MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[John Gleich]

IMO, part of it has to do with the fact that Augie got another L in the loss column.  Plain and simple.  Now, other teams lost and didn't drop (for ex, La Crosse lost and jumped INTO the top 25).  But this could have just been a corrective measure.

More later perhaps...

[David Collinge]

One of the teams that passed Augustana was Mississippi College.  All the Choctaws did in the interim was blast the (perhaps overrated) #13 team (Johns Hopkins) out of the gym by 24 points, then win the next night on the home floor of a very tough NAIA team (Westmont.)  Tough to have any arguments about that re-ranking.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

One of the teams that passed Augustana was Mississippi College.  All the Choctaws did in the interim was blast the (perhaps overrated) #13 team (Johns Hopkins) out of the gym by 24 points, then win the next night on the home floor of a very tough NAIA team (Westmont.)  Tough to have any arguments about that re-ranking.

Right and WPU was neck and neck with them to begin with.  The big complaint could be with Averett, which jumped nearly 100 points.  The only reason for this that makes sense to me is that no one outside the South region noticed they were undefeated until Christmas.

[79jaybird]

Well, Augie will have a little "mo" on their side coming into Elmhurst on Saturday, after their win yesterday.  I think one of the Bluejays' keys is to contain D. Swetalla, but more importantly clean up their defense which was porous at times vs. Beloit.
For Augie, I think one of their keys is to control Nick Michael's play inside.  Also, I look for Elmhurst's Bench  (P. Bacon) to come up big.  I am looking forward to Saturday's game.

[AndOne]

Hoops----

Right on re Averett (and many other schools).
I think there are many people who are very knowledgeable about D3 teams within their region, who know little or nothing about the teams in other areas of the country.

This is not a criticism, but a fact. There are of course exceptions that have at least some idea of most teams on a national basis, but I bet this is not the norm.

Maybe this is a problem inherent with national polls.

[dansand]

I don't have any problem with where Augie's ranked right now. Although, I think it's a stretch to say they haven't really played anyone. UWSP (11-1, #1) and Washington (9-1, #24) are currently ranked, Coe is 9-2 and two of Wartburg's (6-5) five losses are to D1 and D2 teams and Simpson is 7-4 including a win over 10-1 Elmhurst. Overall, their opponents are 70-66 and Augie's schedule is ranked 40th nationally by Massey (and I think that was before they played UWSP). Not great, but certainly not terrible. Only Carthage and IWU have higher rated schedules in the CCIW.

The real head-scratcher this year has been their loss to St. Ambrose and the fact that they moved up four spots in the rankings afterwards. That was probably the worst game I've ever seen a good team play--ever. I think moving up from 15th to 11th after that is probably the point where they got ranked a little too high.

BTW, I have to agree "total garbage" is pretty harsh.

Oh yeah. Welcome back April. Count me in for old and crazy. Hopefully not too lame.

[Gregory Sager]

Today's Sun Times Small College column focuses on North Park and closes with the CCIW's overall nonconference record (65-22).  The reporter may have obtained the record from this board.  Good job, Greg.

Thanks, Mark. Even though a Carthage win tomorrow night over Northland in the CCIW's non-conference finale is practically a fait accompli, I'll still wait until after the game to post the CCIW's final non-conference breakdown for the 2006-07 regular season.

It was great to see that Sun-Times piece on NPU this morning. It's been eons since either of the two Chicago dailies did a piece on Vikings basketball ... not that I would've wanted either one to have written about the team during any of the recent seasons in which the Vikings were beaten repeatedly like a red-headed stepchild.

In that same small-college hoops column it was mentioned that Purdue-Calumet canceled the remainder of its season last week after eight of the fourteen players on the roster were declared academically ineligible, which led to the coach and his two assistants (all three of whom are part-timers) submitting their resignations. Anyone who happens to be feeling down because his or her favorite team is not living up to expectations this season ought to count their blessings that he or she isn't a Purdue-Calumet fan.

[AndOne]

Well, Augie will have a little "mo" on their side coming into Elmhurst on Saturday, after their win yesterday.  I think one of the Bluejays' keys is to contain D. Swetalla, but more importantly clean up their defense which was porous at times vs. Beloit.
For Augie, I think one of their keys is to control Nick Michael's play inside.  Also, I look for Elmhurst's Bench  (P. Bacon) to come up big.  I am looking forward to Saturday's game.

I just have a sense that Augie may have more of a problem with Ruch than with Michael. Ruch has 81 boards in 237 minutes compared with 75 for Michael in 310 minutes. If Augie leans on Michael and plays physical on him, I think he will back down a bit under the pressure. On the other hand, Ruch will dish out as much as he takes.

[Gregory Sager]

Well, Augie will have a little "mo" on their side coming into Elmhurst on Saturday, after their win yesterday.  I think one of the Bluejays' keys is to contain D. Swetalla, but more importantly clean up their defense which was porous at times vs. Beloit.
For Augie, I think one of their keys is to control Nick Michael's play inside.  Also, I look for Elmhurst's Bench  (P. Bacon) to come up big.  I am looking forward to Saturday's game.

I just have a sense that Augie may have more of a problem with Ruch than with Michael. Ruch has 81 boards in 237 minutes compared with 75 for Michael in 310 minutes. If Augie leans on Michael and plays physical on him, I think he will back down a bit under the pressure. On the other hand, Ruch will dish out as much as he takes.

I was thinking the same thing, AO.

[AndOne]

Thanks GS!
+ 1 if I could give Karma (which I don't fully understand and can't give yet  )

[Gregory Sager]

Thanks GS!
+ 1 if I could give Karma (which I don't fully understand and can't give yet  )

Just 46 more posts to go, AO.

[petemcb]

Well, Augie will have a little "mo" on their side coming into Elmhurst on Saturday, after their win yesterday.  I think one of the Bluejays' keys is to contain D. Swetalla, but more importantly clean up their defense which was porous at times vs. Beloit.
For Augie, I think one of their keys is to control Nick Michael's play inside.  Also, I look for Elmhurst's Bench  (P. Bacon) to come up big.  I am looking forward to Saturday's game.

I just have a sense that Augie may have more of a problem with Ruch than with Michael. Ruch has 81 boards in 237 minutes compared with 75 for Michael in 310 minutes. If Augie leans on Michael and plays physical on him, I think he will back down a bit under the pressure. On the other hand, Ruch will dish out as much as he takes.

I was thinking the same thing, AO.

Will I get an e-scolding if I say that I was thinking that three days ago........?

[Gregory Sager]

Well, Augie will have a little "mo" on their side coming into Elmhurst on Saturday, after their win yesterday.  I think one of the Bluejays' keys is to contain D. Swetalla, but more importantly clean up their defense which was porous at times vs. Beloit.
For Augie, I think one of their keys is to control Nick Michael's play inside.  Also, I look for Elmhurst's Bench  (P. Bacon) to come up big.  I am looking forward to Saturday's game.

I just have a sense that Augie may have more of a problem with Ruch than with Michael. Ruch has 81 boards in 237 minutes compared with 75 for Michael in 310 minutes. If Augie leans on Michael and plays physical on him, I think he will back down a bit under the pressure. On the other hand, Ruch will dish out as much as he takes.

I was thinking the same thing, AO.

Will I get an e-scolding if I say that I was thinking that three days ago........?

Not from me, Pete. I'm still chuckling over your "April in January" quip.

[AndOne]

Well, Augie will have a little "mo" on their side coming into Elmhurst on Saturday, after their win yesterday.  I think one of the Bluejays' keys is to contain D. Swetalla, but more importantly clean up their defense which was porous at times vs. Beloit.
For Augie, I think one of their keys is to control Nick Michael's play inside.  Also, I look for Elmhurst's Bench  (P. Bacon) to come up big.  I am looking forward to Saturday's game.

I just have a sense that Augie may have more of a problem with Ruch than with Michael. Ruch has 81 boards in 237 minutes compared with 75 for Michael in 310 minutes. If Augie leans on Michael and plays physical on him, I think he will back down a bit under the pressure. On the other hand, Ruch will dish out as much as he takes.

I was thinking the same thing, AO.

Will I get an e-scolding if I say that I was thinking that three days ago........?

I owe Greg one--so if he won't scold you, neither will I

[petemcb]

Well, Augie will have a little "mo" on their side coming into Elmhurst on Saturday, after their win yesterday.  I think one of the Bluejays' keys is to contain D. Swetalla, but more importantly clean up their defense which was porous at times vs. Beloit.
For Augie, I think one of their keys is to control Nick Michael's play inside.  Also, I look for Elmhurst's Bench  (P. Bacon) to come up big.  I am looking forward to Saturday's game.

I just have a sense that Augie may have more of a problem with Ruch than with Michael. Ruch has 81 boards in 237 minutes compared with 75 for Michael in 310 minutes. If Augie leans on Michael and plays physical on him, I think he will back down a bit under the pressure. On the other hand, Ruch will dish out as much as he takes.

I was thinking the same thing, AO.

Will I get an e-scolding if I say that I was thinking that three days ago........?

I owe Greg one--so if he won't scold you, neither will I

I'm lovin' the lovin' in this room ever since April re-emerged.  Does that make me old, lame, or anything else?