MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[pantherpride06]

http://www.greenville.edu/athletics/mbasketball/results/2006-07/ghhc1208.htm

Link to the North Central stats from tonight.

[tjcummingsfan]

North Park looked great at some points last night, but that was balanced with some streaks of mediocre too.  This is the first regular season game I've seen so far, and I have very high hope for this team after seeing it.  This team has something I haven't seen in a North Park team since I've been here (so 01-02), confidence.  Not only do they look like they want to win, they look like they think they should win.  Also they look like they're prod ot be playing for North Park, something I think any basketball player stepping onto the floor in the crackerbox should be.  This team will take alot of the CCIW "top tier" teams by surprise, and I'm betting they'll knock off at least 2 of them.  The crackerbox wasn't as empty as I expected for a Friday night game the weekend before everyone goes home for the semester.  I think the students, and alumni are ready to have better thatn a terrible team, and that's the way we're headed.

As far as basketball goes, some thoughts... Our defense was fantastic for the first 4 minutes of the game.  We ran it up to 11 nothing before they started their rain of 3's on the night.  Rockford hit 16 of their 32 3's (and I'm really surprised the percentage is that low, it sure felt like over 50%).  Sheldon Evans is the point guard we've needed for 5 years (maybe more).  We have become a very unselfish team, to the point of passing up some good shot opportunities (sometimes for better ones, sometimes not).  But we are passing, and running an offense, something that never happened with Rees.  We need someone who wants to score, it hurt not having Jason on the floor tonight.  And what do you think Greg, have we found the ref who shouldn't ever step foot in the crackerbox again?

[Gotberg]

We need someone who wants to score, it hurt not having Jason on the floor tonight. 

Is Gordon injured?  If so, how long is he out for?

[robberki]

I believe he was at a funeral.

[Titan Q]

IWU (5-2) hosts Wash U (5-1) tomorrow at 3:00pm in a significant "in-region" game.  Some notes on the matchup...

http://www.iwuhoops.com/notes07.htm

As I said before the Augie/Wash U game, this is the kind of game that can have a lot of different tournament implications.  Both teams will want this "W" come tournament selection day. 

I saw Wash U play Pomona-Pitzer Saturday in St. Louis.  Wash U has nice offensive balance with sophomore point-guard Sean Wallis (11.5 ppg), 6-6 sophomore wing Tyler Nading (15.3 ppg), and 6-6 junior low post player Troy Ruths (18.8 ppg).  The Bears are pretty slow and unathletic though, whereas IWU has great athleticism in the frontline with Freeman, Gant, and Freeman.  The Titans, led by those 3, are out-rebounding opponents by a very impressive 13 boards per game.

It will be nice to see the Titans play a home game after starting with 6 of 7 on the road.  As tough as this start has probably been on players, coaches, and fans, in the long run I think it was just what this new IWU team needed.  There is a no better place for a team to start to find an identity than the road.  IWU has faced some good competition in UW-Whitewater, Ohio Wesleyan, St. Xavier, and Olivet Nazarene.  The Titans have played pretty well overall to this point but they'll need to play with more consistency to go 3-0 in this in-region stretch (vs Wash U 12/9, Chicago 12/16, @ Hanover 12/19).

As I've stated before, it's great to see Andrew Freeman get a chance to shine on the team.  He has played some significant time over the past three years but was mainly spelling people from the bench. 

Bob-  What's your opinion on the game and the impact that IWU's three big men will have on the game?  What are IWU's keys to a win?

As an IWU alum and a Wash U grad student, I'll still be wearing my green and white on Saturday!!

TitanBacker, IWU's frontline of Freeman/Gant/Freeman has really been great on the boards in the early going, averaging 26 rebounds per game.  These three will have to get after it again this afternoon -- Wash U is big. I'd like to see the Titans decisvely win that battle of the boards today.

As far as keys, I guess I'd say...

1) Keeping Zach Freeman out of foul trouble and on the floor his usual 35 minutes.  I don't think Wash U has anyone who can handle him one-on-one.

2) Winning the rebounding battle by 7+.

3) Shooting a good percentage from 3-point range -- Wash U will pack it in on Freeman and the perimeter players will get great looks.  (IWU is shooting 40% from 3 this year which is obviously very good.)  Against Illinois College - in the only other home game - the Titans were terrible from 3-pt range (5-24).

4) Distributing the ball better and taking care of it better.  On the season IWU has 97 assists to 116 turnovers...that's pretty disturbing and has to improve.


Some pretty obvious things, but that's how I see it.

[Titan Q]

The Pantagraph piece on the game...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/12/09/sports/doc457a2ed395835090825447.txt


Unfortunately Brian Nussbaum reinjured his bad shoulder and is now officially out for the season.  Brian gave it a go and tried to play through pain, but it is just not meant to be for the junior from H-F.  Great kid -- I hope the shoulder cooperates next year and he is able to play his senior season.

[pantherpride06]

10:30 1st Half

North Central 27, Robert Morris 21

[pantherpride06]

HALFTIME at Greenville

North Central 41 - Robert Morris 35

[AUGsportsFAN]

Looks to be a good game with NCC and RM.  Should be the same with Augie (5-1) and Coe (5-0) tonight.  Apparently Augie's student radio will have their first broadcast on WAUG as well.  Can't wait for the game. 

[Dark Knight]

I won't weigh in with my opinion on the relative strength of the CCIW this season, because the only kind of weight I could throw around would be what results from eating too much Hudsonville Ice Cream. However, you might be interested to hear what Massey ratings have to say (bearing in mind that it's early in the season and the Massey rating is fluctuating even more than the d3hoops poll at the moment):

Carthage	#9
N Central	#15
Wheaton	#19
Ill Wes	#21
Augustana	#28
Elmhurst	#40
North Park	#119
Millikin	#182

The CCIW is the strongest D-III conference at the moment, and Carthage is the strongest team in the conference, based on results so far.  Raymond's return is apparent, and North Park has moved up to a very respectable #119.

[RedMan1]

Redmen win 60-48 at Beloit. No stats out yet

[RedMan1]

Schlemm had an off night, but the freshman Sean Fendley had 13. It is good to see the freshman contribute to the team. Navarro Thompson also played well with 11 points. Nice win for the Redmen on the road.

[AndOne]

Final from Greenville---

North Central: 85
Robert Morris: 75

3 new starters for NCC in this game----Freshmen Reid Barringer & Brandon Smith at the guards and soph Chris Drennan at one forward along with Walton & Simmons.

Brandon Smith--22 pts (16 last night off the bench)
Dan Walton------21 pts

[martin]

IWU lost at home to Wash U, 75-63.  Items that stand out in the box score - IWU had 16 turnovers to 5 for the Bears.  IWU had 37 rebounds to 27 for Wash.  Both teams shot similar percentages, 24-54 for Wash, 24-52 for IWU.  Wash shot 9-18 from three, while IWU was 5-16 from beyond the arc.  Wash was 18-24 from the line, IWU 10-16.

Chicago travels down to the Shirk next Saturday.  The Maroons made 17 of 31 three point attempts today in routing Kalamazoo 93-59.  UofC is done with exams while I think IWU has finals this coming week.  It will be interesting to see which team is better prepared to play.

[ac_fan]

Final from Augustana:

Augie 70
Coe 47

Augie looked pretty solid tonight against an undefeated Coe team that received some votes for the poll. Delp had 11, Brusveen had 11, Dain Swetalla had 11, and Wessels had 10. Pretty much a great effort all the way around. Chandler Collins gave Augie some huge minutes off the bench tonight with 4 pts., 9 boards (7 in the first half), and two monstorous blocks. A big surprise tonight though was Nate Swetalla only took one shot and did not score. He needs to be a bigger contributor down the road. I know it's still early on in the non-conference season but I feel Augie is starting to come around as a team that can repeat as Conference Champions.