WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[RogK]

A preseason poll is a forecast, not a ranking. A ranking should be based solely on performance in the 2017-18 season.
All teams are re-set to 0 wins and 0 losses and need to show us what they can do this season. We should think of every team as being positioned side-by-side at the starting gate. This is the only fair way to think about it.

[Gregory Sager]

Well, for what it's worth, the Titans are the preseason #25 team in the country according to D3Hoops. Wheaton is in the ORV category. Of course, North Central was in the ORV category going into the 2015-16 season despite losing three of their best players so I take this poll with a grain of salt, but considering IWU is a coin-flip favorite for the CCIW title, there's obviously something there.

Exhibition level shooting night for both teams . . . WC taking lots of treys, 5-27. ?

Augie went to something of an up-tempo offense last year, and they took a fair share of three's last year (502, third in the league). Given no McCameron down low maybe that was part of the game plan. I wouldn't know, not having seen the exhibition.

That doesn't explain why she doesn't have a number on the roster, though.

A preseason poll is a forecast, not a ranking. A ranking should be based solely on performance in the 2017-18 season.
All teams are re-set to 0 wins and 0 losses and need to show us what they can do this season. We should think of every team as being positioned side-by-side at the starting gate. This is the only fair way to think about it.

This.

[GoPerry]

Surprised to see that Jr Kelly Thornton's name does not appear on Wheaton's roster and apparently has decided not to play this year.  She averaged 11.6 mins, 6.1 pts/game last year.  However, her minutes declined quite a bit in the 2nd half of the season once Ellie Zeller returned from injury and Jordan Myroth acquired a larger role.  I'm not sure that had anything to do with her not coming out this year or not.

Ditto Augustana's Corrie Reiley which is an even bigger blow to the Vikes.

It should be an interesting year for Thunder fans in the wake of farewells to Chantal Meacham, Katie McDaniels and Zeller.  With Kelly Lawson, Devin Kyler and Maggie Dansdill returning starters, we will have a pretty good team again.  But the level of success could be dependent on whether we can get any impactful play from one or two of the freshmen, several of whom have impressive HS resumes as does SLU transfer Hannah Frazier.   It will be nice to have Jennifer Berg back healthy for a full season hopefully.

Agree that IWU is the team to beat I'm thinking.  We'll get a very early inkling of that barely 2 weeks into the season on Dec 6 when the Titans and Thunder have their first square off at Shirk.  These early December conference games still taking a little getting used to.  Probably both teams would rather play such a likely key game a little later I'd think since IWU will have just 7 games under their belt and the Thunder a mere 5.  But then again, why not jump right in!  Waiting until after Christmas break for CCIW play to begin was sometimes a test of patience also.

[RogK]

Thornton may have decided that volleyball and softball keep her busy enough. She's an excellent hitter, judging by her 2016 .467 OBP and .596 slugging.

[Gregory Sager]

She's clearly picking her sports based upon personal preference and/or schedule and not team success. Wheaton's got a really good women's basketball program, but the volleyball and softball programs at WC are really struggling at the moment.

[Mr. Ypsi]

She's clearly picking her sports based upon personal preference and/or schedule and not team success. Wheaton's got a really good women's basketball program, but the volleyball and softball programs at WC are really struggling at the moment.

Perhaps she is being altruistic.  Sounds like the volleyball and softball programs have far more need for her than the basketball program!   As a fan of "co-favorite" IWU in basketball, I applaud her altruism.

[RogK]

the new North Park roster :
http://athletics.northpark.edu/roster.aspx?path=wbball

[Titan Q]

Exhibition final:

Illinois Wesleyan 78
D2 Quincy 70

* McGraw: 18 pts, 2 reb, 2 assists
* Merritt: 17 pts, 5 reb, 2 assists
* Ehresman: 12 pts, 3 reb, 2 assists
* Shanks: 7 pts, 7 reb

http://www.sidearmstats.com/quincy/wbball/

[iwu70]

Great start for the TITANS, taking down DII Quincy. (exhibition)

Other starter, as predicted earlier, was Schneider.   The TITANS have a rugged and very experienced starting five.  Key may be how much the rotational and role players really step up and contribute.

Season only a dozen days away now.  The TITANS open in Chicago vs. Colorado College, then take on UC.  Typically tough Mia Smith arranged pre-CCIW schedule.   

'70

[lmitzel]

The CCIW got a pair of preseason All-Americans. Elmhurst's Michaela Eppard on the first team, and IWU's Molly McGraw an honorable mention.

http://www.d3hoops.com/awards/all-americans/women/preseason-2018

[RogK]

A season preview :
http://gopios.com/news/2017/11/5/carroll-womens-basketball-preview.aspx
This piece mentions how last season's small quantity of players prevented 5-on-5 play in practices. Not an issue this time around.

[GoPerry]

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2017/11/14/2017-18-thunder-womens-basketball-season-preview.aspx


Sounds like Coach Madsen will have a skilled team but perhaps not very deep or experienced.  Likely starters will be Maggie Dansdill, Kelly Lawson, Jordan Myroth, Devin Kyler and either Jill or Jennifer Berg.  After those 6 it's all sophomores or freshmen, none of whom played much more than 50 mins last season.  Sounds like transfer Frazier will be in the rotation.  Still, just one injury could be costly.  On the other hand, lots of opportunity for several players to really step up and carve out primary roles.

Good luck Thunder.  And good luck to all teams.

[RogK]

A healthy and fun 2017-18 season is hereby wished for all, including the refs whose good work enables the fair competition we all enjoy.
The Wheaton preview does note a bad injury to one of Mel Bremhorst's knees, so I wish her a fun time with her team anyway. The same goes to any other sidelined players.

[RogK]

Augustana began the season with a 95-70 win over Monmouth. Victoria Allen did OK, scoring 22 via 100% shooting. Izzy Anderson tallied 25 pts, 6 assists and 5 rebs. The other Vikings contributed nicely, of course. The team rang up 17 steals.
Elmhurst lost to UW-Whitewater, 75-64. Four 'jays scored in the 10-12 pts range.

[badgerwarhawk]

WARHAWKS: 75
Elmhurst: 64

Shooting 50.8% from the floor and getting double figure points from four starters the UW-WHITEWATER WARHAWKS used a 17-9 fourth quarter scoring edge to defeat Elmhurst 75-64.  The two teams exchanged the lead four times and tied twice in the initial quarter before Elmhurst finished ahead 21-20.  The second quarter started the same way with the two teams exchanging the lead before WARHAWKS senior guard Brooke Trewyn's three pointer tied the game sparking a 6-1 WARHAWKS run and a five point lead, the largest of the half.  A three pointer by the Blue Jays cut the deficit to a pair 37-35 at the half.  Trewyn led all scorers/rebounders with 20/7.  The WARHAWKS held 18-11 and 22-12 scoring advantages in points off of turnovers and in the paint respectively.  Jasim Baily's 10 points and Hannah Henderson's 5 rebounds led the Blue Jays.  The Blue Jays tied the game with the first basket of the second half but the WARHAWKS regained the lead and built it to a high of six before the Blue Jays tied it a second time 54-54 with a little over a minute and half remaining.  A fast break layup put the WARHAWKS back in the lead and a jumper at the end of the half made the score 58-55.  A 15-3 WARHAWKS run to open the final stanza pushed the lead to fifteen 73-58 and iced the victory.  Trewyn finished with 22 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block.  It was the tenth double/double of her career.  Andrea Meinert (16), Camri Conley (16) and Becky Raeder (11) also scored in double figures.  Mikaela Eppard paced the Blue Jays with 12 points and 6 rebounds.  Lisa Logan (12), Kelly Weyhrich (11) and Baily (10) added double figure points.