MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Spoke to someone who is familiar with Hanover (NCC's opponent tonight).  A few tidbits...

* Wes McKinney is a very good player - 2nd Team all-CCIW kind of guy.  Deceptively good athlete who can really shoot it.

* This Hanover team is similar to that group under Mike Beitzel that IWU faced a few times.  They don't look like much when they warm up but they will execute and they won't beat themselves.  The Panthers make very few defensive mistakes, they play smart and don't take bad shots, a great shooting team, and will make you defend for the full shot clock almost every possession.

* They will be challenged by NCC's size - Sorenson in particular. Hanover plays 4 guards around Muchmore - just not very big compared to, say, a top CCIW team.

* Muchmore will have trouble guarding Sorenson on the perimeter when he steps out as he likes to do - if Sorenson's jumpshot is falling he could do a lot of damage out there.

* Sorenson will have to be a good pick and roll defender.  Hanover will spread NCC out and attack the rim.

[AndOne]

Last night vs Wooster two of the major points in the NCC game plan were to harass Woo's top player as much as possible and make his work as difficult as possible, and to prevent dribble drives and easy layup baskets. Worked pretty well as Woo's top guy did get 23 points, but effectively gave many of them back as the Cardinals harassed him into NINE turnovers. Their clogging of the middle and closing off the lane forced Wooster to have to bomb from long distance from where they were successful on only 4 of their 18 attempts (22%).
Sounds like they might employ much of the same strategy tonight vs McKinny, and in defense of limiting drives/attacking the rim. Perhaps we'll see Secretary of Defense Phipps matched up against McKinney a little more.
NCC will have to overcome not only Hanover's team, but also their home court advantage/fans.
The Cards anticipated Hanover as tonight's opponent, whereas I sense Hanover figured they'd be going against Wooster.

[Smitty Oom]

And for the NCC v Hanover game:

Hanover
"Kiss" Cam "Tries, but" Fails G, 5-11, So

LOL! Genuis! +k

[cardinalpride]

Last night vs Wooster two of the major points in the NCC game plan were to harass Woo's top player as much as possible and make his work as difficult as possible, and to prevent dribble drives and easy layup baskets. Worked pretty well as Woo's top guy did get 23 points, but effectively gave many of them back as the Cardinals harassed him into NINE turnovers. Their clogging of the middle and closing off the lane forced Wooster to have to bomb from long distance from where they were successful on only 4 of their 18 attempts (22%).
Sounds like they might employ much of the same strategy tonight vs McKinny, and in defense of limiting drives/attacking the rim. Perhaps we'll see Secretary of Defense Phipps matched up against McKinney a little more.
NCC will have to overcome not only Hanover's team, but also their home court advantage/fans.
The Cards anticipated Hanover as tonight's opponent, whereas I sense Hanover figured they'd be going against Wooster.

According to the announcers, Hanover is on break right now. So I'd be surprised if it's a packed house.
Great opportunity for NCC but they have to play well in all aspects of the game. NCC reserves will need to step up tonight.

[Gregory Sager]

The Cards anticipated Hanover as tonight's opponent, whereas I sense Hanover figured they'd be going against Wooster.

What makes you say that? Wooster was, at best, a narrow favorite last night. It would take a pretty foolish coaching staff to assume that one team was going to beat the other in a situation in which the outcome was not a given and the staff's knowledge of those two teams was limited.

[Gregory Sager]

NCC up on host Hanover at the half, 34-31, after trailing for most of the opening stanza.

[Gregory Sager]

Hanover ends North Central's season with a 64-63 decision.

[cardinalpride]

Hanover ends North Central's season with a 64-63 decision.

Too many missed opportunities at the rim! Can't miss layups and expect to win a tournament game!

[Gregory Sager]

Augustana leads UWW at the half at Kachel, 39-34.

[Gregory Sager]

This Augie vs. UWW contest is a bruise-a-thon, but it's also a very compelling basketball game.

[Gregory Sager]

Big screw-up by the refs here in the waning minutes of a close game. Ebel sent to the line for two FTs when it should've been a one-and-one. He missed the first, so it should've been a live ball. Instead, it was a dead ball, because everyone was told it was a two-shot foul. Pat Miller, the UWW coach, naturally went ballistic. (It doesn't take much for Miller to go ballistic; he'd give Grey Giovanine a good run for his money in a scream-off.) After an officials confab, they awarded Augie the ball on the alternating possession. Sortillo hit a trey on the ensuing possession, giving Augie a seven-point lead. Miller got T-boned after the ball came back down on the floor.

If I was a Warhawks fan, I'd be seriously ticked off right now.

[Gregory Sager]

... and just as I hit "Post",  UWW hits a trey and Ebel travels after taking the inbounds. And Giovanine should've been T'ed up himself, as he stormed out to midcourt before the refs finally granted him a timeout.

[Gregory Sager]

If you're not watching this game right now, you're nuts. This ballgame is wild ... and it's a two-point margin in the final minute.

[Gregory Sager]

Orange does it again. Wow.

[Augie6]

Wow is right.  Got home just in time to see the last couple of minutes of the game.  What a finish.  Chris Orange went and got the ball from Sortillo, dribbled to the wing, and drilled the jumper with 1 second remaining.  He is money!!