MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwu70]

Very impressed with Wash U . . .and the TITANS playing tough against them, just not enough.  Still, 2-1 against Top 25 teams in the last three games . . . not bad.  Wished for 3-0, of course. 

Bob, enjoy the games in Texas.  Hope the TITANS can bring home two Ws.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

'70

[jaybird44]

Reserve guard Jonathan Arenas is one big reason why WashU is rebounding in robust fashion.  For my money, one of the top rebounding guards in the region and perhaps in all of D3. 

Six boards tonight, three on the offensive end to keep possessions extended with chances to score.  Entered tonight's game with 6.8 rebounds/game.  He becomes doubly important when one of the bigs gets in foul trouble and has to leave the game.

[79jaybird]

I was curious to see how Elmhurst would regroup after that stunner vs. NC at home.  But, sometimes an extended road trip can help the team bond and get the positive vibes reinforced.   

[devildog29]

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

Looking forward to the same.  See y'all in ATX.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park 84
Illinois College 81

Toby Marek: 26 pts
Jacquan Binion: 20 pts (4-6 trey), 3:1 a:to
Matt Szuba: 6 rebs
Adam Bulwa: 6 rebs

[iwu70]

( I know, not basketball . . . )

Congrats to the North Central football Cardinals on their convincing win over WI-WW for the D3 football national championship today.

The score was 41-14.  What a year, what a run for the Cardinals . . . great win for the CCIW, too.

'70

[Gregory Sager]

It doesn't need to be about men's basketball if it involves a CCIW team winning a national championship, Mark. That's been our unofficial rule on CCIW Chat for decades now.

Incidentally, this is the first time in 33 years that a CCIW team has won the Stagg Bowl. Augustana, which was the UWW and the Mount Union of the Reagan era, was the last CCIW team to win it, as Augie concluded a string of four straight Stagg Bowl titles by winning it in 1986. North Central is the first non-purple team to win the Stagg Bowl since St. John's in 2003; since then it's been all purples (Linfield once, Mt. Union six times, UWW six times, and Mary Hardin-Baylor twice) until this evening.

[Titan Q]

My 8-man IWU All-Decade team...

G - Dylan Overstreet '15
G - Sean Johnson '11
G - Brady Rose '19
F - Jordan Zimmer '12
F - Andrew Ziemnik '14

C - Doug Sexauer '11
F - Victor Davis '14
C - Trevor Seibring '17

This crew helped IWU to 3 CCIW titles, 12 NCAA tourney wins, and 2 Final Fours in the decade.

Good crew!

[Gregory Sager]

Down at the Daytona Beach Shootout, Carroll squandered a three-point lead in the final minute by turning it over three times -- and then turned it over on the final possession as well for good measure in losing to Marymount, 55-51.

[iwu70]

Greg, thanks for the dispensation . . .

Pretty impressive run by NCC football this year, for sure -- beating Mt. Union, then WI-WW.  Quite a few wins by huge margins too.  Again, my congrats to the Cardinals.  I bet the Thorne family is celebrating a mighty happy Christmas.  Great stuff, a very awesome and unique year.

(I remember those Augie teams as well).

Back to basketball.   

'70

[iwu70]

Great choices, Q, for your all-decade team.  Where are they all now?



Have fun in TX.  Hope the TITANS bounce back after the Wash U loss.

Merry Christmas to all.

'70

[Gregory Sager]

Greg, thanks for the dispensation . . .

It's not my rule, it's the board's.

Three games on tap today to close it out before everybody takes a week off for Christmas. Augustana @ UWSP at 3 pm is the marquee matchup; Illinois College @ Elmhurst at 4 pm shouldn't be close (the Blueboys are missing a couple of starters due to injury), and I'm guessing that Carroll vs. Husson at 5 pm in the Daytona Beach Shootout finale will be an easy Pioneers win.

[Titan Q]

Three games on tap today to close it out before everybody takes a week off for Christmas. Augustana @ UWSP at 3 pm is the marquee matchup;

Really big game for both teams.

For Augie, with 3 losses, I think this is close to a "must win" in terms of Pool C.  Chances are the Vikings, like most of the CCIW contenders, are going to lose 4 or more CCIW games the rest of the way.  Who knows how it will play out but, to me, today's game feels like a swing game in terms of "bubble in" and "bubble out."

Same thing next Sunday when Augie plays at UW-La Crosse.

With wins today and next Sunday Augie would really have two huge results in its back pocket.

[Titan Q]

I took my first shot at hypothetical Central region rankings this am...and wow is it crazy.  The region is so deep, and so balanced, it just really hard to order these teams.

Data courtesy of Matt Snyder - https://tomaroonandgold.blogspot.com/p/division-iii-mens-regional-rankings.html

(WP/SOS/notable wins)

1. Wash U .900/.576 (vs Eau Claire, vs Augustana, at IWU)
2. UW-Platteville 1.000/.518 (vs Wash U, vs Hope)
3. St. Norbert .714/.654 (at UW-Eau Claire, vs UW-Oshkosh)
4. UW-Eau Claire .800/.599 (at Whitworth)
5. Stevens Point .875/.593 (at Christopher Newport, vs Hope)
6. UW-La Crosse 1.000/.527 (vs Augsburg)
7. Benedictine .800/.539 (vs St. Norbert, vs LeTourneau, vs North Central)
8. Elmhurst .889/.476 (vs St. Norbert, vs UW-Oshkosh)
--------
- Illinois Wesleyan .700/.606 (vs Carthage, at Augustana)
- Carthage .900/.508 (vs UW-Oshkosh, vs North Central)
- Wheaton: .800/.479 (vs UW-River Falls, at Illinois Wesleyan)
- Augustana .667/.625 (vs Loras)
- UW-River Falls .714/.545 (vs Nebraska Wesleyan)
- UW-Oshkosh .556/.638 (at Augustana, at North Central)
- North Central .700/.519 (at Elmhurst)


Every game these teams play is big...and any head-to-head games are enormous.

Crazy stuff.

[Greek Tragedy]

Coach G took his coat off with 3:28 left in the first half, to cheers from the home crowd, if anyone is keeping track.