MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

Andone -
No question, but that's why I said it is a moot point. It still doesn't diminish the fine work Paul and Steve have done, their last two classes have been quite good. Also, they were very close with both players, and they could actually both end up in the blue and gold someday, so it wasn't just a pipe dream.

I agree that NPU has done a credible job the last couple years. In fact, I have discussed with Sager the fact that I pick the Vikings over Wheaton this year.

And, until the subject players are actually in uniform, it may as well be a pipe dream.

Additionally, I don't know how hard it is to stay eligible at NPU, but one of the coaches main areas of focus this year should be towards keeping one of the prize recruits they DID get, eligible. If his academic path at NPU follows anywhere close to the course it took in high school the CCIW won't have to worry about dealing with him come next term.

[cardinalpride]

The opening weekend slate is ready for perusal in the CCIW pick'ems room for everyone who would like to participate this season.

In looking at the CCIW's non-conference schedule, there are some interesting items worth mentioning. First of all, this is the first year I can recall in which there are no D1 or D2 opponents to be found anywhere. That doesn't mean that the schedule has lightened up any overall -- it really hasn't -- but it does highlight how various rules changes have made regular-season games against upper-division NCAA teams really hard to come by.

For those of you who are into playing the comparative-scores game, it's also worth noting the variety and geographical breadth of common opponents. There are five non-CCIW teams that will be playing three CCIW foes this season (or who will have the chance to play them in a tournament) and 17 more that will play, or may play, two CCIW foes this season:

Anderson	HCAC	MU, @ EC
Aurora	NAthC	NCC, @ MU
Benedictine	NAthC	@ WC, @ NCC, EC
Bluffton	HCAC	vs. CC, MU
Calvin	MIAA	CC, WC
Chicago	UAA	@ WC, IWU
Eureka	SLIAC	vs. NPU, @ NPU, NCC
Franklin	HCAC	NCC, MU
Hope	MIAA	vs. WC, vs. CC, vs. EC
Illinois C.	MWC	IWU, MU, NCC
Illinois Tech	CCAC-1	WC, @ CC
Knox	MWC	@ MU, @ NPU
Loras	IIAC	WC, NPU
MacMurray	SLIAC	@ EC, @ MU
Olivet Nazarene	CCAC-1	@ IWU, @ CC
Simpson	IIAC	@ EC, @ AC
Tri-State	MIAA	vs. IWU, @ NPU, vs. EC
Wartburg	IIAC	WC, AC
Washington MO	UAA	AC, IWU
Webster	SLIAC	AC, @ IWU
UW-Oshkosh	WIAC	EC, AC
UW-Whitewater	WIAC	NPU, NCC

There are also some interesting anomalies. Carthage is playing a home-and-home against that legendary basketball powerhouse across the street from Grant Park, East-West University -- except that the home game for East-West won't be played within the rarefied precincts of Michigan Avenue, it'll be played in the comparatively downmarket neighborhood of Grand Crossing at Kennedy-King College (68th and Wentworth). Methinks that Bosko Djurickovic, like Paul Brenegan and Todd Raridon, was hit by the late-cancellation bug and was forced to make an unwanted scheduling change.

Wheaton is playing Rivier College in a holiday tournament for the second year in a row. How weird is it to be playing some low-profile school from New Hampshire two seasons in a row purely by accident?

Only five CCIW teams are taking snowbird trips this season. North Park is going to northern California, Wheaton and Illinois Wesleyan are headed to southern California, Carthage is traveling to southern Texas, and Elmhurst is going to Florida.

GS,
FYI, as Andone stated, NCC is not playing Eureka but they are playing Greenville College from the SLIAC (11/28) and Lake Forest College from the MWC (12/5).  In Cali NCC plays Cal Lutheran (12/17) and Cal Tech (12/19).  I believe this is the first year NCC has played a rep. from every Conference in the Midwest Region.

[dlawrenz]

Q,

Great preview of the CCIW teams on your website.

[cciwgrad]

Looking at Millikins updated roster... they have put four Freshmen on Varsity...
with Smith being new... not sure what he can anyone know....

Guards
Dana Givens 5-10 guard   [Plainfield South] 
Jovaris Perry 5-9 guard    [Chicago Mather]
Darrell Adams 6-7 center   [East Bladen, NC]
Jackson Scott  6-7 center   [Washington]  IWU's Sean Johnsons running mate

[Gregory Sager]

Additionally, I don't know how hard it is to stay eligible at NPU, but one of the coaches main areas of focus this year should be towards keeping one of the prize recruits they DID get, eligible. If his academic path at NPU follows anywhere close to the course it took in high school the CCIW won't have to worry about dealing with him come next term.

AO and I have talked about this particular player, and we have agreed to disagree about him. Having discussed the academic status of the newbies with the NPU coaches, I don't share this particular concern. My impression is that Paul Brenegan is much more on top of the academic performance of his players than Rees Johnson was. I think that he was as taken aback by Sheldon Evans' slide into ineligibility last season as was anyone, because Evans had given no previous indication that he was an academic gamble.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

Back in my SID days this true story brought a lot of laughs at one SID convention.

It seems that Ole Miss SID Langston Rogers (in the days before the internet) sent posters all around the state to various booster clubs and otherd advertising a phone number they could call to get "the Skinny" on the Ole Miss football recruiting class on National Signing Day.

Too Bad, that good 'ol boy Langston wasn't much of a proofreader - the phone number was for a female escort service of dubious repute.

They do like their ball in Mississippi.

DoS

[Titan Q]

Q,

Great preview of the CCIW teams on your website.

Thanks Dave.  It was good to see you Saturday.  I'm sure I will catch you soon in some Division III gym.

[martin]

Milliking lists 15 freshmen on its roster:
*Darrell Adams    C   6-7   Fr.   Elizabethtown, N.C.    East Bladen (N.C.)
Alex Brown    G   6-0   Fr.   Matteson, Ill.    Rich South
Dan Calleya    G   6-0   Fr.   Madrid, Spain    Decatur LSA
Boston Fleming    G   5-10   Fr.   Saint Anne, Ill.    Saint Anne
David Franklin    F   6-4   Fr.   Elizabethtown, N.C.    East Bladen (N.C.)
*Dana Givens   G   5-10   Fr.   Plainfield, Ill.   Plainfield South
Jayson King    G   5-8   Fr.   Mount Zion, Ill.    Mount Zion
C.J. McClellan    F   6-2   Fr.   Forsyth, Ill.    Maroa-Forsyth
*Jovaris Perry    G   5-9   Fr.   Chicago, Ill.    Chicago Mather
Tyler Rasmusson    G   6-0   Fr.   Benson, Ill.    Roanoke-Benson
*Jackson Scott    C   6-7   Fr.   Washington, Ill.    Washington
Kyle Taylor    F   6-6   Fr.   Bement, Ill.    Bement
Justin Thompson    G   5-11   Fr.   Chicago, Ill.   Homewood-Flossmoor
Darrin Weber    G   6-1   Fr.   Bloomington, Ind.    Bloomington North (Ind.)
Mark Wilkins    G   6-0   Fr.   Country Club Hills, Ill.    Hillcrest

Four of them are on the varsity roster: Adams, Givens, Perry and Scott.

[Titan Q]

Ok people why are we so fixed on the future Let's try this , what team in the CCIW has the most Sr's and Jr's that will have the most impact on  their teams this year and the next year Let's look at what we have, a better idea with stats and last years play compared to what may happen 2 to 3 years down the road. The future is now ......

Some of the information I put together for the IWUHoops.com preview...

Augustana

2006-07 record: 22-6 overall, 11-3 CCIW (1st)
Starters lost: Drew Wessels (8.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.1 apg), Nate Swetalla (7.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg), Shawn Rose (7.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
Starters returning: Jordan Delp (13.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg), Dain Swetalla (11.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
Impact newcomers: Brett Wessels (transfer from Iowa)

Projected Starting Lineup (by CCIW time):

G Matt Pelton (6-2/205, So)
G Jordan Delp (6-0,170, Sr)
F Brett Wessels (6-2/195, Jr)
F Oliver Rorer (6-6/215, Sr.) or Chandlor Collins (6-7/200, Jr)
C Dain Swetalla (6-9/240, Sr.)
-----
Carthage

2006-07 record: 16-9 overall, 7-7 CCIW (5th)
Starters lost: Brian Schlemm (17.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Nav Thompson (8.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
Starters returning: Trey Bowens (13.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg), Billy Jacklin (3.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg), Joe Higgins (2.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 4.0 apg)
Impact newcomers: Logan Derrick (6-0/165 Fr, G), Steve Djurickovic (6-3/170 Fr, G)

Projected Starting Lineup (by CCIW time):

G Joe Higgins (6-0/170, Jr)
G Trey Bowens (6-1/170, Sr)
G Steve Djurickovic (6-3/170, Fr)
F Billy Jacklin (6-5/205, Sr)
F/C Neb Franciskovic (6-7/255, Sr)
-----
Elmhurst

2006-07 record: 21-6 overall, 10-4 CCIW (2nd)
Starters lost: Nick Michael (12.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg), Brian Lee (11.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Mike Sayre (3.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Starters returning: Ryan Burks (17.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Brent Ruch (13.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg)
Impact newcomers: Marco Macias (6-3/180, Fr, G), Jimmy Saris (5-9/155, Fr, PG)

Projected Starting Lineup (by CCIW time):

G Chris Childs (6-2/170, So) or Mitchell Blair (6-1/175, So)
G Matt Ryder  (6-0/190, So) or Dustin Bainter (6-2/175, So)
F Ryan Burks (6-4/185, Jr)
F Robert Strzemp (6-3/225, Jr) or Jared Hintzsche (6-8/210, Sr)
C Brent Ruch (6-9/255, Jr)
-----
Illinios Wesleyan

2006-07 record: 11-14 overall, 4-10 CCIW (7th)
Starters lost: Zach Freeman (21.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg), Andrew Freeman (11.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Mike Harrigan (6.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Starters returning: Andrew Gilmore (11.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg), Darius Gant (9.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
Impact newcomers: Travis Rosenkranz (6-0/175, Fr), Duncan Lawson (6-8/225, Fr), Doug Sexauer (6-7/210, Fr), Edmond O'Callaghan (6-7, 210 Fr), Sean Johnson (6-1/175, Fr), Matt Schick (6-4/190, Fr), Josh Sutton (6-5/205, Fr), Robert Beauchamp (6-1/195, Jr - transfer from Parkland CC)

Projected Starting Lineup (by CCIW time):

G Travis Rosenkranz (6-0/175, Fr)
G Andrew Gilmore (6-3/185, Jr)
F Matt Schick (6-4/190, Fr)
F Darius Gant (6-4/210, Sr)
C Brett Chamernik (6-5/230, Jr)
-----
Millikin

2006-07 record: 9-16 overall, 2-12 CCIW (8th)
Starters lost:  Drew Gensler (16.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg), Vincent Brock (7.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg), Mike Gavic (10.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg), Korte Long (7.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
Starters returning:  Joscar Demby (6.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg)

Projected Starting Lineup (by CCIW time):

G Keanon Harrington (6-0, Sr)
G Charles Warren (6-2, So)
F Robert Rexroade (6-8, So)
F Zach Ott (6-7, So)
F Joscar Demby (6-7, So)
-----
North Central

2006-07 record: 16-10 overall, 8-6 CCIW (4th)
Starters lost: Dan Walton (17.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg), Anthony Simmons (15.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Adam Krumtinger (8.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg), Raymond Lawrence (5.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg), Bob Valker (1.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
Starters returning: none
Impact newcomers: Matt Rogers (6-4, Jr - transfer from D3 Lakeland, 18.5 ppg), Jeremy Williams (6-6, Jr - transfer from D2 Nebraska-Omaha, 4.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg in 20 min/game)

Projected Starting Lineup (by CCIW time):

G Dean Prince (6-0, Jr)
G Reid Barringer (6-0, So)
F Matt Rogers (6-4, Jr)
F Chris Drennan (6-5, Jr)
C Jeremy Williams (6-6, Jr)
-----
North Park

2006-07 record: 13-12 overall, 5-9 CCIW (6th)
Starters lost: Anthony Lenoir (10.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Stephano Jones (7.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Starters returning: Jason Gordon (9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg), Joe Capalbo (8.6 ppg), Jay Alexander (7.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Impact newcomers: Bruce Durham (5-10/180, Fr.), Jorge Gonzalez (6-5/210, So.) - transfer from Lincoln College, Jon Chimino (6-6/215, Jr.) - transfer from Moraine Valley College, Phil Schniedermeier (6-7/230, Fr.), Christian Alsing (6-7/210, Fr.)

Projected starting lineup (by CCIW time):

G Bruce Durham (5-10/180, Fr.)
G Antonio Stevens (6-3/189, So.)
G Jason Gordon (6-3/205, Sr.)
F Nick Williams (6-5/205, So.)
C Mike Ventura (6-7/210, Jr.)
-----
Wheaton

2006-07 record: 17-9 overall, 9-5 CCIW (3rd)
Starters lost: Michael Fiddler (8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Johnnie Standard (10.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
Starters returning: Kent Raymond (22.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.7 apg), Andy Wiele (8.0 ppg, 6.1rpg), Ben Panner (9.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Impact newcomers: Jacob Carwell (6-7/205, So - transfer from Benedictine), Andrew Jahns (6-2/180, Fr), Josh Kvam (6-0/175, Fr)

Projected Starting Lineup (by CCIW time):

G Kent Raymond (6-3/195, Jr)
G Ben Panner (6-3/175, So)
F Steve Young (6-3/195, So)
F Jacob Carwell (6-7/205, So)
C Andy Wiele (6-8/230, Jr)

[augiefan]

Are we goung to wait until the conference season to predict the final standings or are we going to risk all a make our picks on the eve of the nonconference season?

On another matter what happened to April our loyal Wheaton fan? I did not pay much attention to the board in the offseason and saw nothing of her in the FB season. I know Wheaton BB is her thing, but is she on a permanent leave of absence from the board?

[fightintitan2006]

Do any Carthage fans know if Ripon and Carthage played an exhibition game and if so, how it went?

[Titan Q]

IWU is hosting the Division III volleyball national championship this weekend for anyone interested in seeing a D3 title crowned...

http://www2.iwu.edu/ncaaVB07/

[David Collinge]

IWU is hosting the Division III volleyball national championship this weekend for anyone interested in seeing a D3 title crowned...

http://www2.iwu.edu/ncaaVB07/

Pay no attention to my signature line and....

Go Tigers!!! 

[Gregory Sager]

Secretly, Rose's plan is to implement the "system".  As it stands, a couple of those freshmen will be playing 'ironman basketball' this year.  On the JV team, Steinbreuck will be using a '5 guard' offense to develop skills sets required for the "system"

I think that Stein ought to teach that five-guard offense to Bosko.

[Titan Q]

An article on IWU transfer guard Robert Beauchamp...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/11/14/sports/doc473a85e48adf3214571791.txt

After seeing a little bit of his first practice with the Titans Monday, I'm convinced he will be in the mix on this team and have an impact.  He'll be the best on-ball defender the Titans have had in years.