MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan (8-3, 2-1) vs Birmingham-Southern (3-7, 0-0), 2pm ET/1pm CT...

Illinois Wesleyan (8-3, 2-1)
G - Brady Rose, 6-3/185 Jr.  19.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.1 apg
G - Zach Knobloch, 6-2/180 So.  9.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg
G - Colin Bonnett, 6-4/190 Jr.  10.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.9 apg
F - Jaylen Beasley, 6-6/185 Sr.  8.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg
C - Alex O'Neill, 6-9/245 So. 8.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg

Birmingham-Southern (3-7, 0-0)
G - Zach Allison, 6-3/180 Jr.  11.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.6 apg
G - Calvin Bak, 6-0/180 So.  11.0 ppg
G - Rich Yancey, 6-4/205 Jr.  4.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg
F - Mateusz Rudak, 6-8/225 Jr.  9.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg
F - Harrison Deneka, 6-7/200 Sr.  18.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg


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

Video: https://emory.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/live

[Titan Q]

I wasn't able to watch much of the IWU/Emory game yesterday - the Titans should never have to play while I am working.  From the boxscore, sounded ugly.

Hopefully IWU can bounce back today.

[WUPHF]

I almost suspect that Emory was messing up the normal feed in order to get people to pay for the hi-def feed.

I do think it was related to the feed options.

For whatever reason, they had only one broadcast in 720p with no other options.  Maybe they turned off (or tried to turn off) the options while hosting three others guests on campus.

[voxelmhurst]

The Elmhurst College Bluejays (6-3, 2-1) return to action (just their third game since Dec 9) in just a few hours to begin a pair of games in the Beaver State, first against fellow United Church of Christ ballers Pacific University (8-2, 2-0), before taking on the non-sectarian Bearcats of Willamette University (5-4, 1-1) tomorrow afternoon.

It's no secret that Elmhurst will heavily depend on the play of Jake Rhode (15.4 ppg, 5.4 apg) and Jeremy Ireland (15.7 ppg, 10.8 rpg). My focus as of late has been on the supporting cast. Derek Dotlich (11.6 ppg) played incredibly well against Benedictine after struggling in the two games prior. I suspect he will remain in the starting lineup after spending a few games coming in off the bench. Elmhurst has gone with 3 different starting lineups in each of their last 3 games so it will be interesting to see who Baines starts in these games. I wouldn't be surprised if Lance Gardner (9.7 rpg, 5.9 rpg) returns to the starting lineup in place of Lavon Thomas (6.8 rpg, 4.4 rpg), who struggled against Benedictine in a starting role that was earned after a great performance vs. Wheaton. Elmhurst has also gotten some inspired short-term bench play from Colin Bomstad recently - averaging 6 ppg in just 9 minutes / game.

Very fun watching this team develop. Baines is not afraid to mix things up (subbed out entire starting lineup early in game vs Benedictine) and see what works.

[Gregory Sager]

Illinois Wesleyan 81
Birtmingham Southern 74

[Gregory Sager]

I watched the last nine minutes of this game, turning it on just before Danny Baker hit a jumper to put IWU up by 11. I figured that the Titans would simply put away the Panthers down the stretch. Instead, BSC closed to within a point over the course of the next two minutes, and the Panthers managed to hang around into the final minute before Jason Gregoire made an impressive shot in the lane with 23 seconds to go and followed it up with a pair of free throws nine seconds later to finally put it out of reach on IWU's behalf.

I was nonplussed to see how much the Titans struggled in the game's final quarter with a Birmingham Southern team that really isn't good at all. BSC was 3-7 coming into the contest and sat at #274 Massey, which had IWU as a 19-point favorite, and the Panthers really didn't look like much even when they were on their run. But they just plain outhustled the Titans, and, on a day when Jaylen Beasley didn't show up, it took very good efforts from Brady Rose (who made three huge treys between the 5:28 and 3:12 marks) and Colin Bonnett to stave off what would've been a significant upset. In the end, though, all that matters is the win.

Too much grits, pralines, and sweet tea? Whatever it was, I'll bet that the Titans are just happy to get out of Dixie at this point.

[iwu70]

A more typical kind of IWU win, IWU 81 BSC 74.  Get to 78, win the game.  It's uncanny.  BSC very scrappy, wouldn't go away and IWU again playing rather sub-par today, IMHO.  At least IWU shot the ball better today -- 44%, 41% from 3, 81% FTs.

Rose 26 5-8 from 3
Bonnett 20
Wolfe 10

I think Gregoire got the start today.  No sign of Nick Coleman. 

Still pretty sloppy on TOs, subject to some pressures on the BSC pesky press.  Coach Rose must be very frustrated.

For BSC:
Harrison Deneka 17

A win is a win, Titans now 9-3, heading back to CCIW play vs. Augie next week.  1-1 in Atlanta.

For the life of me, I can't see a clear identity in this team as yet, surely not the needed consistency, so many different line-ups and rotations, some players just not playing all that well, making silly mistakes.  Rose surely can score, Beasley and Bonnett perhaps the most consistent.  O'Neill struggling.  Hope it will come together soon, but so far, I don't see it.  This team could go 20-5 or could go 14-11.  Take your pick.  I just don't know.

Happy New Year all.

IWU'70

[AndOne]

Seems like some kid who plays for Wheaton North, and spells his last name S-c-h-a-u-e-r, hit 4 three pointers in a one point OT tournament win last night in Elmhurst. 🏀
A certain coach we all know was in attendance. Recruiting? 

[Gregory Sager]

Good grief, Mike's son can't be old enough to be playing high-school ball yet, can he? Where does the time go?

[AndOne]

Jacob is an already risen junior.  🏀

[titanalum94]

Might just be something with the gameplans, but Coleman getting less and less minutes each of the last three contests, seemingly falling out of the rotation in favor of Gregoire who provides more length (6-4 compared to a very generous 6-2 for Coleman) and similar shooting. Knobloch also pretty much out of the rotation against Birmingham with just three minutes and another 0-fer afternoon.

Great bounce-back game for Wolfe who had struggled in his last few as well, netting a career-high 10 pts.

[AndOne]

Might just be something with the gameplans, but Coleman getting less and less minutes each of the last three contests, seemingly falling out of the rotation in favor of Gregoire who provides more length (6-4 compared to a very generous 6-2 for Coleman) and similar shooting. Knobloch also pretty much out of the rotation against Birmingham with just three minutes and another 0-fer afternoon.

Great bounce-back game for Wolfe who had struggled in his last few as well, netting a career-high 10 pts.

Knobloch suddenly started the last couple of games before today in place of Coleman, and appears to have done a more abrupt flameout than his predecessor. Yesterday he started and, in 18 minutes of PT, went O fer 5 (all threes) with O assists and 3 TOs. Today, he didn't start and only played 3 minutes, missing both of the 2 shots he took. He has a history of being a good long distance shooter but lately, not so much. He also appears to be slow afoot, thus likely a liability on the defensive end.
Perhaps the problem is that he is a one dimensional, three point shooter, and when his shots from downtown aren't falling Ron Rose has several more versatile options available?

[voxelmhurst]

Elmhurst 96
Pacific 93


I wasn't able to watch this game streaming, so just summarizing from the box score.

All 5 EC starters scored in double figures and accounted for 90 of the EC's 96 points. Notable here are Ryan Patton with a personal season high 20 points and Lavon Thomas with personal season high of 19 points to go along with 7 boards, both point totals above the season average for both players. Jeremy Ireland with the usual double double; 21 points 10 boards. Jake Rhode and Derek Dotlich with 18 and 12 points respectively.

Looks like the Jays won this one on the offensive glass. Offensive rebounds were 16-3 in favor of EC resulting in a second chance points difference of 20-4.

Elmhurst are now 7-3 with another contesst in Oregon tomorrow afternoon vs Willamette.

[WUPHF]

Just about as many Augustana fans as Washington University fans in the Field House tonight.

[Gregory Sager]

According to the WIAC board, Carroll's mainstay PG Ben Widdes has transferred to UWEC and will play right away for the Blugolds.