WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwumichigander]

Defaulting to someone who knows the national picture better than I...but is it possible for Wheaton to snag a Pool C look if they lose to IWU on Saturday?  At that point they would finish 19-7.  I know it depends a little bit on the Regional Rankings (With the UWL loss last week I would think the Thunder would slide into RR somewhere there) when they're re-released as well as how the WIAC plays out (with UWSP or UWW needing to win their tournament).

I think we CCIW fans have to hope the WIAC and UAA destroy each other to have any chance of getting Wheaton in.  Right now I just do not see CCIW getting more than one team in.

Unless (God forbid!) someone other than IWU wins the tourney.  The Titans would be a lock for a C.

Correct!  I was just coming back to clarify. 

If IWU takes a loss in Women's CCIW Tournament, the conference tournament winner takes the CCIW's Automatic Qualifier (AQ) bid and IWU would be a likely "lock" for a Pool C bid. 

Under the above scenario, the CCIW gets two teams into the tournament.  Ironic that this season the CCIW Men also have the same scenario (i.e. Augustana loses CCIW tournament thereby getting a Pool C; and, another CCIW men's team take the AQ.

A team can have some control over its NCAA Tournament opportunities by limiting total "in region" Div III losses to 6 or less.

[thunder38]

Defaulting to someone who knows the national picture better than I...but is it possible for Wheaton to snag a Pool C look if they lose to IWU on Saturday?  At that point they would finish 19-7.  I know it depends a little bit on the Regional Rankings (With the UWL loss last week I would think the Thunder would slide into RR somewhere there) when they're re-released as well as how the WIAC plays out (with UWSP or UWW needing to win their tournament).

I think we CCIW fans have to hope the WIAC and UAA destroy each other to have any chance of getting Wheaton in.  Right now I just do not see CCIW getting more than one team in.

Sounds about right.  I know UWL opens WIAC play tonight against Oshkosh so I know Oshkosh needs to win there to knock UWL out of the conversation but it seems to me that Stevens Point and Whitewater are probably Pool C locks.  It is helpful that Rochester is not in the region as far as the UAA but it looks like Chicago has wrapped up that Pool B bid.  I was under the assumption that it would take the Titans not winning the Tourney in order for the CCIW to be a two-team league

[bblover]

More than you want to know.

The rules and regulations about this year's D3 selection can be found at:
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/0312ac804564e6d699f1df90a48a4ecb/DIIIWBB_Handbook_2.3.11.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=0312ac804564e6d699f1df90a48a4ecb

Other years can also be found through the usual searches.

For the past few years, including this year, there have been 20 at-large bids. In other words, 64 teams now make the tournament; 43 are conference champions who make it automatically; 1 is expected to be independent, leaving the precious few vacancies.

Bottom line: if you do not make the tournament automatically, your team better be very very good, and you better hope that all the other great teams in your region make it automatically, reducing your competition.

In other words, if IWU beats Wheaton in the championship game, Wheaton, having lost to IWU three times and without many 'big' wins on their resume along with an uncomfortably high 6 loses, should do a lot of praying.

[RogK]

Good luck to our four conference playoff teams.
To the other players, whose season has ended, and especially to those who have played their last NCAA game, thanks for playing! We don't say it much on these pages, but we appreciate your effort and dedication and the long hours of practice.
One such player that I've enjoyed seeing play for the past 4 years is Elmhurst's Kelsey Monroe. A recent post (reply 2128) by bblover told us some very nice things about her. I've always admired her cheerful optimism and her diverse basketball talents. Supposedly, she is also smart and may even graduate!
I tallied her career numbers and found that she shot .517 on 2FGs (172/333), .348 on 3FGs (100/287) and .729 on FTs (156/214). That last stat would have been better, except that during the 08-09 season she tried eyes-closed free throw shooting, making 19 of 40.
She had a good assist/turnover ratio: 218 / 154. She ended up with 141 steals, 239 rebounds and even 35 blocks (not bad for someone who could've used 4 or 5 additional inches of height). She missed only three games out of 103 played by Elmhurst.
Well done, Kelsey! To honor her, the Chicago Transit Authority has named an L station for her :
http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/blueline_schedules/Monroe.pdf

[Out_Of_My_Kitchen]

Thunder,

Chicago has wrapped up the Pool A bid for the UAA.  They do not have a conference tournament, but still have an AQ spot.  So the Pool B spot is still available for the independants.

[iwumichigander]

Thunder,

Chicago has wrapped up the Pool A bid for the UAA.  They do not have a conference tournament, but still have an AQ spot.  So the Pool B spot is still available for the independants.

And the UAA gets allocated into regional rankings based not upon their conference but the geographic location of the team.  So the Wash U Bears have some chance of getting into the final rankings after the AQ winners get pulled out. 

Assumption - the current Week 3 rankings hold into the final ranking.  With AQ's under my assumption, #1 IWU, #2 UM-SP, #4 Chicago with AQ get slotted and replaced in the rankings.  Current #3 UW-Whitewater, #5 UW-LaCrosse even with losses in conference tournament will move up; and, likely Wash U Bears get ranked.  So, if Wheaton would sneak into the rankings they would not 'make it to the table' because they would likely be ranked behind at least three teams.

In short, the best bet (and, maybe the only way) to get two CCIW teams into the tournament - somebody needs to deliver a knock-out punch to IWU.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Thunder,

Chicago has wrapped up the Pool A bid for the UAA.  They do not have a conference tournament, but still have an AQ spot.  So the Pool B spot is still available for the independants.

And the UAA gets allocated into regional rankings based not upon their conference but the geographic location of the team.  So the Wash U Bears have some chance of getting into the final rankings after the AQ winners get pulled out. 

Assumption - the current Week 3 rankings hold into the final ranking.  With AQ's under my assumption, #1 IWU, #2 UM-SP, #4 Chicago with AQ get slotted and replaced in the rankings.  Current #3 UW-Whitewater, #5 UW-LaCrosse even with losses in conference tournament will move up; and, likely Wash U Bears get ranked.  So, if Wheaton would sneak into the rankings they would not 'make it to the table' because they would likely be ranked behind at least three teams.

In short, the best bet (and, maybe the only way) to get two CCIW teams into the tournament - somebody needs to deliver a knock-out punch to IWU.

I'm torn on this, of course.  As a CCIW fan, I'd love to see two teams in the tourney (and don't doubt that a Wheaton, Millikin, or Carthage team could play up to potential and do some damage).

On the other hand, I'm first a Titan fan, and would like to see them host first round or sectional games to improve their odds of actually showing up at the Shirk to host the Final Four!

Bottom line, I'll root for the Titans this weekend, but (knowing they are safe as a Pool C) will not be TOO distraught if they get upset!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Final Regional Rankings before Selection Sunday: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/category/ncaa-stuff/regional-rankings/

[iwumichigander]

Week Four Rankings
Central
1. Illinois Wesleyan 17-3 20-4
2. Wisconsin-Stevens Point 23-2 23-2
3. Wisconsin-Whitewater 17-5 20-5
4. Wisconsin-La Crosse 18-6 19-6
5. Chicago 21-3 21-3
6. Washington U. St. Louis 17-3 20-4

I swear I did not see these before I wrote may prior post.  However, fallowing the same logic, the CCIW gets two teams in only if some team knocks-out IWU.  Otherwise, a WIAC or UAA team (deservedly so) will be first and likely second up on the Central Region board for a Pool C discussion.

[thunder38]

nothing unexpected as far as where Wheaton lies in the overall picture for Pool C...I was a little surprised to see UW-Lacrosse lose last week and then move up in the Regional Rankings.

[RogK]

how about a partial filling-in of the all-CCIW team?
1st team (arranged according to penultimate letter in last name, of course) :
Elise Wildman, Jackie Errico, Laura Karsten, Stacey Arlis, Heather Gilmore.
2nd team (arranged by whim) : Olivia Lett, Hope Schulte, Diana Jacklin, Brooke Olson.
3rd team : Lindsey Brenneman, Nikki Preston.
This would leave four spots, to be awarded to Kristen Fox, another Big Blue like Beth Wellbaum or Julia Robert, one or two EC Bluejays, one or two NP Vikings?

[Mr. Ypsi]

how about a partial filling-in of the all-CCIW team?
1st team (arranged according to penultimate letter in last name, of course) :
Elise Wildman, Jackie Errico, Laura Karsten, Stacey Arlis, Heather Gilmore.
2nd team (arranged by whim) : Olivia Lett, Hope Schulte, Diana Jacklin, Brooke Olson.
3rd team : Lindsey Brenneman, Nikki Preston.
This would leave four spots, to be awarded to Kristen Fox, likely two EC Bluejays, one or two NP Vikings?

Hey, you've only got 4 Titans in there - how about another Titan or two!

[RogK]

Ha ha! We could easily have something unexpected happen.
Remember 07-08, when Christina Solari did not make all-CCIW, despite being the 2nd best in rebounding and FG pct, 9th best in assists, 11th best in steals and 13th best in scoring avg.
Oh crud, I just realized that I need to include mention of a second Millikin choice in my prior post, which I will edit.

[Backer]

One such player that I've enjoyed seeing play for the past 4 years is Elmhurst's Kelsey Monroe. A recent post (reply 2128) by bblover told us some very nice things about her. I've always admired her cheerful optimism and her diverse basketball talents. Supposedly, she is also smart and may even graduate!

Not sure if meant tongue-in-check but for the record, Monroe has even graduated early and has already passed her actuary exams.  No easy feat! I concur in congratulating her on a fine career.  In her final game last night at Millikin, she hit her 100th career three-pointer and her 800th career point.

[iwu70]

A fifth Titan, how about Karen Solari -- at least for the sixth women award!   I'd also give a vote to Brittany Hasselbring for sure.