MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[diehardfan]

I guess I would ask that Pat or Titan Q give us a refresher on why there is not just a 64 team tourney. What harm is there in adding five more teams and having everyone play a first round game? Elmhurst would surely have been in the next 5 qualifiers.

Since Q is currently living it up in Vegas,  I will answer. The NCAA has an across the board ratio for all DIII sports, which is one playoffs spot for each 6.5 member institutions. This means that, for example, that women's basketball has more playoff spots because they have more teams total. They recently made the ratio to that smaller 6.5 ratio across the board in DIII to bring us up to the 59 total slots we have. I doubt they're going to make the ratio any smaller any time soon... every time they change it the change is made across the board... DIII tennis, DIII water polo.... you get the idea... it's expensive!

[sac]

Besides, Hope got it worse anyway.

How did Hope get it worse?  I'm not sure I follow here.  I'm kind of assuming Aurora's the 2 seed Calvin 7, Chicago or Hope 3 and 6.......but I think the real seeding got lost in geography adjustments.

[sac]

I found this in the "Open Dates" area.

Elmhurst College (IL) is looking for an in region game on either opening weekend, Dec. 4 or 5, or Jan. 4 or 5 for the 2007-2008 Season.  We are willing to either start a home and home series or give a guarantee. 

If interested please contact Dan Doyle at doyled742@elmhurst.edu or 630-617-3379. 

Ironic and well timed I think. 

PS(before anyone chimes in, Hope's busy )

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Besides, Hope got it worse anyway.

How did Hope get it worse?  I'm not sure I follow here.  I'm kind of assuming Aurora's the 2 seed Calvin 7, Chicago or Hope 3 and 6.......but I think the real seeding got lost in geography adjustments.

I'd rather play Carroll to start off than Chicago, not to mention the potential meeting with Calvin in round two.  I know I've been a hope hater all year, but going purely by the numbers, they should have done better than that.

[armywife]

I read Dave Wrath's article on the Augie Men's basketball web site and he seems downright cheerful about playing Carroll at home, and then if they win, heading to Minnesota. So, I guess if he's not complaining, then I won't either.

[petemcb]

Rather than echo the complaints (which I agree with whole-heartedly), I'm thinking that, at least for the Chicago and vicinity fans, we have an exciting and probably highly entertaining first and second round to witness right in our own back yard.  With Aurora hosting Calvin, Chicago, and Hope this weekend, we can still see some great games locally before we drop the curtain on this season (as spectators).  Anyone posters up for Friday/Saturday in Aurora this weekend?  I hear it's beautiful this time of year.........

[LU_nut]

augie could have it worse.....I would much rather go up to play the MIAC champ than go play at Stevens Point(which could have happened).  LU beat the MIAC champs each of the last two years pretty convincingly, one of the games was at Gustavas.  Last year was at home against the same St. Thomas team.  My guess is that playing at St. Thomas will be tough, but 10 points easier than playing at Point.  Two years ago we beat Gustavas by 15 at their place and then got killed at Point.  Of course the NCAA pretty much made sure we were screwed by having us travel over 10 hours and then have a game about 40 hours later.  At least Augie gets to play at home before heading out to St. Paul.  LU shut down the big guy from St. Thomas last year and my guess is that Augie can do the same.

They system is screwed up.  I have a pretty good understanding of how it all works and understand what they are trying to accomplish(regional focus/ classroom time. etc), but come on......it is not fair to the players.  When it is tourney time, something much closer to the best 59 (why not 64) should be playing.  Elmhurst is absolutely a potential final four team, so is Oshkosh.  Why load up a bunch of weaklings in the East just because there a a bunch more schools out there???

I really like the classroom balance of d3 sports, but this is pretty high level b-ball.......Can't we compromise just a little during the tourney???  The WIAC and CCIW have 14 fricking national championships in mens b-ball.  To only put one from each conference when the conferences are both relatively up is in my opinion is downright crazy.....when you do that I am not sure how you can call it a national championship.   Damn left wing- east coast liberals.......

[ecdubb420]

I'm looking forward to the All-CCIW teams being released.
Drew Wessels could very easily end up receiving the MOP, though he did get outplayed by Brian Lee in two of three games.
Raymond should get the award, but it could come down to the senior captain on the double winners, being awarded for being the most valuable player on the best team.
Speaking of an out of date award system, how about CCIW coach of the year.  Giovanine deserves the award this year, but in the past, the conference winning coach wasn't the most deserving.
I'm already looking forward to seeing who EC recruits and also trying to figure out which freshman may have a Burks type season and explode on the CCIW scene.
Thank you Nick, Mike, Brian and Jay, you deserved to play another game, but 56-22 (including three straight top two CCIW finishes) in the last three seasons shows us that soon EC will get a chance to make it to the tournament.  
With a 64 team tournament, these men may have played in three straight NCAA tournaments.  I'll wait for QOWI index reports saying this is wrong (since they are credible indicators of the top teams in the NATION), but at the end of those seasons EC was playing like a team that could win multiple tournament games.
Oh well, now I'll have to settle for Calvin-Aurora and Hope-Chicago next weekend, not a bad consolation, but nothing like seeing Scherer and Co. finally get to show to the country they can compete with the best.

[79jaybird]

Hypothetical here and just asking (not implying) but if IWU was in the same situation as Elmhurst this year, would they be sitting at home also? 
I get this strange feeling that the people out east and the selectors don't like (something about) Elmhurst? 

My votes
Coach of the year: Giovanine
Player of the Year:  Raymond

AC Team  (only picking a starting 5 guys)
G Raymond
F Ruch
F Wessels
G Gensler
C D. Swetalla

[The Roop]

Nobody in the MWC really likes Carroll, so the CCIW can have them back. That way you can say you got 2 yeams in this year. For now I'd say Augie should be a 15-20 point favorite and the MIAC has never impressed me so I wouldn't worry about the seedings.

[tjcummingsfan]

79jaybird, yes! they would!  For the love!  Its not a subjective system.

Also the AC Team doesn't go by position, so Zach Freeman will be on their undoubtedly as well.

[LU_nut]

79 jaybird......even if they do not go by position, you are ouot of bounds........you would put the Augie kid with 12 points and 5 rebounds a game on the team ahead of the IWU kid with 22 and 9???  That would make no sense.  Freeman is the best big guy in the country.  He led his team to the final four last year and is one of the all time leading scorers and rebounders at IWU.  I saw IWU a couple times last year and I do not care what all american attention the guard and foward got.....freeman was their best player in my opinion.  I know he had help last year......but he carried his team to the 2 point win at LU last year in the second half.

I have not dog in this hunt as I am a Lawrence fan....because they were all at LU last year in the tourney I have seen them both.

[diehardfan]

I get this strange feeling that the people out east and the selectors don't like (something about) Elmhurst? 

My votes
Coach of the year: Giovanine
Player of the Year:  Raymond

AC Team  (only picking a starting 5 guys)
G Raymond
F Ruch
F Wessels
G Gensler
C D. Swetalla

I don't know what to be more confused about, the conspiracy theory, the fact that Gensler is on your first team, or the fact that Zach is not!!!

[Mugsy]

Hypothetical here and just asking (not implying) but if IWU was in the same situation as Elmhurst this year, would they be sitting at home also? 
I get this strange feeling that the people out east and the selectors don't like (something about) Elmhurst? 

My votes
Coach of the year: Giovanine
Player of the Year:  Raymond

AC Team  (only picking a starting 5 guys)
G Raymond
F Ruch
F Wessels
G Gensler
C D. Swetalla

I seem to recall this discussion numerous times, but unless I'm mistaken, the COY automatically goes to the CCIW champ, right?  So there isn't a vote...

[LU_nut]

jaybird

ps:  Ruch from Elmhurst also had far superior numbers.