MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

#23-Illinois Wesleyan (7-2) vs #10-Wash U (8-1), Thursday 12/19, 7:00pm...

#23-Illinois Wesleyan (7-2)
G - Grant Wolfe, 5-11/185 Jr.  16.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.5 apg   
G - Keondre Schumacher, 5-11/175 So.  15.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.1 apg
G - Pete Lambesis, 6-4/195 So.  13.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.1 apg
F - Doug Wallen, 6-5/210 Jr.  10.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg
F - Charlie Bair, 6-7/220 Jr.  8.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg
---------
G - Luke Yoder, 6-0/170 Fr.  8.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
G - Cory Noe, 6-2/175 So.  7.1 ppg

#10-Wash U (8-1)
G - Matt Nester, 5-11/190 Sr.  9.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.0 apg
G - Jack Nolan, 6-1/170 Jr.  18.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.4 apg
F - Justin Hardy, 6-5/205 So.  16.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.2 apg
F - DeVaughn Rucker, 6-5/200 Sr.  6.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg
C - Hank Hunter, 6-9/235 Sr.  9.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg
---------
G - Payton Webb, 6-0/170 Jr.  4.6 ppg
G - Jonathan Arenas, 6-3/190 Sr. 3.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Links
IWU Notes - https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/iwusports.com/documents/2019/12/17/Game10_WashU.pdf

Wash U Notes - https://www.washubears.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/files/Week7.pdf

Pantagraph - https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-wesleyan/illinois-wesleyan-s-surging-basketball-team-to-play-host-to/article_bae41da5-16c3-58e8-99da-e99910e43102.html

Season preview - http://www.iwuhoops.com/preview2020.pdf

WEXG Radio - http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/WWHP

Video - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/iwu/

Live stats - https://www.iwusports.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary

[Titan Q]

I have watched Wash U play multiple times this season.  I think the IWU/Wash U matchup is basically a "pick 'em."  I don't really see any separation between these two teams.

Justin Hardy is a tough matchup for any opponent.  6-5 combo forward that is crazy athletic.  I do think IWU has a couple good options to use on him in 6-4 Pete Lambesis and 6-5 Doug Wallen.  Lambesis being the smaller/quicker option...Wallen being the bigger/more physical.  Hardy concerns me for sure.

I think Keondre Schumacher will be a tough matchup for Wash U.

Seems like this one should be close the entire way.

[WUPHF]

I think that is right.

Justin Hardy is the most complete player we have had since Matt Palucki and he has improved significantly as a sophomore.  Hardy plays more minutes than anyone else and it surely goes beyond his ability to score.  But, I'll say, I wish the Missouri State game had been live streamed.  His athleticism and ability to score on bigger, stronger players was a sight to see.  If he has a game like that tonight, it is on...

It is encouraging to see a starting line-up with two 5-11 guys.

Washington University has struggled defensively against lightning quick guards (e.g. Quentin Shields) so that is a concern, though they have improved since the weekend in Wisconsin.

[Gregory Sager]

It is encouraging to see a starting line-up with two 5-11 guys.

We oughta send you an NPU shirt, then, since North Park has been encouraging people in this manner for the past seven or eight years.

[WUPHF]

OK, this will be good for a laugh...

As I was typing that, I was thinking unlike taller guys like Jack Jelen.

I then go to the roster and he is listed at 5-10.

Wah, wah.

Jelen is the world's tallest 5-10 guy.

I have been warning you guys for years just to ignore me.

[Titan Q]

Washington University has struggled defensively against lightning quick guards (e.g. Quentin Shields) so that is a concern, though they have improved since the weekend in Wisconsin.

Keondre Schumacher, IWU's SG, is extremely fast and quick.  Will be good Xs and Os to see how the Bears defend him.

PG Grant Wolfe is also really quick/shifty/crafty with the ball in his hands.

[iwu70]

Great game at The Shirk.  Wash U up 43-39 at the half, with Wash U shooting 60% from the field.  Can they keep that up in the second half?  In a way, IWU fortunate to be so close at the half, after being down 12 or so earlier.

Wash U very balanced. 

Grant Wolfe with 14 first-half points.

'70

[WUPHF]

Washington University is lucky to be ahead with the starting front court relegated to the bench, in one case due to injury and in the other, mostly on the bench due to foul trouble.

Nah,

No luck here, just two teams playing good basketball and experiencing the regular ebbs and flows of a good game.

[mwunder]

Carthage moves to 9-1 with a 92 - 75 win over Birmingham Southern. 

[WUPHF]

Two years ago, Jack Nolan scored 23 points on 9-11 shooting at the Shirk Center as a freshman.  Tonight, he owns the Shirk Center.

[iwu70]

Great game at The Shirk.  Two tournament quality teams for sure, playing at a high level.  Just too much Jack Nolan with 5 treys and 31 points.  Key to the IWU loss was the two missed front-ends of 1 and 1s, in the last 3 minutes.  Had a chance, but couldn't get over the hump:

IWU:
Wolfe 28
Lambesis 19
Bair 14 and 10
Wallen 13

WashU:
Nolan 31
Rucker  17
Hardy 13
Nester 12

WashU an excellent, balanced team with lots of weapons.  IWU an excellent balanced team with lots of weapons.

WashU shoots 53%, IWU 54%.

Too bad a team had to lose.

WashU won the boards quite handily.

IWU'70

[voxelmhurst]

Elmhurst 87
Caltech 78

Elmhurst were pushed harder in this one by Caltech than they were yesterday by La Verne. The Jays felt behind early but rallied midway through the first half. After a 10-0 run by the Beavers late in the 1st, which leveled the game, Elmhurst regained the lead and held a 3/4 possession lead for the remainder of the contest. Rhode, Doltich, Thomas, and Hooker all scored in double figures, with Thomas adding 10 boards for the double-double.

Another 2-0 year out West for EC. While they weren't playing CCIW level competition, two road wins after a tough home loss to NCC are indeed very welcome. Elmhurst closes out 2019 with homes games against Illinois College and Principia, two games that they'll be heavy favorites to win.

[Titan Q]

Two obvious problems for IWU...

1) Got out-rebounded by 16, which is just crazy,

2) Jack Nolan - 20 points in the final 8:29 after the game was tied at 63.

Outside of rebounding, I thought IWU played really well.  They battled back from being down 13, and had a second half lead.  Pete Lambesis and Grant Wolfe were great.

In the end a great player just made a whole bunch of tough shots to carry his team to victory.  That was impressive.

If Wash U plays like that the rest of the way they'll have a chance to win the UAA over #2-Emory and make a very deep tournament run.

[Titan Q]

I will see IWU's next two games in person...quite a treat after living in video stream land.

[GoPerry]

Two obvious problems for IWU...

1) Got out-rebounded by 16, which is just crazy,

2) Jack Nolan - 20 points in the final 8:29 after the game was tied at 63.

Outside of rebounding, I thought IWU played really well.  They battled back from being down 13, and had a second half lead.  Pete Lambesis and Grant Wolfe were great.

In the end a great player just made a whole bunch of tough shots to carry his team to victory.  That was impressive.

If Wash U plays like that the rest of the way they'll have a chance to win the UAA over #2-Emory and make a very deep tournament run.

Yep.  Really entertaining game to watch.  Both teams went through very brief cold stretches but for the most part played at a very high level.  The Nolan treys, especially that third one daggar to put them up by 7, were something else.  Critical shots made at a critical point of the game.

Grant Wolfe I thought was equally good just not quite as dramatically.  Even forgetting the triples he hit in the last 60 secs when the game was mostly decided, he hit some really tough shots and kept his team in the game.  He is really tough to guard one on one.  The miss of the front end 1-1 (IWU down by 2 I think) was the only major blemish that stands out.  Surprised at that rebounding stat - really didn't sense that lopsidedness while watching the game except when Arenas had 2 offensive boards on the same possession late.