MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[augiefan]

Augie beats Calvin 70-67. Micah Martin had a huge game.

[voxelmhurst]

Halftime

Elmhurst 37
St. Norbert 24

Jays looking very determined and impressive so far. Defense is at a notable level of aggression.

[Gregory Sager]

Carrroll 67, Illinois College 53
Illinois Wesleyan 95, Alma 76
Carthage 133, Greenville 126
Elmhurst 75, St. Norbert 50

[WIACer]

Carrroll 67, Illinois College 53
Illinois Wesleyan 95, Alma 76
Carthage 133, Greenville 126
Elmhurst 75, St. Norbert 50

Tuned into Wheaton  vs UWRF. Had to stop watching. Refs were taking away from the game. That's too bad. Saw 3 calls that make you wonder. Wiac will be tough in this game. A hook call and 3 pt shot that that were just bad. Oh well.

[Gregory Sager]

Rhodes 85, Millikin 70
Wheaton 86, UWRF 60

[kiko]

Carthage 133, Greenville 126

Ah - that explains the unusual Friday night scheduling for the Greenville-North Central matchup.  The Panthers scheduled back-to-backs rather than just a single matchup.

[Titan Q]

IWU
Alma 76

https://www.iwusports.com/boxscore.aspx?id=7245&path=mbball

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/keondre-schumacher-s-points-lead-illinois-wesleyan-past-alma/article_1d403d4c-2e69-59bc-8347-bf060f474756.html

* Keondre Schumacher: 26 pts, 5 reb, 3 assists
* Grant Wolfe: 19 pts, 2 assists
* Pete Lambesis: 16 pts, 2 reb, 3 assists
* Doug Wallen: 13 pts, 5 reb
* Charle Bair: 6 pts, 11 reb

[Titan Q]

IWU's biggest question coming into the season was replacing perimeter production. Brady Rose, Colin Bonnet, and Jason Gregoire averaged 43.1 pts, 7.5 reb, 8.7 assists and shot 177-394 (45%) from 3.

Through 3 games this year, Keondre Schumacher, Grant Wolfe, and Pete Lambesis are averaging 52.0 pts, 7.7 reb, 9.4 assists, and have shot 21-34 from 3 (62%).

IWU has a very talented new starting perimeter group.  These guys are playing well.
* Keondre Schumacher: 21.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.7 apg; 10-13 3-point (.769)
* Grant Wolfe: 18.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 4.0 apg; 6-9 3-point (.667)
* Pete Lambesis: 12.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.7 apg; 5-12 3-point (.417)

[GU1999]

North Central 122
Greenville 103

Capaletti with 47 points, Raridon's line: 18-15-12.  That's not a triple-double, it's a locker combination.

Both Cappelletti's huge scoring total and Raridon's triple-double have to come with the usual System asterisks, of course. Cappelletti popped a couple or three treys, but he was basically the guy who camped out under the rim all night and waited for his teammates to break the press and give him open layups. As for Raridon, the only two triple-doubles that CCIW players whose initials aren't "Steve Djurickovic" have achieved over the past dozen seasons are Raridon's tonight and Tim McCrary's 35-18-10 night against Grinnell ten seasons ago. And that's not a coincidence.

What impressed me more about Raridon's performance tonight than the triple-double were his floor ratio and his stamina. Comparing him again to McCrary's numbers against a System team, the former Wheaton superstar paid the price for being Wheaton's focal point against Grinnell back in 2009-10 by turning it over eight times, putting him close to a quadruple-double. But Raridon only turned it over four times tonight. That's a terrific 3:1 ratio; any ballhandler would be happy to have a night like that against any team, but to do that as the primary ballhandler against a System team is pretty remarkable. The other thing noteworthy about Raridon tonight was that he was on the floor for 36 minutes. Heck, I'm gasping for air just thinking about being on the floor for 36 minutes against a System team.

Further affirmation about your point regarding front court finishers, last night S. Johnson and B. Perry combined for 50 points on 24 of 26 from the floor.  Johnson had double digit two hand dunks.  By the end of the game all novelty of the dunking act had worn off and was devoid of even the faintest whiff of joy.   

[voxelmhurst]

Elmhurst 75
St Norbert 50

Jake Rhode 17pts, 4 rebounds, 2 steals (passes 1,000 point mark)
Derek Dotlich 15 pts, 4 rebounds
Jay Militello 10 points, 6 assists, 4 steals
Lavon Thomas 9 points, 9 rebounds
Ebrahim Jobe 9 points

Joe Ciriacks 14 points, 5 rebounds
Connor Curtis 12 points, 6 rebounds
Jared Murphy 7 points
Jacob Bolwerk 7 rebounds


At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, this was the best I've seen Elmhurst play in an opening game in a long time. I was most impressed with their defense, which forced 18 turnovers leading to many fast break points and easy layups. This was a Bluejays team in midseason form last night. I was also very impressed with newcomers Wesley Hooker (freshman) and Ebrahim Jobe (junior transfer) who came off the bench and played very well right away. If those two players are going to lead the second unit, then this is already a much more deep Elmhurst team that we have seen the last couple seasons. Frontcourt presence was probably the biggest question mark for Elmhurst this offseason, and Jobe, along with Lavon Thomas and Jay Militello all had very solid performances. Very excited to see this team compete the rest of the way.

Elmhurst with another home game Tuesday night vs Illinois Tech.

[Titan Q]

Elmhurst 75
St Norbert 50

Jake Rhode 17pts, 4 rebounds, 2 steals (passes 1,000 point mark)
Derek Dotlich 15 pts, 4 rebounds
Jay Militello 10 points, 6 assists, 4 steals
Lavon Thomas 9 points, 9 rebounds
Ebrahim Jobe 9 points

Joe Ciriacks 14 points, 5 rebounds
Connor Curtis 12 points, 6 rebounds
Jared Murphy 7 points
Jacob Bolwerk 7 rebounds


At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, this was the best I've seen Elmhurst play in an opening game in a long time. I was most impressed with their defense, which forced 18 turnovers leading to many fast break points and easy layups. This was a Bluejays team in midseason form last night. I was also very impressed with newcomers Wesley Hooker (freshman) and Ebrahim Jobe (junior transfer) who came off the bench and played very well right away. If those two players are going to lead the second unit, then this is already a much more deep Elmhurst team that we have seen the last couple seasons. Frontcourt presence was probably the biggest question mark for Elmhurst this offseason, and Jobe, along with Lavon Thomas and Jay Militello all had very solid performances. Very excited to see this team compete the rest of the way.

Elmhurst with another home game Tuesday night vs Illinois Tech.

St. Norbert is the MWC preseason favorite.  Really nice win for the Bluejays.

[USee]

IWU
Alma 76

https://www.iwusports.com/boxscore.aspx?id=7245&path=mbball

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/keondre-schumacher-s-points-lead-illinois-wesleyan-past-alma/article_1d403d4c-2e69-59bc-8347-bf060f474756.html

* Keondre Schumacher: 26 pts, 5 reb, 3 assists
* Grant Wolfe: 19 pts, 2 assists
* Pete Lambesis: 16 pts, 2 reb, 3 assists
* Doug Wallen: 13 pts, 5 reb
* Charle Bair: 6 pts, 11 reb

Kind of like a word problem Q? No score for IWU so you made me add up the individual point totals to see if IWU won. I see at least 80 pts here so safe to conclude they squeezed this one out.

[Titan Q]

IWU
Alma 76

https://www.iwusports.com/boxscore.aspx?id=7245&path=mbball

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/men/keondre-schumacher-s-points-lead-illinois-wesleyan-past-alma/article_1d403d4c-2e69-59bc-8347-bf060f474756.html

* Keondre Schumacher: 26 pts, 5 reb, 3 assists
* Grant Wolfe: 19 pts, 2 assists
* Pete Lambesis: 16 pts, 2 reb, 3 assists
* Doug Wallen: 13 pts, 5 reb
* Charle Bair: 6 pts, 11 reb

Kind of like a word problem Q? No score for IWU so you made me add up the individual point totals to see if IWU won. I see at least 80 pts here so safe to conclude they squeezed this one out.

Have to keep evolving as a poster.  Been doing this 20+ years now.

(95-76 Titans.)

[AndOne]

Elmhurst 75
St Norbert 50

Jake Rhode 17pts, 4 rebounds, 2 steals (passes 1,000 point mark)
Derek Dotlich 15 pts, 4 rebounds
Jay Militello 10 points, 6 assists, 4 steals
Lavon Thomas 9 points, 9 rebounds
Ebrahim Jobe 9 points

Joe Ciriacks 14 points, 5 rebounds
Connor Curtis 12 points, 6 rebounds
Jared Murphy 7 points
Jacob Bolwerk 7 rebounds


At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, this was the best I've seen Elmhurst play in an opening game in a long time. I was most impressed with their defense, which forced 18 turnovers leading to many fast break points and easy layups. This was a Bluejays team in midseason form last night. I was also very impressed with newcomers Wesley Hooker (freshman) and Ebrahim Jobe (junior transfer) who came off the bench and played very well right away. If those two players are going to lead the second unit, then this is already a much more deep Elmhurst team that we have seen the last couple seasons. Frontcourt presence was probably the biggest question mark for Elmhurst this offseason, and Jobe, along with Lavon Thomas and Jay Militello all had very solid performances. Very excited to see this team compete the rest of the way.

Elmhurst with another home game Tuesday night vs Illinois Tech.

I've recently had chance meetings with 2 area coaches (both non-CCIW), both of whom told me that Lavon Thomas, while still not qualifying as svelte, has dropped some poundage and is in better shape than has been the case recently. Additionally, he seems to be emerging (not necessarily due only to the weight loss) from the coach's doghouse where he spent an appreciable amount of time last season. If so, that's certainly a large boost to EC's prospects for a successful season. 🏀

[Gregory Sager]

I watched some of the SNC @ EC game, and it did appear that Thomas was, if not trimmer, at least more mobile than he had been in the past.