c1ac89.html

Live Video/Stats - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/millikin/

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

[kiko]

When 70 is calling you out for too much Kool-Aid... 

[iwu70]

AO seems a bit more realistic.  No doubt Connor will be a all CCIW player some time soon.  Kool-Aid is Kool-Aid.

Good luck to NCC vs. Augie this week.  Should be a real good one.

'70

[kiko]

AO seems a bit more realistic.  No doubt Connor will be a all CCIW player some time soon.  Kool-Aid is Kool-Aid.

Good luck to NCC vs. Augie this week.  Should be a real good one.

'70

FWIW, I happen to agree with you on this.  Connor has a chance to be a very special player, but that is most accurately said in the future tense.

[iwu70]

Thanks, Kiko, we all know what a great pedigree he comes from -- perhaps he'll be even better than the one who came before. 

As I said earlier, given their size and experience, I wouldn't be too surprised to see NCC beat Augie this week.  NCC, Augie and EC surely the top of the CCIW heap right now.  NPU and IWU may challenge, but not likely.  The EC-AC game was one of the best CCIW games I've seen in a long long time.  I'm sure there are more great games coming in the next 6 weeks.

IWU has to play well at home and see if they can get a W or two off of Augie and NCC coming up here soon.  Without Marietti and Rose, things don't look quite so bright for this edition of my Titans.  But as Q has said, when the Titans play well, offensively especially, they do pose lots of problems for opponents.  Often five guys on the floor who shoot it well, almost all from three as well.  Just they haven't had much luck playing consistently high-quality defense this season. 

IWU70

[kiko]

Thanks, Kiko, we all know what a great pedigree he comes from -- perhaps he'll be even better than the one who came before. 

As I said earlier, given their size and experience, I wouldn't be too surprised to see NCC beat Augie this week.  NCC, Augie and EC surely the top of the CCIW heap right now.  NPU and IWU may challenge, but not likely.  The EC-AC game was one of the best CCIW games I've seen in a long long time.  I'm sure there are more great games coming in the next 6 weeks.

IWU has to play well at home and see if they can get a W or two off of Augie and NCC coming up here soon.  Without Marietti and Rose, things don't look quite so bright for this edition of my Titans.  But as Q has said, when the Titans play well, offensively especially, they do pose lots of problems for opponents.  Often five guys on the floor who shoot it well, almost all from three as well.  Just they haven't had much luck playing consistently high-quality defense this season. 

IWU70

I would obviously love to see the Sons of Warden win a game or two this week, but winning at Carver is a tall order and the Vikings are an exceptional team.  The Shirk looms three days later for the Cardinals, and that is a challenge in its own right.

I see the same pecking order as you (and most others), but see the tiers a little differently.  From my perspective, there is little separation between Augie and the Jays, then there's a bit of separation between these two and the next tier.  In my mind, that is North Central and Illinois Wesleyan -- the Titans have struggled at times but have also shown they are capable of playing very well when they are on and healthyish.

North Park is a shade below these two, largely due to size, and then there is a Grand Canyon-sized chasm between these three and the three remaining teams.  That's not that there won't be a win or two or four from the bottom three over others -- as others have said, we will probably see these head-scratchers -- but rather that I see virtually no chance that one of these finishes in the top half of the table this year.  Not exactly a risky bet, I know, but there is a very clear top five/bottom three that is readily apparent this season.

[Gregory Sager]

Thanks, Kiko, we all know what a great pedigree he comes from -- perhaps he'll be even better than the one who came before.

Poor Mitch. Everybody keeps forgetting that there were two Raridon brothers who played ball for North Central before Connor showed up on campus.

[kiko]

Thanks, Kiko, we all know what a great pedigree he comes from -- perhaps he'll be even better than the one who came before.

Poor Mitch. Everybody keeps forgetting that there were two Raridon brothers who played ball for North Central before Connor showed up on campus.

Nah -- he was forgetting Derek.  The middle child always has it the worst...

[iwu70]

I remember them all -- all three.

Long and good history of brothers playing in the CCIW, twins too! 

IWU over the Big Blue by 9 at the half, at the Griz.  Dolan with 13 first half points.

'70

[Titan Q]

IWU 73
Millikin 51

* Trevor Seibring: 16 pts, 7 reb
* Bryce Dolan: 13 pts, 2 reb, 3 assists
* Mark Falotico: 12 pts (5-5 FG), 3 assists
* Ryan Coyle: 10 pts, 5 reb

* Tommy Pilackas: 16 pts, 5 reb
* TJ Griffin: 15 pts, 2 reb

FG: IWU 56.9%; Millikin 28.1%


The Titans played very well again tonight...on both ends of the floor.  IWU has it clicking nicely right now.

Big home game Saturday vs North Central.