MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Last year things got back to normal with IWU recruiting very hard (as Augie does every single year).  The Titans landed two kids Augie wanted bad (Doug Sexauer and Edmond O'Callaghan) and at least another two they were on (Dan Schouten and Chris Stamas), while not losing anyone to the Vikings.  We'll see what happens this year - it is definitely really competitive this year. 

Actually, Ron Rose did lose at least one recruit to Giovanine last year. Kyle Nelson from Deerfield was recruited heavily by both programs and is now playing for Augie.

My recollection of the Kyle Nelson situation is that he committed to Augustana really early (like late December or early January?).  If IWU was on Nelson hard in the early going, I wasn't aware of it at least.  Doesn't it mean they weren't.

Most of what IWU does on the recruiting trail happens from about 12/15 to 4/1.  Augie seems to get started very, very early.  They always seem to have a lot of guys on campus in September and October.  I usually tune in about 2/1, when things start heating up.

[Titan Q]

Great News out of Rock Island today!

The Rock Island Argus has reported that Senior Jordan Delp "has decided to utilize a medical redshirt opportunity and come back for one more year of play for Coach Giovanine"  This is excellent news coming just at the right time!
   With Delp playing THIS year, Augie may have had enough offensive firepower to make it to the sectionals and a possible trip to Salem.  Unfortunately for Augie, in the regional final they just didn't shoot well enough from outside or get timely baskets to take any kind of lead.  And when the Vikes did get a lead, Wash U. was able to quickly counter.  That was a phenomenal game to watch between 2 heavyweight teams.  It was just too bad it had to be played so early in the tourney.  It will be interesting to see if Buena Vista or Milsap can even play with this team.  Wash U was well prepared for Augie and were not intimidated by the Viking crowd which was loud and supportive for the majority of the game.  I forget that when Augie beat them in November, they still had Delp and the Bears point guard Wallis had just gone down with a fractured leg!
     Sound like I'm making excuses?...maybe so...but when I look back on the entire season, I am very proud of this team.  We may have been just a "Delp" from making the
Final Four.  All of Augie Nation was disappointed with Saturday's outcome, but not because they lost to an inferior team.  The Vikings were just one rebound or trey from winning that game before the Bears snatched it in overtime.   Most knew sometime in the first half that the ball was not bouncing Augie's way.  They were not getting crucial rebounds and Wash U  was getting easy put backs.  However when Collins hit those 2 free throws with .9 sec left in the game to send it to overtime, everyone in Rock Island, except Wash U, thought the Vikes would win it.  But it just wasn't meant to be!
     It would be nice to see the NCAA seed the top teams in the future and disperse them a little better among the regions.  There is no way that Wash U and Augie should have been playing each other so early in the tourney.  This seemed like a sectional final game instead of a regional.  Many CCIW followers are voicing disappointment with Augustana's short run but I see it as a failed opportunity to advance against a top team that will probably advance to the Final Four.  Fortunately all of us Viking fans have next year to look forward to as 9 of 12 top players return along with Div 1 transfer Keaton Frye (injured) and Jordan Delp!!!  Great season Augie!  Hold your heads high as you have had a great season and won the CCIW for the third year in a row!!!

As a fellow achilles rupturer, I wish Jordan Delp well.  This is a tough injury to bounce back from.  There is such a substantial period of no weight allowed on the bad foot (almost 2 full months from the date of injury) that the muscle atrophy in the entire leg is unbelievable.  It's about 5 months from the injury that you're really walking normal again, and then it takes a long time to build that muscle back.

Wash U senior Danny O'Boyle tore his achilles last year at Augustana.  He averaged 14 ppg in the early going before the injury (in 27 minutes per game as a starter) and seemed poised for a big junior year.  As a sophomore he scored 8.0 ppg in 15 minutes.  The injury in Rock Island was on Nov. 26, 2006 (Delp's was 12/8/07).  This year, as a senior, O'Boyle is averaging 9.7 ppg in 22 minutes off the bench for the Bears.  I'd be interested to know if he feels like he's all the way back physically or not.

Does anyone know if Augie color man Dan Sand (broken leg) is taking a medical redshirt??

[Titan Q]

It would be nice to see the NCAA seed the top teams in the future and disperse them a little better among the regions.  There is no way that Wash U and Augie should have been playing each other so early in the tourney.  This seemed like a sectional final game instead of a regional. 

I do agree with that, but with the current setup, it is almost impossible for teams in this part of the country to avoid playing really good teams in Round 2.  Here are the IWU tournament roads through the Sectional this decade (D3hoops.com Top 25 ranking at the time of the game):

2006
vs #17 Carroll (@ Whitewater) - W
@ #15 Whitewater  - W
@ #1 Lawrence (25-0) - W
vs #14 Puget Sound (@ Lawrence) - W

2005
bye
vs #12 Hanover - L

2004
vs Maryville (Mo) - W
@ #2 Hanover - W
@ #4 Wooster - L

2003
vs Blackburn - W
@ #2 Wash U - W
vs #4 Hampden-Sydney (@ Randolph-Macon) - L

2001
vs Grinnell - W
@ #12 Wartburg - W
vs #9 Elmhurst (@ Chicago) - W
@ #1 Chicago - W


This year Augie got to host unranked Aurora and #11 Wash U (Wooster was #17), a Pool C team.  Just like when IWU lost at home to #12 Hanover in 2005, it's hard to blame the bracket. 

Believe me, I hear what you are saying about the bracket (I've been through this with the Titans), but in the tournament you have to beat great teams at some point...and getting those games at home is a huge advantage.

[knarocky22]

I'm with Q on this one.  Would it really have made you feel better if Augie had lost in the Sweet 16 to Wash U. at home?  The fact is, the bracket was laying out very favorably for Augie to make a run to the Final Four.  They would have hosted all the way to Salem and the higher ranked teams on the bottom half of the bracket lost. 

Augie just didn't get it done on Saturday night.  The game itself actually played into Augie's hands with Nading fouling out and not playing in overtime.  Augie just didn't shoot well or rebound well (Swetalla was basically non-existent and they shot under 10% from beyond the arc).  This one is not on the committee at all.

Don't get me wrong, Wash U is a great team, but that was a game that Augie could have, and in my opinion, should have won, especially with it being in Rock Island. 

I hate to say this, but if Augie wants to be considered one of the premier programs in the country, they are going to have to make a significant run in the NCAA tournament one of these years.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

I hate to say this, but if Augie wants to be considered one of the premier programs in the country, they are going to have to make a significant run in the NCAA tournament one of these years.

Yup - I agree.

I seem to recollect that it took IWU (a little louder) several D3 tries before they made it past the quarterfinal game into the Final Four.

Augustana had, in the early years of D3, a definite 'home court' advantage in hosting regionals, quarterfinals and final fours.  In 1977 they could have played all five games at home!  Take nothing away from those Augustana teams, they had outstanding talents, and were definitely worthy of their high seeds and hosting quarterfinals - but the huge 3,000 plus crowds that the Jim Borcherding coached teams regularly drew throughout the season were a big factor in the committee deciding to let Augie host so many games.

DoS

[markerickson]

I'm sure Delp's Parental Units are enthused about paying another year of tuition, room and board.

I recall the issue of redshirt criteria being discussed long ago.  Delp played in seven games.  Is it indisputable that he does qualify for a redshirt season?

[Titan Q]

I'm sure Delp's Parental Units are enthused about paying another year of tuition, room and board.

I recall the issue of redshirt criteria being discussed long ago.  Delp played in seven games.  Is it indisputable that he does qualify for a redshirt season?

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/03/12/sports/basketball/doc47d61f6c80f7e299890867.txt

Because he played in less than 30 percent of the Vikings' games, Delp was allowed to apply to the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility. To be able to play, he had to withdraw from classes this spring — Augie is on the trimester system — and he'll have nine credits to finish next year to earn his degree.

[Pat Coleman]

The standard is 33%. I wonder why nobody seems to get that fact right.

[markerickson]

If Augie hosted due to anticipated fan attendance, Dennis, why did North Park host in 1985 in light of the fact that the playoffs occurred during spring break?  I learned of NP's win around midday while watching tv in Daytona FL.

I believe, and could be wrong, that NP beat defending champion UWW in one of those games.  I also vaguely recall the game was a true nailbiter.  Dennis:  If you attended the game, what did I miss?    How many people did UWW bring and how small was the estimated crowd?

[petemcb]

I'm sure Delp's Parental Units are enthused about paying another year of tuition, room and board.

I recall the issue of redshirt criteria being discussed long ago.  Delp played in seven games.  Is it indisputable that he does qualify for a redshirt season?

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/03/12/sports/basketball/doc47d61f6c80f7e299890867.txt

Because he played in less than 30 percent of the Vikings' games, Delp was allowed to apply to the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility. To be able to play, he had to withdraw from classes this spring — Augie is on the trimester system — and he'll have nine credits to finish next year to earn his degree.

So to continue to pick at this rule, when would Delp do his nine credits?  If he does them during fall trimester, would he only be eligible to play until January?  If so, could he wait and do them during winter trimester and join the team for the conference season?  If he graduates by January, how can he still be playing for Augie in February and maybe March?  Seems like a strange situation.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

If Augie hosted due to anticipated fan attendance, Dennis, why did North Park host in 1985 in light of the fact that the playoffs occurred during spring break?  I learned of NP's win around midday while watching tv in Daytona FL.

I believe, and could be wrong, that NP beat defending champion UWW in one of those games.  I also vaguely recall the game was a true nailbiter.  Dennis:  If you attended the game, what did I miss?    How many people did UWW bring and how small was the estimated crowd?

North Park league co-champion got an at-large bid, but was the #1 seed in the regional (thus hosted) - the gym was packed.

North Park smoked Monmouth by 40 in their opener, while UW-Whitewater (defending national champs) was beating CCIW co-champion (an automatic bid) North Central.  North Park beat UW-Whitewater by two (me thinks) for the regional championship.

North Park also hosted the quarterfinal that year against #1 ranked Wittenberg and won by one.

North Park's last four wins in the tournament that year were by a combined total of ten points.

North Park hosted games in 1979 (3), 1980 (2), 1985 (3) and 1987 (3) and never had any trouble packing the gym - even though the students were always gone on spring break.

DoS

[usee]

I'm sure Delp's Parental Units are enthused about paying another year of tuition, room and board.

I recall the issue of redshirt criteria being discussed long ago.  Delp played in seven games.  Is it indisputable that he does qualify for a redshirt season?

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/03/12/sports/basketball/doc47d61f6c80f7e299890867.txt

Because he played in less than 30 percent of the Vikings' games, Delp was allowed to apply to the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility. To be able to play, he had to withdraw from classes this spring — Augie is on the trimester system — and he'll have nine credits to finish next year to earn his degree.

So to continue to pick at this rule, when would Delp do his nine credits?  If he does them during fall trimester, would he only be eligible to play until January?  If so, could he wait and do them during winter trimester and join the team for the conference season?  If he graduates by January, how can he still be playing for Augie in February and maybe March?  Seems like a strange situation.

I think as long as he is working towards graduation he can piece his 9 credits together over the course of the semester's. In football some guys will drop out spring semester and finish their 1 class in the fall to only pay for that class. I am pretty sure in basktetball you can do the same. you graduate later but saves money.

[petemcb]

So you don't have to be a full time student to be participating in NCAA athletics?

[petemcb]

Any chance Kent Raymond might come up a credit short sometime in the next 2-3 months............?

[Pat Coleman]

So you don't have to be a full time student to be participating in NCAA athletics?

If you're in your last semester and completing your degree, you can be eligible taking only the classes required to graduate.