WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

Mia Smith and the Titans have landed Lauren Huber, a 5-8 G from Glenbard East. 

As a SR, 20 ppg, 11 rpg. 1st Team All-State 4A; Daily Herald 1st Team.

All-time Glenbard East scoring leader.  High academic student-athlete.

Big one for IWU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1UdGXUMYiE

[Ultimate Titan Fan]

In a recent interview, Mia said one of the possible recruits she was pursuing was "a game changer." I'm pretty sure that's her.

[RogK]

She seems rather good, but she'll need to adjust to the longer college court, the lengthy bus ride to Waukesha and the sardonic wit widespread among CCIW referees.

[RogK]

Well, I've received approximately fewer than 2 requests for examples of the in-game wit of CCIW refs.
Here are some you may hear if you listen intently :
(1) "you call THAT dribbling?"
(2) "your uniform number reminds me of my aunt's shoe size"
(3) "you could commit a foul with those eyelashes"
(4) "I can miss more threes than that with my eyes closed"

[iwu70]

Huber looks like the real deal . . . Titans really will need some new scorers and she looks to fit the bill.  Lots of other returning TITANS are going to have to step up, take on scoring roles, to replace Sosa and that Senior group departing.   Not easy.  The TITANS next year will likely be a different look, perhaps even a different style of play.

Millikin the favorites, right?

IWU'70 

[RogK]

I can't guess anything standings-wise until we see all the rosters in November.
The longer I follow college sports, the less use I have for pre-season expectations and rankings. Every team starts tied, 0 wins - 0 losses.
Allow each team a full opportunity to impress us with a new season's results on the court without contaminating it with credit or disrespect for what they did or failed to do in prior seasons.
(not directed at iwu70 or anyone else in particular!)

[Next Man Up]

Well, I've received approximately fewer than 2 requests for examples of the in-game wit of CCIW refs.
Here are some you may hear if you listen intently :
(1) "you call THAT dribbling?"
(2) "your uniform number reminds me of my aunt's shoe size"
(3) "you could commit a foul with those eyelashes"
(4) "I can miss more threes than that with my eyes closed"

(5) "it's the round orange thing up there!"

[RogK]

Ha! That one would be cruel !

[iwu70]

RogK, I agree with you about pre-season predictions, not really easy to tell what is coming with a new group.

IWU will surely look different and will have to find a lot of new points, perhaps even a new style of play.  Not sure they have coming back what naturally leads to "run and jump."  Scoring will be a big issue . . . with Brovelli, Sosa and Monroe gone.  Perhaps they will find it . . . and the newbie freshman looks pretty good from trey.  But, we all know how tough it is for some HS players to adjust immediately to the faster CCIW game.  We'll see in time. Time for the junior group, to be seniors, and a few others, to really step up this coming year . . . Lansford in particular. 

I have much higher hopes for the IWU men -- a potential national championship season, with all they have coming back and coming online . . .  should be a really strong year for the men.

Happy summer, happy golfing to all.

IWU'70

[iwu70]

RogK, here's a shot in the dark . . . I know a long many months till the new season, but . . .

Likely guards:  Lansford, Eck and perhaps the new freshman
3/4s :  Bowen and Heller
5s : Kleffman and Hannah Smith

And, whomever comes up from the freshman and sophomore group of pinesitters -- lots of talent there, but never got much floor time due to the senior-heavy, very experienced starters.  I think several really good contributors will emerge from this 9-10 group of pinesitters . . . to emerge into the rotation.

Not sure Mia can use "run and jump" as much with this group -- seemingly not as athletic or quick as previous groups.  We'll see.

As I say, just a shot in the dark at this stage.

'70   

[iwu70]

Q, I think you should do a long interview with Kendall Sosa, before she heads to Denver and her post-basketball, post-IWU life.  Just a thought.   

iwu'70

[RogK]

North Park has posted their full CCIW schedule as well as some nonconference games :
https://athletics.northpark.edu/sports/womens-basketball/schedule
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[Gregory Sager]

Yep. There are obviously more non-con games to be added.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park's full schedule is now posted. As I suspected regarding Wheaton's Beth Baker Classic, NPU lists it as a classic-style format, with Maryville and Otterbein as the opponents. It doesn't say which opponent the Vikings will face on which night, probably because Kent Madsen hasn't decided that yet.

On the other hand, Elmhurst will again be joining NPU in the North Park Classic, and the Bluejays are listed along with Bethany Lutheran and Rose-Hulman as one of the opposing teams. But that's probably just so that people are aware that the Bluejays will be present. I can't imagine that the tourney will not be played in a classic-style format, as it has always been whenever Elmhurst has been the fourth team filling out the field.

In addition to familiar non-con opponents Olivet, Chicago, and Dominican, the Vikings will open the season by hosting St. Catherine -- I'm pretty sure it's the first time that St. Kate's has ever visited the crackerbox -- and will usher out 2021 by hosting Mount Mary on New Year's Eve.

[RogK]

Mount Mary's 2020-21 roster has a name familiar to CCIW fans :
https://mtmaryathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2020-21/bios/newsome_alanna_7uc0
She was a rather good player for North Central in '18-'19 and '19-'20, but injuries limited her appearances on the court.
Mount Mary did not play WBB last winter.
They have a new head coach as of a few weeks ago.