WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Hoosier Titan]

Here's a link to the Pantagraph story of the IWU-Millikin game:
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/01/13/usports/doc4789675c1920c931150091.txt

The Big Blue simply executed their game plan better than the Titans did theirs, save the first five minutes or so.  The Titan offense depends a lot on the 3-point shot, and when you hit less than 30%, as they did in the second half, you won't usually win.  What made the first few minutes go the Titans' way was their effort to contain Lindsay Ippel--they were successful early, but the Big Blue went to other options and then were able to work it back in to Ippel.  The bright spot for the Titans was the return of Mallory Heydorn, who had been expected to sit with a sore Achilles tendon.  She didn't look much the worse for it, scoring five 3's and a team-high 16 points.  Heydorn broke the IWU record for 3's in the game, and Ippel became Millikin's all-time scoring leader.

The result was a fair one--all credit to the Big Blue.  Looks like it's really "game on" in the CCIW now!

[HCACBBALL]

Just curious if IWU playing a weak non-con schedule has anything to do with this loss?  Player to player I would say IWU has more talent. 

[Hoosier Titan]

Just curious if IWU playing a weak non-con schedule has anything to do with this loss?  Player to player I would say IWU has more talent. 

I think that recent experience in competitive games is always helpful.  I know that the IWU coaching staff prefer to schedule challenging opposition (witness the opening two games against Wash. U. and DePauw), but it's true that the rest of the schedule hasn't given the Titans a lot of practice in pulling out close games, to say the least.  So in a sense what you say is true.

I prefer to say that Millikin stuck to their game plan better than IWU.  Lindsay Ippel is a huge part of that game plan, and when getting the ball to her inside wasn't working, they tried something else:  they shot 46% on 3-point shots (57% in the second half, when Whitney Scwartz went 3-3).  IWU, on the other hand, was ice-cold by their standards:  Claire Sheehan went 1-5 on threes, and Sarah Bull was 2-7.  By the second half the fouls were mounting on the IWU bigs, and Ippel was able to take over. 

While I'm sure that being out of practice in close game situations didn't help the Titans, it's also true that sometimes the shots just don't fall.  Although I don't really believe in "good losses," in the long run this loss may have given the Titans experience a team can only get under game conditions, and thus make them stronger.

[RogK]

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[RogK]

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[Hoosier Titan]

IWU has just come from behind to take a 9 point lead at Augie with about 2:00 in the first half.

Live stats at  http://www.augustana.edu/athletics/livestats/xlive.htm

[Mr. Ypsi]

Titans up by 28 with less than 2 minutes in the game.

[Hoosier Titan]

The Titans seem to have shaken off whatever ailed them Saturday and early on in tonight's game.  After coming from 8 down early in the game (when Augustana shot 75% from the floor!) to take a 39-32 halftime lead, the Titans won the second half 46-28.  FG shooting percentages were comparable--42.1% for Augie compared to 43.8% for IWU--but the Titans made 32 FGs to Augie's 24, and 12 of those IWU baskets were 3s.  High scorers were Mallory Heydorn with 18, Claire Sheehan with 17, and Sarah Bull with 16. 

[Jaywatch]

Got to see Carthage take sole possession of first place last night, although Elmhurst made it a game in what is becoming a typical comeback effort after falling behind by double digits in the second half.  Carthage pulled ahead by 14 with under 14 minutes remaining, but Elmhurst turned up the pressure defense and cut the lead to one with four minutes remaining.  Elmhurst could never get over the top, though, and it remained a three point game through the final buzzer.  Carthage did a nice job taking advantage of their size inside by controlling the boards, outscoring Elmhurst in the paint, and getting second chance points.  Elmhurst had the edge in forcing turnovers and points off turnovers.  Freshman Monroe led the scoring for Elmhurst with 19, while Long had her usual steady game with 16, and Bobruk 13.  Carthage has many weapons, though, and had four of five starters in double figures, led by a nice shooting effort by Janowiak with 16.  It turned out to be a game of size against speed, and it was fun to watch.

[RogK]

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[RogK]

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[Hoosier Titan]

Good morning, all,

I made it to Shirk yesterday to see round one of IWU-Wheaton for this season.  The final score was 67-52 Titans, although at times, especially in the second half, the game felt much closer than that.  The Titans started the game with their characteristic press, causing quite a few turnovers.  However, for the first time I can remember this season, IWU had more turnovers than the opposition (25 for IWU, 22 for Wheaton).  Partly this was due to good ball pressure on Wheaton's  part, and partly due to IWU trying to play too fast--long, uncontrollable passes, shot fakes that turned into travels, etc. 

Some notes on individual players: IWU's Christina Solari definitely earned the game ball:  she led both sides in scoring and rebounding with 19 and 9 respectively, and shot 9-11 from the field.  Elyse Sanchez, all 5'3" of her, had 7 rebounds for IWU.  Kathleen Fidelia, whom I remember as a deadly 3-point shooter at the 2 guard position last year, seems to be playing a lot of point guard this year.  It doesn't appear to be a natural fit, as she committed 7 turnovers and scored 8 points, all on 2-point shots.  Annie Bowen also had 8 for Wheaton and led them in rebounding with 9.  Overall, IWU outrebounded Wheaton by 47-34.

Wheaton made a nice run in the second half as IWU went ice-cold from the field (their shooting percentage went from 48% in the first half to 37% in the second, and the margin got as close as eight before the Titans were able to pull away.  First-year Titan Nikki Preston had a clutch 3 during that time.

A good match between two well-coached teams.

[RogK]

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[Hoosier Titan]

Rog, I am not dissing Wheaton's defense--they play good fundamental basketball, and I'm sure they affected the IWU shooters somewhat.  But there were quite a misses on open shots that are usually made.  It just seemed to be a slightly off day for the shooters--Solari excepted, of course.

[Hoosier Titan]

I was not at the IWU@Elmhurst game--I'm in New Jersey for a family funeral--so all I can report is what I saw following the online stats and reading the Pantagraph.  Perhaps someone who was there can add more. 

IWU came from behind several times, trailing by three at the half and as many as seven early in the second half.  They were behind 74-73 with about 3:30 to go, before finally putting on a 13-2 run.  The final margin was due to free throws (on which IWU was 19-21); the game was much closer than that.

Elmhurst's scoring was led by Lyndsie Long with 28, and Sarah Bull paced IWU with 24.  Colleen Caplice and Crystal Dye had 14 each for the Titans, and Claire Sheehan had 13 with nine assists.  Brittany Bobruk had 14 for Elmhurst.  Christina Solari led the rebounding with 11.  Just watching the plays online, it seemed a very fast-paced game.  Any eyewitnesses?