WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[lmitzel]

Gotta get Rog's last requested game recap in before he comes back too...

Carthage 78, Millikin 60

Millikin turned the ball over 22 times and was outrebounded 41-28. Morgan Vukovich led all scorers with 17, Morgan Harris added 13 and 10, and Rachel Szydlowski added 11 points for the Lady Reds. Haley Toohill and Emily Schultz eached scored nine points for the Big Blue.

Updated CCIW standings...

x-Illinois Wesleyan	11-0
x-Wheaton	10-2
Carthage	8-4
Elmhurst	8-4
Augustana	5-7
Carroll	4-7
North Park	3-8
e-North Central	3-9
e-Millikin	0-11

x- Clinched CCIW Tournament berth
e- Eliminated from CCIW Tournament contention

Other than that Illinois Wesleyan @ Wheaton matchup on Wednesday that means absolutely nothing whatsoever , Elmhurst clinches a CCIW Tournament berth with a win over Augie and a North Park win over Carroll. Carthage is idle and thus can't clinch a berth (an Elmhurst win over Augie would knock the Vikings out of the CCIW Tournament picture as Augie has been swept by Carthage already; Carroll still one more with the Lady Reds yet).

[lmitzel]

Good week for Carroll's Brittney Wald: her team went 2-0, she averaged 22.5 points in those two games, and she's the latest winner of the CCIW Player of the Week award.

[iwu70]

Congrats to Ms. Wald -- a very good week for her and her team.

'70

[Mr. Ypsi]

New poll is out - IWU jumps from 17 to 14.  And, glory be, Wheaton got not one point but SEVEN!

[iwu70]

Good for WC for ORV.  Titans mov'n on up -- #14.   Big game Wednesday @ Wheaton. 

[iwumichigander]

Wednesday game @ Wheaton big in terms of CCIW.  A Wheaton loss could result in loss of ORV.  A win would keep IWU where they are, unless , other Top 25 teams ranked above them incur a loss.  With no disrespect to the CCIW this year not as tough as previous years in terms of rankings.
We likely will need regional rankings to get a better picture of where IWU stands.

[GoPerry]

IWU @ WC tomorrow:  I guess it's big in that it's a game between the top two teams 2 full months after the last meeting and Wheaton doesn't want to give up a loss at home.  But the significance really doesn't go beyond that for either team.  IWU will still be in 1st afterwards and Wheaton will still be in 2nd.  Of course, a Wheaton win gives them a chance to tie for first and to host the conf tourney but only if the Titans lose another game (to Carthage or Elmhurst) and I think that unlikely.  Probably more pressure on Wesleyan to continue the streak? 

Having said all that, Wheaton must come out with defensive intensity right off the bat and get on the glass.  With as potent an offense the Titans seem to have, the Thunder need to keep any runs to a minimum.  Hopefully, defense by Frazier and Kyler can keep Merritt from having a big game- perhaps challenge her offensively also and get her in foul trouble.  We know what we'll get from Ehresman.  I'm more worried that they'll overlook someone and allow a big game from the likes of Raven Hughes, Ashley Schneider or Sydney Shanks. 

Wheaton has plenty of offensive talent to compete with any team.  Good luck and Go Thunder!

[RogK]

Thanks, lmitzel, for kindly providing those game recaps. I think it would therefore be fair to call you a beneficent biped!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Women's first regional rankings of the season are out: http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2018/02/women-regional-rankings-first

[Just Bill]

Central           
1   UW-Whitewater       18-3  18-3
2   Illinois Wesleyan   18-2  18-2
3   Chicago             18-2  18-2
4   Wisconsin Lutheran  18-2  19-2
5   Washington U.       15-5  15-5
6   UW-Eau Claire       15-6  15-6
7   UW-Oshkosh          16-3  17-3
8   Wheaton (Ill.)      15-4  17-4
9   Carthage            15-6  15-6

[lmitzel]

Central           
1   UW-Whitewater       18-3  18-3
2   Illinois Wesleyan   18-2  18-2
3   Chicago             18-2  18-2
4   Wisconsin Lutheran  18-2  19-2
5   Washington U.       15-5  15-5
6   UW-Eau Claire       15-6  15-6
7   UW-Oshkosh          16-3  17-3
8   Wheaton (Ill.)      15-4  17-4
9   Carthage            15-6  15-6[/b]

Honestly, I'd expected Wesleyan to slot in at 3, but given their record I can understand 2 (I'd pegged WashU a tad higher). Figured Wheaton would end up on here. Carthage got a nice boost from an excellent SOS; I didn't expect the CCIW to get three teams on this list.

Also, if Carthage stays on there next week it gives North Central an RRO win that means absolutely nothing other than proof that basketball is weird.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

North Central will have the vRRO result next week whether Carthage stays there or not. The vRRO data that is gathered and used is from the previous week's rankings... not the current week's. Impossible to do it with the current week's since those rankings don't exist at the time the vRRO is considered.

Another note, the current rankings for vRRO are used ONLY for the final rankings of the year, but that is another topic and scenario altogether.

[GoPerry]

Central           
1   UW-Whitewater       18-3  18-3
2   Illinois Wesleyan   18-2  18-2
3   Chicago             18-2  18-2
4   Wisconsin Lutheran  18-2  19-2
5   Washington U.       15-5  15-5
6   UW-Eau Claire       15-6  15-6
7   UW-Oshkosh          16-3  17-3
8   Wheaton (Ill.)      15-4  17-4
9   Carthage            15-6  15-6[/b]

Honestly, I'd expected Wesleyan to slot in at 3, but given their record I can understand 2 (I'd pegged WashU a tad higher). Figured Wheaton would end up on here. Carthage got a nice boost from an excellent SOS; I didn't expect the CCIW to get three teams on this list.

Also, if Carthage stays on there next week it gives North Central an RRO win that means absolutely nothing other than proof that basketball is weird.

A 6 loss UW Eau Claire team is somewhat of a surprise to me - to be ranked that high?  I guess their last home win over Oshkosh scored them some points. 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

There is also SOS numbers to consider.

[GoPerry]

There is also SOS numbers to consider.

Yes.  Didn't mean to imply I was ignoring that.  But is the stronger schedule worth 3 more losses over Oshkosh(with whom they've split now) and 2 over Wheaton?  Eau Claire does have an additional RR win over St Benedict.  But they haven't gotten an ORV in the D3 Hoops poll since week 3.  And you know how much faith we have in you guys!