WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

She's more than "pretty good," Rog. Sydney Moss is averaging 24.8 ppg and 10.6 rpg while playing a wing position, and she's shooting 52% from the field, 35% from downtown, and 80% from the line while only playing about 30 minutes per game. And she's only a sophomore.

Again, she made the All-SEC Freshman Team last season. She played in all 37 games for the Florida Gators, starting 24 of them and averaging 11.8 ppg and 6.8 rpg. That's no small potatoes.

Of course Chuck is not going to give her credit because of this Olivia Lett thing ... but he bleeds green and you don't, Rog.

Now, now, Greg.  I'll try to view it objectively.  From what I'm reading, she may end up the best D3 player ever.  But Walnut-and-Bronze and national POY IS a pretty steep target for a sophomore!  And I haven't viewed them yet, but I have my doubts her teammates are as solid as Olivia's.

I'll try to remember to watch them on the 19th against Chicago or the 30th against Centre.  (Unless they have a worthy opponent, I wouldn't be able to judge her skills.  Anyone can look great against Podunk Tech.)

BTW, that is quite an unusual transfer.  Usually a transfer from D1 is because they saw the handwriting on the wall that they were overmatched.  Anyone have an explanation why she went D3?

[Gregory Sager]

Jenny Burgoyne (17.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg) is an outstanding player who would be a star in our league. Katie Kitchen, Devin Beasley, and Sydni Wainscott are terrific players as well.

I chose my words very carefully. When I said that TMC was as good as any team that I've seen in a long, long time, I meant it. Granted, it was only one game -- and the more times you see a team, the truer the picture of that team that you get. But that one performance would've been incredibly hard to fake; I'm not saying that it's impossible that I saw a deceptive picture on Saturday afternoon, but most teams simply don't have the physical capacity to do the things that the Saints did.

I understand why you've gotten your partisan hackles up about that, Chuck. But this isn't about oneupsmanship of any sort. I am simply relaying what I saw on Saturday afternoon.

[iwu70]

I look forward to seeing Sydney Moss and TMC play.  Sounds absolutely terrific.  Ypsi and Greg, I take your points about comparing here to the Lett level, that is Lett as a senior, but Moss surely has time to prove her bona fides and find a way with her own caste of characters.  Didn't IWU handle TMC pretty easily in the run to the national title?  Don't quite recall.

Seems a lot of really good new players in the D3 women's game this year -- in CCIW and on the national landscape.

On IWU so far from what I've seen, they are a talented team with a lot of experience, but just not sure they have the horses or the athleticism -- offensively or defensively with "run and jump" -- to really compete with the bigger, most talented teams in the top 10 or so.  Until they take down one of these top squads, I think the Titans will languish in the ORVs category for now.  Their route to the dance this year may be only through winning the CCIW and tournament -- so the key is how they go against the top teams in the league.  Seems right now that CC, WC, NPU, perhaps a few others could be considered CCIW top teams.  Shall we do a ranking given what we know, what we've seen so far?

I'd have to say:  CC & WC #1, then IWU, NPU, NC, MU, EC, and Augie.  Any views?  Your rankings from what we have seen, what we know now?

Congrats to Ms. Etheridge.

Greetings from warm Hong Kong -- sunny and in the 70s -- I have escaped winter and will only follow the action from afar now, the Far Side.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

Sydney Moss doesn't play in the CCIW. And, for as much as you two greenies talk about her all the time, Olivia Lett doesn't play in the CCIW, either.

I'm ready to talk about players who actually play in this league right now. Or players who should be playing in this league right now, but aren't. Which is why I'm going to ask Rog if he has any idea why Wheaton's top two scorers, Hannah Considine and Katie McDaniels, didn't play against UWW the other night. Injuries? Illnesses? Something else? Will one, or both, miss any CCIW time?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Actually, neither Mark or I has talked about Olivia Lett beyond what naturally fit into the discussion.  Though I would recommend plastic surgery and coming back as freshman Taltia Olive.   It must drive Mia Smith crazy that she has a very talented team, but by far her best player is sitting on the bench beside her.

[Gregory Sager]

Actually, neither Mark or I has talked about Olivia Lett beyond what naturally fit into the discussion.

Not true, Chuck. I went back and counted. Nine mentions of her in this room over the past six weeks prior to the current discussion, seven of them by the two of you -- and most of those seven mentions quite definitely shoehorned her into the post.

Tell you what: You guys stop talking about IWU's assistant coaches, I won't mention NPU's Lauren Rosengarden, Shanice Sadler, or Erin Cepa, and we'll call it even.

[RogK]

Greg, I don't know why Wheaton was without Considine and McDaniels. I could find out tomorrow (U of Chi at Wheaton), but I won't. I'll be seeing the St Xavier women (6-3) at Roosevelt (9-1).

[iwu70]

Let it go guys.  Olivia Lett was a great player, very likely the best ever in the IWU program.  One could easily argue for Traci Butler and Christina Solari, too.  Seems Ms. Moss is or will be a great player too . . . and has plenty of time to prove and show her greatness.

On the current IWU team, seems the Titans need to be more consistent and have an urgency in protecting the ball, getting the TOs and TO points off of run and jump pressure.  Titans need more post scoring from Jackson and more consistent and productive play from Seibring, up to the level of last year's All-CCIW play.  So far McMahon and Baltes have played very well.  Reaber and the other rotational, bench players are works in progress.   I'm sure Coach Mia will be working to get this all to come together.  Next up for IWU is U Chicago @Chicago.

IWU's gauntlet continues.
IWU70

[gordonmann]

You can learn more about why Moss transferred to Thomas More via an archived interview with her on Hoopsville:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&list=PLlrC7HJaXPc6xkrk98zLuv0y5ZJ8TsLr1&v=-fOWON0ZmEk

Also listen to the interview with Preseason All-American Lauren Avant, who transferred to Rhodes from Tennessee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&list=PLlrC7HJaXPc6xkrk98zLuv0y5ZJ8TsLr1&v=y1760k3i9bg

[RogK]

Last night's results :
Carthage 78, Clarke 36 (4 Lady Reds score in double figures; Clarke limited to 13 2FGs and 3 3FGs; combined total of only 11 FT att in game).
Wheaton 79, Chicago 72 (another 20 reb game for Maris Hovee! she added 11 pts, 7 blocks, 4 assists; Katie McDaniels returned to action and rang up 26 pts, 8 reb and 5 assists).
Coe 86, Augie 56 (Amy Hicks 11 pts in 14:00, did not miss a shot).
Whitewater 85, Elmhurst 71 (the 'jays were ahead by 17 but got outscored 38-7; Hannah Lipman scored 19, Fiona had 17).

[badgerwarhawk]

How well is Elmhurst predicted to do in the CCIW?  They really came out on fire last night but midway through the second half you could see that they were tiring.  They seemed to have some pretty decent players.  I liked Lipman a lot.  She's very athletic.  And their bigs were pretty decent too.

[RogK]

The preseason poll of coaches had them in 5th place out of 8 teams.

[badgerwarhawk]

Thanks

They didn't play like the 5th place CCIW team for the first 27 minutes of the game but the last 13 minutes is probably the reason they're picked for 5th.  That being said they were more competitive than IWU was but that could be an "on any given night" thing. 

[RogK]

Did a little figuring and noticed that Carthage's offense is practically identical to that of the San Antonio Spurs in terms of where they get their scoring.
Carthage's scoring is coming from : .128 FTs, .239 3FGs and .633 2FGs.
The Spurs : .124 FTs, .237 3FGs and .639 2FGs.
Now we know that Gregg Popovich is learning from D3 WBB.
The rest of the CCIW :
Augie : .174, .210, .616
Elmhurst : .176, .204, .620
IWU : .213, .231, .556
Millikin : .252, .133, .614
NC : .226, .363, .411
NP : .182, .240, .578
Wheaton : .230, .152, .617

[iwu70]

IWU lost to UC last night 92-90.  The Titans were down big, like 21 in the first half, came all the way back to take a lead with about 3 minutes to go, but then ran out of gas, missed two shots for the win or the tie with 15 seconds or so to go.  A great comeback, but a tough loss in the end.

McMahon with 29, Baltes with another strong, all-round game.  The Titans just have not put all the pieces together yet, in a consistent enough way.  Rebounding and consistency are issues.

Exams now, then Calvin.  The gauntlet continues.

IWU70