MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[smedindy]

Hey, I've got a hella outside shot! It takes a year and a day to pull the trigger, though!

[Titan Q]

An IWU-related article from today's Pantagraph...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/10/26/sports/doc45404e2a85586901008448.txt

[Dark Knight]

Freshman Terrence Green is listed at 6-9 and 164 lbs. I'd say they need to get him in the weight room, but they should probably get him in the cafeteria first.

Heck, Jay Alexander is one of the skinniest guys I've ever seen in an NPU uniform, and he is listed at a mere 6'6, 175. And such infamously skeletal CCIW players of yore as David "Stick Figure" Little of Wheaton and Andy Boyden of Illinois Wesleyan were at minimum pushing the 200 mark at 6'10.

Wow, that makes Calvin's JV center Brent Schuster sound like a bruiser, at 6'9, 190. Heck, even Hope's 6'11 200 project Brian Puls might be able to take him in a catfight. Er, make that an emaciated-giraffe fight. 

[tjcummingsfan]

I just checked NP's schedule, and it looks like Wheaton lucked out again, playing here while the students are still away on break (they return the next day!). 

[sac]

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to investigate why Eddy Curry keeps needling the Calvin people over in the MIAA room. 

Who me?  Why whatever are you talking about Bob?   



Get it?  Bob Sager................<chirp><chirp>.......hello.......is this thing on.

[David Collinge]

I'm glad I'm practically immune from this joke...  8)

[Knightstalker]

And I am glad that Pengahwins is practically chickens.

[Gregory Sager]

I just checked NP's schedule, and it looks like Wheaton lucked out again, playing here while the students are still away on break (they return the next day!). 

The CCIW office now handles scheduling for league games, and they've presumably developed a rotation system. This year's NPU schedule is identical to last year's, only the game sites are reversed. In other words, in January 2005 the Vikings played these four games before NPU's winter break ended:

vs. Augustana
@ Millikin
vs. North Central
@ Wheaton.

And all of us Parkers complained on CCIW Chat about how the students had to miss the traditional road trip to Wheaton, remember? Well, this year the four games that NPU students will miss prior to their return to campus will be:

@ Augustana
vs. Millikin
@ North Central
vs. Wheaton

I don't know this for sure, but my guess would be that next year either the first two games will be moved to the end of the season, meaning that NPU's four winter-break 2007 games would be:

vs. North Central
@ Wheaton
@ Elmhurst
vs. Illinois Wesleyan

... or the last two games will be moved to the beginning of the season, meaning that the 2007 winter-break games for the Vikings would be:

vs. Carthage
@ Illinois Wesleyan
vs. Augustana
@ Millikin

In other words, I think it's safe to assume that there is a rhyme and reason to what the league office is doing. I doubt that they're trying to rob NPU students of their inalienable right to yell derisive comments at Wheaton College athletes. 

[tjcummingsfan]

oh I'm sure there's reason behind it, I was just saying it in disappointment, not criticizing.

[markerickson]

Fewer and fewer students attend NPU games despite the significant increase in enrollment.

Hopefully this year's winning ways will bring them back to the box.

[martin]

Only three weeks until the season starts - is any CCIW team feeling good about their guards?  I can't think of a single team that is really sure of its guard play.  It will be hard to make any sort of prediction about the conference season until well into the non-conference.  Maybe after five games or so - some clarity may emerge.

For all of North Central's front court talent, the question remains who will get them the ball?  Last year, Ray Vicario averaged 32.8 minutes and Adam Teising 33.4.  I think Todd Raridon is a good coach and he would have developed something at the guard position if there was anything there to develop. 

Augustana has Drew Wessels back - can they play a one guard offense?

Does anyone remember another time when there was so much uncertainty conference wide?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I have a feeling April would have done this days ago if she were around:

Wheaton 2006-2007
10     Cory Dennie     G     6-0     155     Fr.     Tampa, Fla. (Jefferson)
12    Marcus Sun    G    6-2    190    Fr.    Encinitas, Calif. (Santa Fe Christian)
14    Jesse Viars    G    6-0    170    Fr.    Lebanon, Ohio (Ridgeville Christian)
20    Jeremy Berntsen    G    6-2    185    So.    Chatham, N.J. (Chatham)
21    Matt Ankeny    F    6-5    230    So.    Mission Viejo, Calif. (Capistrano Valley)
22    *Johnnie Standard    F/G    6-4    205    Sr.    Springfield, Ill. (Glenwood)
23    Andrew Nelson    G    6-1    185    Fr.    Fort Wayne, Ind. (Blackhawk Christian)
24    Kent Raymond    G    6-3    190    So.    New Palestine, Ind. (New Palestine)
30    *Michael Fiddler    F    6-6    190    Sr.    Colorado Springs, Colo. (St. Mary's, Ore.)
31    Ben Panner    G    6-3    170    Fr.    Austin, Texas (Bowie)
32    Jeff McKay    F    6-4    195    So.    Taichung, Taiwan (Morrison)
33    Dave Noell    G    6-2    195    So.    Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara)
34    Drew Olson    G    6-2    180    Fr.    Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton-Warrenville South)
40    Tom Sovocool    F    6-3    200    So.    Audubon, Pa. (Methacton)
41    Rob Eschmann    G    5-9    175    Fr.    Chicago, Ill. (Northside Prep)
42    Andy Wiele    C    6-8    225    So.    St. Louis, Mo. (Westminster Christian Academy)
50    Brad Smith    F    6-5    222    Fr.    Holdredge, Neb. (Holdredge)
52    Stephen Young    F    6-4    190    Fr.    Little Rock, Ark. (Pulaski Academy)
53    David Eseke    G/F    6-4    195    Fr.    Santa Barbara, Calif. (Laguna Blanca)
54    Phill Denham    F/C    6-6    210    Jr.    Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn)

[Drake Palmer]

I have a feeling April would have done this days ago if she were around:

Speaking of.. where is Diehard?

[Titan Q]

Martin, I couldn't agree with you more.  I can't recall a season in which there was this much uncertainty and inexperience at the guard spots across the league.  At this early stage, here are the backcourts as I see them:

Augustana
* Drew Wessels
* Pat Brusveen?

Carthage
* Trey Bowens
* Scott Hood

Illinois Wesleyan
* Andrew Gilmore
* Mike Harrigan/Sean Dwyer/Jordan Morris

Elmhurst
* Brian Lee
* Ryan Burks?

Millikin
* Drew Gensler
* Keanon Harrington

North Central
* ?
* ?

North Park
* Keith Willert
* ?

Wheaton
* Kent Raymond
* ?


And yes, the team regarded as the favorite to win the league (North Central) has more questions to answer than anyone in the backcourt.

This is a league that has produced a bunch of All-Americans at guard in the last few years -- Adam Dauksas (IWU), Rick Harrigan (Augie), Drew Carstens (Augie), Antoine McDaniel (Carthage), Korey Coon (IWU), Ryan Knuppel (Elmhurst).  I think Kent Raymond is the best bet to be that next CCIW All-American guard.

[Titan Q]

It is early, but it seems to me like the league will be nowhere near as strong as last season (which I guess is to be expected when you lose 4 All-Americans).  I felt last year that the CCIW had 4 "Final 4 caliber" teams.  IWU made it to Salem and lost to the national champs by a basket and won the 3rd place game.  I think the game results between IWU, Augie, Elmhurst, and NCC proved just how close those 4 teams were.  And after seeing teams like Lawrence, Amherst, Wittenberg, and Virginia Wesleyan I think the CCIW's top 4 stacked up very well with the best in the nation last year.

This year, I don't see it.  NCC probably is the best team due to that frontcourt, but are they as good as last year without Teising and Vicario?  And after that, I am not sure I see a squad that has "Final 4 potential."

Again, it's early.