MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Great game.  Congrats to Coach Baines and all the EC players.  Titans just couldn't quite get over the hump in this one.  Seemed seniors (I know, a key junior!),  vs. sophomores and freshmen

Look at the Elmhurst roster again, Mark. The only significant senior on the 'jays roster is Dotlich. Most of the other important pieces -- Rhode, Thomas, Millitello, Jobe, Perry, and Genco -- are juniors, while Hooker and Zapinski are freshmen.

[iwumichigander]

It's hard for me to believe that there were people who didn't think Lavon Thomas belonged on the All-CCIW team.

at least based upon tonight.  Titans could not stop him.  Congratulations to Elmhurst.

He didn't just pop up on the radar tonight. He's had a great season for the 'jays since November.

I thought that there were two big moments down the stretch. First was the unlikely Wesley Hooker triple at the three-minute mark that doubled Elmhurst's lead from three to six. Hooker was 8-36 (.222) from downtown for the season when he attempted that shot from the top of the key, but as Kevin Jackman said on the air Hooker showed total confidence in his ability to make it and was spot-on. It took the Titans two valuable minutes of the three minutes left to get the EC lead back down to one possession. And it was at that point that Jake Rhode, who, conversely, didn't shoot well from beyond the arc, did what he did well all night -- he attacked the basket, sucked in the Titans defense to him, and flipped the ball to his right to his wingman, Jay Millitello, whose layup at the :52 mark made it a two-possession lead again at 74-69 that forced the Titans to scramble into two-for-one mode, which did not work out for them.

there is that.  To me, the big differential was shot attempts.  Elmhurst got 8 more attempts than IWU just enough to make a difference.

[Gregory Sager]

To me, the big differential was shot attempts.  Elmhurst got 8 more attempts than IWU just enough to make a difference.

The key stats behind that: EC wins the offensive rebound battle, 12-7, and has only seven turnovers to IWU's 11.

[iwumichigander]

To me, the big differential was shot attempts.  Elmhurst got 8 more attempts than IWU just enough to make a difference.

The key stats behind that: EC wins the offensive rebound battle, 12-7, and has only seven turnovers to IWU's 11.

it was a great title game by two teams which have never won the conference tournament. 

[iwu70]

I thought both EC and IWU played extremely well.

Congrats to Coach Baines and all the EC players.  Coach Baines learned from one of the best, right?    Good luck with the AQ.  Make some noise for the CCIW.  I assume NCC gets in too.

Things look bright for the TITANS going forward, esp. if Yoder and Bair return.  I guess Wolfe unlikely at this point.

Fun season.

IWU'70

[Gregory Sager]

I thought both EC and IWU played extremely well.

Congrats to Coach Baines and all the EC players.  Coach Baines learned from one of the best, right? 

Mark Scherer is going to be all smiles when he reads that.

[iwu70]

Yes, Scherer can smile too. 


'70

[voxelmhurst]

John Baines becomes the first EC men's basketball coach to make 3 appearances in the national tournament, and he's done so in just 7 years.

I'm sure it was an incredibly happy ride home on I-88 last night. Elmhurst fans have waited a long time for a night like this.

[Ultimate Titan Fan]

Super game. Good luck to EC in the big dance.

(This is where the other Titan fans yell at me)

I prefer Noe as a starter (and a taller line up in general). He has a greater chance of shooting and passing over a defender. Two shorts as guards? No thanks.

[Wildcat]

It was a sensational tournament this weekend. Culminating in a hard fought championship game ,between two teams who could very well do it all over again next year. The CCIW is fortunate to have some great coaches . Raridon, Schafer, Ron Rose, and John Baines. I beleaguered the coach at Carroll is a excellent coach as well. His team never quits no matter what. That's a good sign of things to come for Carroll.

[kiko]

I thought both EC and IWU played extremely well.

Congrats to Coach Baines and all the EC players.  Coach Baines learned from one of the best, right?   

[lmitzel]

It was a sensational tournament this weekend. Culminating in a hard fought championship game ,between two teams who could very well do it all over again next year. The CCIW is fortunate to have some great coaches . Raridon, Schafer, Ron Rose, and John Baines. I beleaguered the coach at Carroll is a excellent coach as well. His team never quits no matter what. That's a good sign of things to come for Carroll.

Guys, I think we're back on Jacket Watch given the obvious omission here...

(To the point though, Paul Combs is a heck of a coach. The Pios would have made the CCIW Tournament in their first two years back under the current system, did make it last year, and were pretty unlucky this year. We talked not long ago about what would happen if Benedictine or St. Norbert joined the CCIW, and Carroll seems like a pretty decent case study.)

[Titan Q]

Super game. Good luck to EC in the big dance.

(This is where the other Titan fans yell at me)

I prefer Noe as a starter (and a taller line up in general). He has a greater chance of shooting and passing over a defender. Two shorts as guards? No thanks.

Cory Noe clearly made his case.  He is a stud.

Will be interesting to see how that SG spot plays out in the rotation next year.

[Gregory Sager]

I thought both EC and IWU played extremely well.

Congrats to Coach Baines and all the EC players.  Coach Baines learned from one of the best, right?   

LOL! That never gets old.

[Yogao]

It was a sensational tournament this weekend. Culminating in a hard fought championship game ,between two teams who could very well do it all over again next year. The CCIW is fortunate to have some great coaches . Raridon, Schafer, Ron Rose, and John Baines. I beleaguered the coach at Carroll is a excellent coach as well. His team never quits no matter what. That's a good sign of things to come for Carroll.

Guys, I think we're back on Jacket Watch given the obvious omission here...

He's only coached in every CCIW tournament. Tough crowd if he's not considered a great coach.