MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Some people, SIDs and their staffs included, erroneously use "postponed" and "canceled" as synonyms. But I've noticed that neither Mike Swartz nor Brett Marhanka have that problem, so I think we can good and well trust that that Carthage @ Wheaton game will not be played at all this season.

[bbfan44]

Carthage has already been to Wheaton twice this year.  One of those likely was advanced from tonight.
It appears we will see the Elmhurst team tonight for the first time this year.  I'll bet they're "champing at the bit".

[iwumichigander]

Thanks to everyone contributing to the conversation!  So, my two cents are 1) extend the season only if a majority of schools agree and 2) it doesn't necessarily be a full round robin nor do we necessarily have to have a conference tournament.

My thinking is the coaches, staff and players have invested much this year.  All have done a great job with the protocols.  Let the seniors play on.  And, l would venture all involved want to play a few more games.

[Gregory Sager]

Final from the hangar:

North Central 62
Millikin 58

[Gregory Sager]

Final from Faganel:

Carroll 72
Elmhurst 70

Lavon Thomas had a baseline layup attempt blocked at the final buzzer.

The Bluejays held Tarren Hall to seven points tonight.

Great back-and-forth game.

[Titan Q]

North Park (1-6) at #3-Illinois Wesleyan (2-0), Friday 7:00pm...

Probable starters:

#3-Illinois Wesleyan (2-0)
G - Luke Yoder, 6-0/170 So.
G - Keondre Schumacher, 5-11/175 Jr.
G - Pete Lambesis, 6-4/195 Jr.
F - Doug Wallen, 6-5/210 Sr.
F - Matt Leritz, 6-7/235 Jr.

North Park (1-6)
G - Isaiah Sanders, 5-11/170 Sr.
G - Toby Marek, 6-0/190 Sr.
G - Mike Osborne, 6-2/175 Fr.
F - Jordan Boyd, 6-7/215 Jr.
F - Karl Polk, Jr., 6-6/225 So.

IWU Game Notes: https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/iwusports.com/documents/2021/2/11/Game03_NorthPark.pdf

Live Stats: https://www.iwusports.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary

Live Video: https://www.iwusports.com/watch/?Archive=23&type=Live

[WUPHF]

Final from Faganel:

Carroll 72
Elmhurst 70

Lavon Thomas had a baseline layup attempt blocked at the final buzzer.

The Bluejays held Tarren Hall to seven points tonight.

Great back-and-forth game.

That was a great game.

Big shots from the Carroll freshmen.

Lots of great games over the last few weeks.

[Titan Q]

A few observations from watching games last night...

Carroll
In the win at Elmhurst, Carroll was led in scoring by 3 freshmen:

-Justin Steinike: 17 pts, 9 reb, 3 assists
-Josh Hudgens: 12 pts
-Ryan Mendoza: 11 pts

Mendoza made two huge shots late to win for the Pios.

NCC
6-7/250 junior Andy McLaughlin made his debut for NCC.  McLaughlin started his collegiate career at Augustana.  He played 15 minutes off the bench and had 7 pts, 4 reb.

McLaughlin gives NCC much needed low post size.

I'm not sure when 6-7 F Will Hrubes (transfer from Aurora) returns from injury...but he will help too.

Elmhurst
Jake Rhode is out with injury for EU.

The Elmhurst broadcaster said Rhode will use the COVID waiver and return for his 6th year in 2021-22 -- he will pursue his MBA next year.

Millikin
Michael Akinwumi can dunk.

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1360049658001829889?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358480536034025474?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358498602226712577?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358499483676536838?s=20

[lmitzel]

A few observations from watching games last night...

NCC
6-7/250 junior Andy McLaughlin made his debut for NCC.  McLaughlin started his collegiate career at Augustana.  He played 15 minutes off the bench and had 7 pts, 4 reb.

McLaughlin gives NCC much needed low post size.

McLaughlin played pretty well, I thought. He matched up more so against Millikin's backup bigs, but did a good job in his 15 minutes. The NCC bench really got into it when he was making plays, too.

Millikin
Michael Akinwumi can dunk.

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1360049658001829889?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358480536034025474?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358498602226712577?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358499483676536838?s=20

He did miss one in the first half yesterday before his second half throwdown. It was a nice play.

Other fun fact: dude shoots his free throws one-handed. Had at least one guy on NCC's bench mystified.

[augie77]

A few observations from watching games last night...

NCC
6-7/250 junior Andy McLaughlin made his debut for NCC.  McLaughlin started his collegiate career at Augustana.  He played 15 minutes off the bench and had 7 pts, 4 reb.

McLaughlin gives NCC much needed low post size.

McLaughlin played pretty well, I thought. He matched up more so against Millikin's backup bigs, but did a good job in his 15 minutes. The NCC bench really got into it when he was making plays, too.

Millikin
Michael Akinwumi can dunk.

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1360049658001829889?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358480536034025474?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358498602226712577?s=20

https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1358499483676536838?s=20

He did miss one in the first half yesterday before his second half throwdown. It was a nice play.
Other fun fact: dude shoots his free throws one-handed. Had at least one guy on NCC's bench mystified.

In his previous game versus Augustana, Akikinwube was 0-7 at the line in the first half, while ttempting a more conventional shot.  Seemingly in desperation he came out in the second half, going 4-4 at the line one handed.  It seems the one handed magic disappeared last night as he went 0-4.  On the season he is 6-26 (.231) at the line. Take away his 4 for 4 streak noted above, he'd be 2-22 (.091) in free throws on the season.  YIKES!  But he can definitely dunk. [/b][/b]

[voxelmhurst]

Elmhurst played pretty well in the first half, with a varied scoring attack and some really solid defense, and led 42-32 at halftime. In the second-half, they shot 28% and seemed not to know how to close a game. I don't know if individual time of possession is recorded, but I'd guess that with Rhode & Perry out with injuries, and Dotlich graduating, at least 85% of Elmhurst's possession handling from last year won't be on the court this season. Elmhurst will need players comfortable with the ball and making big plays down the stretch if they're going to win tough games this season.

Good to watch some games again.

[Gregory Sager]

No Boyds tonight for NPU.

Great. Just great. 

[Gregory Sager]

Illinois Wesleyan 81
North Park 56

Mike Osborne: 17 pts, 3 stls
Lawrence Pointer: 13 pts (4-7 trey)
Adam Bulwa: 10 rebs
Izaiah Sanders: 7 rebs

Matt Leritz: 22 pts, 16 rebs, 3 blks
Cory Noe: 12 pts, 3 blks
Doug Wallen: 12 pts, 4:0 a:to
Charlie Bair: 7 rebs
Luke Yoder: 5:1 a:to

[Gregory Sager]

At one point North Park had something that I'm almost certain is a CCIW first: three Scandinavians on the floor at the same time. (Eric Stock didn't pronounce any of their names correctly, but it's hard to hold that against an American broadcaster. ) That would've been business as usual for the North Park men's soccer team, and a good thing ... but for the men's basketball team, not so much.

Three nice upsides to a dismal evening: 1) Mike Osborne looked very good, with almost no freshman mistakes; 1) Adam Bulwa was more aggressive on offense, which the undersized Vikings really need; and 3) Lawrence Pointer finally emerged from his funk from beyond the arc.

[Titan Q]

Illinois Wesleyan 81
North Park 56

Mike Osborne: 17 pts, 3 stls
Lawrence Pointer: 13 pts (4-7 trey)
Adam Bulwa: 10 rebs
Izaiah Sanders: 7 rebs

Matt Leritz: 22 pts, 16 rebs, 3 blks
Cory Noe: 12 pts, 3 blks
Doug Wallen: 12 pts, 4:0 a:to
Charlie Bair: 7 rebs
Luke Yoder: 5:1 a:to

Outside of a couple little stretches, I thought the Titans looked great last night.  They did a nice job pounding it inside against the smaller Vikings.  IWU passed the ball well and knocked down shots.

The Titans are big, incredibly skilled, athletic, and they can shoot the heck out of it at every position.  In Luke Yoder and Pete Lambesis, they have two elite perimeter defenders.

Bummer this team won't get to test itself in the NCAA tourney.  The Titans are a Final Four caliber team.