WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[GoPerry]

As Kent Madsen mentioned just now on the Hoopsville show, Wheaton will host Elmhurst on Saturday for its annual cancer awareness event. This year's game will be a unique opportunity for the Thunder to lift up a teammate. Last spring, All-American point guard Katie McDaniels was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called chondrosarcoma. As was mentioned on the show, her tumor was detected early in her Wheaton career but was not correctly diagnosed until last spring. She has since had surgery to remove it and is now cancer free. Saturday's event will be raising awareness and funds for The Sarcoma Foundation of America. Wheaton's student group (Ryken's Rowdies) will be raising funds and in the wake of the news, a Wheaton donor has stepped up and will match any donations raised up to $10,000! If you're interested in contributing to this event, email Ryken's Rowdies (rykens.rowdies@my.wheaton.edu) for how you can support their effort. More information on the event is listed in Wheaton's press release below.

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2018/1/31/womens-basketball-to-host-annual-cancer-awareness-event-on-saturday-night.aspx

Thanks for the heads up 38.

[GoPerry]

As Kent Madsen mentioned just now on the Hoopsville show, Wheaton will host Elmhurst on Saturday for its annual cancer awareness event. This year's game will be a unique opportunity for the Thunder to lift up a teammate. Last spring, All-American point guard Katie McDaniels was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called chondrosarcoma. As was mentioned on the show, her tumor was detected early in her Wheaton career but was not correctly diagnosed until last spring. She has since had surgery to remove it and is now cancer free. Saturday's event will be raising awareness and funds for The Sarcoma Foundation of America. Wheaton's student group (Ryken's Rowdies) will be raising funds and in the wake of the news, a Wheaton donor has stepped up and will match any donations raised up to $10,000! If you're interested in contributing to this event, email Ryken's Rowdies (rykens.rowdies@my.wheaton.edu) for how you can support their effort. More information on the event is listed in Wheaton's press release below.

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2018/1/31/womens-basketball-to-host-annual-cancer-awareness-event-on-saturday-night.aspx

Thanks for the heads up 38.

Listening to Madsen on Hoopsville:  Had no idea that McDaniels only practiced twice a week senior season because of the pain. 

He also had some nice words of respect for the Titans while not overlooking Elmhurst coming up.

Let's hope for a big turnout on Saturday in support of Katie and the SFA.

[lmitzel]

As Kent Madsen mentioned just now on the Hoopsville show, Wheaton will host Elmhurst on Saturday for its annual cancer awareness event. This year's game will be a unique opportunity for the Thunder to lift up a teammate. Last spring, All-American point guard Katie McDaniels was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called chondrosarcoma. As was mentioned on the show, her tumor was detected early in her Wheaton career but was not correctly diagnosed until last spring. She has since had surgery to remove it and is now cancer free. Saturday's event will be raising awareness and funds for The Sarcoma Foundation of America. Wheaton's student group (Ryken's Rowdies) will be raising funds and in the wake of the news, a Wheaton donor has stepped up and will match any donations raised up to $10,000! If you're interested in contributing to this event, email Ryken's Rowdies (rykens.rowdies@my.wheaton.edu) for how you can support their effort. More information on the event is listed in Wheaton's press release below.

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2018/1/31/womens-basketball-to-host-annual-cancer-awareness-event-on-saturday-night.aspx

Thanks for the heads up 38.

Listening to Madsen on Hoopsville:  Had no idea that McDaniels only practiced twice a week senior season because of the pain. 

He also had some nice words of respect for the Titans while not overlooking Elmhurst coming up.

Let's hope for a big turnout on Saturday in support of Katie and the SFA.

I've always had a healthy respect for Kent Madsen and the Thunder, and not just because they kicked NCC's butt year in and year out. Hearing about this... just pushes my respect to a higher level. I hope they have a ton of success in their fundraising efforts tomorrow.

[iwu70]

Yes, great respect for Madsen and the WC women's program . . . and always great respect for Katie McDaniels.  She's was such an active and tough competitor and hearing about her illness, her challenges, makes that respect even greater.  Good luck with the special event Saturday evening.

Two good games upcoming for WC -- vs. EC, then the big one vs. IWU at home.

IWU'70

[thunder38]

For any Wheaton posters who would like to get involved with tonight's event but won't be in attendance (or I suppose anyone else for that matter), I've been told that donations are also being accepted through Venmo under the account name @rykens-rowdies and those donations will also be included in the donor match.

[lmitzel]

To help Rog out again...

Carroll makes it two in a row with a 75-69 win at home over Augie. I watched the last five minutes and nearly saw the Pios blow a 14 point lead, but they hit enough free throws down the stretch.

Brittney Wald led Carroll with 22 points, Katie Rossetti added 14 and 9 boards, Rachel Van Sluys chipped in 13 off the bench, and Delaney Sjong scored 11. Alexis Jones paced the Vikings with 16 points and 7 boards, and Izzy Anderson and Victoria Allen each had 14 points.

[lmitzel]

I'm in a much better mood tonight. NCC started a little slow and trailed by eight at one point in the second quarter but closed the half on an 11-1 run and pulled away late for a 71-61 Senior Night won.

North Central's two seniors played well; Michaela Reedy had 8 points and a team high 9 rebounds, and Mayson Whipple had 11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Lyndsay Brennan had a quadruple-nickel: 10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 7 steals. North Park struggled, committing 27 turnovers including 3 charges. Lauryn Alba Garner led all scorers with 18, Shaylee Sloan had 11 points and 14 rebounds, and Clarissa Ramos chipped in 13 points.

[Gregory Sager]

North Central 71
North Park 61

Lauryn Alba Garner: 18 pts
Clarissa Ramos: 13 pts, 7 rebs
Shaylee Sloan: 10 pts, 14 rebs

Maya Walls: 15 pts, 8 rebs
Mayson Whipple: 11 pts, 8 rebs, 6:2 a:to, 4 stls
Lyndsay Brennan: 10 pts, 8 rebs, 7 stls
Michaela Reedy: 9 rebs

On North Central's Senior Night, the Cardinals played with obvious inspiration and energy, while the Vikings left their energy in the locker room at halftime. NPU settled for too many iffy shots early in the possession, and as the night wore on their initial control of the boards evaporated, leading to a constant string of one-and-dones in the second half. The really frustrating thing to watch was the turnovers, which were the game's decisive stat. The Park turned it over a whopping 27 times tonight, and, although NCC is a pressing team, it wasn't really their usual press off of made shots that did in the Vikings. It was steals off of missed Cardinals shots, as, inevitably, the Vikings rebounders (two of them in particular, whom I won't bother naming) turned around and threw an outlet pass off of a defensive board without looking to see where the defenders were -- and almost inevitably either Lyndsay Brennan or Mayson Whipple was lurking nearby. It was the worst of a bunch of self-inflicted wounds by the Vikings.

That's to take nothing away from Brennan and Whipple, who were terrific tonight. And Maya Walls was outstanding  as well. But the Vikings simply didn't match either the energy or the focus of a very beatable opponent whom they had handled easily back in December. This is a sport of emotion as well as execution, and the Vikings brought a lot less of both to the table than did the Cards tonight.

Lest this sound all doom-and-gloom, I will say that Lauryn Alba Garner was really sharp tonight. She's clearly developing more confidence in using her quickness to attack the basket in spite of her lack of size. Her fellow freshman Samantha Bloom had a poor shooting night, but she certainly couldn't be accused of a lack of energy. She has a great motor, and I look forward to watching her develop as she improves her shooting. And Clarissa Ramos shot well tonight; she's certainly going to miss not playing North Central anymore, as she had two of her best games this season against NCC.

I'm sure that this eight-game losing streak is really wearing on the Vikings, but nobody's going to feel sorry for them. They need to find a way to snap out of their funk and get it together in the crackerbox on Wednesday against another beatable foe, Carroll.

[iwu70]

WC over EC, staying two games behind the TITANS.  Big game on Wednesday -- 7th.

Key game in the road to 16-0.     

'70

[Mr. Ypsi]

I have GOT to check out other sports more often.  I did not realize that Molly McGraw was a 3 (going on 4) time All American in the high jump, including the national title as a sophomore!  Since the women's b'ball team was idle today, she took the opportunity to finish second in the 7 team Keck Invitational indoor meet at IWU, presumably with very little recent training for the high jump specifically.  Now, THAT'S a student-athlete!

[GoPerry]

Wheaton over Elmhurst

Devin Kyler      16 pts, 11 rebs, 5 assts, 4 blocks, stl
Hannah Frazier      13 pts, 5 assts, 3 blks, 2 stls
Jill Berg         12 pts, 5 rebs

Mikaela Eppard      18 pts, 8 rebs
Courtney O'Donnell   11 pts
Kelly Weyhrich      9 pts, 7 assts

Elmhurst put up a good fight but the Thunder were able to avenge the earlier loss.  However, I'm not sure Kent Madsen liked everything he saw.  Wheaton had a few pretty bad defensive lapses at times ( did they forget how to guard screen-roll?).  They will have to play much better on Wednesday if they are to beat Wesleyan.  However, I thought the rebounding was pretty solid and that's a stat they need to win.

Devin Kyler had a very nice game tonight. 

[iwu70]

Ypsi, McGraw is staking out her claim as one of the most outstanding women athletes in IWU history.  She's up to #2 in career scoring in basketball now too -- and will likely be a 4-time All-American in track and field -- when the Spring Indoor and Outdoor seasons are in the books. 

Looking forward to the big game @Wheaton this week.  WC and IWU have improved significantly in recent weeks, so this should be a really good test, likely a close, competitive game.  We'll see.  Expect "run and jump" early and often. . . sure glad Katie McDaniels is an alum.   

GO TITANS!

'70

[Mr. Ypsi]

Will this be the week that Wheaton FINALLY gets at least one lousy point in the poll?  I'm gonna guess no, as anyone considering it may want to wait for Wednesday.  On the other hand, maybe someone will pull the trigger so that IF Wheaton upsets the Titans, they can say 'told ya so!'

IWU should move up a slot or two this week - #11 Rochester lost TWICE and now has 4 losses; #13 Oshkosh also lost a game, their third loss.

[Rofrog]

Wheaton is a very good team they deserve to at least be in the top 25.Watched them play Scranton in Nashville was impressed with there size.Very deserving team have not lost since that game either.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Not sure whether or not Wheaton should be IN the top 25, but find it appalling they can't get ANY votes.  Their four losses (none of them blowouts) are to #14 Scranton, #16 Chicago, #17 IWU, and a solid Elmhurst team featuring the likely CCIW MOP this year, Mikaela Eppard (who only scored 10 that night - WAY below her average - but had TWENTY-TWO rebounds)!  Since parity has not yet arrived in women's basketball, 4 losses is pretty much disqualifying for elite status, but those are not IMO disqualifying losses.  They may not be 'elite' but they are pretty darned good!