MBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[Gregory Sager]

WLC got to play Marian and Edgewood only once, everyone else twice, too. After MSOE becomes a member things will be altered again (maybe 2 separate divisions??).

The league will, in fact, move to a North Division and a South Division next season, with the Milwaukee schools rotating between the two divisions on an annual basis so that one of them doesn't get stuck with the lion's share of travel every year.

This is all contingent upon Rockford staying open, though. No word on what will happen if that school closes its doors at the end of the school year.

[Warren Thompson]

What, Rockford might go belly up? Details, please.

[Gregory Sager]

What, Rockford might go belly up? Details, please.

Rockford College has been hovering on the brink of insolvency for years. It's finally gotten to the point where, like Rich Uncle Pennybags on the "Pay Poor Tax of $15" Chance card in Monopoly, the school has pulled its pockets inside out and found nothing therein but lint.

I've heard from a couple of higher-ed administators that there's a chance that Northern Illinois University might buy out the school and operate Rockford College as an honors-level branch campus of NIU.

[Warren Thompson]

What, Rockford might go belly up? Details, please.

Rockford College has been hovering on the brink of insolvency for years. It's finally gotten to the point where, like Rich Uncle Pennybags on the "Pay Poor Tax of $15" Chance card in Monopoly, the school has pulled its pockets inside out and found nothing therein but lint.

I've heard from a couple of higher-ed administators that there's a chance that Northern Illinois University might buy out the school and operate Rockford College as an honors-level branch campus of NIU.

It's always sad when a college closes. I understand that Rockford is one of only 11 venues in Illinois with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

[Gregory Sager]

What, Rockford might go belly up? Details, please.

Rockford College has been hovering on the brink of insolvency for years. It's finally gotten to the point where, like Rich Uncle Pennybags on the "Pay Poor Tax of $15" Chance card in Monopoly, the school has pulled its pockets inside out and found nothing therein but lint.

I've heard from a couple of higher-ed administators that there's a chance that Northern Illinois University might buy out the school and operate Rockford College as an honors-level branch campus of NIU.

It's always sad when a college closes. I understand that Rockford is one of only 11 venues in Illinois with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

It's not dead yet, but the prognosis is not good.

[keith45]

I was at Saturday's Aurora @ Dominican overtime contest. Great game, very tight all the way. Tied at the end of the half, tied at the end of regulation -- how much closer could a game get?

Aurora won via attrition. Dominican lost its three best weapons, Erin McMillan, Mike Haiduc, and Jose Garcia, to fouls before the first couple of minutes of overtime were in the books. After that, it seemed certain that the Spartans would manage to pull it out.

So Greg, what was your opinion of AU?

[diego]

As a former player at RC, I have followed the team after my playing years.  The school is struggling, no doubt.  The school is keeping a close watch on its budget, but to my understanding it is not closing its doors. 

The school had a lot of staff and administrators jump ship in fear that the school may close the doors, but there is no signs of that happening for the 07-08 year.  Yet, I am not in budget meetings though, so..........

[Greek Tragedy]

So Greg, what was your opinion of AU?

I'm sure it's a lot better than mine when I saw WLC upset them in Milwaukee! 

[Gregory Sager]

I was at Saturday's Aurora @ Dominican overtime contest. Great game, very tight all the way. Tied at the end of the half, tied at the end of regulation -- how much closer could a game get?

Aurora won via attrition. Dominican lost its three best weapons, Erin McMillan, Mike Haiduc, and Jose Garcia, to fouls before the first couple of minutes of overtime were in the books. After that, it seemed certain that the Spartans would manage to pull it out.

So Greg, what was your opinion of AU?

They're more versatile than they've been the past couple of years, when you were likely to shut them down if you could put a dent into Larry Welton's production. Darrick Leonard runs the team very effectively as both a scorer and distributor; Mike Leonard provides a much-needed, if somewhat erratic, inside complement to Welton; and the Spartans have three bombers in Dusty Magee, Chad Trudo, and Doug Lambert who all hit the trey at a 40% pace or better. They're vulnerable against a team with a big and mobile scoring center, as Dominican's Mike Haiduc demonstrated, and I think that the Spartans are less effective if you face-guard them and force them to beat you off of the dribble. Also, while Welton has improved his versatility by becoming a three-point threat this year, that's not always a good thing. He's sometimes wasted by being used out on the perimeter, because he can be an unstoppable force inside.

Of the teams I've seen this season, I'd say that the Spartans are a little below Augustana, Elmhurst, UWO, and Wash U, and at about the same level as Wheaton, Chicago, NYU, and Carthage. They're definitely in the tourney as a Pool B invite this year, and I think that they can win a game in the dance, maybe even two. I'll be very surprised if they make it any farther than the Sweet Sixteen, though, and I wouldn't even bet on them making it that far.

[keith45]

I was at Saturday's Aurora @ Dominican overtime contest. Great game, very tight all the way. Tied at the end of the half, tied at the end of regulation -- how much closer could a game get?

Aurora won via attrition. Dominican lost its three best weapons, Erin McMillan, Mike Haiduc, and Jose Garcia, to fouls before the first couple of minutes of overtime were in the books. After that, it seemed certain that the Spartans would manage to pull it out.

So Greg, what was your opinion of AU?

They're more versatile than they've been the past couple of years, when you were likely to shut them down if you could put a dent into Larry Welton's production. Darrick Leonard runs the team very effectively as both a scorer and distributor; Mike Leonard provides a much-needed, if somewhat erratic, inside complement to Welton; and the Spartans have three bombers in Dusty Magee, Chad Trudo, and Doug Lambert who all hit the trey at a 40% pace or better. They're vulnerable against a team with a big and mobile scoring center, as Dominican's Mike Haiduc demonstrated, and I think that the Spartans are less effective if you face-guard them and force them to beat you off of the dribble. Also, while Welton has improved his versatility by becoming a three-point threat this year, that's not always a good thing. He's sometimes wasted by being used out on the perimeter, because he can be an unstoppable force inside.

Of the teams I've seen this season, I'd say that the Spartans are a little below Augustana, Elmhurst, UWO, and Wash U, and at about the same level as Wheaton, Chicago, NYU, and Carthage. They're definitely in the tourney as a Pool B invite this year, and I think that they can win a game in the dance, maybe even two. I'll be very surprised if they make it any farther than the Sweet Sixteen, though, and I wouldn't even bet on them making it that far.

Thanks Greg. I think you are spot on with your observation..I think their bench gives them a bit of a luxury as well, with Magee and Liggett providing a spark against other teams second string.
Dominican killed them with the high low all day..I'm not sure if Dominican has shooters, but it seemed like AU was paying close attention to them..help side was an issue I think.
As for the NCAA's, I think its a match up issue..if AU hosts, and gets a second tier CCIW school (assuming more than 1 CCIW team gets in) or a team without a dominant big man, they can make a run). If they run into a strong big man, it comes down to the 2's vs the 3's....

[cardinalfanrochelle]

WLCALUM,
any Lakeland vs WLC scores? I went to the WLC site no game information on web

[WLCALUM83]

2/13/07 NAthCon Finals:

Concordia-WI 67, Marian 59. (That result does WLC a temporary favor.) (Marian had a cold-shooting spell midway thru the 2nd half, made a brief run, but the Falcons hit their FT's late to salt this one away.)

WLC 87, Lakeland 81. (Way to come through at home, Warriors!!!
(4 Warriors in double figures scoring wise-offsetting Regal's 26 and Rogers' 33). WLC shot 62.5% in the 2nd half--per post-game account off Warrior radio feed.

Benedictine 74, Maranatha 64. (IL Eagles' hot 2nd-half shooting overcame the Crusaders--Maranatha press release).

Dominican 83, Concordia-Chicago 70. (Stars had 4 players in double figures, outshot Cougars from the field overall on the game, had fewer turnovers, per box score off Cougar web-site.)


(Benedictine and Dominican wins eliminate Concordia-WI from NAthCon post-season tournament).

[WLCALUM83]

2-15 NAthCon Projections:

Aurora over Concordia-Chicago.

Edgewood over Concordia-WI

Lakeland over Maranatha:  (Crusaders' impeccably bad timing strikes again.)

Benedictine over Marian: (Sabers can win this if they're hitting their 3's.)

Dominican over Rockford:

[WLCALUM83]

There may be a slight chance that Lakeland, WLC, Benedictine, Dominican and Marian all finish with 11-7 in NAthCon records.

Wonder how much fun Commissioner Larsen and Co. would have with that scenario?? 

[wizbegs1304]

WLC what does it look like now for playoff imp. before these last two games and what could happen after?