MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Brick]

Naperville is a whooole lot nicer of a town than anything I've ever heard about Decatur...

I'll second that....not that the QC is anything to shout about   

[Dennis_Prikkel]

is up on the CCIW.org site

http://www.cciw.org/winter_bball_m/06_07_MBBallconf.htm

very interesting.........

Elmhurst gets four guys

Burks makes 2nd team, while Lee (who IMHO was much more important to the success of the Jays) makes 3rd team.

Raymond - MOP

MW 70:3

[rknuppel]

Congrats to Raymond on taking the MOP.  Quite an accomplishment for a sophomore!

Great job Ruch, Burks, Michael, Lee and all others on 1-3 teams.  Well deserved all-conference selections.

[79jaybird]

Congratulations to all the All-Conference selections.  At least this committee got their selections right and not the MLB Hall of Fame Committees who (disappointingly) did not admit Ron Santo to the Hall.  Man committees and (my teams) just haven't clicked this year. 
Anyway, congrats to Brent Ruch and Kent Raymond making the #1 Team as Sophs.  I agree Raymond was MOP.  Hey, I know I had 2 faults, but I did nab 3 of the 5 right on my first team.

[Titan Q]

with regards to the "committee" it should be remembered that in 2004 when the Joel Kolmodin led Thunder were left off the dance floor, Wheaton coach Bill Harris was on the committee. He resigned his post the day after selection Sunday that year.

And the replacement was Coach Tim Littrell, who, in my opinion, did a pretty good job advocating for the CCIW on that committee. I mean, just look at how the regional rankings have been all year (a crazy number of CCIW teams) and how many teams we've got into the tournament last year... 

So who's next? Can't imagine many people want that job?

The world of college basketball coaching is an intense one and like every other profession, it's all about opportunity.  I am 100% sure that as word of the opening at Millikin University gets around the country, it is generating substantial interest...some from people that might surprise all of us.  When jobs like Blackburn and Lakeland have opened in recent years, I think many would be surprised at the interest...top CCIW assistants, for example.  Millikin will have plenty of strong candidates too.

MU competes in one of the best conferences in Division III -- that is attractive to many.  Location-wise, I have always thought Millikin is in an advantageous spot if they would recruit the central and southern parts of the state aggressively like they should.  I've always felt that Coach Littrell spent too much time north of I-80, battling the IWU's, Augustana's, Elmhurst's, etc..  The last few years I felt he did a great job in the market I've always thought they should be in -- Gensler (Mt Zion), Ott (East Peoria), Rexroade (Seneca), etc. 

As we speak, the Millikin opening -- considered by some as not very attractive -- is thought of as the perfect opportunity for many aspiring head coaches who are busy putting their resumes together.  The Big Blue will find a good coach.

[Titan Q]

As I have posted a few times this year, I think Zach Freeman and Kent Raymond were the two best players in the CCIW.  Freeman led the league in scoring and rebounding (which has now only happened 6 times) and Raymond, of course, is amazing.  Those were my top two M.O.P. candidates.  Congrats to Kent Raymond and all of the All-CCIW picks!

[LU_nut]

curiousity question:::::  I notice that Raymond is listed as a soph.  Does he still have two year of eligibility left??? or did he lose a year by laying out?  I thought the NCAA eliminated redshirting at the D3 level a few years ago.

[Titan Q]

Raymond did not redshirt -- redshirting is when you practice with the team, etc.  Raymond was not a member of the basketball team at Wheaton at all in 2005-06.  Players still have 5 years to get their 4 seasons of eligibility in, and that includes medical redshirt situations and situations like Raymond's where he just chose not to play for personal reasons.

Raymond has two seasons of eligibility left if he wants them.

[AUGsportsFAN]

Here's my All-CCIW teams:
1st Team
G Drew Wessels
G Kent Raymond
C Zach Freeman
F Brent Ruch
F Dan Walton

2nd Team
G Ryan Burks
G Brian Lee
C Dain Swetalla
F Brian Schlemm
F Anthony Simmons

3rd Team
G Drew Gensler
G Jordan Delp
C Nick Michael
F Anthony Lenoir
F Johnnie Standard

Looks like my original all-conference picks were right on the mark for the most part.  Also, congrats to Kent Raymond for winning the MOP.  He had several great games this season.  Now hopefully Augie can represent the CCIW well and beat Carroll on Thursday night after Elmhurst got snubbed after just getting ranked 13th best in the country!  

[LU_nut]

Thanks Titan Q.  That makes sense. 

[BRLHSFAN]

Congrats to all of the guys who made all conference.

A HUGE CONGRATS TO MY ELMHURST GUYS AND ESPECIALLY ONE OF MY "OTHER SONS" BRENT RUCH!!!

Just so you know my name is not for Brent Ruch, it's for his alma mater because my son went to school with him and graduated there a year ahead of him so it's stands for Blue Ridge and my daughter's high school since we moved.  Just wanted to clarify that so that everyone knows it's not Brent Ruch fan.     I just have known him sooooooo long that I'm very proud of him and his accomplishments!

[ecdubb420]

Congrats to the 16 men on the All-CCIW team.
Nick, Brian, Ryan and Brent: Job Well done!!!
Anyone know if Nick now has the record for most 3rd team All-CCIW selections (05,06,07?)
As far as more who is more valuable to their team Lee or Burks, arguments can be made in both cases.  I put together some of their numbers in losses compared to wins to try and make some sense.
Burks  
Wins 17.7ppg, 50.6%fg, 44.7%3pt, 10.6 shots/game, 5.0 3ptatt
Loss 16.7ppg, 38.5%fg, 37.8%3pt, 11.7shots, 6.2 3ptatt

Lee
Wins 12.1ppg, 52.8%, 50%3pt, 8.5shots, 2.0 3ptatt, 2.0 TO
Loss 10.8ppg, 42.8%, 17.7%3pt, 10.5shots, 2.8 3ptatt, 3.3 TO

Simply put, if they shot well, EC probably won.  If they struggled, they often times got their points, but did so by chucking up more shots.  Lee was the floor general who bailed out EC when the clock was ticking down, Ryan was the one making the big shots and getting the quick runs rolling when the team was struggling.  Too close to call, but generally as Lee's outside shot was on, so was EC.

[tjcummingsfan]

Kind of interesting that Elmhurst got 4 guys on, and Augie only got 3. 

[Viking Mike]

I am still trying to figure out how the CCIW reg season and tournament champion and No. 2 Midwest ranked team (prior to No. 1 Chicago losing) gets a second round matchup with the West's No. 2 seed...Are you kidding me?   How can there be any substance to these regional rankings that come out in the last 3 weeks of the season if the NCAA is going to ignore them.......Augustana won 2 games in the last week while U of Chicago lost to No. 3 ranked Washington.  Augie beat Washington early in the year.
Aurora was the No. 4 seed.  How do Washington and Aurora jump over Augie in the NCAA selection committee's eyes and get to host 4 team regionals while Augie gets one home game and a potential  trip to St Thomas 6 hours away in round 2?  Augustana should be hosting a 4 team regional this week and washington or perhaps chicago should have been sent to St. Thomas.  As a huge Div 3 alumni and fan, I was very disappointed with the selection committee's decision regarding the Midwest/west bracket.   Given Augie's tremendous season, there first place finish in the nations BEST basketball conference, there regional ranking and there now No. 7 ranking by Div 3.com, I felt 2 games in Rock Island this weekend was a no-brainer!!!   Titan Q... I know you share my disgust with this draw for Augie.  Any words of wisdom you can offer me?  I love Div 3 basketball and my Vikings, but I am very upset.  Not only will I not be able to see the Vikings play in St. Paul Sat(assuming they win thur) b/c of the 6 hour drive, but I will miss their Thur night game as I live in the Chicago area and have to work Fri...Just doesn't seem like a fair shake for a solid Augustana team from THE CCIW.  Get the feeling that with only one bid from  the CCIW and an awful draw for Augie, someone on the selection committee is not fond of Augustana or the CCIW...

[AndOne]

Viking Mike-----

I don't really think the NCAA has it in for Augie. The CCIW------->Maybe 

Last year Augie lost 4 of its last 5 games prior to the national tourney. The 5th loss was in the conference tourney when they couldn't even win a game on their home floor. Their reward---->They got to host not one, but the first TWO games of the national tourney, with the first game being against a team that had won only 1 or 2 more games than they lost (a conf tourney winner). Soooo----I don't think you can say the NCAA has it in for Augie.

Another part of last year's CCIW tourney story was that North Central, after finishing 2nd in the regular season and winning the conference tourney, was the one sent all the way to St. Thomas------almost a SEVEN hour bus ride from NCC. So, if the NCAA doesn't respect a specific CCIW team, it looks like the choice is NC, not Augie.

This year, I believe Augie still gets the 1st game at home, and then the bus to St. Thomas will only take about 3 1/2-4 hrs rather than 7. Look at the bright side.