MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

Millikin was to play in Jacksonville on the 8th, but it was postponed due to weather.  Anyone know when (if at all) it has been re-scheduled?  (I couldn't find anything about it on the IC, MU, or CCIW websites - with conference action about to heat up, did they simply drop it?)

Millikin @ Illinois College on 1/5/08 @ 3:00

[79jaybird]

A Happy New Year to everybody and best wishes for a prosperous 2008.

[Titan Q]

Illinois College is not a bad team.  They're a veteran group (mostly juniors and seniors) with a lot of guys who can really shoot it.  The Blueboys don't have much size at all in the low post, but when they're shooting it well, they're pretty dangerous.

Knowing Chris Drennan is out, that result doesn't surprise me very much.

[Titan Q]

IWU (5-5) faces Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5-3) today at 3:00pm PST/5:00pm CST.

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

My best guess from looking at their scores is that CMS is not as good as Occidental, but everyone I talked to at Oxy Saturday seems to think they're good.  They describe them as a very deliberate (ie slow!), halfcourt type team that sets a lot of screens and really runs their offense well.  They're also very physical.  Makes me think of Hanover.

CMS opponents shoot .423, average just 58.8 points, and have 72 assists to 126 turnovers...statistically, they appear to be a very good defensive team. 

The Titans could use a win today to get to 6-5 and go into the CCIW schedule with a little confidence.

The practice at Pepperdine yesterday was neat.  The views from campus are just amazing.

[Titan Q]

House,

I had similar feelings about last nights game as well.  The help D in the post obviously needs a lot of work.  I also felt Sean Johnson should not have been playing as much as he did, but I'm assuming that was a result of Rosenkranz being on the bench in foul trouble most of the game. 

Or because Sean Johnson has played very well in a number of games, including 22 points vs Wash U, including 6-10 from 3...and 13 points in the first 5 minutes vs Chicago.

Sean Johnson is a good player...but he is a freshman.  Freshmen have ups and downs. 

[Titan Q]

(Rose needs to play the BEST players and forget favoring those that he recruited)

If that's his M.O., why is Ron Rose playing guys like juniors Jordan Morris and Brett Chamernik and senior Jason Bloom over freshmen Duncan Lawson and Edmond O'Callaghan (who aren't in the rotation at all right now)?

I still don't understand why Sean Johnson is a starter - I see him as coming in off the bench as a role player. IWU

With returning leading scorer Andrew Gilmore, a 2-guard, injured, I am very confused as to who you want to start at the 2 over Sean Johnson?  Who on the roster would be better at the 2?

Our House, you don't seem to grasp the reality of the situation -- that IWU is basically going through a complete rebuilding process here.  There are most likely going to be more downs than ups right now...and that is what it is.

[devildog29]

House,

I had similar feelings about last nights game as well.  The help D in the post obviously needs a lot of work.  I also felt Sean Johnson should not have been playing as much as he did, but I'm assuming that was a result of Rosenkranz being on the bench in foul trouble most of the game. 

Or because Sean Johnson has played very well in a number of games, including 22 points vs Wash U, including 6-10 from 3...and 13 points in the first 5 minutes vs Chicago.

Sean Johnson is a good player...but he is a freshman.  Freshmen have ups and downs. 

Q, no doubt freshmen have ups and downs.  I was strictly referring to his game against Oxy, not making the sweeping statements about his overall game when my sample size of seeing him play is one game.  After speaking on that one game, I did try to make it clear (though obviously unsuccessfully) that I viewed the game as one of those "freshmen" type games where occasionally, they are just going to play an ugly game.  I'm hoping that today I'll see him go off for 20 against Claremont. 

[titanhammer]

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.

Since the transition took a while Saturday night for WJBC to go from the ISU game to the Titan game, I listened to the Oxy broadcast at the start.  They did a very good job.  I thought it was funny how they said Dwyer looked like Nitsell (SP?) from Michigan State.

[AndOne]

Anyone know why Bruce Durham didn't play?

Bruce Durham seems to have dropped off the North Park radar screen. I tried checking the current roster, but, unfortunately, the NPU BB site lists only the 06-07 roster, and doesn't even have the 07-08 roster up.

For his sake, I hope its not true, but knowing Mr. Durham's academic history, I suspect he may have become academically ineligible. This makes sense in that the NPU term ended on 12/14. Bruce's name appears in the box score of a game played on 12/15. However, grades probably weren't posted that quickly after the end of the term just the previous day.

As I said, I hope I'm wrong on this supposition. Bruce is a fine ballplayer. However, he does have a history of not attending to his studies as religiously as is required, especially at the college level.

TJ---As a poster associated with NPU, I'm surprised you had to ask this question initially, and even more surprised you haven't provided us with an answer as yet. 

In fact----since your e-mail address ends with "@northpark.edu," it seems you could well be an actual employee of the University with what would seem to be inside access to such information!

          

[tjcummingsfan]

You're right AO, I should know everything that goes on wth the team during Christmas break and while they're in California. 

I don't understand at all what you're trying to say with your bold type, and underlines, is it just an attempt to make your post ruder than it would have otherwise been?  And you wonder why your karma drops.

BTW, Bruce is still listed on the roster on the website.

[OurHouse]

Q---From the scores of the Titan games, it appears that the current group is very similar to past teams---Try to outscore the other team and don't worry too much about the defensive end---Is this true?---The least amount of points given up in a game has been 66 points---That may lead to some success in non-conference games, but may be a problem in the CCIW---Youth has something to do with it, but surrendering 80 plus points to any opponent is more scheme and execution---Your thoughts

While Illinois Wesleyan has been an offense-oriented team as long as I've been around the program, I think the suggestion that the Titans "don't worry too much about the defensive end" is a little bit of a myth.  Here are opponent FG% numbers for IWU's four Final Four teams, for example:

2005-06: .422
2000-01: .423
1996-97: .424
1995-96: .425

Last year's CCIW leader in FG% defense was North Central (.431 in 26 games), followed by Augustana (.436 in 28 games).  North Central was also the leader in 2005-06 (.421 in 28 games), followed by Illinois Wesleyan (.422 in 32 games).

IWU certainly has never been a team built around defense, like Augustana under Coach G, but I think Dennie Bridges and Scott Trost-led Titan teams were a lot better defensively than people realize.  IWU has always been an up-tempo team, which leads to a lot of field goal attempts...field goal attempts obviously lead to points and scores in the 70's, as opposed to the 60's.

I don't think opponent FG% is the perfect and only measure of team defense, but I think just looking at opponent PPG can be misleading.

This Titan team is poor defensively right now.  From what I see, it is simply just a matter of an inexperienced group of perimeter players trying to learn how to play man-to-man defense at the college level.  IWU's 5 perimeter players in the rotation are:

Travis Rosenkranz (freshman)
Sean Johnson (freshman)
Jordan Morris (junior who started 7 games last year)
Matt Schick (freshman)
Sean Dwyer (sophomore who missed his FR year with injury)


Ron Rose has stuck with man-to-man almost exclusively, not bailing them out by trying to play zone, and I like that.  That's the only way they're going to get better...and I think they will with more experience and more muscle and strength.

Titan Q:

I saw the game last night and there are only a FEW players (perimeter & post) that can play defense - when you let a great shooter get into rhythm early, it is tough to stop the momentum even when others try to come in to help (mistake by Rose)

Rose will need to STOP starting Sean Johnson and or Travis Rosenkranz if he wants to win and be a contender (cannot wait to see if they develop or not)....they need to come out intense from the tipoff - here is my assessment of your list above:

1) Sean Johnson CANNOT play defense
2) Travis Rosenkranz does NOT have the athletic body to play "yet")
3) Matt Schick is too light
4) Jordan Morris has potential
5) Sean Dwyer is a great defensive player but needs to get into basketball game shape

The post players DO NOT play alot of HELP defense - they need a leader from the start of tip off - there are too many players worried about who is starting and who is not (Rose needs to play the BEST players and forget favoring those that he recruited)....if things do not change soon, I will rank Rose as ONLY a high-school coach. A great college coach needs to do what it takes to WIN and not worry about stuff around him!!!!

I still don't understand why Sean Johnson is a starter - I see him as coming in off the bench as a role player. IWU is NOT a great 3 point shooting team as compared to others I have seen so they need to get it done on defense or it will be a LONG season, PERIOD

jmho~

House,

I had similar feelings about last nights game as well.  The help D in the post obviously needs a lot of work.  I also felt Sean Johnson should not have been playing as much as he did, but I'm assuming that was a result of Rosenkranz being on the bench in foul trouble most of the game.  I'd like to give Coach Rose the benefit of the doubt that nepotism had nothing to do with it.  I didn't see the boxscore, but it seemed like Johnson had more turnovers than points and he was jacking up way too many 3 point shots, many of them contested, on a night when they couldn't hit the proverbial broad side of a barn.

That being said, I think the Titans certainly do have a lot of talent.  Last night struck me as a game typical of a bunch of 18 year old freshmen playing 2000 miles away from home for the first time in their lives against a very good opponent -- a lot of bad "freshmen" type decisions that led to a lot of bad turnovers.  Too many mental errors to beat a team like Oxy.

As for Oxy, wow, that Whitman kid was just a outright stud last night.  I honestly don't think I've ever seen a D3 guard shoot so amazingly lights out like he did last night.  Dwyer was right in his face on a couple of those and he was still burying them.  You can only tip your hat to the kid and say that's one helluva game. 

Their big freshman also had great touch on the perimeter.  You usually don't see a kid that big with such a smooth stroke in D3.  If he can develop a post game to go with that shot, he's gonna do a lot of damage in the SCIAC over the next 4 years.

Looking forward to see the Titans can turn it around at Claremont tomorrow.  Hopefully last night was some travel jitters that have worn off today.

Devildog29:

I am glad that you are seeing similar things - I am not referring to just the OXY game but to many other games as well. If Rosenkranz gets quicker, maybe he can compete on defense but that remains to be seen. This is CCIW ball now not HS buckets.

I am not putting down Sean Johnson but I just call it how I see it....I have been watching this game for years and have seen many GREAT freshman ballers and SJ is not one of them. Maybe in a different conference but NOT here in the CCIW....

jmho~

[AndOne]

You're right AO, I should know everything that goes on wth the team during Christmas break and while they're in California. 

I don't understand at all what you're trying to say with your bold type, and underlines, is it just an attempt to make your post ruder than it would have otherwise been?  And you wonder why your karma drops.

BTW, Bruce is still listed on the roster on the website.

As an employee, insider, and alleged fan of NPU, you should at least know if Durham accompanied the team on their trip to California, and you should have had at least an idea of the goings on of the team leading up to the possible current developments.

As far as any drop in Karma, well, any little coward can sneak on here in the middle of the night and ding someone without even posting anything. Especially someone who way back in November got pissed off over something I said jokingly to someone else who took my comment in the manner it was intended. Especially someone who none the less felt compelled to butt into something that was of no concern to him, and when told so, took the attitude "I'll show him" and began smiting me. Someone who is always on around the time the 24 hour waiting period for changing Karma expires. Someone who has frequently been on when my K was at a certain level and then signs off only to have me find that immediately after his doing so, my K is down one. Someone about whom I've documented several such instances with one of the most frequent and knowledgeable posters we have on here. Someone who can only childishly ding someone else when they are legitimately called out over something. Someone like YOU, TJ.

[tjcummingsfan]

I still don't understand why I should know something like that, I'm definitely not in the coaches office on a daily basis, I wasn't around then they loaded the busses for the airport, nor has anyone mentioned anything about Bruce not playing.  With people like Greg on here, I figured I'd get an answer to my question, thus becoming informed as a fan... not that far fetched.

As for the second part, that's quite the conspiracy theory, isn't it more likely that you've rubbed more than one person the wrong way? I think so.  I'd love to meet the person who works 30 hrs a week, is a full-time grad student, plays a club sport, facilitates a small group, advises mission trips, is engaged, and has the time, or desire to schedule visits to D3Hoops.com soley to smite someone.  Come on, your theory/paranoia is as childish as if I were doing that.

[AndOne]

tj---

I'm sure there are a few people who I've sometimes rubbed the wrong way. However, adults usually get over it within a month and a half.

Also, the one observable and documented constant is that whenever K has been effected lately, you have been on line either at the time it happened or shortly before.

One event of circumstantial evidence is one thing tj. But, the establishment of a pattern, speaks directly to evidence of guilt.

[GET BIG]

NCC did not come ready to play it was that simple. They had to many mistakes. Yes the refs were not good  but even if the refs were good i still think it would not have mad a difference. NCC is going to be ready to play up at UW-Whitewater