WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Backseat Driver]

Wheaton 66
Millikin 46

Brooke Olson- 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Hannah Considine- 17 points, 12 rebounds
Breanna Bohlen- 14 points (4-7 3fg)
Maria Panaggio- 13 rebounds

Alyssa Saklak- 18 points
Holly Haskins- 14 points, 8 rebounds

A really good performance from the Thunder this evening. They trailed by 7 late in the first half, but rattled off a 26-0 run spanning the the end of the first half and the start of the second half. Breanna Bohlen and Brooke Olson hit some big threes during that run. Hannah Considine played a great game, scoring 17 despite constant double-teams. She also did a good job of kicking the ball out to open shooters. Maria Panaggio was awesome on the boards, and Wheaton did a much better job overall with its shot selection.

I think Millikin has some good young players, but they don't have enough offense to keep up with the better teams in the CCIW. Alyssa Saklak was all over the floor tonight making plays, and Holly Haskins also had a nice game.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Carthage 62
IWU 48


The Titans play very hard...they just don't quite have enough talent on the floor this season. 

This ends a 5-game winning streak by the Titans over the Lady Reds.

Agreed on the effort (25 TOs for the Lady Reds, most of them forced).  With no disrespect for the Carthage defense (who caused some of the problem), I haven't seen shooting like that since my son played 5th grade basketball - 17-67, 2-24 from 3!

They might yet rally and win the conference yet again, but this is NOT the Titan team we have gotten spoiled by!

They did a great job on Cailee Corcoran (4 pts, though 12 rebs), but had no answer for Stephanie Kuzmanic (28 pts, 9 rebs, though also 12 TOs).  For the Titans, Melissa Gardner had 17; no one else in double digits.

[iwu70]

Yup, plenty of effort by our Titans tonight, but a dreadful shooting night 2-23 or so from 3, and only one of our normal top scorers in double figures.  Colleen couldn't buy even a layup tonight and no one had a good night from the treyline.  Seibring held well in check.  So, CC is clearly the favorite now, in the cat bird seat, for sure, but with, of course, alot of basketball to be played.  Titans have to shoot better, have more balanced scoring to win these kinds of games against talented and bigger opponents.  The margin in such games is now small.   So far, it's been up and down, inconsistent on the offensive end.  One can see how much Shelby Jackson will be missed for interior scoring and defense, and rebounding.  Titans will need to suck it up now and work very hard to be sure to get into the top four for the CCIW tournament.  Overall championship of the league, while clearly not out of reach still, is a more distant prospect after this game tonight.  CC looks very strong and will clearly gain confidence from finally beating IWU at The Shirk.  Perhaps "the team that shall not be named," can now be named for them, again.  WC vs. CC should be a very good matchup.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

North Park 65
Elmhurst 64

Kamauria Acree: 17 pts
Nicole Kruckman: 13 pts, 4 stls
Shaina Yalda: 13 pts
Dominikque Williams: 12pts

Fiona McMahon: 20 pts, 9 rebs

What a gutsy performance today by the Vikings. With Sarah Peterson and Dana Christensen looking on in street clothes, NPU soldiered up and eked out a win this afternoon. It's the first win for NPU at Faganel Hall in six years.

Down by eleven with 2:53 left in the first half, the Vikings managed to close within six by the end of the half. They then scored the first six points of the second half to pull even for the first time. But despite forcing several more ties, the Vikings couldn't get over the hump until a pair of Kamauria Acree free throws gave the Park its first lead of the game, 48-46, at the 8:11 mark. From there on in it was a constant nail-biter, with neither team able to get out to a two-possession advantage. EC held a three-point lead with four minutes and change left, and it looked like it was going to be one of those characteristic stretches when the NPU offense gets stuck in neutral. But Dominikque Williams hit a trey, and then nine seconds later Annie Shain stole the ball, made a layup and was fouled, and completed the three-point play to put NPU back up in front by three. It felt like a big momentum swing, but the Vikes couldn't sustain it. Going into the final minute the score was tied at 62 after Shaina Yalda had hit a baseline jumper with 1:09 left to tie it up. When Elmhurst turned the ball over with 56 seconds left, NPU ran the exact same play and got the exact same result: A made Yalda jumper from the baseline, which put NPU up, 64-62. But Fiona McMahon, who is a force and a half underneath the basket for Elmhurst, sank a putback with 15 seconds left to bring on the final bit of drama. After Amanda Reese called timeout to draw up a play, the Vikings ran Yalda baseline yet again. This time the Elmhurst help defense crashed on her, and she deftly lobbed a pass in to Williams underneath the basket. She put up a layup attempt just before the game clock expired that missed because two Elmhurst players grabbed her in desperation. The refs ruled that there was two-tenths of a second left (a call which was not disputed by the EC bench, as it was pretty clear that Williams got the shot off in time), and Williams calmly hit the first free throw. She missed the second, which actually turned out to work in NPU's favor, as it elmininated the possibility of an inbounds play that could've led to a North Park foul. Instead, the ball dropped to the floor, McMahon was forced to pick it up, and the game was over.

Just a tough, hard-earned effort tonight by a shorthanded NPU team to steal one on the road against an opponent that's given them all kinds of misery in recent years. A great day for the NPU women's basketball team!

[RogK]

I saw NC's 105-98 win over Augie. Both teams have improved over last year's squads.
NC was up 85-64 with 10:55 to go and 95-77 with 5:41 left, but Augie was conceding nothing. The Vikings rallied to get within 8 (98-90) with about 3 minutes remaining, but the Cardinals hung on for the 7 pt margin.
Ten players scored in double figures (5 on each team), led by 20 from NC's Larynn Shumaker and 18 from Aug's Chaney Tambling.
NC attacked the hoop quite a bit (47 2FG att and 42 FT att) and also made 13/35 3FGs.
Augie won the rebounding 59-40, but NC won the turnovers 40-27. There were some ragged periods during this game, but it was largely well-played and not lacking in energy.

[RogK]

I see that my prediction for Wheaton to make 12/26 3FGs was off target a little; they made 8/22. I can say with retroactive hypothetical certainty that had the Thunder shot four more, they would have gone in!

[RogK]

The league is definitely different this year. I haven't seen Millikin yet, so I'll just say that they are between wins right now. Other than an inconsequential exhibition at DePaul, I haven't seen IWU either.
Carthage is rolling right along, being served well by Coach Bernero's formula of getting high-pct shots on offense and not allowing them at the other end of the court. Elmhurst needs a win in Kenosha, but that'll be a tough task.
After Wednesday, either North Park or Wheaton will be 4-1. Will any or all of the key injured players from both teams be suiting up?
I have no feeling about how Augie vs Millikin will go. Augie's depth and enthusiam are improved a lot.
North Central is a whole new animal this year and their games are action-packed. Each player knows she will be relied upon and they seem happy about it.

[RogK]

Congratulations to Stephanie Kuzmanic for being CCIW player of the week for the 2nd time!

[thunder38]

Carthage picks up 12 votes this week. Wheaton lost all votes in latest Top 25.

[Gregory Sager]

After Wednesday, either North Park or Wheaton will be 4-1. Will any or all of the key injured players from both teams be suiting up?

I ain't saying with regard to NPU's two injured starters. Giving out information of that type could only serve to help Wheaton's game-planning, and there isn't a molecule in my body that wants to help out Wheaton at anything, especially where NPU is concerned.

[RogK]

Greg, your answer constitutes possible nonfeasance. That's better than misfeasance and malfeasance. Mel Feasance used to pitch for the Twins in the early 80s.

[Gregory Sager]

It only stands to reason, as I have never been known for my feasing.

[Backseat Driver]

Carthage picks up 12 votes this week. Wheaton lost all votes in latest Top 25.

Not surprising, really. Carthage is playing really well right now, and Wheaton had the major hiccup @ Augie.

After Wednesday, either North Park or Wheaton will be 4-1. Will any or all of the key injured players from both teams be suiting up?

I ain't saying with regard to NPU's two injured starters. Giving out information of that type could only serve to help Wheaton's game-planning, and there isn't a molecule in my body that wants to help out Wheaton at anything, especially where NPU is concerned.

Wheaton will prepare as if NPU is at full strength regardless, and I'm sure the Vikings will do the same.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Carthage picks up 12 votes this week. Wheaton lost all votes in latest Top 25.

Not surprising, really. Carthage is playing really well right now, and Wheaton had the major hiccup @ Augie.

I AM disappointed, however, that the CCIW seems to be immediately back to a 'little respect' conference.  Having the defending national champion in their conference seems not to be helping Carthage one bit - a team so dominating the CCIW should be getting more than 12 points!

[Pat Coleman]

Carthage picks up 12 votes this week. Wheaton lost all votes in latest Top 25.

Not surprising, really. Carthage is playing really well right now, and Wheaton had the major hiccup @ Augie.

I AM disappointed, however, that the CCIW seems to be immediately back to a 'little respect' conference.  Having the defending national champion in their conference seems not to be helping Carthage one bit - a team so dominating the CCIW should be getting more than 12 points!

A team wanting more than 12 points should consider beating St. Norbert, Loras or Howard Payne.