MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[augiefan]

I believe Augie made 19 of 22 FTs tonight. That was the difference as it seemed IWU missed quite a few. Earlier in the year Augie had some really bad games at the FT line. Good to see that important phase of the game looking better.

Although McAdams-Thornton was Augie's star of the game, kudos also to Drew Wessels, who played a tremendous defensive game and even scored a few big points. If I'd known IWU would hold Harrigan to 15 pts., I might have bought the argument that this would be a Titan blowout.

[augie_superfan]

Elmhurst   94
NCC          91

[Johnny Augie]

Elmhurst 94-91.  NCC didn't get a shot off to tie with 2.1 left.  The CCIW is unreal, such great games.

[dansand]

Wow,
Great game. I don't think it was really all that well played by either team, but the intensity was so high, some of that's to be expected. It was great to see Jay McAdams-Thornton come up big. He's often overlooked with all that Harrigan's done this year, never spectacular, but so steady. He was huge tonight. Nate Swetalla, playing on a bad leg, did a great job on Amelianovich. Drew Wessels did an excellent job against Dauksas, although he got 15 (I think), he really didn't create much for their other guys. I thought there were two good performances by a couple bench players who didn't put many points up. Oliver Rorer and Steve Schweer both brought a lot of energy to their teams when they really needed it. A couple of firsts for Augie. They came up with the win even though for the first time this year someone was able to really shut Harrigan down, and, the big one, their first road win against a contender. A great gutty win. They could have easily packed it in down 13 (especially considering the got blitzed so badly in two of the three previous meetings). The game's a little easier when you don't fall behind 28-3 or 29-4.

[diehardfan]

it sounds like the Elmhurst game went into overtime... wow... I've seen some great Elmhurst/NCC games... sounds like this was one of them. Lol... who gets ranked where in the CCIW now?  

Trost sounded just absolutely miserable tonight on the WJBC broadcast interview... gotta feel for that program... I just don't understand what's going on... 

ON WONC, they mentioned that Wheaton won at Millikin 82-60. Stinks that I can't get my own schools broadcast right now, but congrats to the thunder for the win! We are really making some interesting statements this season! Maybe I should buy those tickets to the CCIW conf tourny... 

[augie_superfan]

Those losses put NCC & IWU in some trouble

[augie_superfan]

Updated standings:


Augustana         7-0
Elmhurst            5-2
IWU                  4-3
North Central      3-3
Wheaton            2-3
Carthage            2-4
Millikin                2-5
North Park          1-6

[redmen1]

I was at the Carthage game tonight and North Park was just overmatched. Jeffery did what ever he wanted, Imani play well tonight, and it was just a good game by the Redmen tonight. Wesleyan on Saturday and maybe the Redmen pull of the upset, at 3-4 if they beat wesleyan it seems like they could be back in the race. Am i dreaming, or could this happen??? Let me hear what you guys are thinking..

[diehardfan]

I made a comment in the Top 25 room a few days ago, suggesting that Augie, at 5-0 was technically in the drivers seat in the conference race. It was pretty thoroughly dismissed, which may or may not have been appropriate. I've thought Augie has had a lot of intangibles going for them all season long.... and totally showed up when it mattered. Now they have a good deal of tangibles going for them as well. I think it's safe to say that with half the games played, Augie, with a 2 game lead, is definitely in the drivers seat.

Augiefan, it is very nice to see you being positive and slightly optimistic even.

Wheaton's team, if not for an Augie run in the last two mins of the game, and Bollier's shot failing to fall at the Shirk, would actually be undefeated at this point in the conference as well.  I'm really excited about the future of this young team.  

[Pat Coleman]

maybe augie will finally get the respect in the poll after this game.  better take care of buisness sunday with a tough game in elmhurst. no football any chicago area fans come out and watch

You don't get into the Top 10 without respect, moose. Give me a break.

[wheatonc]

What a great night for a CCIW junkie:

Got to see Millikin at Wheaton on Local Channel 72
Watched the Augie-IWU game on videoscreen (Q was awesome)
Listened to the end of the Elmhurst-North Central game on the radio.

Wheaton played awesome, Augie was sensational in the 2nd half, and Elmhurst had to come from behind to win their game on the road.  

The Augie at Elmhurst game on Sunday could be THE game of the year.  What a great conference we are in!

[markerickson]

I fail to understand how a team can permit another to shoot the trey so well.  That is, once Carthage started hitting the trey more than 33% (I'm presuming the Redmen did so in the first half), I do not understand how a team shoots >50% for the game while shooting so many treys.  Is this an example of coaching easily outcoaching the other staff?

[bluejaybacker1]

HUGE WIN TONIGHT FOR EC!!!!!!  

Elm 94
NCC 91

Wow, what a great game to be at. The game was mostly led by NCC. They were up 77-70 with about 2 mins left. Ruch made a bucket. Then Brian Lee stepped up and hit a huge 3 to make it 77-75. Ruch got another bucket to knot the score then Elmhurst played great d and forced a t.o. Lee raced to the other end and got fouled made both to put EC up by two. Then Teising came down and made a nice move and made the lay up to force OT. It was back and forth in OT with Simmons at the line it was 88-88, he hit only one. Then with Elm down one Martin hit a rediculous 3 at the top of the key for a 2 point lead at 91-89 with :38 left to play. Simmons then missed a shot inside and then Elmhurst held on and sealed the game at the line. Ihlenfeldt and Patchett hit 3 of 4 to seal it. This series just continues to be amazing year after year since 02-03 as in my post a few days ago.

The boxscore.
http://www2.noctrl.edu/athlet/basketball_m/05-06/nccm-elm.htm

Martin hit so many key 3's tonight to keep the Jays around and then to win it. He had 29 and 5 brds. Ruch had a huge game with 20 and 7 brds. Brian Lee continues to play well and hit some really big shots tonight he had 17 pts and Nick Michael had 15 pts. Patchett came in mid way through the first half and really sparked the Jays when we were down by 7 or 8 and just helped us cut it back to one at the break. I can't say enough about how well we played offensively. Our defense just gave up too many easy buckets inside. Ill take the win though.

For the cards it seemed like Vicario couldn't miss from the arc he really had a strong game with, 19 pts. All five starters of theirs were in double figures. They seem to have no bench though which hurts them.

The Augie-Elmhurst game on Sunday all you guys should be there no one else plays that day, so you guys have no excuse not to see a huge game in the CCIW race.  

[augie_superfan]

Interesting stat:

2-pt Shooting for IWU

1st half:    11 of 16
2nd half:   2 of 12

[Titan Q]

I've always been a big proponent of the conference tournament concept and thank God we finally have one!