WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[lmitzel]

Incidentally, I compliment the NPU staff for including visiting players Swider and Richardson in the pre-game on-court recognition of those who were just awarded all-CCIW status. That was very good sportsmanship.

I don't want to crap on the moment because I think it's a nice touch, but since it was a conference event they wanted to recognize all the All-CCIW players. They had me recognize the one Millikin all-conference guy in addition to the two NCC guys at the hangar last night.

Was still pretty cool to do pregame, and a nice touch for the visiting awardees too.

[iwu70]

Greg, thanks for the background on Miller.  I knew not.  . . .

Congrats to Jayla Johnson on her amazing CCIW career at NPU.

I think the Titans have a huge challenge facing Carroll this Friday, given how well they are playing and their size in the paint, always an issue for the under-sized Titans.  IWU will have to speed up the game as they usually do and get some benefit from TOs and "run and jump."  I expect the Pios to press as well.
Another rubber match, this time on a neutral court.

MU should handle Wheaton pretty easily, IMHO.

IWU'70

[GoPerry]

Congrats to the Thunder ladies on their victory and moving on to extend the season.  The huge rebounding advantage does stick out as well as the huge # of free throw attempts of 34 (averaging 15 fta/game).  They also converted at 82.4%, also over their average of 73%.  The Vikes certainly had their chances to squeeze the lead but just couldn't convert the key shots when they needed it.

The first quarter was representative of what has plagued the team this year – difficulty scoring ( 1of 8, 5 pts) and taking care of the ball (7 turnovers).  The second was an illustration of their potential if it could be harnessed – 9/17 for 26 pts, 2 turnovers.  Again, it is a pretty young team out there.

They have their work cut out for them vs the Big Blue and MOP Knudsen on Friday.  Last Saturday, the Thunder actually played decently against Millikin at King.  But #22 for MU had one of those unstoppable games and Wheaton also got smoked on the boards (-17 / -9 offense).  So Madsen and crew know what they need to work on to be in the game Friday.

[Gregory Sager]

Incidentally, I compliment the NPU staff for including visiting players Swider and Richardson in the pre-game on-court recognition of those who were just awarded all-CCIW status. That was very good sportsmanship.

I don't want to crap on the moment because I think it's a nice touch, but since it was a conference event they wanted to recognize all the All-CCIW players. They had me recognize the one Millikin all-conference guy in addition to the two NCC guys at the hangar last night.

Was still pretty cool to do pregame, and a nice touch for the visiting awardees too.

I don't know if it's a league-wide policy or not, but even if it isn't it's pretty de rigueur throughout the league by this point. This past fall I watched a CCIW women's volleyball tourney quarterfinal at Faganel between North Park and Elmhurst, and before the match started the Vikings and Bluejays All-CCIW players were announced and awarded with their plaques, and the RESPECT Award winners of both teams were announced as well.

The nice thing about what NPU did last night was that the official Vikings photographers took pictures of the All-CCIW honorees at center court after the announcements, and all five players (three from North Park, two from Wheaton) were included in the photos both individually and collectively. I don't know what they did or didn't do in the hangar last night with the North Central and Millikin men with respect to photographs, but they didn't do the inclusive photography segment in Faganel this past fall before the volleyball quarterfinal.

At any rate, if this is indeed an official conference policy now, this is the CCIW doing what the CCIW is supposed to be doing: Adding value to the student-athlete experience of its nine schools.

[Gregory Sager]

Congrats to Jayla Johnson on her amazing CCIW career at NPU.

Jayla's legacy in the NPU women's basketball record book:

* 4th in career points (1480)
* 3rd in career points per game (16.3)
* 9th in career rebounds (648)
* 4th in career field goals (593)
* 3rd in career field goal percentage (.511)
* 8th in career free throws (285)
* 7th in career steals (191)
* 4th in career steals per game (2.10)
* 7th in career blocks (52)
* 6th in season points (459, 2021-22)
* 7th in season points per game (19.1, 2021-22)
* 8th in season field goals (171, 2019-20)
* 10th in season field goal percentage (.535, 2018-19)
* 7th in season free throws (115, 2021-22)
* 2nd in season free throw percentage (.863, 2021-22)
* 6th in season steals (65, 2021-22)
* 6th in season steals per game (2.71, 2021-22)

Her stats illustrate just how well she excelled at both ends of the floor, and how she did so over the entire course of her career from the moment she started North Park's opener her freshman season. And one statistic where you won't find her name is career most games played, thanks to the large chunk of her junior season that was erased by the Covid pandemic. She played in 91 games, which I don't think even puts her within the top fifty all-time in North Park's program history. That makes her achievements even more remarkable in terms of the counting stats.

I warmly commend Jayla upon her achievements, because, for all of the intensity and ferocity of her demeanor on the court, off the court she is a sweet and mild-mannered Christian woman. That's exactly the sort of off-switch/on-switch persona North Park women's basketball is looking for, especially because, in her case, it was accompanied by an emphatically unselfish "team first" personal philosophy. And yet, here's hoping that for 2022-23 Amanda Crockett and Annie Shain bring in a freshman who will go on to have a career that surpasses Jayla's. Heck, two of 'em would be even better.

(Vikings alumnae Liz Rehberger and Amani Davis were at the game last night, sitting behind the NPU bench as they often do. Jayla passed Liz for fourth place on the all-time career scoring list up in Waukesha on Saturday evening, so I teased Liz about Jayla pushing her down to fifth. Liz expressed surprise that Jayla had caught her, then shrugged and said what every loyal former athlete ought to say: "Oh, well ... records are made to be broken." Amen to that.)

[Gregory Sager]

I think the Titans have a huge challenge facing Carroll this Friday,

Wouldn't shock me even one little bit if Carroll advances to Saturday's championship game. The Pioneers are outstanding, they appear to finally be healthy, and they're peaking at the right time. Lindsay Schultz is building quite a juggernaut up there in suburban Milwaukee, and she deserves some plaudits for it. It's not easy to build a CCIW winner at Carroll in any sport. Carroll's overall athletics history as a CCIW member, both prior to 1992 and since 2016, is a testament to just how hard it is to build a team that excels in the CCIW when your school is located in a state that contains an entire D3 conference of public schools -- public schools that are comparatively large in size and scope and are extraordinarily powerful and successful athletically at this level while offering a college education that costs a fraction of what your school asks of its students.

Carthage gets around that problem because it's located practically on the Illinois border, and two-thirds of its students are FIBs. (Carthage used to match Illinois state aid, but I don't think that the school can manage to cover the full boat anymore.) Carroll is too far north to rely as heavily upon suburban Chicagolanders as Carthage does, although some Pioneers sports programs do feature more Illinois-based student-athletes nowadays than was the case in the earlier era of Carroll's CCIW membership. Women's basketball, however, is not one of them; Schultz's current roster of Pioneers is very cheese-centric.

They have their work cut out for them vs the Big Blue and MOP Knudsen on Friday.  Last Saturday, the Thunder actually played decently against Millikin at King.  But #22 for MU had one of those unstoppable games and Wheaton also got smoked on the boards (-17 / -9 offense).  So Madsen and crew know what they need to work on to be in the game Friday.

Wheaton won't go down without a fight, but the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance simply doesn't match up well with the Big Blue. Olivia Lett undoubtedly watched the WC @ NPU game last night and saw how much trouble Wheaton had getting the ball across midcourt against North Park's press -- and it's not as though the Vikings press often, or have the personnel to do so. If Wheaton can slow down the game and somehow manage to take much better care of the ball, it can hang around on Friday. But I don't see Millikin allowing that; I suspect that the Big Blue will dictate tempo, run the court (and rob the ball) too much for Wheaton's liking, and win handily.

[blue_jays]

I think the Titans have a huge challenge facing Carroll this Friday,

Carthage gets around that problem because it's located practically on the Illinois border, and two-thirds of its students are FIBs. (Carthage used to match Illinois state aid, but I don't think that the school can manage to cover the full boat anymore.) Carroll is too far north to rely as heavily upon suburban Chicagolanders as Carthage does, although some Pioneers sports programs do feature more Illinois-based student-athletes nowadays than was the case in the earlier era of Carroll's CCIW membership. Women's basketball, however, is not one of them; Schultz's current roster of Pioneers is very cheese-centric.

Now I gotta figure out how to use cheese-centric in future convos.
I remember when the UChicago women played Carroll back in 2016 and smashed them 83-38. That Carroll team had exactly one good player and a lot of flotsam. Kudos to the Pioneers for turning things around.

[iwu70]

Jayla Johnson's career at NPU very impressive indeed.

I think the Titans will be ready to play on Friday, knowing they didn't play well at all up at Carroll, splitting the two games during the regular season.  I know Mia Smith was particularly upset about how the Titans played up there . . . so I expect full energy and preparation for Friday night at The Griz.  That loss prevented the Titans from winning the CCIW regular season championship outright. Carroll's size is a tough match-up for the Titans, so key will be as usual:  win the TO line, shoot the three ball relatively well, and try to keep the rebounding line within reason.  If the Titans speed up the game, play their normal tough half-court D in the paint and on the perimeter, get some benefit from the "run and jump" pressure, and get to 70 on the offensive end, I think they will win the game.  A neutral court, that horrible blue floor!     The Titans need to get off to a good start . . .

I share the view that MU will handle Wheaton pretty easily in the second semi-final game on Friday evening.

'70

[iwu70]

Second regional rankings up:

For Region 8:

Tranzy
WI Lutheran
Millikin
IWU
Carroll
North Park U
Wheaton
St. Norbert

Looks like IWU has possible two rubber matches with teams just below, just above it in the regional rankings . . . a real opportunity Friday to help out, and on Saturday, if they get there, to win the AQ.

Four regionally ranked teams playing each other this weekend at The Griz . . .

IWU'70

[RogK]

One advantage that the current group of IWU regulars has is that basically anyone who gets a defensive rebound can take off with it dribbling and explore fast break opportunities.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Final in the first game from the Griz: IWU 65, Carroll 60.

Millikin up by 6 entering the 4th against Wheaton.

[RogK]

Yes Mr Ypsi, in that 65-60 victory, the Titans scored 27 from threeland while the Pios made just one for 3 pts.
Lauren Huber led IWU with 19 pts (9/13 2FG and a free throw) and 9 rebs. Her 4 offensive rebs were key, I thought, in preventing Carroll from regaining momentum.
Catie Eck and Mallory Powers tallied 12 each. Powers had 4 steals and 7 rebs.
Brooke Lansford had 0 turnovers, 11 pts and 6 assists.
For Carroll, Olivia Rangel poured in 22 pts, while Elizabeth Behrndt had 14 pts and 11 rebs. Chloe Halverson helped via 11 pts and 3 steals.

[GoPerry]

Millikin 70
Wheaton 61

Wheaton led 8-0 after the first quarter  . .  in turnovers that is.  The just plain sloppy passing is maddening to watch. 

The scoreboard after one was 24-13 Big Blue.  Wheaton brought it back to within 4 at halftime and were pretty much in the game for most of the second half.  But they were just overmatched from a skill level and MU eventually pulled away. 

The Thunder season ends with some things to look forward to and plenty to work on.  Both Annika Richardson and Carolyn Sikkink have plenty of upside on the offensive end.  And overall the team is young with lots of returners in Schwen, Cassell, Hermanson with lots of trial-by-fire playing time.  And a healthy Annie Tate won't hurt.  Wheaton played fairly solid defense tonight against a team with lots of firepower.  Schwen especially did a really good job containing Knudsen tonight and taking away her space. 

I suppose some of the sloppiness is inexperience.  But it's mystifying they did not get any better taking care of the ball by the season's end when it was plain as day how much it was hurting them.  Coaching.

Best of luck to seniors Hannah Swider, Taylor Sanders and Paris Chaney.

[iwu70]

Well, the Titans won their first rubber match with Carroll, living by the three ball, winning the TO line, and battling hard.  Powers had one of her best games, Huber too.  No TOs by Lansford always a great plus.

Now a second rubber match for the AQ vs. MU tomorrow at 5.  Keep it rolling Titans.  Start strong and don't get down early. 

Not sure if IWU will get a bid without winning the AQ.  I think rather unlikely with 9 losses, were that to happen.  But, at least they will be pretty high up in the regional rankings, could get to the table for consideration, now that they've pushed Carroll back down further.  Good record of wins against regionally ranked teams, but I don't think 18-9 gets you in . . . so gotta go out there and beat MU tomorrow -- game at 5 p.m., in that famous, favorite-of mine, gym, The Griz!  LOL 

Congrats to the Titans on their semis win.

IWU'70

[Mr. Ypsi]

Hey, Mark.  I always LIKED the Griz.  (Of course, it has been 50+ years since I've seen it! )  I was there mainly to see IWU vs. Jesse Price - at least arguably the greatest CCIW player ever.  (No offense intended to Jack Sikma, Steve Durikovic, etc.)

Has the Griz deteriorated a bit since then?   (Perhaps not been cleaned since then? )