MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

thanks for the correction. the 3 IWU guards are all really good players. IWU plays excellent help defense and their ability to limit Wheaton to 59 pts for the game was a huge reason for their tough road victory.

IWU's defense, especially on the perimeter, has been such a pleasant surprise during the conference season. 

Opponent 3-pt %:

Non-conference (11 games): .389
CCIW season (12 games): .319

If anyone would have told me in late December that IWU would be leading the CCIW in opponent 3-pt defense with 2 games to play, I would have laughed.

IWU's young guards have worked very hard to improve defensively.

[Titan Q]

Rochester lost in 2OT @ NYU...Wash U won in OT @ Emory.  That Rochester loss might end up being a good thing for Pool C candidates in this part of the country.

Chicago won easily at Case Western Reserve.  The Maroons are very much in the Pool C picture.  They finish with 3 home games:

vs NYU (2/22)
vs #10 Brandeis (2/24)
vs #7 Wash U (3/1)

It would help the CCIW's Pool C hopes for Chicago to lose 2 games down the stretch.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Q (or anyone close to the team),

I assume Sean Dwyer would be eligible for a medical red-shirt (though with the tuition at IWU, I can't recall anyone ever taking one!).  Anyone have any insight on his thinking (especially, say, if the current freshmen look poised for a Salem run in 2011)?  (Is there a deadline for applying?  Could he apply in 2010 for a medical red-shirt for 2006-07?)

[usee]

Yes. Generally you apply for a medical redshirt anytime before the end of your academic end of eligibilty. I think he could apply now but most apply after their normal eligibility is exhausted.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

This was a basketball game from hell - neither team was any good.

Elmhurst blinked first - and after starting their two big men pulled them after just three minutes as North Park's small line-up made mince-meat of them in their man for man.

North Park could have had a big lead in the first half - during the first ten minutes they controlled the boards on both ends of the court - but they couldn't shoot - missing treys wasn't their only problem - they missed five layups in the first 10 minutes.

Elmhurst put their big men back in and went to a zone and North Park 'went doo-doo down its leg'.  Boy did they stink.  One basket in 14 minutes of action, only Elmhurst's own ineptitude on their offensive end kept the game close.  I thought Ryan Burks played like damaged goods on the offensive end - passing up a myriad of wide open looks that he would have canned last year.

North Park continued its embarrassing play in the 2nd half - their coaching staff reacting like they had never tried to coach a team against a 1-2-2 zone before.  While the North Park kids didn't show their usual Saturday evening 'glazed-over' look - the coaching staff was in a trance.  Why all the suits on the bench if no one could convince the head man that flashing a post-player to the free throw line, who has a chance to shoot a wide-open 15-footer, or pass to an open wing for a wide open three if the top guards come out on him, or back slashing one of the guards into his vacated spot in the low post for a wide open layup if the Blue Jay centers come out to guard him??? Yech.  These guys are brainless when it comes to coaching.  If only the North Park opponents would let their players play street ball then maybe North Park could use its athleticism to win more close games than they lose.

This coaching regime has proven that readjusting its offensive style to fit the needs of the game at hand is beyond their ability.  They know and use only players with one on one style of play - kids that can shoot, either don't play, or the coaches don't know enough about basketball strategy to get them wide open shots.  Then kids from good high school teams leave the North Park program and its passed around how bad they were for the team - 'they didn't fit in' - of course they didn't - they played in good high school programs - and they know they're never going to get the good coaching they got in high school - and if you can't dunk in your opponent's face - then the North Park coaching staff is going to have you ride the bench - so they leave.  Very sad - but very consistent.

How can you expect to have a different result consistently - if you keep using players with the same exact skill sets - who have proven they consistently come up with the same disappoint results.

So it continues.

DoS

The phrase 'looked like a duck struck over the head with a stick - waddling around in a daze' would perhaps best describe what I saw from the North Park suits on Saturday.  There were at least two instances in the 2nd half where North Park looked lost on both the offensive and defensive end - and neither time was a time out called to rally the troops - in both instances Elmhurst called a timeout after lengthening their lead - I can only think that perhaps Mark Scherer was feeling sorry for his opposite number who looked so lost and dazed that he wouldn't call one of his own.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

former Elmhurst center Nick Michel was in attendance at the game - and his mother came over at half-time and introduced herself - and paid compliments to CCIW chat.

Nick has returned from Luxembourg because of a medical problem, but will be playing this summer in Elgin with Chris Martin, then he will be going back to Luxembourg in the fall.

DoS

[Titan Q]

Q (or anyone close to the team),

I assume Sean Dwyer would be eligible for a medical red-shirt (though with the tuition at IWU, I can't recall anyone ever taking one!).  Anyone have any insight on his thinking (especially, say, if the current freshmen look poised for a Salem run in 2011)?  (Is there a deadline for applying?  Could he apply in 2010 for a medical red-shirt for 2006-07?)

IWU has had two players take a medical redshirt since I've been around - David Kunka ('93) and Andy Boyden ('99).  Kunka tore his ACL his original senior year and came back the next year...Boyden was injured his freshman year.

Dwyer is certainly eligible for a hardship waiver, but I don't think that is something you'd really make a decision on until your senior year.  To take a medical redshirt year in Division III, a) the family has to have to money to do it (and it is a lot of money), and b) staying a 5th year has to fit the student-athletes post-graduation plans.

At this point, I assume the odds are pretty slim that he'd do it.

[79jaybird]

I wanted to comment on a discussion that took place a few pages back regarding Brent Ruch and why he wasn't starting those games.  Some of you inquired about illness, coach's decision, disciplinary, etc.  none of these are correct.
In a rather noble, team concept approach  Brent Ruch TOLD Mark Scherrer that Jared Hintzsche should be starting these last few EC games.  It was Brent's will and his suggestion that becaues Jared is EC's only Senior, he (Brent) felt that Jared should be given more time to shine as a senior.   Looking at Hintzsche, Jared will graduate as the winningest player to wear an EC uniform. (over a 4 year span)  Congrats to Jared. 

[rodneyk]

Good luck to the Bluejays trying to clinch a spot in the Conference Tournament. My personal hope is IWU gets to host the tournament, closest for me, and I think I'd attend!

[79jaybird]

Now as for the ugly Betty of a game at Faganel Hall last night, I think I saw enough bricks to build an entire dormitory on campus.  Both teams shot under 30% from the floor in the first half and really if North Park could have nailed half of their 3 point attempts, the Park would have been up by 10-15 points.

What I can't understand is Elmhurst had a big size advantage inside and yet NPU was getting to every loose board on offense and defense.  I was impressed with NPU's energy and enthusiasm as they crashed the glass hard.  What hurt NPU was relying on the 3 pointer, and not connecting on most of those attempts.

One player that I wanted to highlight, and will no unnoticed in the scoresheet was Marco Macias.  Macias came off the bench and didn't do much in terms of points and accolades,  however he gave Elmhurst a boost with energy.  He kicked the spur into the horse you might say, as Elmhurst was sluggish and (at the time) appeared as though NPU was going to pull away.

For Elmhurst, the storyline is pretty easy.  Win your last two games and you have a pretty good chance to be in the CCIW Tournament.  Lose and Carthage will most likely get in.

This was the 100th meeting all time between EC and NPU.  North Park at one time dominated this series and still holds a lead, but Elmhurst is closing that gap.  

[Titan Q]

former Elmhurst center Nick Michel was in attendance at the game - and his mother came over at half-time and introduced herself - and paid compliments to CCIW chat.

I had a chance to chat with Nick's mom a few times last season.  She is definitely on my All-CCIW Mom squad.  I hope to release an All-Decade team sometime.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

One comical sidelight of the game was the haste with which the officiating crew moved the game along - until the final five minutes.

They called nothing.

There were only two fouls on each team at halftime and I think one violation on each as well.

When the ball went out of bounds the player throwing the ball in received it immediately from the official when he stepped out of bounds - free throw shooters got the ball before players were lined up around the lane.

It had absolutely nothing - zero - to do with the outcome of the game, but it was almost "Keystone Cops" comical the way they were rushing through the game - like they wanted to beat the weather back home - or had a nine o'clock dinner date.

DoS

[voxelmhurst]

One comical sidelight of the game was the haste with which the officiating crew moved the game along - until the final five minutes.

They called nothing.

There were only two fouls on each team at halftime and I think one violation on each as well.

When the ball went out of bounds the player throwing the ball received it immediately when he stepped out of bounds - free throw shooters got the ball before players were lined up around the lane.

It absolutely nothing - zero - to do with the outcome of the game, but it was almost "Keystone Cops" comical the way they were rushing through the game - like they wanted to beat the weather back home - or had a nine o'clock dinner date.

DoS

There IS a 9:13 train headed back into the city from Elmhurst.  I've always wondered if that had anything to do with it.   

but yes....last night's first half was about thirty minutes in real time.

[Greek Tragedy]

Updated with help from Ralph Turner.

Here are Wednesday's regional rankings (I left everything "As Is", so if there was a change in conference leaders, the Pool A and Pool C teams are from Wednesday's release).   This should give posters & lurkers an overall look on how other teams faired and if it helped or hurt their team.

BOLD is conference leader (Pool A)
RED is Pool C Contender
BLUE is Pool B contender...may need some help on those!

Atlantic Region
1. Richard Stockton 15-5 15-4 (NJAC): LOST at Rutgers-Camden 87-74, def. New Jersey 83-72.
2. William Paterson 16-4 16-4 (NJAC): LOST to Montclair State 69-61, won at New Jersey City 61-53.
3. Farmingdale State 16-4 15-3 (SKY):  Won at New York City Tech 104-59, def. Bard 105-66, def. Mount St. Mary 92-60.
4. York (N.Y.) 17-7 15-6 (CUNYAC) (tied with Brooklyn):  def. Ramapo 72-66, def. Lehman 59-54 (REGULAR SEASON COMPLETE)
5. St. Joseph's (L.I.) 16-5 15-5 (SKY):  Won at Mount St. Vincent 112-108, won at SUNY-Purchase 74-59.

East Region
1. Rochester 17-3 16-3 (UAA):  LOST at Brandeis 68-64, LOST at NYU 92-85 2OT.
2. Plattsburgh State 19-2 16-0 (SUNYAC):  def. New Paltz State 87-68, def. Oneonta State 83-59.
3. Brockport State 16-6 13-4 (SUNYAC):  Def. Buffalo State 89-73, def. Fredonia State 86-69.
4. Stevens 19-3 17-2 (Empire 8 ):  Def. Hunter 69-55, LOST at Utica 65-59.
5. Nazareth 15-5 15-5 (Empire 8 ):  Won at Alfred 88-73, LOST to Utica 85-77, def. Harwick 90-61.

Great Lakes
1. Capital 18-3 17-3 (OAC):  Won at Mount Union 80-68, def. Ohio Northern 83-75.
2. Wooster 18-3 11-2 (NCAC):  Won at Denison 82-64, def. Wittenberg 66-61.
3. Hope 17-3 10-2 (MIAA):  Won at Adrian 70-48, def. Alma 92-43.
4. Ohio Wesleyan 14-6 13-4 (NCAC): Won at Wittenberg 72-69, LOST at Earlhman 79-73.
5. Heidelberg 16-5 14-4 (OAC):  Won at John Carroll 82-74, LOST to Otterbein 81-66
6. Penn State-Behrend 17-4 15-3 (AMCC) (tied with Lake Erie):  Def. Medaille 71-61, def. La Roche 69-61.

Middle Atlantic Region
1. Ursinus 19-2 16-1 (Centennial):  Won at Franklin and Marshall 77-60, won at Dickinson 88-62.
2. Gettysburg 17-3 15-2 (Centennial):  Won at Johns Hopkins 67-56, def. Swarthmore 69-55.
3. Widener 17-4 14-3 (MAC Commonwealth):  Def. Lebanon Valley 58-44, won at Messiah 75-62.
4. Messiah 15-6 14-5 (MAC Commonwealth) (tied with Albright and Lycoming):  LOST at Lycoming 75-53, LOST to Widener 75-62.
5. DeSales 17-4 14-3 (MAC Freedom) (tied with Manhattanville):  Won at Delaware Valley 78-63, def. FDU-Florham 75-47.
6. Albright 14-5 14-4 (MAC Commonwealth) (tied with Messiah and Lycoming):  LOST at Elizabethtown 79-75, LOST to Lycoming 75-73.
7. York (Pa.) 16-6 16-5 (CAC):  Def. Wesley 84-77.
8. Moravian 17-5 16-5 (LAND) (Pool B):  Won at Goucher 78-71, LOST at Catholic 85-79.

Midwest Region
1. Augustana 17-4 16-4 (CCIW): LOST at Wheaton (IL) 73-60, won at Millikin 59-56.
2. Washington U. 16-4 13-3 (UAA):  Won at Case Western Reserve 71-68, won at Emory 78-71 in OT.
3. Lawrence 16-2 14-2 (MWC):  Won at Ripon 87-83, def. Beloit 72-48.
4. Wheaton (Ill.) 16-5 12-5 (CCIW):  Def. Augustana 73-60, LOST to Illinois Wesleyan 61-59.
5. Chicago 13-7 12-7 (UAA):  Won at Emory 87-73, won at Case Western Reserve 84-56.
6. Illinois Wesleyan 13-8 12-6 (CCIW):  Def. Millikin 95-52, won at Wheaton (IL) 61-59.
7. Carroll 14-5 13-5 (MWC):  LOST at St. Norbert 69-59.
8. Webster 15-5 13-5 (SLIAC):  Def. Greenville 82-64, won at MacMurray 83-72.

Northeast Region
1. Amherst 21-2 21-1 (NESCAC):  Def. Trinity (Conn.) 69-58. 
2. Mass-Dartmouth 20-1 20-1 (LEC) (Tied with Rhode Island College):  LOST to Rhode Island College 79-72, won at Eastern Connecticut 80-76.
3. Bowdoin 18-4 18-4 (NESCAC):  Def. Tufts 71-66, LOST to Bates 65-62.
4. Trinity (Conn.) 18-5 16-4 (NESCAC):  LOST at Amherst 69-58.
5. Middlebury 17-5 16-4 (NESCAC):  Def. Wesleyan 75-71, LOST to Connecticut College 93-86.
6. Brandeis 16-4 15-4 (UAA):  Def. Rochester 68-64, def. Carnegie Mellon 84-81.
7. Worcester Tech 16-5 15-4 (NEWMAC):  Def. Springfield 70-68, Def. MIT 81-46.
8. Rhode Island College 16-5 16-5 (LEC) (Tied with Mass-Dartmouth):  Won at Mass-Dortmouth 79-72, def. Southern Maine 79-72.
9. Emerson 18-3 17-3 (GNAC):  Won at Mount Ida 88-70, won at Rivier 72-70 OT
10. Bates 15-6 14-5 (NESCAC):  LOST at Colby 68-65, won at Bowdoin 65-62.

South Region
1. Centre 20-1 15-1 (SCAC):  Won at DePauw 69-66.
2. Mary Hardin-Baylor 18-3 16-2 (ASC):  Won at Howard Payne 71-68, won at Sul Ross State 78-58.
3. Guilford 16-4 15-4 (ODAC):  Won at Hampden-Sydney 78-71, def. Bridgewater (Va.) 77-69.  Def.  Eastern Mennonite, 100-93.
4. Maryville (Tenn.) 20-2 14-2 (GSAC):  Won at Huntingdon 69-61.
5. Virginia Wesleyan 17-5 16-4 (ODAC):  Won at Eastern Mennonite 78-68.  Won at Randolph-Macon 69-66. 
6. DePauw 18-4 14-3 (SCAC):  LOST to Centre 69-66.
7. Millsaps 19-3 14-2(SCAC):  Won at Southwestern 80-71.  Won at Trinity (TX) 77-68.
8. Randolph-Macon 17-4 12-4 (ODAC):  Won at Bridgewater (Va.) 72-64, LOST to Virginia Wesleyan 69-66.

West Region
1. Occidental 18-3 11-1 (SCIAC):  Won at Redlands 83-80 OT, LOST at Ponoma-Pitzer 62-47
2. St. Thomas 19-3 17-2 (MIAC):  Def. Augsburg 72-60.
3. UW-Platteville 17-4 15-3 (WIAC) (tied with Whitewater):  LOST to Whitewater 70-66, LOST to Superior 70-59.
4. UW-Whitewater 18-3 16-3 (WIAC) (tied with Platteville):  Won at Platteville 70-66, LOST at Stevens Point 76-47.
5. Cal Lutheran 17-3 13-3 (SCIAC):  Def. Caltech 91-48, def. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 53-50.
6. UW-Stevens Point 17-4 15-4 (WIAC):  Won at Eau Claire 89-68, def. Whitewater 76-47.
7. Buena Vista 18-4 14-2 (IIAC):  Def. Simpson 103-65.
8. Loras 17-5 14-3 (IIAC):  Def. Luther 61-43.

[Titan Q]

Thanks OS.

So I think the new Midwest regional rankings (Wednesday) will have:

(in-region record)

1. Wash U (15-3)
2. Lawrence (16-2)
3. Augustana* (17-5)
4. Chicago (14-7)
5. Illinois Wesleyan* (14-6)
6. Wheaton (13-6)
7. Elmhurst (16-6)
8. Webster (15-5)


Close: Aurora (17-5) - Pool B contender, Carroll (13-6), Defiance (15-6)

* tied for CCIW lead

BOLD is conference leader (Pool A)
RED is Pool C Contender (Pool C)