WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[RogK]

I just completed an important study regarding our CCIW players. Here are some of the better results:
Adihsar Renioj, Nerual Enaf, Niltiak Yeliad, Eitak Ekmelk, Nnawerd Ztarcnap, Rolyat Illednot, Eeliac Narocroc, Einna Newob, Ikkin Notserp, Yecats Silra, Eiznekcam Dyolf, Nerak Iralos, Eilatan Egnur, Annairb Sneeks, Anitsirk Drawoh, Ecirtal Noswen.
And a couple of coaches : Enirehtak Zednenem, Irol Snarek.

[OldSchoolHoopsFan]

Ti Koot em a etunim.

[RogK]

Don't brag, OldSchoolHoopsFan!
Incidentally, we might find actual people with those names riding the Metro in Istanbul.

[OldSchoolHoopsFan]

I meant a looong minute. 

[RogK]

For the players who will end their collegiate basketball career tomorrow, I wish them an enjoyable fun time in their last game. Thanks for playing!
No injuries allowed. No cell phones on the court.

[iwu70]

Congrats and best wishes to all the players and coaches as the regular season winds up tomorrow.  Special best wishes to all the outgoing seniors . . . and best of luck in future.

[Hoosier Titan]

Thanks to the players and coaches on all the teams, who have given us so much entertainment during this season and the previous ones.  Good luck today and in the future.

[Mr. Ypsi]

At the half in Chicago: IWU 51, NPU 20.

I'd say the Titans are showing no mercy, except they've already used 12 players, and the leading scorer is not a starter!

[Mr. Ypsi]

IWU closes out NPU, 97-43, thus concluding the best three-year run in CCIW history.  Neither Millikin or Wheaton ever came close to the Titans' run of 40-2 (the closest is Augie under Diane Schumacher at 45-3 from '89-'91).

Congratulations to Mia Smith and the Titans!

[iwu70]

Congrat to Coach Smith and all the team.  Way to go.  Keep it rolling all the back to the Shirk ... for CCIW tourney and the DIII dance.

[thunder38]

Just an interesting insight to fuel the discussion about the M.O.P. award for this year.  the following four questions are presented in Bill Simmons' The Book of Basketball regarding how to best decide an MVP and just my opinion on how the race is affected by each criteria.

1. If you replaced each MVP candidate with a decent player at their position for the entire season, what would be the best hypothetical effect on their team's records?

If you're going by this criteria than the MOP is Long's in a landslide. 
-IWU has shown throughout the season that they're deep enough and talented enough at the rest of the positions that the Titans would still be very talented and maybe their record falls to 20-5 at the absolute worst if you replace either Solari or Schulte with a less-talented player.
-Carthage belongs in the same category but to a little bit lesser degree.  Jacklin is a nice player but the supporting cast is also very talented.  Any given night Dorn, Gilmore, Klemke, or Ripkey can take over a game and lead the Lady Reds.  Take Jacklin out of the picture and this is still a 17-18 win team.
-Take Long away from the Blue Jays and I struggle to see them finishing above .500 and especially not a CCIW tourney team.  Merklein and Ney are nice post players but take Long out of the picture and I can't see them carrying the Blue Jays as far as they've gone this year. 
-Even if you're going to throw Elise Wildman into the mix, Millikin relies so heavily on ball movement to open up the entry pass and Wildman is excellent at gaining position on the block.  Replace her with an average post player and Millikin enters the sub .500 category along with Elmhurst.

2. In a giant pickup game with every CCIW player available and two knowledgeable fans forced to pick five-woman teams, with their lives depending on the game's outcome, who would be the first player picked based on how everyone played that season?

I know there's more knowledgeable fans than I but if my life's at stake I'm definitely taking Long first for her scoring and rebounding ability.

3. Ten years form now, who will be the first player from that season who pops into my head?


45 points in a game is pretty memorable and will most likely stand for the next decade.  In that same breath, Jacklin's season is overshadowed in the memory by the game-winner by Klemke, Solari and Schulte will be overshadowed by the overall depth and greatness of the team and with so many other storylines in play, Wildman falls to the back of the pack.

4.  If you're explaing your MVP pick to someone who has a favorite player in the race, a player that you didn't pick, will they at least say something like "Yeah, I don't like it, but I can see how you arrived at your choice."?

I think this can most likely be said about any of the leading candidates.

It'll be interesting but I think the scale tips towards Long winning M.O.P.

Along that line here's my opinion of the All-Conference teams.

1st team
Lyndsie Long- Elmhurst, Sr. 24.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 49% FG pct. 89% FT pct.- M.O.P.
Christina Solari-IWU, Sr. 13.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 4.4 assists/game, 2.9 steals/game, 56% FG, 75% FT pct.
Hope Schulte-IWU, Jr. 11.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.9 steals/game, 2.1 apg, 17 blocks, 39% FG pct. 70% FT pct.
Elise Wildman-Millikin, Jr. 17.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 54 blocks, 54% FG pct. 71% FT pct.
Diana Jacklin-Carthage, So. 14.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 40 blocks, 55% FG pct.

2nd team
Meghan Merklein-Elmhurst, So. 13.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 45% FG pct. 87% FT pct.
Lindsey Brenneman-Wheaton, So. 12.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 37% FG pct. 34% 3pt. pct. 87% FT pct.
Jackie Errico-North Central, Jr. 13.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 36% FG pct. 33% 3pt. pct. 79% FT pct. 45 steals
Rosie Dorn-Carthage, Sr. 10.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 53% FG pct. 70% FT pct.
Kam Acree-North Park, Fr. 15.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 43% FG pct. 77% FT pct. 40 steals

3rd team
Nikki Preston-IWU, Jr. 11.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 46% FG pct. 34% 3pt. pct. 76% FT pct.
Christine Karl-North Central, Jr. 13.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 40% FG pct. 75% FT pct. 17 blocks
Cecily Aldridge-Millikin, So. 12.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 43% FG pct. 39% 3pt. pct. 74% FT pct. 42 steals
Latrice Newson-North Central, Fr. 12.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 37% FG pct. 31% 3pt. pct. 81% FT pct.
Heather Gilmore-Carthage, Sr. 10.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.1 apg, 50% FG pct. 35% 3pt. pct. 70% FT pct. 62 steals

Coach of the year: Tim Bernero-Carthage

[Moser]

As someone is not partial to either IWU or Elmhurst, this is how I see the MOP situation:

When teams gameplan for Illinois Wesleyan their primary focus is on beating the Titan's system, their run and jump press and high-low motion offense. Of course there is discussion of the Titans individual players and their strengths, but it is not as though a coach says "we have to stop {insert Titan player} to win." Every CCIW coach knows that if you can't navigate the Titans pressure consistently without turning the ball over, you simply cannot win. Carthage beat IWU because they only turned the ball over 19 teams (compared to 30+, which is what most other teams did). When Carthage lost to IWU, they had 30 turnovers. When you give IWU that many extra possessions, they are too talented and balanced offensively not to turn those possessions into baskets.

With Elmhurst, every coach's gameplan starts and ends with Lyndsie Long. Like Steve Djurickovic for the Carthage men (though to a lesser extent), she is what makes the Bluejay offense go. If you take her off of Elmhurst, I'm not sure if they would be a top-4 caliber team. That is not to take anything away from the rest of the team, but Long is just that good of a player. She takes her team to a level they could not otherwise get to. Lyndsie Long is the most outstanding player in the CCIW.

As far as all-conference goes I could see it shaking out this way:

1st Team
Lyndsie Long- Elmhurst
Christina Solari- IWU
Hope Schulte- IWU
Diana Jacklin- Carthage
Elise Wildman- Millikin

Second Team
Meghan Merklein- Elmhurst
Rosie Dorn- Carthage
Kam Acree- NPU
Nikki Preston-IWU
Jackie Errico- North Central

Third Team
Lindsey Brenneman- Wheaton
Katie Klemke- Carthage
Megan Ney- Elmhurst
Cecily Aldridge- Millikin
Stacey Arlis- IWU

There are certainly other players who deserve recognition, but the nature of these teams is that not everyone who could/should appear on them makes it. Ultimately though, it's up to the coaches to decide.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Moser,

That's why I've been stressing the difference between MVP and MOP.  Lyndsie Long is hands-down the MVP; without her I seriously doubt the Jays would have made the conference tourney.  MOP is a different animal; while I lean towards Solari, I'd have no quibble with Long, but it is NOT a clear-cut choice!

[Moser]

I guess I don't really see the difference between the two. How do you see MVP and MOP as different?

[bflong]

Continuing with the MOP of the CCIW discussion, I think Moser and thunder38illini hit the nail on the head.  I really do not see the vote going any other way.  When one looks at individual stats it is clear that the success(es) of Long do not even compare to those of Solari, on and invidual level.  As both have mentioned before, if you take Solari out the the line up, IWU will still be an above average team... it is evident in this years season- looking strictly at minutes played.  When Solari plays 25 mpg and the team is still winning by 20-40pts, it basically says for itself that IWU has the athleticism and talent in other players, thus leading me to believe Solari is not the MOP. 
As far as the talk about MVP vs. MOP, I tend to agree with Moser again.  I don't really see the difference between the two, and if one is DEFINITELY MVP, then it is hard to say they are not the MOP...  I think overall at the individual level, LL has set the bar and is putting up numbers similar to Millikin's Lindsay Ippel, who was a unanimous MOP canidate.