MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

There are 3 leagues with 3 teams in the current D3Hoops.com Top 25.  Right now, it seems like the UAA is the best league in the country with the WIAC and CCIW battling for 2nd/3rd.  I'm interested to see how it plays out though...lots of season left.


1
#1 Rochester (9-0)
#3 UW-Stevens Point (9-1)
#5 Augustana (8-2)

2
#2 Brandeis (9-1)
#13 UW-Oshkosh (8-2)
#18 Wheaton (7-1)

3
#11 Wash U (8-2)
#15 UW-Whitewater (7-1)
#21 Elmhurst (6-1)

Rest:

CCIW
Millikin (6-1)
North Central (6-3)
North Park (5-3)
Illinois Wesleyan (5-4)
Carthage (5-5)

UAA
Case Western Reserve (7-2)
Emory (6-3)
New York U. (3-2)
Chicago (5-4)
Carnegie Mellon (5-2)

WIAC
UW-Platteville (7-2)
UW-Eau Claire (6-3)
UW-La Crosse (5-4)
UW-River Falls (6-4)
UW-Superior (2-7)
UW-Stout (3-7)

[dansand]

Anyone can look at a boxscore and get their own conclusions from that, but I'd like to get some input from Augie fans that were there on what they thought about Point.  Obviously, I can always come up with my opinions of Point because I wear those purple and gold colored glasses  , but it would be nice to get an honest outside view from you. 

The boxscore doesn't always tell the whole story, so what impressed you about Point, what do you think they could do better?  Did Augie just have a bad game and some of you might have felt they should've won, did Point just do a real good job on them, what players impressed you, etc...thanks.

TITAN  Q

Thanks for you always kind words on Point, but they have a batte for the WIAC title with Oshkosh being a real good team (but no depth) and Whitewater already knocking off Point.  We also can't forget a pretty solid Platteville team with arguably the best post player in the league (Jeff Skemp).

Obviously Pete Rortvedt was impressive. Playing on a recently repaired knee, he really hit Augie with some daggers. He has great range and a very quick release. Hicklin also looked good. He and El-Amin hit some really tough shots over Chandlor Collins, which, believe me, is not an easy thing to do. Beamish and Hoelzel handle the ball very well for big guys, which is a really nice luxury for them to have.

Comparing them to Oshkosh (although one game against each probably isn't the most accurate measuring stick), I think maybe the Titans are a little more athletic with Marsh and Jordan Johnson, but The Pointers defense gave Augie more difficulties, especially early in the game when they did a nice job of doubling down and getting in passing lanes to force turnovers. Also, at least in the two games I saw, UWSP has more good shooters and definitely better depth.

I've also seen Platteville play a couple times down in St. Louis and although Skemp might me a bit of a matchup problem (although Wotachek, who was a non-factor last night, should help combat that), I think they're better all-around than Platteville. Their bigger perimeter players (both Rorvedts and Hicklin) I think also give UWSP an advantage over UWO and UWP.

Unfortunately, the box score does give pretty good insight as to why Stevens Point won the game. It pretty much comes down to Augie's early turnovers and lack of outside offense. The former hasn't been too much of a problem this year, but, unfortunately the latter has been, especially since the injury to Jordan Delp. Defensively, Augie didn't let the Pointers have a crazy-good shooting game (46% overall and 36% behind the arc) but it was good enough.

[kenoshamark]

markerickson,

Steve creates in a number of various ways.  He will take guys off the dribble from outside of the trey line and get all the way to the hoop, he will take a pass off their offensive sets and break you down with a short jumper (trying to create body contact), they will run sets off of in-bounds plays where he will get the ball in the paint and draw contact or he could be driving to the hole off of transition.   

As I've mentioned before, he has the uncanny knack for looking for body contact depending on where he is on the floor.  He will drive and take a pull up jumper and create space using his body which sometimes will result in a foul off of his shot. 

Because he played so many different positions in high school, he has learned to handle the ball adeptly enough in traffic and his willing to attack the basket despite his slight frame.  He has a little bit of that Allen Iverson type of mentality when it comes to attacking the basket despite his size.   I'm not suggesting he is that quick or can jump that well but I've always been impressed with how Iverson likes to absorb the physical contact when it would be easier to just pull up and take jump shots.   

petemcb,

Not having seen the Trinity game, not sure how to take any solace yet in that loss.  I'm having as much trouble figuring them out as anyone.   I still feel they can play with anybody at home but will struggle on the road.  The ONU win was impressive in they played well against a team with superior size.  Then they go and beat Trinity on the road but then falter the following evening.   Looks like they could be a pickem every night.  I will suggest that getting Fendley back should help answer some of their scoring needs so the picture may get clearer after he plays a few games.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all .....!!!!

[Greek Tragedy]

There are 3 leagues with 3 teams in the current D3Hoops.com Top 25.  Right now, it seems like the UAA is the best league in the country with the WIAC and CCIW battling for 2nd/3rd.  I'm interested to see how it plays out though...lots of season left.

I also would be interested to know, and maybe give us even more insight on each league, on what teams from each league has played teams from one of the other two leagues.  I know the WIAC and CCIW have butted heads several times this year and I think the CCIW and UAA have as well.  That may give us an idea of who the better league is if "teams from this conference have beaten teams from that conference" etc...Last year the CCIW beat up on the WIAC pretty good and this year the WIAC has returned the favor for the most part.  Not sure about the UAA's matchups with the CCIW and WIAC.

[David Collinge]

There are 3 leagues with 3 teams in the current D3Hoops.com Top 25.  Right now, it seems like the UAA is the best league in the country with the WIAC and CCIW battling for 2nd/3rd.  I'm interested to see how it plays out though...lots of season left.

I also would be interested to know, and maybe give us even more insight on each league, on what teams from each league has played teams from one of the other two leagues.  I know the WIAC and CCIW have butted heads several times this year and I think the CCIW and UAA have as well.  That may give us an idea of who the better league is if "teams from this conference have beaten teams from that conference" etc...Last year the CCIW beat up on the WIAC pretty good and this year the WIAC has returned the favor for the most part.  Not sure about the UAA's matchups with the CCIW and WIAC.

Here's what I have come up with after a quick look:

UAA vs. CCIW:  2-2
...Augie 66, at Wash U. 60
...at Wash U. 69, IWU 66
...at Chicago 85, IWU 70
...at Wheaton 75, Chicago 73

UAA vs. WIAC: UAA 1-0
...at Wash U. 87, Platteville 76

CCIW vs. WIAC: WIAC 3-1
...Point 73, at Augie 63
...Augie 59, at Oshkosh 54
...La Crosse 66, at Augie 64
...at Oshkosh 88, Elmhurst 86

(corrections and amplifications appreciated)

You really can't draw any conclusions about the UAA from this, since geography demands (or persuades) that it's just Wash U. and Chicago in these games.  Furthermore, "the CCIW" in these games means Augie or IWU in all but 2 of them.  Beware of sweeping generalizations based on data such as these.

[warthog]

I'm normally found on the IIAC football pages, but I needed to add a message about the Augie/S. Point game.  I jumped across the Mississippi to get a chance to see a couple excellent D3 teams go at it.  I was impressed that Point didn't collapse on the road.  I was sure Augie would just eventually get a spurt that would put things away.  To the Pointers credit they hung around finally they were the ones to put it away.  These are two fine teams.  On another night things could be different.  You never know, that could happen come tournament time.  I'll put my money on Augustana next time.

[markerickson]

Thanks K-Mark for the response.

PointSpecial:  What happened between 69-82 and 93-00?  I suspect the answer to the latter is "Bo Ryan."
How many coaches have UWSP had since the first "drought?"  Have their hires come from within since the Vietnam War era?

[John Gleich]

I'm more of a modern historian (there's an oxymoron for you...!).  Point definitely did get a resurgence in the 80's with Dick Bennett coming in.  Prior to Dick, Eau Claire reigned supreme, winning conference championships in 10 of those years.  UWEC actually used to have a program that made a lot of noise on National level, including 23 (mostly NAIA) National tournament appearances, though they did take 2nd in the country in 2000, with 6 final 4 appearances.

WIAC conference champs

Point had a second resurgence with Jack Bennett, starting in 96-97, which carries through to the present with Bob Semling at the helm.

[petemcb]

Merry Christmas to all posters and lurkers alike.  Here come the two best months of the year!

[tigersports]

Hello all.  We broadcast some of the Oxy games on the internet.  We'll be doing the Occidental/IWU game this Saturday at 7.30 PST.   You can get it at www.oxybroadcast.com.  Hope you'll join us.  Happy Holidays.

[iwumichigander]

I'm catching up on the posts from snowy New Hampshire.  Grandson (1st!) was born on Dec. 20; and we started Benjamin Shea off right - with a basketball game as soon as we got him home Christmas Eve.  Nice win by Elmhurst over Hope.  It should be an interesting next few days with most, if not all, CCIW teams playing away from home.

[cawcdad]

I am headed over to check out the CSU East vs North Park game today and against UC Santa Cruz tomorrow. Having seen both of North Parks opponents, they should get a W in both games. But still, what can you tell me about them?

[augiefan]

Bluffton over Millikin 85-76 tonight.

[cawcdad]

North Park got the win, 73-72, over a much improved CSU East Bay team. The Pios put up a shot to try to win it at the buzzer but it missed. The fans in attendance were screaming for a foul as the shooter wound up on the floor and the refs sprinted for the locker room. The Vikings should get another W tomorrow over a weaker UC Santa Cruz team

[Titan Q]

We've had a good time out here in L.A. so far.  The Titans attended the Clippers'/Suns game Thursday night and have done a bunch of sight-seeing in the area since arriving on the 26th.  I think it's safe to say the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills was one of the most popular stops.

Sounds like the guys are ready to play.  The Titans face 6-1 Occidental this evening at 9:00pm CST.  The Tigers recently defeated D3Hoops.com #14 Plattsburgh State on a neutral court.  Oxy is led by 6-1 senior guard Connor Whitman (20.3 ppg).  Sounds like they are good...should be interesting.

http://www.iwuhoops.com/notes08.htm

http://www.wjbc2.com/