WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[RogK]

Since there is no NCAA D3 item to report at the moment (where is that North Park roster?), let's veer over to Olivet Nazarene's women's team. Their box scores are usually amazing in one way or another. NAIA starts a little earlier than NCAA, so ONU has played two games already:
http://web.olivet.edu/sports/basketball/women/stats/2011/teamstat.htm
In last night's contest, ONU had a stunningly good ratio of points scored vs turnovers committed (125 to 12). That pretty much blows out of the water the old notion that you must slow things down to avoid turnovers.
Yeah, I did see that they committed 29 TOs in their first game.

[iwu70]

Looks like ONU is approaching a "Grinnell system" style of play.  Pretty amazing.

[RogK]

They do it better than Grinnell has done lately.
The December 12 IWU/ONU matchup should be interesting. Melissa Gardner will need to hit 12 or 13 fast break threes!

[RogK]

North Park season preview :
http://www.northpark.edu/Athletics/Viking-News/Current-News/2011-12-Womens-Basketball-Preview

[Gregory Sager]

Since there is no NCAA D3 item to report at the moment (where is that North Park roster?)

Been wondering that same thing myself for the past couple of weeks.

North Park season preview :
http://www.northpark.edu/Athletics/Viking-News/Current-News/2011-12-Womens-Basketball-Preview

Having twenty players on the roster is a pretty heady development, considering how handicapped NPU has been in recent years by a lack of numbers. It was only two seasons ago that the Vikings were reduced to seven players for much of the season. The word is that this year's expanded roster, plus the addition of a grad assistant to take some of the coaching load off of Amanda Reese and Rachel Theodore, is going to allow NPU to field a JV team this season. I'm pretty sure that it'll be the first time ever that North Park has had a women's JV team, or at least the first time within the thirty-plus years that I've been around.

[iwu70]

As I think has been reported earlier, Karen Solari had to have additional knee surgery, so is likely out 'til late fall, or January.  This is a big loss for IWU as she was likely a starter, very good and tough rebounder and defender.  Latest news is that Shelby Jackson has mono and may be out for a time as well.  Perhaps some of the newbies will get initiation by fire now . . . I would bet on Katy Seibring getting more floor time, from what I saw in the scrimmage last Sunday.  Titans are going to be short on bigs, short on interior, frontcourt D and rebounding, IMHO. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

As I think has been reported earlier, Karen Solari had to have additional knee surgery, so is likely out 'til late fall, or January.  This is a big loss for IWU as she was likely a starter, very good and tough rebounder and defender.  Latest news is that Shelby Jackson has mono and may be out for a time as well.  Perhaps some of the newbies will get initiation by fire now . . . I would bet on Katy Seibring getting more floor time, from what I saw in the scrimmage last Sunday.  Titans are going to be short on bigs, short on interior, frontcourt D and rebounding, IMHO.

Mark, is that an assessment for the season, or just until the 'walking wounded' return?

[iwu70]

Ypsi, the Titans need both of these players back to compete well in the CCIW.  Seems this year we have a great abundance of perimeter players, very good three point shooters, but not as much to anchor it all in the post, nothing like Christina Solari or Stacey Arlis of the past.  IMHO.  We are going to miss the toughness and consistency of Hope Schulte for sure.  Let's hope some of the newbies, esp. those playing the post, can take up these new roles.  Shelby Jackson and Karen Solari are big losses, as both would have been starting, playing tons of minutes in the frontcourt. 

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

Rog, I found out last night that the reason why the NPU roster isn't up yet on the North Park site is because the school is in the process of changing the athletic department's website software provider over to Sideline.

[RogK]

Thanks, Greg. See you at KedzieFoster Arena Tuesday evening!
To iwu70 and Mr Ypsi : I did a little math, confirming your concern about IWU's post play. The Titans took 617 FT attempts in 33 games last season. The returning players took only 234 of them (Lett 85, Solari 57, Hasselbring 49, Jackson 13, Gardner 12, etc).
With Jackson and Solari missing, IWU will certainly seek lane scoring from others. In the 2011 summer league, I remember Amy Burton and Taylor Reaber being pretty aggressive to the basket. Taylor is listed as a guard, but she acted much more like a forward in the summer games.
Coach Smith may show the team some video of Claire Sheehan's many successful drives to the basket and instruct them : "Do that!"
I think the Titans will get rebounding from a variety of players, including Hasselbring and Baltes, both of whom averaged 17 per 100:00, which is excellent for point guards.
But yes, they do need Solari and Jackson.

[Hoosier Titan]

Hi folks,

I'm around, but pretty busy these days and probably won't be posting too much for a while.  I think rebounding and interior play was always going to be a concern; some of last year's players have a chance to step up big time right now!

Karen Solari is on campus and walking around just fine, so I doubt she'll miss much of the CCIW season.  She was back in class right after her second surgery. 

The campus is full of the walking wounded right now--I'm home with a cold--so it's not too surprising to hear about Shelby having mono. 

[spencer1988]

I would like to see Amy Burton get a shot to replace Shelby Jackson.  She could give you some necessary rebounds  Then I think you can bring in Katie Seibring, Lexi Baltes, and Colleen McMahon off of the bench.   

[iwu70]

Spencer88, may happen.  Titans are going to need some boards, interior presence badly.  I do hope Karen Solari and Shelby Jackson aren't out too too long.  The new perimeter players did play very very well in the scrimmage I saw. . . with some good long-range bombs, good movement on offence and defense.  But, as at some points in the past, not always wise to live and die by the trey.  I'm sure Mia is thinking of ways to better anchor the offense in the post somehow.  Against many teams, the Titans can run and press them off the floor, but with smarter, bigger and better ball-handling teams, the Titans will surely need some presence in the post that can hold down the space, provide interior defense and get the ball out to the running lanes.  We'll see.  It surely must be true that the Titans have one of the most difficult schedules pre-CCIW, if not the most difficult schedule in the country up 'til January. 

[RogK]

It's nearing tipoff time for the new season. Nervous seniors and confident freshmen will soon take the floor.
Good luck to all eight of our CCIW teams. No injuries allowed!

[Backseat Driver]

At the half in South Bend:

St. Mary's 34
Wheaton 31

Given how the first half played out, Wheaton is in a good place heading to the locker room.

Wheaton has 15 turnovers, has given up 10 offensive rebounds, and shot just 6-13 at the charity stripe. If the Thunder fix these things they are in a good position to take this opener on the road.

Freshman Lauren Graham leads the Thunder with 13 points. Brooke Olson has 8 points and 3 assists.

St. Mary's post duo of Jessica Centa and Kelly Murphy combined for 17 points and 6 boards in the opening frame.