MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

New poll is up - down week for the CCIW.  Elmhurst falls from 4 to 8, NCC falls from 13 to 17, Augie loses 3 pts, retaining 6.  Only bright spot was IWU receiving votes for the first time in several weeks, netting 5 points.

Ya lose on a buzzer beater on the road to an ORV team and you're knocked down four spots.  Life is rough.

The hazards of parity include losing some national recognition.  

This season the CCIW has no "obvious" FF candidate, but about 5 very good to excellent teams, and probably at least 3 more that can rise up and bite your butt on a given night (and NONE that can be safely overlooked entirely).

[Titan Q]

This season the CCIW has no "obvious" FF candidate

I don't agree with this.

Elmhurst and North Central are easily Final Four candidates.  These teams vs #1-Swarthmore on a neutral court is a "pick 'em" from what I have watched.

[Mr. Ypsi]

This season the CCIW has no "obvious" FF candidate

I don't agree with this.

Elmhurst and North Central are easily Final Four candidates.  These teams vs #1-Swarthmore on a neutral court is a "pick 'em" from what I have watched.

I misspoke - I meant no 'virtual lock' FF candidates.  Given the right draw, I could easily see any of 4 or 5 conference teams making the FF, even though probably no more than 2 or 3 will even make the field.

And, of course, "virtual lock" is really a misnomer, since there is always a certain amount of 'luck' involved.  In IWU's championship year (1997), it took a 'miracle' shot by Bryan Crabtree to 'escape' the second round.

Some years, one or two teams seem 'destined' for the FF.  This year, I don't see any such teams with the possible exception of Swarthmore (but I don't see them as unbeatable, by any means).

[Gregory Sager]

More often than not, the phrase "one or two teams seem 'destined' for the FF" is followed somewhere down the line by, "I really thought that that team was sure to make the Final Four! How did they manage to lose?"

[iwu70]

Yes, like Augustana in some recent years. 

I'm still of the view that NCC is the strongest CCIW contender this year for a long tournament run and the CCIW regular season crown.  I hope EC makes the tournament, even another 3rd CCIW team too, if possible.  Likely only 2.

'70

[Titan Q]

Forgot to post this the other day...

I thought it was very classy of Carroll to choose to be on the floor for the Jack Sikma pregame ceremony Saturday.  The Pioneers could have easily decided to stay in their locker room, or in the practice gym. 

It was very cool to see both CCIW teams on the floor for that moment, honoring a CCIW player being inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.  It thought it was a extreme example of great sportsmanship. 

Thank you to all of Carroll's coaches and players for that decision.

[Gregory Sager]

That reminds me that I've taken to noting on the air some of the little things that coaches do to encourage sportsmanship. One thing that I appreciate, and that I've commented upon, is when a head coach puts him- or herself in position to shake the hands of the opposing team's starters if they come over to the other side for a handshake during the introduction. It's good sportsmanship as a coach to send your starters over to the opposing team's coach, and a lot of teams do that, but you don't often see the opposing team's head coach reciprocate by shaking those players' hands. Instead, they typically delegate an assistant coach -- often the GA or whichever other coach happens to be the lowest face on the coaching staff's totem pole -- to deal with the handshakes while the head coach stands off to the side and looks aloof or pensive or self-important. Is it really asking that much of the head coach to shake hands with five kids he doesn't coach who've come over to show some pregame sportsmanship?

Mike McGrath of Chicago deliberately stood close to the scorer's table and shook hands with the five NPU starters when the Maroons came to the North Side a month ago today, and I was so startled by the rarity of that gesture that I approvingly commented upon it. Since then, I've seen two other coaches do it in the twelve games that I've called, both of them CCIW women's basketball head coaches (Mia Smith of Illinois Wesleyan and Tethnie Carillo of Elmhurst), and I don't recall seeing it in any of the dozens of games I've watched online since the Jan. 4 UC @ NPU game.

Again, how hard is it for a head coach to shake the hands of the opposing starters? It's not a big deal, but sportsmanship isn't typically about the big deal. It's about the all of the little things that convey the right impression of the coach and his or her program.

[79jaybird]

Agree Greg. I remember calling the Wash U NCAA Regional game at RAF a few years back.  I forget who the Bears were playing (Lawrence maybe?) but the kid missed a chance to upset the Bears on the final shot.  In the line for shaking hands Mark (HC) extended his hand, lifted up the kid's head and said some encouraging words to lift his spirits.  Most likely something like,  "you played your heart out kid and don't hand your head.."   I thought that was really neat for an opposing coach to give the opposing team's star some support. 

I'm ok with Elmhurst where they are at in the top 25. I figured they would drop a few slots.  I also think it's too late to think Elmhurst can't or won't win the conference (or tie with NC).   Elmhurst is just a couple of buckets away from a perfect season.  I know on the flipside they are also a couple of buckets away from a few losses too. 

Lot of basketball left but IMO, it's pretty clear EC/NC are the top dogs duking it out at the moment.

[lmitzel]

That reminds me that I've taken to noting on the air some of the little things that coaches do to encourage sportsmanship. One thing that I appreciate, and that I've commented upon, is when a head coach puts him- or herself in position to shake the hands of the opposing team's starters if they come over to the other side for a handshake during the introduction. It's good sportsmanship as a coach to send your starters over to the opposing team's coach, and a lot of teams do that, but you don't often see the opposing team's head coach reciprocate by shaking those players' hands. Instead, they typically delegate an assistant coach -- often the GA or whichever other coach happens to be the lowest face on the coaching staff's totem pole -- to deal with the handshakes while the head coach stands off to the side and looks aloof or pensive or self-important. Is it really asking that much of the head coach to shake hands with five kids he doesn't coach who've come over to show some pregame sportsmanship?

Mike McGrath of Chicago deliberately stood close to the scorer's table and shook hands with the five NPU starters when the Maroons came to the North Side a month ago today, and I was so startled by the rarity of that gesture that I approvingly commented upon it. Since then, I've seen two other coaches do it in the twelve games that I've called, both of them CCIW women's basketball head coaches (Mia Smith of Illinois Wesleyan and Tethnie Carillo of Elmhurst), and I don't recall seeing it in any of the dozens of games I've watched online since the Jan. 4 UC @ NPU game.

Again, how hard is it for a head coach to shake the hands of the opposing starters? It's not a big deal, but sportsmanship isn't typically about the big deal. It's about the all of the little things that convey the right impression of the coach and his or her program.

On the topic of coach sportsmanship, I have to give a shoutout to Carroll's Paul Combs. Usually an opposing head coach will really only come to the table pregame to ask if we're doing the anthem or anything beforehand (since book duties are delegated to an assistant). But in their most recent trip to Naperville, Combs came to the table right before tipoff and shook everyone's hand. My son was sitting in my lap at the time, and got asked if he "was going to say good things about the Pios" since the mic was right in front of him (being not even 3 yet, my son didn't answer.)

I love retelling the towel story from my first NCC-Carroll game just because it was funny, but I gained a ton of respect for Paul Combs that Saturday evening.

[Gregory Sager]

Agree Greg. I remember calling the Wash U NCAA Regional game at RAF a few years back.  I forget who the Bears were playing (Lawrence maybe?) but the kid missed a chance to upset the Bears on the final shot.  In the line for shaking hands Mark (HC) extended his hand, lifted up the kid's head and said some encouraging words to lift his spirits.  Most likely something like,  "you played your heart out kid and don't hand your head.."   I thought that was really neat for an opposing coach to give the opposing team's star some support.

Are you sure that you're remembering this correctly, Mark? Wash U played Aurora in the first round at Faganel in 2001, and Elmhurst had a bye. But that Wash U vs. Aurora game wasn't close; the Bears trounced the Spartans, 101-84. Now, the next night, the game was close; Elmhurst nipped Wash U, 78-77, as Ryan Knuppel hit the game-winning shot for the 'jays. (I was there for that game.)

Perhaps the head coach named Mark that you're remembering consoling a player is Mark Scherer rather than Mark Edwards. Or perhaps it was Mark Edwards consoling an Aurora player who was simply downcast because his team had been blown out of the tournament.

[WUPHF]

Kent Raymond nearly tied the game on a three-pointer, but that would not have been an upset, yes?

[Pat Coleman]

Agree Greg. I remember calling the Wash U NCAA Regional game at RAF a few years back.  I forget who the Bears were playing (Lawrence maybe?) but the kid missed a chance to upset the Bears on the final shot.  In the line for shaking hands Mark (HC) extended his hand, lifted up the kid's head and said some encouraging words to lift his spirits.  Most likely something like,  "you played your heart out kid and don't hand your head.."   I thought that was really neat for an opposing coach to give the opposing team's star some support.

Are you sure that you're remembering this correctly, Mark? Wash U played Aurora in the first round at Faganel in 2001, and Elmhurst had a bye. But that Wash U vs. Aurora game wasn't close; the Bears trounced the Spartans, 101-84. Now, the next night, the game was close; Elmhurst nipped Wash U, 78-77, as Ryan Knuppel hit the game-winning shot for the 'jays. (I was there for that game.)

Lawrence game was 2009. Game was at Elmhurst.

[79jaybird]

yes Pat,  '09 and I thought it was Lawrence.   LU had a chance for an upset and fell short.  The Regional was at RAF.

[79jaybird]

From a media broadcasting perspective Dave Wrath and Brett Marhanka are the two SID's who are/were the most gracious for visiting team radio.   Both of them always made you feel welcome and happy you were a part of the CCIW/D-III realm.

[79jaybird]

Wash U played Aurora in the first round at Faganel in 2001, and Elmhurst had a bye. But that Wash U vs. Aurora game wasn't close; the Bears trounced the Spartans, 101-84. Now, the next night, the game was close; Elmhurst nipped Wash U, 78-77, as Ryan Knuppel hit the game-winning shot for the 'jays. (I was there for that game.)

Greg- This is 1 of my best memories of my 4 years at Elmhurst.  I was (of all things) Victor E. Bluejay Mascot and was under the basket when Knuppel hit the GW shot.  That campaign was just magical all season.  The following week I remember running through the streets of Hyde Park at UC for the Sweet 16 game in the mascot suit,  before IWU gave us a heartbreak. 
When I see Cammy D coaching at my Alma Mater (PHS) it's tough to not recall that game's finale.