WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[RogK]

Congratulations to North Central for attaining their first conference win, a 62-58 decision over Augie. Jackie Errico had a strong game, with 20 pts, 8 rebs, 3 assists and 4 steals.
Augie's Lani Kasten had an efficient game scoring-wise : 9/12 FG, 2/2 FT and one turnover. Unfortunately for the Vikings, the rest of the team shot 12 for 36. Natalie Runge led both teams with 10 rebounds.
Carthage improved to 4-2 with a 62-41 toppling of Millikin. Diana Jacklin led everyone with 17 pts on 8 for 11 shooting, including her first three pointer.

[RogK]

A tip of the hat to Lyndsie Long, CCIW player of the week.
Lyndsie started her college career as a talented player and has improved herself from year to year.
Now a senior, she is at her best: highly skilled, physically strong and mentally resilient.
Good luck to her and the rest of the seniors in the CCIW in their last couple of months of college hoops!

[gordonmann]

Holly Harvey of IWU has been blogging for us this season about the Titans' season.  Here is her latest entry, which is very good.

http://d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2010/01/26/healthy-superstitions/

[Hoosier Titan]

I have to claim a tiny bit of credit for Assistant Coach Gaston-Bell's practice of dressing in the other team's colors--she did it by accident once a couple of years ago (I think she wore Millikin blue in Decatur)--and I pointed it out.  I don't think she's failed to do it since.  (She has a very extensive wardrobe, and a nice one too.)

Holly didn't list all the superstitions either!  It is a good piece.  And the regular fans all have their own superstitions, but Holly could hardly know or write about those.

[Hoosier Titan]

Here's Randy Reinhardt's story about the IWU-Augie game.  Note especially the bit about Christina Solari's eligibility near the end.  Hmmmm......

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-wesleyan/article_c0140bba-0b06-11df-b716-001cc4c002e0.html

[Titan Q]

33 consecutive CCIW wins and 56 consecutive regular season wins...amazing.

Some numbers that jump out from IWU's season boxscore...

http://www.iwusports.com/custompages/WBB/WBB2010/HTML/teamcume.htm#TEAM.IND

* The Titans average 79.5 ppg and allow just 58.8
* IWU's average CCIW margin of victory is almost 24 ppg (79.1 to 55.3)
* IWU opponents are shooting just .386 from the field
* IWU has forced 546 turnovers - a ridiculous 30 per game
* IWU has taken 148 more FGA than opponents on the season (8 more per game)
* IWU's opponents have 215 assists and 546 turnovers, a ratio of .39 to 1.  Can anyone find a better # at any level of college basketball (men or women)?  That's about as good as I've ever seen.  (Pick your favorite high-pressure defense team and see what their opponent A:TO ratio is...I'm curious who is better.)


It seems like if IWU is going to lose  a CCIW game, the upcoming contest at Carthage Saturday is the best bet.

[Titan Q]

* IWU's opponents have 215 assists and 546 turnovers, a ratio of .39 to 1.  Can anyone find a better # at any level of college basketball (men or women)?  That's about as good as I've ever seen.  (Pick your favorite high-pressure defense team and see what their opponent A:TO ratio is...I'm curious who is better.)

Thought I had a candidate about 2 miles from my house...

Missouri men: opponents have 211 assists, 421 turnovers (.51 A:TO)

CCIW men...

Millikin: opponents have 145 assists, 253 turnovers (.57)

There can't be many under .40.

[Titan Q]

Found one!

U Conn women (20-0): opponents 162 assists, 435 turnovers (.37)

[Hoosier Titan]

Found one!
U Conn women (20-0): opponents 162 assists, 435 turnovers (.37)

That's not bad company to be in!

It seems like if IWU is going to lose  a CCIW game, the upcoming contest at Carthage Saturday is the best bet.

re:  Holly Harvey's blog on superstitions:  I'm not going to touch that prediction!  I do agree that the game Saturday is very important.

[RogK]

I observed the 65-41 Carthage victory at North Park last night.
Carthage played very good defense, combined with North Park's bleakest offensive play of the year (including a 12 minute drought), allowing the Lady Reds to cruise rather unhurriedly to an easy win. They were up 62-30 at one point.
Heather Gilmore was particularly impressive for Carthage and rates up there with IWU's Karen Solari as 1st team all-defense, in my opinion.
Diana Jacklin and Rosie Dorn didn't permit North Park to do hardly anything in the lane.
Taylor Tondelli was sharp, making 3 of 4 threes and nabbing 3 steals in 19:00. NP's Dana Christensen made 3 of 5 threes, (the Vikings could use a lot more of that, this year and next).

[RogK]

Megan Ney poured in 28 pts (10/18, 8/10), grabbed 9 rebs and added 4 assists to lead 6-1 Elmhurst over North Central, 86-72.
The Jays used a massive 58 pt 2nd half to turn around a 38-28 halftime deficit. Lyndsie Long tallied 24 and Meghan Merklein scored 19. Point guards Rashida Joiner and Claire Gentry combined for 7 assists and only 4 turnovers.
Four Cardinals were in double figures : Latrice Newson 13, Jenny Swanson and Jackie Errico 15 each and Christine Karl 29.
Millikin got past Wheaton 75-59, thanks in good measure to Kaitlin Brassil's 23 points (21 of her pts from 13 FG att).
Breanna Bohlen topped Thunder scorers with 16 in 20:00.

[WUPHF]

Holly didn't list all the superstitions either!  It is a good piece.  And the regular fans all have their own superstitions, but Holly could hardly know or write about those.

If you are interested in posting a few, I would love to hear more.  Anything particularly interesting?  And, how about the fans?

I am sure others would love to hear these as well.

[RogK]

The previous discussion of assists and turnovers got me wondering.
Should a player get an assist and a half for a pass that leads to a three pointer?

[Usuallywrong24]

After following IWU the last couple years, I think there is pretty much no chance for a Carthage win this weekend.  IWU will win by at least 20. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

After following IWU the last couple years, I think there is pretty much no chance for a Carthage win this weekend.  IWU will win by at least 20.  

As a Titan fan, I say "BITE YOUR TONGUE!"

While I wouldn't be distraught by a Titan blow-out, I'm not even rooting for it.  Another tight game like Elmhurst is just what the Titans need to 'get back' to the Shirk when it really counts (i.e., Final Four)!