MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[tjcummingsfan]

At the end of the day, when you have finished all of your banal ranting over Raymond, what have you really accomplished? He is still a superior athlete who obviously knows the game better than you. I am so sorry that we have to put up with five more games of your pitiful whining.

No one is saying he isn't an amazing player, I don't understand why that's always the Wheaton fan rebuttal.  What people are complaining about is the calls he gets because he's a superior athlete that obviously knows the game better than you or I.  It gets just as old listening to Wheaton fans telling us to "stop whining because Raymond is good." 

[79jaybird]

Raymond is a great leader and great player, but I disagree with those who think Wheaton is nothing without him.  Last I checked Basketball is a TEAM sport and team sports rely on everybody contributing.  Who passes the ball to Raymond?  Who is posting up for Raymond to get open?  Who is rebounding the enemy's miss and feeding Raymond up the court? etc.  While Raymond might get the points and stats, I think he would be the first to tell you that his teammates are very valuable to the Thunder team.
Augie is in pretty good shape right now.  The road trip to the Shirk will be a toughy, but unless Augie really self destructs, they should win their 2nd title in a row.
I am still going with my gut feeling that the CCIW will have Augie, Elmhurst, and Wheaton in the big dance, assuming 1 of these 3 teams wins the CCIW Tournament.  There are still 3 big games left of course, but I think the conditions are favorable for the CCIW to have a repeat of last year with 3 entrants.

[Titan Q]

I am still going with my gut feeling that the CCIW will have Augie, Elmhurst, and Wheaton in the big dance, assuming 1 of these 3 teams wins the CCIW Tournament.  There are still 3 big games left of course, but I think the conditions are favorable for the CCIW to have a repeat of last year with 3 entrants.

Pat Coleman posted the most recent QOWI figures today...

http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=2910.210

Below are the Pool C teams from last year (in bold)...the Pool A/B teams are crossed off.  This is in order of final Quality of Wins Index (QOWI) and also includes in-region winning % -- the two big metrics.

Take a look at where the CCIW teams stand right now on the current QOWI list Pat posted, and I think you will see that the CCIW is not a lock to get even one Pool C, let alone two.  Augie would be the only team safely in as a Pool C at this point.

Note that the lowest Pool C selected was #44 on the QOWI list...right now Elmhurst is #43 and Wheaton #52.  And remember, there is a good chance that our best Pool C candidates are going to lose a game in the conference tournament.
---------------------
(as of selection day 2006)


1-10
Amherst     12.160     24-1
Lawrence    11.682    22-0
Worcester Polytech    11.250    20-3
Mississippi College    11.154    25-1
Tufts    11.000    20-5 Pool C
St. John Fisher    11.000    22-1
Lincoln    10.688    12-4  Pool B
Wittenberg    10.652    20-3
Gordon    10.560    22-3 Pool C
Carnegie Mellon    10.550    16-4

11-20
Virginia Wesleyan    10.481    24-3
Augustana    10.478    19-4 Pool C
Cortland State    10.440    22-3 Pool C
York (Pa.)    10.400    22-3 Pool C
Transylvania    10.370    23-4
Trinity (Texas)    10.316    16-3 Pool C
UW-Whitewater    10.304    18-5
William Paterson    10.240    19-6
Hope    10.211    17-2
North Central    10.095    16-5
               
21-30
Bates    10.091    16-6 (not selected)
Carroll    10.087    19-4 Pool C
Ursinus    10.080    20-5
Baldwin-Wallace    10.077    22-4
Washington U.    10.050    14-6 (not selected)
Wooster    10.042    21-3 Pool C
Carleton    10.000    18-5 Pool C
St. Thomas    9.960    20-5
Baruch    9.958    21-3 Pool C
Alvernia    9.958    21-3
               
31-40
Illinois Wesleyan    9.952    15-6 Pool C
Puget Sound    9.944    16-2
Widener    9.920    20-5 Pool C
Lakeland    9.905    17-4 (not selected)
UW-La Crosse    9.880    18-7 Pool C
SUNY-Farmingdale    9.875    19-5
UW-Stout    9.870    18-5 Pool C
Randolph-Macon    9.840    19-6 Pool C
Keene State    9.800    18-7 (not selected)
Fisk    9.800    10-5 (not selected for Pool B)
               
41-50
Trinity (Conn.)    9.750    15-5 (not selected)
Occidental    9.750    12-4 Pool C
Calvin    9.733    13-2 Pool C
Utica    9.692    20-6 Pool C
MIT    9.680    17-7 (not selected)
Messiah    9.583    17-7
Whitworth    9.542    18-6 (not selected)
Catholic    9.542    19-5
Endicott    9.520    16-8
Lake Erie    9.500    18-4

[John Gleich]

Grey Giovanine currently on Hoopsville...  check it out, link on the front page

[dansand]

If it looks like an 8-team tournament, and it walks like an 8-team tournament, and it smells like an 8-team tournament...

Coach G stole my quote and paraphrased it on Hoopsville!   
I love how he pushed for Wessels for MOP and used the show's ending as an invitation to potential recruits (and he didn't gaurantee anyone they would start).

[Titan Q]

I believe he called Drew Wessels the "no-brainer" choice for M.O.P. right now...interesting.

[tjcummingsfan]

Maybe he's making the assumption the winner is coming from the team that wins the regular season...

[Titan Q]

Maybe he's making the assumption the winner is coming from the team that wins the regular season...

Yes, that is how he explained that position.  But in a league with Kent Raymond and Zach Freeman, Wessels is not a lock for M.O.P. if Augie wins the title.  Joel Kolmodin won it in 2003 on a 4th place team simply because he was the best player.

[Brick]

I tend to think that Drew gets looked over because he does not have the offensive numbers that the others have, however Wessels is a one man press...when Drew isn't in the game Augie's Defense simply is no where near as good as it is when he is playing...

[kenoshamark]

Just a quick note from the NC - Carthage game last night, Brandon Smith is some kind of player for a freshman.   I'm very high on Sean Fendley from Carthage but after seeing Smith, wow !!!   

He absolutely hit the biggest shot of the night (yea, I know Walton hit the game winner) after Carthage had gone up by four, 68 - 64.   After a NC timeout, Smith gets a pass on the wing and calmly knocks down a trey in the face of Navaro Thompson.   Thompson was a little late getting out on him due to a pick but nonetheless, Smith stroked it and took away the momentum Carthage had gained.

Looking at his stats, and depending on where NC ends up, he very well might get some all-conference votes.

[Jim Matson]

I think our league has done a good job over the years picking the right M.O.P.  I don't think anyone's a lock right now, but we certainly have 3 or 4 players who could easily win the award.

[knarocky22]

I think if the award was called  the MVP and not the MOP,Wessels would be the guy.  Without him, Augie probably wouldn't even be a .500 team in the CCIW (in my opinion).  However, the award isn't the Most Valuable Player, it is the Most Outstanding Player, which I believe goes to Ruch, Freeman, or Raymond.

[robberki]

I think if the award was called  the MVP and not the MOP,Wessels would be the guy.  Without him, Augie probably wouldn't even be a .500 team in the CCIW (in my opinion).  However, the award isn't the Most Valuable Player, it is the Most Outstanding Player, which I believe goes to Ruch, Freeman, or Raymond.

would you go as far to say the rest of Augie is "garbage". I'll hang up and listen for your response...

[knarocky22]

No, but without Wessels, they really wouldn't have a floor general.  Pelton does a pretty good job coming in and spelling Wessels to get him a breather, but the offense doesn't run nearly as smooth when he is out and the defensive intensity he brings to the floor is key to Augie's success.  At their respective positions, the rest of Augie's team is perfectly fine, but they just don't have another point guard to step in and do what Wessels does.  There was one point in the game last night where Augie was on a fast break and Wessels pointed and told Delp where to go, then proceeded to penetrate and kick it out to him for a wide open three. 

I think Wessels is one of the main reasons Augie wins pretty much all of their close games, simply because he doesn't turn the ball over in key situations.  Do I think he is the best player in the league...no.  Do I think he is possibly the most valuable player to his team in the league....yes, but not because the rest of the team is "garbage," but because they just don't have another point guard to step in right now who can do what Wessels does.

[Gregory Sager]

Cause I was pretty sure Rob was pulling that stuff out from his rear.

That's what college administrators do best.