MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[OurHouse]

OurHouse,

this is exactly what I quoted you as saying to the team.

"Wheaton is NOTHING without Raymond only because they have no talented BIG guys and one smaller additional guard who cannot drive the lane but only hit 3's (anyone can do that)....if Raymond does not play, Wheaton is garbage!!"

Perhaps you could supply me with a few more acerbic quotes for when they come to your house.

ha ha ha

HaHaHaHaHa - still made no reference to anyone by name, did I   

I think the entire team is a non-impact team without raymond and have no really good impact big guys or impact guards to join raymond for the national treasure or that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - HaHaHaHaHa

[BeastMaster]

This week's games are critical for Millikin to win.  Hosting Wheaton and North Park and winning both could keep them on life support for the time being.  The young guys inside are fighting there butts off, but have been physically overpowered the last couple games.  All 3 freshman bigs had 3 fouls in the first half at Carthage which gave them major issues.  At Carthage they started 2 freshman (Rexroade and Demby), 2 sophomores (Gensler and Brock) and senior Mike Gavic.  I think that we will continue to challenge people, but have trouble winning at the end with so many young guys.  Hopefully DG recovers from his recent shooting woes, which can be contributed to defensive pressure and being double teamed.  The Wheaton game will be tough as will North Park and hopefully, The boys in Blue will come out with two W's.

[Late nite]

Wednesday night at Elmhurst is HUGE for NC---Four losses this early would spell trouble for the pre-season favorites---Looking at the schedule, it appears that 3 losses may get it done for a championship---NC played a solid defensive game vs Augie and another effort like that will give Elmhurst all it can handle---NC's guards are quick enough to stay with the EC guards

[Titan Q]

For any interested IWU fans, here is the archived Ron Rose Show from last night, hosted by Art Kimball w/ player guest Zach Freeman.


http://www.wjbc.com/wire/08035_Ron-Rose-Show-WEB_214146.htm

[AndOne]

In addition to playing solid defense, especially interior defense, NCC must also win two battles within the war. The first is the rebound battle against Elmhurst's "twin towers." Secondly, they need to take care of the ball and come out on top in the assist/TO battle.

Both teams average 36 rebounds a game. Elmhurst gives up 29 a game and NCC 27.
Offensively, NCC is plus 39 while Elmhurst is plus 20.
Defensively, its EU with a + 107 and NCC is at + 104.

Regarding assists/turnovers:
NCC has 215 assists and 237 turnovers.
EC   has 206 assists and 251 turnovers.

On paper then, NCC has the advantage in offensive rebounds and assist/turnover ratio. EC does slightly better rebounding defensively.

While the true test will take place on the court, there is no reason why NCC can't come home with the W. 

[79jaybird]

Of those 2 stats you mention AndOne, the one that I focus on the most is turnovers.  Elmhurst lost the Wheaton game mainly due to turnovers. 
The real key to me is going to be how Elmhurst operates on offense.  When they pound the ball inside to Ruch, Michael, and Hintzsche,  they are usually successful and maintain a flow.  The Wheaton game and 1st half of the NPU game, EC stayed on the perimeter and was forced into taking poor shots and subsequently didn't operate as well.
Should be a good game tomorrow night.  You have Elmhurst, angry over of the loss at Wheaton, looking to get back on the W track and NC trying to stay in the hunt, looking to play spoiler. 

[AndOne]

79jaybird---

I'm not sure "spoiler" is the correct terminology as NCC is by no means out of the race, especially for the conference tourney. I think of a spoiler as a team with no chance who ruins things for another team still in the running.

You are right about what will happen if EC is allowed to run its offense efficiently by being able to pound the ball inside---disaster for NCC. Thays why I made a point of mentioning interior defense in the first sentence of my post.

As far as turnovers, NCC was turning it over at an alarming rate early in the season, but in the last several games they have vastly improved in this area. The key will be to use their speed to force turnovers on the perimeter and seal off the inside from any easy entry passes.

As you do, I also look for a tightly contested game much like last year's battle at EC.

[79jaybird]

spoiler was probably not the best term. What I meant was if NC beats EC on our turf, then it is more of an disappointment b/c we couldn't protect our home floor.  By no means do I think any team is out of the picture.  Each and every game counts, which makes this year really fun.  Vegas would be having a field day with their possibilities. 
I don't like to point fingers, but there is 1 player on EC that worries me when he has the ball.  His passes aren't always crisp, and his hustle is not always there.  I wonder sometimes why Coach Scherrer has him in at crucial moments of the game.  Anyway, when EC plays their inside-outside game they are very tough and can match up with anybody.  What Simpson/Wheaton and to some degree NPU were able to do, was discrupt that inside/outside flow and keep the ball on the perimeter. 
If I know Coach Scherrer, I could see him saying something like "OK, we lost this game (Wheaton) because they took us out of our game.  We need to practice hard and get ready for NC this week.  Let's focus on getting the ball inside to Brent and Nick, and play smart on defense."
Course I could be totally wrong which is why I am not a coach. 

[usee]

4 CCIW teams in the latest top 25

11. Elmhurst
12. Augie

20. Carthage
21. Kent Raymond

[Mr. Ypsi]

4 CCIW teams in the latest top 25

11. Elmhurst
12. Augie

20. Carthage
21. Kent Raymond

Great response to OurHouse on #21!  +k

Of course, if we start getting poll positions by players, somehow they missed:
3. Zach Freeman

BTW, to get this off my chest before someone else notices, this MAY turn out to be an historic year for "Green Weenie" haters.  In 60+ years of the CCIW, IWU has NEVER finished below fifth place - yes, NEVER.  Having already lost at the Shirk to NPU and Millikin, I honesty do not see a game remaining on the schedule where they will be a clear favorite.  (I DO NOT think they will lose them all, but can't pick out one where they should clearly win, either.)

[augiefan]

Actually Augie has 5 home games and 3 away games remaining. They still have to travel to NPU, Carthage and IWU. The error in AndOne's post is probably a product of the incorrect reference to NPU playing at Augie on the 30th. As noted above the game is at NPU.

[Pat Coleman]

Already fixed.

[coat]

If North Park beats Carthage and Millikin this week, do they start getting some Top 25 votes? Humor me. Maybe I'm just giddy about North Park fielding a decent team for the first time since I graduated 5 years ago.

[Sakman 1111]

Elmhurst coming off two sub par games. Agree that they have to concentrate on working the ball inside to the two big men. Need to get scoring off the bench which means subbing Strzemp in at 3 man where he can score. If Elmhurst plays well I don't believe there is a team in the league that can beat them but they need to execute and play some subs that will score.....

[ecdubb420]

i wouldn't exactly complain about the production off the bench for Elmhurst.  Bacon and Hintzsche are providing way more than was anticipated.  the problem is that beyond that, a viable option is non-existent.  Maybe Matt Ryder will start taking shots when he is open, he certainly has the ability to drain some baskets from the outside.
I will believe that Strzemp is ready to contribute when he takes the ball on the inside and tries to play physical.  he has been guarding teams 2-3 and has only been on the perimeter on the offensive end.  This is not a knock on him, but instead on the belief that he is NOT ready to be a major part of EC's rotation.
If he gets back to 80-90% this team will be very, very difficult to beat.
when and if he comes back the that level, Sayre's minutes could go way down and Burks could start playing the 2 as was expected to happen had strzemp been healthy.
Until then, the team must get back to taking better shots and not being so sluggish on d. though they have played poorly the last two games, they beat a solid NP team on the road, and clawed back to give a tournament caliber wheaton team a tight finish, again on the road.  It isn't as if they looked terrible against subpar teams, but I'd be more concerned had they done so against poor teams and if they had done so at home.
Hopefully they will rebound against NCC, but I'm getting this feeling we will see a desperate NCC team tonight looking to get back in the CCIW title hunt.
Yet another great week in the CCIW ahead of us.