WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwu70]

Sorry, Raven Hughes.  ms

[iwu70]

Ypsi, how we wish -- another Hughes sister.  Could be?   

'70

[GoPerry]

And the Shirk will host postseason basketball: Illinois Wesleyan gets Marietta for a first round draw. DePauw and Trine will play in the other first round game.

Wow, DePauw v Trine in the first round... that's #6 v # 7 nationally in the round of 64.  Just shows how screwed you can be in D3 if you don't win your AQ.

Relieved Wheaton got in.  Traveling to Holland no surprise.  Less excited about a rematch from last year in Wash U and Madeline Homoly who hung 26 and 11 on us a year ago.

As expected, Titans hosting.   DePauw/Trine is a brutal 1st rounder.   But I think IWU should be able to handle them.

Speaking of the AQ,  Chicago goes undefeated in the UAA, 23-2 overall, 5 wins vRRO, their only 2 losses vRRO, and has to travel to St Thomas.  Feels a little rough to me.

It is foolish to take Trine so lightly. I did and they beat Hope by three at Hope. Remember, Trine lost three games this season. They lost to the no. 1 team in the country by five points. They beat Hope on the road by three and Hope needed a buzzer beater to send it to over time on Saturday. You can look at stats all you want, but don't let those stats give you false confidence. I give Illinois Wesleyan a 33% chance of winning the pod. I give each Trine and DePauw a 25% chance and Marietta a 17% chance.

Let me ask this, would you feel as confident if it was Hope instead of Trine? Because they are virtually equal.

I have seen Trine play a couple times this year and RHIT played Hope at DeVos and nearly got them. I think, if I HAD to choose a poison, I'd choose to play Trine over Hope, especially if Hope were at home. Hope has a ridiculously good set of guards and as much length (a highly undervalued asset until tournament time IMHO) as anyone in D3. Not that Trine is a cupcake, they definitely aren't - but Hope is a LOT deeper and there is very little, if any, drop-off from #1 through the last kid at the end of the bench. If either of Trine's D-I transfers get in foul trouble and have to sit, there is some drop-off. I would not want to see either of the two MIAA schools in a 1st Round game-that's for sure.

Great insight Enginerd, thanks!  Especially as an RHIT follower whose team has actually played IWU, Hope, and DePauw this season.

Not an easy first rounder for you guys with the Gusties and then UWW potentially.  Good luck!

[GoPerry]

For what it's worth:

According to Massey:     #6 IWU 90,  #33 Marietta 71 
                                    #20 DePauw 54, #21 Trine 51
     
                                     #13 Hope 65, #94 Cornell 50      
                                     #10 Wheaton 72, #23 Wash U 65

[iwu70]

Interesting take by Massey.  I think I'd rather play DePauw than Trine, assuming the Titans get past the first round game with Marietta.

I hope WC wins too -- but another very tough first round game.

'70

[RogK]

I think the CCIW would like the Massey ratings to determine NCAA tourney seeding, with Carthage at 28, Elmhurst at 62 and Augustana at 64.
Congrats to Mikaela Eppard for being among ten finalists nationally :
http://elmhurstbluejays.com/news/2018/2/27/womens-basketball-mikaela-eppard-named-jostens-trophy-finalist.aspx
-- (winner to be announced in a couple of weeks)

[titanalum94]

Based on Mia Smith's interview with Eric Stock today (via the Illinois Wesleyan Athletics Facebook) it sounds like Raven Hughes will be a no go this weekend. They still haven't received MRI results on her knee. Coach Smith also stated that the flu is back on campus and has hit a few players on the team, much like it did earlier this season with the men's team.

[iwu70]

Sorry to hear this about Raven Hughes.

Ypsi, I checked the roster of the U High basketball teams, sorry no younger sister of Raven -- no Rachel or other Hughes there in the waiting to join the Titans.  Likely some other good players, but no one upcoming from the Hughes family I could see!    Too bad.

Good luck to the Titans this weekend -- I hope flu - free.

'70

[titanalum94]

According to The Pantagraph this morning: Hughes = Torn ACL, Ehresman is the Flu-haver.

[lmitzel]

According to The Pantagraph this morning: Hughes = Torn ACL

Well that sucks. Best wishes to her on a speedy recovery.

Ehresman is the Flu-haver.

inb4 "Flu Game" comps

But seriously, hope she's okay as well.

[RogK]

Yeah, add my best wishes to Raven Hughes. She had an outstanding debut season -- good defensive player, good rebounder, and shot 68%.
Without her and Sydney Shanks (52 steals in 513 minutes, decent scorer, good rebounder, 67:28 A/TO ratio), the Titans likely have to scale back their pressing somewhat. Merritt, Schneider and Brovelli provide very good interior defense, anyway.
It would be disappointing if IWU and Wheaton don't emerge from the first weekend, but certainly the path is not easy. For example, recall that Wheaton went 1-3 in NCAA tourney play in the Katie McDaniels timeframe.
Hoping Ehresman is well enough to play.
Good luck to the Thunder and the Titans!

[GoPerry]

Yeah, add my best wishes to Raven Hughes. She had an outstanding debut season -- good defensive player, good rebounder, and shot 68%.
Without her and Sydney Shanks (52 steals in 513 minutes, decent scorer, good rebounder, 67:28 A/TO ratio), the Titans likely have to scale back their pressing somewhat. Merritt, Schneider and Brovelli provide very good interior defense, anyway.
It would be disappointing if IWU and Wheaton don't emerge from the first weekend, but certainly the path is not easy. For example, recall that Wheaton went 1-3 in NCAA tourney play in the Katie McDaniels timeframe.
Hoping Ehresman is well enough to play.
Good luck to the Thunder and the Titans!

Gotta believe Ms Ehresman is on max fluids as we speak  - I hope she's ready, I think she will be.  Good thing playing at home.  WC is 0-7 all time vs Wash U.  Perfect time to turn that around.

[GoPerry]

Good luck to the Wheaton ladies heading to Holland, MI tomorrow.  They face a tough foe in Wash U and should they prevail, another tough test the next evening vs either Hope or Cornell.

Having watched them all year, I believe that Wheaton is capable and talented enough to win 2 games there -  but not if they play scared or with hesitation.  Need to go out there and play with some fire and intensity.  And most of all, have fun.

[RogK]

a quick look comparing the offenses of Wash U and Wheaton :
average points from:  FT     2FG       3FG     total/g
WASH U                  13.1    40.9     24.7     78.7
WHE                       11.2    42.2     19.4     72.9
a couple of unusual games for Wash U :
1/12/18 trailing Brandeis 63-50 after 3, Wash U commits 18 fouls in the 4th quarter and Brandeis has 33 FT att in that quarter.
2/24/18 Wash U commits 19 fouls in the 2nd half and Chicago shoots 32 FTs in that half.
I don't have an opinion either way regarding that strategy, but I have no problem with a coach trying something out of the ordinary.

[GoPerry]

Wash U 75, Wheaton 57

The Bears pretty much in control the whole way.   If the Thunder never see Madeline Homoly ( 25 and 8) on the court again, it'll feel too soon.  Too much of her and honestly a more overall talented, UAA-seasoned, better coached Wash U squad.  If there's a better 7 loss team in the country than the Bears, I need to see it.  Hope or Cornell will have their hands full tomorrow.

Can't help but think about the difference of playing a UAA schedule, the teams and the travel.  Wash U just seemed more up to the moment than Wheaton.

Still, the Thunder ladies played hard but ran into a really good team. Congrats to them on a good season and thank you for representing Wheaton well.  It was a fun season to watch.

Good luck to IWU!