MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Gotcha.

[diehardfan]

Nice catch, Bob. I'd forgotten about those two Wheaton teams (and I'm surprised that nobody from Wheaton posted to remind me about them).

Are you serious? You know how there is that one horrible sports memory that replay in your head over and over in your night and day dreams? That Calvin game is that for me... hands down. Darn offensive rebound tip in for the win...what the heck? Watching them play HORRIBLY and lose to ROCHESTER in Salem later in the playoffs only made that even more painful. I am trying to forget that. It doesn't exist. It doesn't exist. It doesn't ex....

[Gregory Sager]

Nice catch, Bob. I'd forgotten about those two Wheaton teams (and I'm surprised that nobody from Wheaton posted to remind me about them).

Are you serious?

Yep.

[titan2000]

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[The Roop]

Never boast or brag
unless it is in haiku
some may not approve

[diehardfan]

Nice catch, Bob. I'd forgotten about those two Wheaton teams (and I'm surprised that nobody from Wheaton posted to remind me about them).

Are you serious?

Yep.

Mean! Owww! I mean... it totally doesn't exist! 8)

Is this where I remind you that we beat you twice this year? and last year? and the year before that? AND the year before that?

[veterancciwfan]

I may be wrong, but maybe this is a down year in general nationwide for D3 b'ball. I missed more IWU games this year than I have in the last 10 years combined, but of the games I saw, I didn't see one great team. Of the teams I saw, I think Wash. U. had the most talent and definitely was the best coached. Mark Edwards is a great coach and a great person. IWU has broken his heart so many times in the Tournament (in 96 in an Elite 8 game with probably his best team and again in 03 in St. Louis in a 2nd round game when the Bears were the #2 team in the nation and had probably the best D3 player in the country in Chris Jeffries), I would like to see Wash. U. as national champion, even though Wash. U. and IWU chase many of the same outstanding scholar/athletes.

Mark Edwards must value IWU highly as he sent his daughter there.

[Ralph Turner]

I may be wrong, but maybe this is a down year in general nationwide for D3 b'ball.
...

I am filing that one away in case Miss Coll does anything really special this year! 

[diehardfan]

I may be wrong, but maybe this is a down year in general nationwide for D3 b'ball.

I am filing that one away in case Miss Coll does anything really special this year! 

Uh oh... the Mississippi College fans would love that one. 

In the game I'm following tonight, Lake Erie is up big on John Carroll, which is from the OAC which is considered by many people to be a power conference. Early in St Paul, Carroll is also kicking St. Thomas in the tush. Maybe we're just feeling a shift in the centers of power. 

Incidentally... the Lake Erie area apparently has a restaurant named Scooters! For a second I thought... uhm, did they say Schooners? Am I listening to WJBC??

[Greek Tragedy]

Titan Q,

I know you've mentioned Washington U. several times.  Could you post your feelings on Washington U. on the WIAC board for us...and anyone else that has seen Washington U. play...

Thanks a lot.

Of the teams I saw, I think Wash. U. had the most talent and definitely was the best coached. Mark Edwards is a great coach and a great person.  I would like to see Wash. U. as national champion, even though Wash. U. and IWU chase many of the same outstanding scholar/athletes.

Your thoughts would be appreciated on the WIAC board too, if you'd like to, thanks. 

[Pat Coleman]

I saw them at NYU about a month ago -- thought they were talented but not very deep and they might have problems against teams with strong big men.

[Greek Tragedy]

I saw them at NYU about a month ago -- thought they were talented but not very deep and they might have problems against teams with strong big men.

With apologies to Jon Krull, I don't think we're one of them.

[usee]

Wheaton was the 4th seed in this opening weekend and will have an excellent chance to move on against Simpson tomorrow.  Wheaton is playing well right now.

Ooops. 

[Titan Q]

Titan Q,

I know you've mentioned Washington U. several times.  Could you post your feelings on Washington U. on the WIAC board for us...and anyone else that has seen Washington U. play...

Thanks a lot.

OS, good to see you Friday night at Aurora.

Wash U. is a very good team.  While they are not as good as some of the great teams I have seen play in Salem the last 10 years, in this year of great parity in Division III, I think they're good enough to win two games this weekend and get to the Final Four.  As I evaluate the best teams I have seen this year, I'd say Wash U. is right at the top of that list, dead even with Elmhurst, Hope, and Augustana.

Wash U is dangerous because they have great balance.  Like Illinois Wesleyan's nucleus of the last 3 years, they have a great point-guard (6-2 sophomore Sean Wallis, 12.9 ppg/7.4 apg), a great wing (6-6/200 sophomore Tyler Nading, 15.3 ppg/6.3 apg), and a great low post player (6-6/235 junior Troy Ruths, 19.4 ppg/7.9 rpg).  The other two starters, 2-guard Aaron Thompson (6.8 ppg) and 6-5/195 power forward Nick Nikitas (6.8 ppg), are solid role players.  Where Wash U is nowhere near as good as that IWU nucleus is in the depth department.  Where IWU had Chris Jones, Steve Schweer, Matt Arnold, Mike McGraw, and Andrew Freeman, Wash U really only has two bench players that get 10+ minutes consistently -- 6-5 freshman Cameron Smith and 6-2 sophomore guard Phil Syvertsen.  6-7/235 freshman Zach Kelly plays 5-6 minutes per game, but he is really just a space eater...not a big scoring threat while he's in there.
 
Troy Ruths is Wash U's best player, but the guy that really makes them tick (as with a lot of great teams) is their point-guard, Sean Wallis.  Last Saturday I saw Wallis set the school single-game assist record with 16 vs Chicago in a winner-take-all UAA finale vs Chicago.  Wallis was the point-guard for the Glenbrook North H.S. team that won the Illinois Class AA state championship in 2005...

http://www.marchmadness.org/records/yearly/2005baa.htm

Just as he was in the shadow of Jon Scheyer (who starts at Duke) at Glenbrook North, he's in the shadow of Ruths at Wash U, but he may be their MVP.  Not flashy at all and not really a great shooter, but just a good, solid point-guard.

Tyler Nading, the 6-6 wing, is extremely talented and a probable future Division III All-American.  He can hit the 3 and also penetrate and finish strong.  Troy Ruths is an absolute ton down low, and he just seems to keep getting better every time I see him play.  Again, they just have great balance and I am a huge believer in balance come tournament time.  You have to have both an inside game and an outside game, and Wash U certainly does.

I am not 100% sold on Wash U's toughness up and down their rotation...especially here in the Sectional round vs the likes of UW-Stevens Point.  When the going gets tough vs the Pointers in a tough environment, I'm just not sure how they will respond.  Without question the Bears have the talent to get it done this weekend but they may be missing some intangibles.  We'll see.  That's a great Sectional field.

I know one thing - Wash U. will be the 2007-08 D3hoops.com preseason #1.     

[Greek Tragedy]

Thanks Bob.