MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[thundermike11]

Any scrimmages coming up?
NCC will play at Rockford Thurs at 6:00, and will host U of Chicago next Wed at 7:30.

Wheaton hosts Benedictine next Friday. I think it's at 7:30

[thundermike11]

Coaches Poll is up with Wheaton at the top.  Surprising?

http://cciw.org/winter_bball_m/200809mbbpoll.php

(I was really hoping to come see all kinds of great discussion about this already, but it looks like I'm breaking the story!)

I am suprised. Not because I don't think Wheaton can win, but because I think you have to give the nod to the team that has won the past couple of years. The target on Wheaton's back continues to get bigger.

[usee]

Coaches Poll is up with Wheaton at the top.  Surprising?

http://cciw.org/winter_bball_m/200809mbbpoll.php

(I was really hoping to come see all kinds of great discussion about this already, but it looks like I'm breaking the story!)

I am suprised. Not because I don't think Wheaton can win, but because I think you have to give the nod to the team that has won the past couple of years. The target on Wheaton's back continues to get bigger.

that's odd because last I checked Wheaton hasn't won the CCIW in at least a couple years. I, for one, am very shocked. I think Augie is a clear cut #1 and I would have put Wheaton/IWU/Elmhurst bunched together but separate as #2-4.  Surviving the CCIW will be the key to this season for sure.

[iwumichigander]

Coaches Poll is up with Wheaton at the top.  Surprising?

http://cciw.org/winter_bball_m/200809mbbpoll.php

(I was really hoping to come see all kinds of great discussion about this already, but it looks like I'm breaking the story!)

I am suprised. Not because I don't think Wheaton can win, but because I think you have to give the nod to the team that has won the past couple of years. The target on Wheaton's back continues to get bigger.

Not all that surprised.  The vote could have just as easily gone the other way. I'd attribute the Wheaton 1st place votes to the "Raymond factor" along with the opportunity for improvement from Wheaton's other core returning players.

(edited by GS for formatting)

[thundermike11]

Coaches Poll is up with Wheaton at the top.  Surprising?

http://cciw.org/winter_bball_m/200809mbbpoll.php

(I was really hoping to come see all kinds of great discussion about this already, but it looks like I'm breaking the story!)

I am suprised. Not because I don't think Wheaton can win, but because I think you have to give the nod to the team that has won the past couple of years. The target on Wheaton's back continues to get bigger.

that's odd because last I checked Wheaton hasn't won the CCIW in at least a couple years. I, for one, am very shocked. I think Augie is a clear cut #1 and I would have put Wheaton/IWU/Elmhurst bunched together but separate as #2-4.  Surviving the CCIW will be the key to this season for sure.

That is precisely why I said I am surprised. I also think that Augie is the favorite because of their recent upper hand. Perhaps my wording did not adequately state that.

If you are referring to my "target" reference, what I meant by that was that the combination of the tournament run, the return of Raymond, high placing in the polls, and now being picked to win the conference makes Wheaton a team that other teams will be gunning for.

[wheels81]

Wheaton's BB preview on website now;
http://athletics.wheaton.edu/News/mbball/2008/10/29/MBB-Preview.asp?path=mbball

[thundermike11]

Wheaton's BB preview on website now;
http://athletics.wheaton.edu/News/mbball/2008/10/29/MBB-Preview.asp?path=mbball

Some interesting stuff in there. Especially the comment about Tim McCrary possibly starting. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. Jeremy Berntsen's health is a huge question mark. If he can't go, it will really test the depth of Wheaton's guards on the bench. With McCrary, Brad Smith, and Tom Sovocool all possibly seeing minutes, the Thunder seems to have more depth in the post this year, which is needed. I also think the play of Andrew Jahns will go a long way in determining if Wheaton can live up to some of the high expectations being put on them.

[petemcb]

Any scrimmages coming up?
NCC will play at Rockford Thurs at 6:00, and will host U of Chicago next Wed at 7:30.

Wheaton hosts Benedictine next Friday. I think it's at 7:30

Is that Friday the 7th or Friday the 14th, thundermike?

[thundermike11]

Any scrimmages coming up?
NCC will play at Rockford Thurs at 6:00, and will host U of Chicago next Wed at 7:30.

Wheaton hosts Benedictine next Friday. I think it's at 7:30

Is that Friday the 7th or Friday the 14th, thundermike?

As far as I know it is on the 7th

[Titan Q]

Coaches Poll is up with Wheaton at the top.  Surprising?

http://cciw.org/winter_bball_m/200809mbbpoll.php

(I was really hoping to come see all kinds of great discussion about this already, but it looks like I'm breaking the story!)

I am surprised for the main reasons mentioned here already -- that Augie has won the last 3 CCIW titles and has so many key pieces back from last year's champion.

That said, however, Augie was not exactly dominant in 2007-08.  They weren't one of those 12-2 or 13-1-type teams that you just feel is a lot better than the next best team.  The Vikings finished 11-3 with the following near misses:

vs Elmhurst, 74-72
vs Wheaton, 66-61 (2 pt game with 2:00 to play)
@ IWU, 65-61 (trailed by 4 with 2:29 to play)
vs Carthage, 76-69 (2-pt game with 1:29 to play)
@ Millikin, 59-56
@ North Central, 63-59 (trailed by 4 with 1:56 to play)

In the conference tournament semifinal, Augie defeated Elmhurst 69-68 in overtime.

Now, to be very clear, Augie won every single one of those games and that is exactly what great teams do and why they deserved to be the league champ.  But I can see where if you're looking at this season and you consider,

a) the above - that Augie didn't exactly steamroll the league,
b) the fact they did lose two very important pieces to last year's rotation - 6-9 beast Dain Swetalla and 6-9 backup Dan Rukavina (that is a lot of size to lose),
c) they have to find a way to fit Jordan Delp back into things (could upset some chemistry from last year),
d) how ridiculous Kent Raymond is, and
e) the fact that Wheaton returns its entire starting 5 and more,

...that you can make a case for Wheaton as the favorite.  I would not personally vote that way (because I think Wheaton has much more to prove than Augie), but I understand it.   

[April]

Hi guys, I read back through the last two months of posts and there's something strangely reassuring about the fact that all the same guys are still here having the same arguments despite how much my life continues to change. I hope every one had nice summers! And very belated congrats to TQ on the wedding.

Here in So Cal it hit 80 today, so it still feels a bit like summer and it's hard to get used to the idea that basketball is just around the corner. (However I did just recently get back from Yellowstone where a few inches of snow were dumped on us and I got to prove how soft living in CA has made my snow driving skills. )

Exciting to see Wheaton so high on so many polls, and I hope this is a stellar year for us. We really do have a target on our backs.... and I hope it lights a fire under our butts! I was bummed to see a lack of CCIW presence out here during the preseason (). It was weird not going to Salem last year, so it would be great to see us there this year. I mean, not to jinx us or anything....

Thanks for keeping us "tragically" exiled people up to date on all the happenings, and best wishes to the Thunder for a stellar season!

[Titan Q]

Welcome back to who Art Kimball once called "The Belle of the CCIW."

[Titan Q]

By the way, is Coach Giovanine not the happiest guy in the CCIW today (with the preseason poll results)?  Here he is with a group of seniors who have never finished out of 1st place in the conference...and a team rated #2 nationally in the preseason.  And if there is one concern with that type of team, of course, it is that maybe they'll be a little over-confident or whatever....and then they get picked 2nd in the conference!

How long do you think it took for the poll results to be mentioned at practice today?

[iwumichigander]

By the way, is Coach Giovanine not the happiest guy in the CCIW today (with the preseason poll results)?  Here he is with a group of seniors who have never finished out of 1st place in the conference...and a team rated #2 nationally in the preseason.  And if there is one concern with that type of team, of course, it is that maybe they'll be a little over-confident or whatever....and then they get picked 2nd in the conference!

How long do you think it took for the poll results to be mentioned at practice today?

Locker room bulletin board material for sure! Coach G has something he can point to all season long.

[thundermike11]

By the way, is Coach Giovanine not the happiest guy in the CCIW today (with the preseason poll results)?  Here he is with a group of seniors who have never finished out of 1st place in the conference...and a team rated #2 nationally in the preseason.  And if there is one concern with that type of team, of course, it is that maybe they'll be a little over-confident or whatever....and then they get picked 2nd in the conference!

How long do you think it took for the poll results to be mentioned at practice today?

Another reason why I used the "target on the back" imagery for Wheaton.