WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Roundball999]

Millikin is still sitting in the middle of the D3hoops.com Top 25's grab bag of leftovers, aka the ORV category, with 18 points. To no one's great surprise, no other CCIW teams appeared on a ballot this week.

https://www.d3hoops.com/top25/index

Still last week's poll, I think?

[Gregory Sager]

You're right. I forgot that the men's and women's polls don't drop simultaneously.

I'll post the new one once it's up.

[iwu70]

In the new poll, Millikin almost breaking into the top 25, now at #26.  Should they win out in the CCIW, as I expect them to do, they will likely be in the top 25 soon. 

'70
 

[gordonmann]

You're right. I forgot that the men's and women's polls don't drop simultaneously.

I'll post the new one once it's up.

I could blame it on time zones but Pat handles the men's, he's always done first and he's in the central time zone. So I can't use that excuse.

[Gregory Sager]

You're right. I forgot that the men's and women's polls don't drop simultaneously.

I'll post the new one once it's up.

I could blame it on time zones but Pat handles the men's, he's always done first and he's in the central time zone. So I can't use that excuse.

Doesn't matter, anyway, as iwu70 was on his computer early this morning and posted it before I was even awake.

[lmitzel]

Wheaton 73, NCC 61

Caroline Sikkink: 17 pts
Annika Richardson: 15 pts, 6 reb
Anna Fernandez: 12 pts, 7 reb, 3 stl
Kate Oliver: 12 pts

Megan Duffy: 16 pts, 5 reb
Megan McClure: 14 pts, 6 reb
Natalie Stavropolous: 12 pts
Grace Keiffer: 10 pts, 7 reb, 2 stl

[iwu70]

The IWU women put it all together tonight, winning easily over North Park at The Shirk

Final Score:  IWU 86 NPU 52

For NPU
Victoria Perry is a tremendous player, 23
Hairston 11

All you really need to know about this one: Rebounds IWU 50 and NPU 27, and Points in the Paint IWU 44 and NPU 20

For IWU:
Huber 22 and 12 again
Knutson 18 and 5
Heller 15 and 5, with 6 assists
White 12 and 9

The Titans shooting 55% from the field.

Mia Smith playing the freshmen more:  White for sure, and Mahlum and Balli, too. 

My impressions:  I think a case can be made for Huber as the league's most oustanding player . . . though, of course, we all know Knudsen is a first team All-American and Millikin looks to run away with the regular season.  Knutson and Heller have improved their scoring and rebounding.  Few can guard Heller as she slashes to the basket.  You can see Mia Smith cultivating, encouraging the freshmen, and White is already a top flight player . . . likely an All-conference player in the future.  Many of the pine-sitters got some minutes tonight with several scoring.  Nice to see.  With these freshmen and the sophomore group of Huber, Palmer and Powers (including eligibility for Knutson) the Titans have a lot of talent for the next two seasons beyond this one . . .  losing only Heller and Carlson to graduation. 

Victoria Perry is a tremendous player, pretty much going wherever she wished tonight.  She had an injury in the second half, but went and got taped and returned to play late in the 4th Q. 

Injury Report:  Powers still out, still in the boot and on crutches.  Likely out several more games.   Now Collins on crutches too, with a tweaked ankle of some sort.   Again, Carlson and White will pick up the extra minutes, the extra starts with Mallory Powers' absence. 

I think one of the few chances for anyone to put a loss on Millikin will be MU at IWU on February 8th.  IWU lost earlier at The Griz by 9 and I'm sure they want another shot at the Big Blue, including doing a better job on Knudsen this time.  She had 34 the last time. 

Good to see a complete game put together so well by the Titans tonight.  A nice crowd on a snowy night.

IWU'70

[RogK]

Going into today's action, each CCIW team has at least one player shooting 40% or better from 3 pt distance :
AUG Emma Berg .455  20/44
CRL Brooke Foster .422 35/83
CTG Elena Knebel .500 1/2
       Alyssa Orozco .400 10/25
ELM Mikaela Armstrong 1.000 1/1
IWU Martha Lipic .500 1/2
       Sawyer White .400 12/30
MIL Sarah Ness .500 1/2
      Abby Ratsch .429 3/7
      Elyce Knudsen .402 35/87
NCC Megan Duffy .409 18/44
NPU Maddy Schwemmer .500 4/8
WHE Ellie Cassel 1.000 2/2
        Alyssa Faberowski .500 3/6

[iwu70]

In a tough loss for the Titans, Augie over the Titans tonight 75-72.  No one had a lead of over 6, with many lead changes.

AC winning the rebounding line 33-27.  And, I think the difference in this game was the injury to Knutson early in the 2nd half, taking a bad fall under the basket and never returning . . . I would guess a concussion, but I don't know the outcome.  That was huge for the IWU rebounding situation.

Augie played tough and shot the three ball well.  IWU still with too many TOs, mistakes at key moments down the stretch. 

For Augustana:
Loiz 16
Beinborn 13
Berg 12
Papez 10

For IWU:
Another awesome game, Huber 30 and 9
Palmer 12
Knutson 9 in just half a game
The freshmen looked more like freshmen tonight. 

Some truly dubious work by the zebras. 

So, we'll see on Knutson returning, Powers and Collins still in boots.

A tough loss in a very competitive, generally high-quality game by both teams. 

Carver a tough place to win.

'70

[GoPerry]

Wheaton over Carthage at Tarble, 58-55

Annika Richardson  had 19 pts while Caroline Sikkink  tallied 16pts and 15 rebounds.  This was an important road W for the Thunder ladies to keep them in a tie for third with Augustana in the conference.  This makes Wednesday game vs the Lady Vikes at King equally important if they hope to have a first round home game in the CCIW tourney.  Augie and IWU have easier schedules remaining.

Carthage was led by Marianna Morrisey with 20 pts and 9 rebs.

[RogK]

Several players performed to the level of conference player of the week.
I'd award it to Olivia Rangel by a microscopically slim margin over Lauren Huber.
Rangel scored 53 in 68 minutes, adding 13 rebs, 11 assists, 6 stls. She made 16/25 2FG, 1/3 3FG, 18/22 FT.
Huber was similarly excellent, scoring 52 in 59 minutes, grabbing 21 rebs. She made 20/28 2FG, 3/7 3FG, 3/4 FT.
Elyce Knudsen did very well in Millikin's only game, scoring 25 (.500 eFG and 5/6 FT) in 26 min., adding 3 stls and 10 rebs.
Marianna Morrissey poured in 37 (15/23 2FG, 7/11 FT), along with 4 stls, 9 assists and 18 rebs in 64 min.
I also noticed the interesting numbers for Augustana's 6'2" freshman Cali Papez : 28 pts, 8 rebs and 8 fouls (a wee bit too many!) in just 25 minutes. She made an impressive 14 of 17 2FG att.

[RogK]

Congrats to the new CCIW player of the week, Olivia Rangel

[gordonmann]

Millikin back in the Top 25:

https://www.d3hoops.com/top25/women/2022-23/week9

[iwu70]

Glad to see MU back in the top 25.  I think they deserve it, are worthy.

Congrats to Ms. Rangel on the weekly honor.

'70

[iwu70]

Good luck to the Titans tonight at Elmhurst.

Powers and Collins are likely out further games.  Knutson may be back sooner, perhaps even by Saturday night . . . Or so I'm led to believe.  Huber will have to pull down 20 rebounds with Knutson out tonight!    As one assistant coach put it, "too many boots."

The freshmen will get more time -- esp. White, Balli and Mahlum.   Good for experience in future.

It would be nice to climb up the standings a bit further and have the #3 seed going into the tournament.

IWU'70