WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwu70]

Congrats to both . . . . top performances this past week by both.  Why not . . ?

IWU'70

[iwu70]

At 19-4, with two games to play before hosting the CCIW tournament, Millikin is in the Top 25 poll, at #25.

IWU'70

[Gregory Sager]

North Park squeezed out a victory on the road tonight in Kenosha, beating Carthage by a score of 59-56. Victoria Perry led the way for the Vikings with 18 points, including 3-6 from downtown, while Esther Miller added 14 points and Chantel Hairston had 10 and 9 with three steals. Lauren Knight was the only Firebird in double figures, as she scored 10, and Marianna Morrissey contributed eight boards in the losing cause.

This puts the Firebirds and Vikings in a tie at 5-10 apiece in the fight for the sixth and final tournament spot. Both teams have tough road games on Saturday to end the regular season; NPU has to go to Augustana, Carthage has to travel down to Illinois Wesleyan. The advantage rests with Carthage, since the Firebirds split with Augustana and the Vikings split with Illinois Wesleyan, and right now Augie's a game up on IWU in the standings.

[iwu70]

Looks to me like the Titans end up as #5 or #6 seed and will have to play on the road for all games they play in the CCIW tournament.  Let's hope they play like they did recently vs. Carroll, not like they played vs. MU -- both games at home.  I think the IWU women have a chance to win the tournament, but they will have to play their very best, have Catie Knutson fully back and healthy, and find some way (which basically no one has as yet) to slow down Elyce Knudsen, should they get to a re-match with Millikin.   All a very tall order.

IWU'70

[GoPerry]

As long as the Wheaton ladies can take care of business this weekend at Elmhurst (which they should), they should have a home game, prob vs IWU, in the first round of the CCIW tournament since they have the tiebreaker.  It would be nice if the team could get these next two wins and see what happens in Decatur.  There have been very few games in which the Wheaton ladies have not been competitive in.  But offensive proficiency and consistency has been evasive for this team for a number of reasons.  They're getting good contribution from freshmen Fernandez and Oliver which bodes well for next season.

[iwu70]

Sounds about right GoPerry.   A battle for IWU to get to Decatur.   Fernandez and Oliver are great young players.

'70

[Gregory Sager]

Augustana 72
North Park 58

Victoria Perry: 19 pts
Chantel Hairston: 12 pts
Esther Miller: 9 rebs, 3:0 a:to

Gabby Loiz: 28 pts (10-17 FG), 12 rebs
Carly Stone: 11 pts
Emma Berg: 11 pts
Corey Whitlock: 8 rebs
Matayia Tellis: 5 stls

North Park's late run at the sixth playoff spot falls short.

A big thank-you and best-wishes to Esther Miller and Lauren Lee for all their hard work and for all that they've meant to the NPU women's basketball program. You will be missed!

[iwu70]

IWU over Carthage 74-53

The Titans finished the regular season at 15-10, and will head to Wheaton for the Tuesday night CCIW tournament game.

Really all you need to know about this one is 1Q IWU 21 CC 4, 3Q IWU 25 CC 8.   It was over early.

For CC:
Spear 13
Orozco 10
Knebel  9 rebounds

Firebirds with 18 TOs, as the pressure got to them especially in the 1Q and the 3Q.

For IWU:
Huber 14 and 10
Palmer 13 with 3-7 from the arc
Heller 10
White 9 and 8 with 3 steals


The entire Titan roster played in this one.  Many scored.

We honored and said farewell and thank you to the seniors:   Heller, Carlson, Retherford, Collins and Moody.  A nice crowd and a very friendly atmosphere.

Nice to go out at home, on Senior Night, with a good win.

IWU has a tough road in the CCIW tournament with all road games . . . but why not.   Play well and move on . . .  I'm just dying to get back to the GRIZ.      LOL

'70

[RogK]

my indisputable* choices for all-CCIW :
1st team =
Elyce Knudsen (MVP) MIL
Lauren Huber IWU
Olivia Rangel CRL
Gabriela Loiz AUG
Caroline Sikkink WHE
Taylor Harazin ELM
Victoria Perry NPU
Miranda Fox MIL
2nd team =
Chelsea McCullum MIL
Bailey Coffman MIL
Marianna Morrissey CTG
Allison Thompson CRL
Sawyer White IWU
Natalie Stavropoulos NCC
Annika Richardson WHE
Carly Stone AUG
Lots of other good players right there in the conversation (what conversation? I didn't hear any conversation)
* could be disputable

[iwu70]

RogK, yes, pretty much spot on.  I think Heller over White from IWU for the second team.   Sawyer White will have her day, perhaps 2-3 times in future years.  I'd actually put Kate Palmer above White, too, at this point, esp. for her almost-league leading number of treys.   

Here comes the tournament.   

IWU'70

[Gregory Sager]

The All-CCIW team has just been released.

Congratulations to Victoria Perry upon being named CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year! It's good to see a transfer student win what has traditionally been a freshmen-only award, and VP clearly deserved it.

[iwu70]

Congrats to IWU's Lauren Huber and Katlyn Heller on All-Conference honors, richly deserved.   And, congrats to all the other CCIW honorees.   Some great performances this year, especially MOP Elyce Knudsen from Millikin.   Pretty much unstoppable . . .

Here comes the tournament.

'70 

[RogK]

My congrats, also, to all those honored today !

[iwu70]

I'm quite happy with all the All-CCIW sections, honors.  Glad to see Caite Knudsen honored too . . .  she's a great addition to the IWU team and program, around for two more years.   IWU has so many promising young players now to build on . . .  perhaps returning to the CCIW championship circle after Elyce Knudsen graduates!     

'70

[RogK]

More congrats to Gabriela Loiz, who is the new CCIW player of the week!
She scored 27 and 28 and averaged 8.5 rebs.
She's now at 1,044 points in her Augie career. That's a nice accomplishment considering only 10 games were played in their '20-'21 season.