MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Talked to someone who talked to someone (still with me?) at the Augie/Wheaton game last night in Rock Island.  This observer said that Rorer's basket to make it 38-32 with 13:09 to play was a blatant offensive goaltend...a no-brainer.  It was not called - the Augie basket counted.  Bill Harris immediately called timeout, most likely to "start a little dialogue" with the officials.  Harris was T'd up immediately by Eric Anderson, who was on the other side of the floor.  Harrigan made both FT's, pushing the Augie lead up to 8.  Kind of a 4 point swing in the game, as Rorer's basket should not have counted and then Augie got the 2 FT's.

[Titan Q]

I think the three areas that need improvement are 1) better shot selection decisions, 2) working/sharing the ball (assists too low) and 3)taking the shot inside the perimeter (where an old fashioned 3 is still a 3). With this team's size and athleticism, the inside game needs to be established first to open up the outside game. Against Millikin, Carthage and North Central IWU went inside at the end of the game. Why not establish that at the beginning of the game?
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iwumich, your suggestion that IWU is not establishing an inside presence at the beginning of the game just isn't accurate for last night's game.  At halftime in Decatur (at which point IWU was a brutal 6-21 from the field), the Titans had shot only 5 3-pointers.  (The Titans average shooting 17 3's per game.)  16 of their 21 attempts last night in the 1st were from inside the arc.  Zach Freeman missed 2 he normally makes right around the hoop, Chris Jones blew a couple easy ones, and Cory Jones missed a couple wide open 16 footers (the shots he has been knocking down all year long).  Let's say 4 of those 6 I can think of right off the top of my head go in...IWU shoots 10-21 from the field (.476).  The Titans have a lead at halftime and the FG% looks OK.

Sometimes it is a lot simpler than we try to make it.  Last night IWU just missed a ton of shots in the 1st half...and I'm not talking about the well-guarded shots missed due to Millikin's defense (and yes, there were plenty of those).  I'm talking about the ones the Titans usually make.  That is certainly going to happen now and then on the road.  It's kind of like the game at Carthage.  The answer to the question "what happened?" is actually pretty simple for the most part -- Carthage made a lot of tough shots.  That is also going to happen to you on the road.  Veteran teams find a way to survive those types of games.

The North Central game was different.  IWU got outplayed in that one.  A neutral fan unaware of rankings, history, etc would have left the Shirk Center that night with the opinion that NCC is the better team.  And we shall see how that plays out.  They're really good.   

[dansand]

Talked to someone who talked to someone (still with me?) at the Augie/Wheaton game last night in Rock Island.  This observer said that Rorer's basket to make it 38-32 with 13:09 to play was a blatant offensive goaltend...a no-brainer.  It was not called - the Augie basket counted.  Bill Harris immediately called timeout, most likely to "start a little dialogue" with the officials.  Harris was T'd up immediately by Eric Anderson, who was on the other side of the floor.  Harrigan made both FT's, pushing the Augie lead up to 8.  Kind of a 4 point swing in the game, as Rorer's basket should not have counted and then Augie got the 2 FT's.

C'mon Q, I wasn't at the game, but to believe that story you have to believe someone other than Harrigan or McAdams-Thornton actually put the ball in the basket. Highly doubtful.

[Titan Q]

Well Dan, I did say Rorer's basket was made illegally.

[iwumichigander]

iwumich, your suggestion that IWU is not establishing an inside presence at the beginning of the game just isn't accurate for last night's game.

Q - I really wasn't suggesting that in context of last nights game.  My point is when you look at the IWU numbers non-conference versus conference what stands out is the Titans FG% is down 9.8%.  Why?  It could be as simple as the shots just are not falling in.  On point, all the other numbers look fairly equal.

So statistically, I am not too worried about the FG%.  I am certainly not worried about these guys. This team will find a way to get the FG% back up.  And when they do, everybody else should look out!

[Titan Q]

The IWU/Carthage game from Saturday is now on the WJBC archive.  We interviewed Bosko in the postgame - it starts at the 2:09 mark on the media player...

http://www.wjbc2.com/archive.htm

Some interesting comments as always by Bosko.

The Scott Trost postgame interview is at 1:56 - interesting comments as well about trying to win on the road, trying to win in the CCIW year after year, etc.

[augiedad]

- "Against Millikin, Carthage and North Central IWU went inside at the end of the game.  Why not establish that at the beginning of the game?"

- "Q - I really wasn't suggesting that in context of last nights game."


Well you had me fooled too iwumichigander!

[augiefan]

I think it is suspect at best when someone who was at a game describes a call as wrong or a shot as "illegal," particularly if the source is someone supporting the team on the wrong side of the call. For someone who was not even at the game to comment on an alleged illegal call based on hearsay evidence is ridiculous. Titan Q is generally one of the most responsible posters on the board, but not this time.

Augie lucked out in winning a game they probably didn't deserve to win. Those things tend to even out rather quickly. Particularly in basketball where there are numerous questionable calls in virtually every game.

[augiefan]

Based on the early going I would say NCC is the only team in the conference that has distinqiushed itself. I'm as shocked as anyone by IWU's struggles. Based on these early impressions I think IWU and now NCC are the teams to beat.

[Stat]

Just some random thoughts:

Good for NP
Don't worry about IWU peaking too soon this season.
Harris with a T?  On double probation with extra church services.
Bosko almost got T'd against IWU,  "That's enough" was the lip read. Should have got it there, might have preserved the Elmhurst lead.
I'll take Carthage in a must winner Sat.
A Namath "guarantee!"

[john_teague]

titantruth,
I find it hard to believe that the titans are better without matt arnold in the lineup.  I think most would agree for those who have seen him play.  From a defensive standpoint, although I was not there last night, it sounds like from the paper that he did a great job defensively.

[john_teague]

I just took a look at the box score from the iwu/millikin game last night and couldn't help to notice that steve schweer only played 8 minutes.  If the titans are struggling with rebounding, couldn't steve bring a spark.  When I saw him play, he was a wildman on the boards.

[Stat]

You need board help?  Just call the Brothers Jones.

[Titan Q]

augiefan, my comment to dansand about the shot being "illegal" was just a joke.  I assumed that was obvious.

In my original post, I was clear that I wasn't there...just reported what came from a real reliable Augustana-based source on the circumstances leading up to the Bill Harris T.

[Titan Q]

As far as rankings and records, wondering if anyone can think of a tougher 3-game stretch than Millikin is in the middle of...

1/11 - vs (#5) Illinois Wesleyan 12-1
1/14 - vs (#12) North Central 12-0
1/18 - @ (#10) Augustana 13-1