MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Carthage downed Augie in the QC, 86-82. Six Firebirds scored in double figures -- Antuan Nesbitt with 19, AJ Johnson with 17, Julian Campbell with 14 and 11, Colton Sigel with 14, Fillip Bulatovic with 12, and Tanner Lamb with 10 -- to account for all of Carthage's scoring and, if you add scoreless Anthony Bernero to that sextet, all but six of Carthage's minutes. Augustana, who was without Dan Carr tonight, was led by Chase Larsen's 20 and 7, Matt Hanushewsky's 15 and 8 (yes, the smallest starter in the CCIW led the Doggies in rebounds tonight), and Tyler Knuth's 14.

[voxelmhurst]

At the Hangar:

Elmhurst 72, North Central 61

The Cardinals, who are second in the nation in free throw percentage, shot a perfect 14-of-14 from the line in this one.  And that was probably because those are the only shots that Jonathan Zapinski and the rest of the Blue Jays are prohibited from interfering with.  Elmhurst was stout defensively from stem to stern today, forcing 15 turnovers, blocking seven shots, and making basically every possession a struggle for the Cardinals.  The Jays struggled at times offensively themselves, but it is clear with their fourth straight win that they have started to click and become more akin to the team they were expected to be at the start of the season.

North Central shot just 36% for the game, and just 26% (8-of-29) in the second half.  Their 12-of-26 (46%) first half tally masks the fact that Mitch Lewis did Mitch Lewis things in the final six minutes before the break, hitting his final six shots and boosting a struggling Cardinal offense by scoring the team's final 14 points and single-handedly turning a 26-20 deficit into a 34-31 Cardinal lead that was largely against the run of play.  Notably, all of this was done from outside as Zapinski more or less made the area within six feet of the basket a no-fly zone for the Cardinals.

For my money, this was Elmhurst's most impressive defensive performance of the year. As mentioned, the Zapinski lled defense effective turned the Elmhurst paint into a no-go zone for North Central, especially late in the game. Elmhurst handled the ball fairly well in both halves, and was able to get points when they needed them, in spite of a 40% field goal percentage on the afternoon.

Again, for my money, John Ittounas is Elmhurst's team MVP this year. He seems most confident with the ball, takes high percentage shots, and can create his own opportunities when a shot isn't there for him. Seems to excel when the pressure is on, above all. Elmhurst does not have a 5-2 CCIW away record without him.

Also, those uniforms the beloved Cards were wearing tonight are God awful to look at. Very uninspiring crowd. That is all.

Allow me to agree, even as an Elmhurst fan. When I first heard of their grey uniforms I thought they'd at least have red numbers and letters (similar to a Bulls alternate of recent years), but these are just drab. If you randomly tuned into a game, you'd have no idea what school is even out there.

I was surprised to see the attendance listed as 307. I know the cameras can make the stadiums look fuller than they are, but it didn't look that low on the broadcast.

[Next Man Up]

I'm pretty sure the listed attendance of 307 at The Hangar last night is just the number of paid admissions. The entire NCC football team, all other NCC students, all Elmhurst students, all the NCC and EU women's and men's bball players parents, recruits and their families, Tip-Off Club boosters, and many other NCC bball family members who were on last night's pass list aren't included in that total. The D3Hoops listed seating for the Hangar is 2420 so just looking around tells you the crowd was far above 307.

Despite other talented players, I think Ittounas is the straw that stirs Elmhurst's drink.

Wes Hooker is one of the CCIW's most athletic and talented players but has a tendency to sometimes be overzealous both in celebratory exhibitions of his accomplishments, and when showing disagreement with officials rulings. This is nothing new and goes back to his high school days. Although it must also be said that he has matured to an appreciable degree since that time.
And why does Tagen Pearson seem to want to fight with any opponent who has the audacity to guard him tightly?

[Stertorous Thunder]

Millikin 73
Wheaton 84

Both teams had 4 players score in double digits. Cruikshank the leader of all with 19. Big win for the Thunder who maintain control in the CCIW.

I don't like the 2022-23 Thunder's penchant for letting underdog teams hang around, and sometimes maintain a sizeable lead, for too long - but maybe that's just part of playing in one of the D3 power conferences.  In the end, their ability to bounce back and turn a double digit deficit into a double digit win on Saturday shows why they're nationally ranked.

It was Senior Night at Wheaton for TJ Askew, Eli Considine, Tyson Cruickshank, Daniel Garza, Eddie Scott, and Andrew Williams and obviously a lot of firepower will be leaving the program after this season.  However, there were two players that noticeably did not participate in the festivities and I believe can be assumed to be returning.  As it turns out, graduate student Connor Braun has a sizeable amount of eligibility remaining after redshirting at Northeastern in 2019-20 and incurring an injury-shortened season in which he appeared in only two games in 2020-21.  And it appears that Jacob Schauer will be taking advantage of his fifth year of eligibility.

While enjoying the ride of this season I have been assuming that next year will be pretty rough for the Thunder but upon some inspection, they're going to be better than I thought.  Right now I see a potential starting lineup of Nick Schiavello, Micah Schnyders, Connor Braun, Nate Sock, and Jacob Schauer with Billy Durkin and Cole Reid in the playing rotation.  I don't think this lineup can compete for a conference title but I think it could be competitive, i.e., good enough to sneak into the CCIW postseason and/or play spoiler on a night or two against a favored team.  And who knows, if another transfer or two shows up of the caliber of TJ Askew, their ceiling could be higher.

[Next Man Up]

Also, those uniforms the beloved Cards were wearing tonight are God awful to look at.

Allow me to agree, even as an Elmhurst fan. When I first heard of their grey uniforms I thought they'd at least have red numbers and letters (similar to a Bulls alternate of recent years), but these are just drab. If you randomly tuned into a game, you'd have no idea what school is even out there.

Seems the consensus is understandably thumbs down on the Cardinals new home "grey," and "God awful" uniforms.
This is on top much criticism of the shade of their road unis going back several years.

Perhaps Coach Figueroa can prevail on everyone's favorite NCC administrator to spring for some admirable new home whites next year. The old ones which did need replacement, and were replaced with the greys, were very nice looking.

[lmitzel]

Also, those uniforms the beloved Cards were wearing tonight are God awful to look at.

Allow me to agree, even as an Elmhurst fan. When I first heard of their grey uniforms I thought they'd at least have red numbers and letters (similar to a Bulls alternate of recent years), but these are just drab. If you randomly tuned into a game, you'd have no idea what school is even out there.

Seems the consensus is understandably thumbs down on the Cardinals new home "grey," and "God awful" uniforms.
This is on top much criticism of the shade of their road unis going back several years.

Perhaps Coach Figueroa can prevail on everyone's favorite NCC administrator to spring for some admirable new home whites next year. The old ones which did need replacement, and were replaced with the greys, were very nice looking.

Yeah, I was okay with the grey's at first, but seeing them on a nightly basis... not a huge fan. They'd be fine as a third alternate, but I miss the home whites.

I have no beef with the road reds maroons. I think I'm just so used to them though.

[Gregory Sager]

A lot of that kinda thing going around; NPU alumni are up in arms over the Chicago-flag alternate unis that the Vikings have been wearing. It's been a few games since we've seen them, so perhaps they've been quietly shunted out of the uni rotation.

[lmitzel]

Quick look at our standings with four rounds to go.

x-Wheaton	11-2
x-North Park	9-3
Elmhurst	7-5
Carthage	7-5
Illinois Wesleyan	6-6
North Central	6-7
Augustana	5-8
Millikin	4-9
e-Carroll	1-11

Carroll's loss in Bloomington on Saturday mathematically knocked the Pios out of the tournament picture.

With Augie on the bye on Wednesday, I think the only clinching scenario is Wheaton locking up a bye to the weekend with a win over North Central. Millikin losing to Illinois Wesleyan and the Cardinals upsetting the Thunder would eliminate the Big Blue, though.

[iwu70]

Imitzel, thanks for all the standings' scenarios . . . appreciate it.   I'm too old to figure it all out! 

'70

[voxelmhurst]

I wanted to get a look at the remaining CCIW schedule and noticed that a certain school has evidently made it through all the way to the national championship game. 

Who wants to say it? 


https://cciw.org/calendar.aspx?path=mbball


Friday, March 17, 2023 Men's Basketball
Away                                     Home                                        Time   Location   
Illinois Wesleyan University          NCAA Tournament Final Four            TBA.     Fort Wayne, Ind.



Saturday, March 18, 2023 Men's Basketball
Away                                     Home                                        Time   Location   
Illinois Wesleyan University         NCAA Tournament Championship       TBA.     Fort Wayne, Ind.

[Next Man Up]

I wanted to get a look at the remaining CCIW schedule and noticed that a certain school has evidently made it through all the way to the national championship game. 

Who wants to say it? 


https://cciw.org/calendar.aspx?path=mbball


Friday, March 17, 2023 Men's Basketball
Away                                     Home                                        Time   Location   
Illinois Wesleyan University          NCAA Tournament Final Four            TBA.     Fort Wayne, Ind.



Saturday, March 18, 2023 Men's Basketball
Away                                     Home                                        Time   Location   
Illinois Wesleyan University         NCAA Tournament Championship       TBA.     Fort Wayne, Ind.

Congratulations to Illinois Western 

[iwu70]

I think that's called "aspirational scheduling."   You may notice that it is not all that uncommon in schedules in many sports on many websites around the league . . . though this one is an error of the CCIW website, not IWU, right?  You'd better speak to the CCIW poo-bahs, to make the corrections, deletions.  I frankly doubt any CCIW team will get to the Final Four this year, notwithstanding the fact that Elmhurst did quite unexpectedly last year.  IWU won't even get to March.  Sober realities for a team that had a lot of aspirations.   Looks like Wheaton, perhaps NPU and/or Elmhurst might get into the March Dance.  I'd be surprised if any CCIW team wins more than two games in the D3 tournament this year.  IWU got to the Elite 8 last year, before that Wabash fiasco at The Shirk.

We'll see about CCIW teams in March and how they do quite soon now.

CCIW should stand corrected, not "Illinois Western." 

IWU '70

[Next Man Up]

I think that's called "aspirational scheduling."   You may notice that it is not all that uncommon in schedules in many sports on many websites around the league . . . though this one is an error of the CCIW website, not IWU, right?  You'd better speak to the CCIW poo-bahs, to make the corrections, deletions.  I frankly doubt any CCIW team will get to the Final Four this year, notwithstanding the fact that Elmhurst did quite unexpectedly last year.  IWU won't even get to March.  Sober realities for a team that had a lot of aspirations.   Looks like Wheaton, perhaps NPU and/or Elmhurst might get into the March Dance.  I'd be surprised if any CCIW team wins more than two games in the D3 tournament this year.  IWU got to the Elite 8 last year, before that Wabash fiasco at The Shirk.

We'll see about CCIW teams in March and how they do quite soon now.

CCIW should stand corrected, not "Illinois Western." 

IWU '70

Nope, if you'll check the IWU bball website, you'll see that the schedule shows all the way through to the championship game.   

[kiko]

I wanted to get a look at the remaining CCIW schedule and noticed that a certain school has evidently made it through all the way to the national championship game. 

Who wants to say it? 


https://cciw.org/calendar.aspx?path=mbball


Friday, March 17, 2023 Men's Basketball
Away                                     Home                                        Time   Location   
Illinois Wesleyan University          NCAA Tournament Final Four            TBA.     Fort Wayne, Ind.



Saturday, March 18, 2023 Men's Basketball
Away                                     Home                                        Time   Location   
Illinois Wesleyan University         NCAA Tournament Championship       TBA.     Fort Wayne, Ind.

Congratulations to Illinois Western 

This deserves the full treatment:

[kiko]

I wanted to get a look at the remaining CCIW schedule and noticed that a certain school has evidently made it through all the way to the national championship game. 

Who wants to say it? 


https://cciw.org/calendar.aspx?path=mbball


Friday, March 17, 2023 Men's Basketball
Away                                     Home                                        Time   Location   
Illinois Wesleyan University          NCAA Tournament Final Four            TBA.     Fort Wayne, Ind.



Saturday, March 18, 2023 Men's Basketball
Away                                     Home                                        Time   Location   
Illinois Wesleyan University         NCAA Tournament Championship       TBA.     Fort Wayne, Ind.

Congratulations to Illinois Western 

This deserves the full treatment:

Or is it this one?




Either way, I can see this sort of example of the Power of Positive Thinking on the statefarm.edu website.  But on the CCIW website?!?!?