WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I wanted to bring to everyone's attention that the the DIII Championships Committee has decided that basketball has to have 60% participation for the NCAA tournament to move forward. That means if 40% or more call off playing, the tournament will pretty much be done.

Roughly that means we need 250 schools to still be playing - or not lose more than about 170.

Currently we have about 60 or so schools who will not be playing: https://www.d3sports.com/notables/2020/11/winter-is-coming-but-who-will-play

[iwu70]

Any word, decisions on a CCIW women's season, starting in January?

'70

[RogK]

Occasionally I've been checking the school web sites for altered WBB schedules but haven't seen anything definite.
I did finally take note of this contest, almost a month late :
https://www.iwusports.com/news/2020/11/14/womens-basketball-green-team-prevails-in-womens-hoops-scrimmage.aspx
I assume the various university presidents have postponed decisions about winter sports for a while yet.

[Jester1390]

Rose-Hulman might be scrimmaging Indiana State this weekend. The ycanceld their game against adrian since it was in Michigan

[iwu70]

RogK, yes, I keep checking too -- to see if any one is posting schedules, but nada so far.  I heard from some IWU players that they thought there would be a schedule of CCIW games, perhaps some close by non-conference games too, starting in January.  But, then nothing came of it.  IWU had their green/white scrimmage, under game conditions, but that's it. Now all the kids are away, off after early exams, and not returning for about six weeks.  It seems increasingly unlikely given the new surge in IL. and the upper Midwest, that we'll see a season in early 2021.  Very disappointing, but unless this thing gets pressed down, under some sense of control, no University President at the D3 level is likely to approve playing winter sports, having an indoor basketball season, even without crowds, only players, perhaps family members.  Just seems very very unlikely at this stage. 

'70

[Jester1390]

Next Saturday rose is still on schedule to play defiance.  Transylvania just played Adrian a couple of days ago

[Titan Q]

Here is the status of CCIW MBB/WBB as I understand it...

1) The MBB and WBB coaches have developed a conference-only schedule model.
  * 12 games.
  * Each team plays 2 games per week across 3 possible game nights - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.
  * MBB and WBB would basically have the same schedule - location just flipped.  (IWU men at Augie; IWU women host Augie.)
  * I believe the weekend of Jan. 22 is still the planned start date, but I am not 100% sure about that.

2) The schedule goes to the Athletic Directors early this week for review and approval. 
  * It's expected to be approved.  I think the coaches would be very surprised if it's rejected.

3) Then everything goes the the university Presidents later this week.  That's where things become a lot less certain. 
  * This past week, the WIAC Chancellors approved the model developed by the WIAC coaches and ADs.
  * Whether the CCIW Presidents see things the same way...who knows.
  * Obviously the Presidents will make a decision that factors in a lot more than sports.
  * Important to keep in mind the Presidents can approve this...and it still fall apart before or during the season for a variety of reasons.


If the plan is approved, I'd expect an announcement very similar to the WIAC's -- https://wiacsports.com/news/2020/12/11/general-wiac-winter-sports-return-to-play-update.aspx.

The ability to meet testing guidelines is probably the most important component of the plan and making this work.

I believe I heard that a single positive test within a program would shut that team down for a week.  It wouldn't be like the NFL where the positive players stays home and the rest of the team plays.

There is an assumption there will be positives, and I believe a plan to be flexible with the schedule based on how things play out in this regard.  Teams could end up playing each other more or less than as laid out in the original schedule.

I'm sure I am off on parts of this, but overall I'm confident this is very close to what's going on.

It going to be an interesting week in the CCIW.

[iwu70]

Thanks Q, very interesting "plan."   Given the high numbers on Covid in the Upper Midwest and the cost of testing etc. pre-vaccine for younger people, I would be very surprised if the Presidents approved this.  We'll see, but I think they are risk averse and will have been talking to their lawyers and considering their possible liabilities.  Many of these institutions are already facing grim economic and enrollment conditions due to Covid costs and realities, so they will be very hesitant to step further into winter sports, indoors.  I hope some way can be found to push the Covid cases, positivity rates down between now and mid-January, but with Christmas holidays coming on, most students out in the community now, I just don't see it happening.  Sadly.

Happy Holidays to all chatsters here.  Do stay safe and well.

IWU'70

[Jester1390]

On a positive note the start of maybe the best player ever to come out of Minnesota. Early and along way to go to get to Whalen status but pretty goood start
https://m.startribune.com/no-3-uconn-debuts-with-79-23-rout-of-umass-lowell/600001060/

[Titan Q]

A very big development for NCC...

https://covid.northcentralcollege.edu/2020/12/14/shield-illinois-covid-19-testing/

https://www.uillinois.edu/shield

[Titan Q]

Here is the status of CCIW MBB/WBB as I understand it...

1) The MBB and WBB coaches have developed a conference-only schedule model.
  * 12 games.
  * Each team plays 2 games per week across 3 possible game nights - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.
  * MBB and WBB would basically have the same schedule - location just flipped.  (IWU men at Augie; IWU women host Augie.)
  * I believe the weekend of Jan. 22 is still the planned start date, but I am not 100% sure about that.

2) The schedule goes to the Athletic Directors early this week for review and approval. 
  * It's expected to be approved.  I think the coaches would be very surprised if it's rejected.

3) Then everything goes the the university Presidents later this week.  That's where things become a lot less certain. 
  * This past week, the WIAC Chancellors approved the model developed by the WIAC coaches and ADs.
  * Whether the CCIW Presidents see things the same way...who knows.
  * Obviously the Presidents will make a decision that factors in a lot more than sports.
  * Important to keep in mind the Presidents can approve this...and it still fall apart before or during the season for a variety of reasons.


If the plan is approved, I'd expect an announcement very similar to the WIAC's -- https://wiacsports.com/news/2020/12/11/general-wiac-winter-sports-return-to-play-update.aspx.

The ability to meet testing guidelines is probably the most important component of the plan and making this work.

I believe I heard that a single positive test within a program would shut that team down for a week.  It wouldn't be like the NFL where the positive players stays home and the rest of the team plays.

There is an assumption there will be positives, and I believe a plan to be flexible with the schedule based on how things play out in this regard.  Teams could end up playing each other more or less than as laid out in the original schedule.

I'm sure I am off on parts of this, but overall I'm confident this is very close to what's going on.

It going to be an interesting week in the CCIW.

I've learned the CCIW ADs approved MBB/WBB schedules today.  Huge step.

Now it goes to the university Presidents for review/approval.  I'm not sure what to expect here.

Testing guidelines:
  * If you play 2 games in a week vs same team w/ no more than 1 day in between, only 1 test required. 
  * 2 different opponents in a week requires 3 tests.

At 25 ish people to test (let's say 21 players and 4 coaches), $100 per test, safe to say the CCIW schedule be the former.

Option #1 (play 2 games per week vs same team; no more than 1 day in-between)
* 1 test required per week.
* $100 per test = $2,500 per week.
* $2,500 x 8 week season = $20,000

Option #2 (play 2 games per week vs 2 different opponents)
* 3 tests required per week.
* $100 per test = $7,500 per week.
* $7,500 x 8 week season = $60,000

[Titan Q]

Good news...

https://cciw.org/news/2020/12/17/general-cciw-statement-on-winter-sports-competition.aspx

Still a long way to go, but it had to start this with step.

[Titan Q]

Lots of great detail here from Augie AD Mike Zapolski...

https://athletics.augustana.edu/news/2020/12/17/general-augustana-athletics-update.aspx

Gives you a good idea what schools and student-athletes will be required to do to make all of this work.

[Titan Q]

Schedules...

https://cciw.org/news/2021/1/6/general-cciw-announces-winter-2021-schedules.aspx

[RogK]

WBB schedule can be sorted by individual team if one wishes to do so.
It amounts to 13.5 rounds of 4 games, 12 contests per team, 3/4th of a regular conference plan.
Will the coaches do their customary prognostication of the standings?