MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

iwu70 · February 12, 2025, 02:14:26 PM

I think IWU needs the break from their bad two-loss week. Some lost opportunities for sure.

Hosting MU on Saturday, then hosting the key game with NPU. Final game of the regular season away at Augie. Titans sure could use winning out, finishing 21-4. Looks like the CCIW tournament may be up at Carthage. Still more basketball to be played.

'70

markerickson · February 12, 2025, 03:25:40 PM

While complacently sitting alone in third place, North Park has a winning record against the teams above and below them.

Greek Tragedy · February 12, 2025, 04:46:57 PM

While some may question IWU's credentials as a national contender, needing OT to beat North Central (3 OTs and then a loss), OT to beat Wheaton and OT to beat Carroll, NPU has lost to those three in the last 3 games. That's the difference. IWU usually finds a way to win those games. NPU has not.

GusD · February 12, 2025, 05:44:43 PM

Maybe the #6, #8, and #9 teams in the conference giving IWU and NPU all they could handle, and sometimes more, speaks to the fact that some petty good basketball is played in the CCIW.

GoPerry · February 12, 2025, 09:38:16 PM

Wheaton wins their third in a row at Millikin, 86-78.

Familiar story. The Thunder came out guns blazing again, shooting 54% in the first half and got out to a 20 pt lead. They mean reverted in the 2nd half but MU just didn't have enough to make it all the way back.

Soren Richardson had a quieter game, 23 pts, having to sit out due to foul trouble for big minutes in the 2nd half. Freshman Kyle VanderWoude with the impressive double double 17 and 13. Noah Hedrick continues to overcome guarding much bigger players while going for 15 pts 6 rebs.

Noah Livingston had 18 for the Big Blue while Lane Thomann contributed 17 pts and 7 boards.

Gregory Sager · February 12, 2025, 09:46:57 PM

Wheaton leads wire-to-wire and takes down Millikin at the Griz, 86-78, for its third straight win. Despite playing with foul trouble, Soren Richardson had another efficient scoring night (23 on 8-9 FG, 4-4 trey, and 3-4 FT) to lead the way for Wheaton, while Kyan VanderWoude had another double-double (17 and 13) and Noah Hedrick and Drew Martin each dropped in 15. Millikin, which continues to fade from the tournament picture, was paced by Noah Livingston's 18, with Lane Thomann chipping in 17 and 7, while returning JT Welch had 14 and Chase Travis contributed 11 and 8.

Demarcus Bond is supposed to return to action on Saturday against Illinois Wesleyan at Shirk, but it may be too late for Jimmy Millikin even if Bond is 100%.

iwu70 · February 12, 2025, 09:53:23 PM

Carthage stays atop the CCIW standings, holding on to beat North Central, 73-71.

Three games to go.

'70

Gregory Sager · February 12, 2025, 10:00:28 PM

Carthage didn't have a lead until there was seven minutes left in the airplane hangar, but down the stretch the Firebirds did a better job of executing at both ends of the floor than North Central, and prevailed 73-71 to inch closer to a CCIW title and the #1 tourney seed, while the Cardinals' hot streak came to an end. Ryan Johnson's three-point play from the right block with 1:27 to go was essentially the game-winning moment. He paced Carthage with 22 and 9, while older brother AJ scored 14, Griffin Daun had 13 and 7, and AJ Williams added 11. For North Central, Terrance Moncrief had a monster night of knifing down the lane for layup after layup (9-14 FG) and finished with 21, while Tyler Swierczek added 15 on 3-6 trey shooting and Drew Gaston scored 14.

Gregory Sager · February 12, 2025, 10:03:31 PM

Quote from: iwu70 on February 12, 2025, 09:53:23 PMThree games to go.

Not for everybody. Millikin, North Central, and North Park each have two games remaining.

augie77 · February 12, 2025, 11:32:41 PM

Augustana and Elmhurst have four games to play.

Greek Tragedy · February 13, 2025, 10:35:18 AM

Quote from: GusD on February 12, 2025, 05:44:43 PMMaybe the #6, #8, and #9 teams in the conference giving IWU and NPU all they could handle, and sometimes more, speaks to the fact that some petty good basketball is played in the CCIW.

I don't doubt that. I'm saying the difference is that IWU is finding a way to win those games, while NPU isn't.

Greek Tragedy · February 13, 2025, 10:41:44 AM

Quote from: iwu70 on February 12, 2025, 09:53:23 PMCarthage stays atop the CCIW standings, holding on to beat North Central, 73-71.

Three games to go.

'70

Since he was talking about Carthage, maybe he just meant Carthage has 3 games to go.

Gregory Sager · February 13, 2025, 11:15:36 AM

Quote from: augie77 on February 12, 2025, 11:32:41 PMAugustana and Elmhurst have four games to play.

Good point. So over half the league does not have three games to go!

iwu70 · February 13, 2025, 11:58:17 AM

John Wesley told me there are only three games to go.

'70

Gregory Sager · February 13, 2025, 02:41:21 PM

John Wesley believed in truth and in a diligent study of source material regarding any topic upon which he spoke.

In the words of another eighteenth-century Anglican prelate, Joseph Butler, "Things and actions are what they are, and the consequences of them will be what they will be: why then should we desire to be deceived?"