WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

bblover · February 27, 2011, 07:51:20 AM

The final four for DIII Women this year is at the Shirk Center on March 18-19. I do not know the rules, but I would guess that they will be on the road before that. Hard to imagine that one team would be allowed to play four games at home. Anyway, congratulation to the entire IWU team and good luck.

iwumichigander · February 27, 2011, 12:34:43 PM

Congratulations Titans! Seniors - a terrific 4 year record; and, the good part - you are not done yet - go all the way!

buf · February 27, 2011, 05:00:41 PM

Quote from: bblover on February 27, 2011, 07:51:20 AM
The final four for DIII Women this year is at the Shirk Center on March 18-19. I do not know the rules, but I would guess that they will be on the road before that. Hard to imagine that one team would be allowed to play four games at home. Anyway, congratulation to the entire IWU team and good luck.

It is very possible that they get all home games. I believe last year they hosted the first 2 weekends. If they had not lost, they would have played all their games at home.

bblover · February 27, 2011, 05:36:47 PM

Thanks for the info. I did not realize. Quite an edge to get so many home games in tournament run. Obviously, the economics of the Shirk Center with its large capacity and strong fan base is compelling at the D3 level.

Out_Of_My_Kitchen · February 27, 2011, 09:27:43 PM

I think it is a shame that Wheaton will most likely not make the tournament. I saw them play twice this year and was really impressed how they kept getting better. Coach Madsen did a great job with this group.

I have heard that Coach Baker will be back next year. Is this true? Also, is Madsen going to go back to be the assistant or does he have higher aspirations?

Mr. Ypsi · February 28, 2011, 03:26:07 PM

I haven't looked at the actual bracket yet, but according to posters on the WIAC board, IWU will host, with Webster as the first opponent. Wisconsin Lutheran and UW-LaCrosse are the other two teams. None of the other 3 were in last week's top 25 (Wis Lu and UW-LaX each received ONE #25 vote), so looks like a favorable draw for the Titans.

thunder38 · February 28, 2011, 03:29:59 PM

thought would be correct. very fortunate draw for the Titans. Interesting to see other places in the bracket had Whitewater going on the road and undefeated Denison going on the road as well. Meanwhile Hope and Calvin host.

thunder38 · February 28, 2011, 03:31:54 PM

not only that but Denison drew the defending champs in Wash U

OldSchoolHoopsFan · February 28, 2011, 03:46:12 PM

Unbelievably unbalanced brackets if the national rankings are in any way accurate. The left side of the bracket has 22 of the top 35 teams with an average ranking of 18 and the right side has 13 with an average ranking of 18.3. Throw in an average ranking of 40 for all unranked teams and the left side has an average ranking overall of 25 while the right has an overall average ranking of 31. That is a 25% difference.

bblover · February 28, 2011, 03:47:42 PM

While it was foregone conclusion, it is now official. Wheaton did not make it. To step back a bit, while it was a more competitive CCIW this year, I did not believe that it was an especially great year for the conference overall versus the rest of the D3 powers. There have been years where two CCIW teams clearly deserved to go to the tournament more so than this year (and did not). Good luck to IWU.

Bracket can be found at:
http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/basketball-women/d3/2011

Mr. Ypsi · February 28, 2011, 03:57:07 PM

Looking way ahead (which I'm confident Mia Smith will not allow the team to do!

), here's hoping for revenge rather than deja vu: if games go the way I predict, IWU and UWSP will meet again in the Elite Eight.

Last year UWSP knocked both the women AND the men out of the tourney.

thunder38 · February 28, 2011, 04:04:02 PM

Quote from: bblover on February 28, 2011, 03:47:42 PM
While it was foregone conclusion, it is now official. Wheaton did not make it. To step back a bit, while it was a more competitive CCIW this year, I did not believe that it was an especially great year for the conference overall versus the rest of the D3 powers. There have been years where two CCIW teams clearly deserved to go to the tournament more so than this year (and did not). Good luck to IWU.

Bracket can be found at:
http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/basketball-women/d3/2011

It did seem like a foregone conclusion that Wheaton would be staying home but I was surprised to see them as the second team left on the board when the predictions came out last night. That and the IWU men getting in earlier in the day while not even being "left on the board" in the predictions had me thinking there might be a crack that Thunder could slide through but alas there was none. Congrats on a fine season for the Thunder and fine careers by their two seniors Kelly Brooks and Annie Bowen. Wheaton has a bright future ahead of them with a lot of talent coming back and I think they showed at the end of the year that they closed the gap that had existed early in the year between themselves and IWU

RogK · February 28, 2011, 07:06:26 PM

Congratulations to IWU and "nicely done" to Wheaton.
I am hoping for IWU and the U of Chicago to meet in the final four semifinal, with the winner taking the championship the next day. Good luck to each!

iwufans · February 28, 2011, 10:57:53 PM

Quote from: RogK on February 28, 2011, 07:06:26 PM
Congratulations to IWU and "nicely done" to Wheaton.
I am hoping for IWU and the U of Chicago to meet in the final four semifinal, with the winner taking the championship the next day. Good luck to each!

I can agree to that. Good luck to the Titans.

RogK · March 02, 2011, 03:21:30 PM

Here are the percentages of team points according to how scored, conference games only:
via FTs :
Elmhurst .249, Millikin .241, North Central .225, Wheaton .214, Carthage .179, Augustana .175, North Park .171, Illinois Wesleyan .148.
via 2FGs :
NP .618, Elmh .547, Augie and IWU .544, NC .540, Cart .539, Mill .501, Wh .478.
via 3FGs :
Wh .309, IWU .308, Augie and Cart .281, Mill .258, NC .235, NP .211, Elmh .204.
Augustana and Carthage had almost identical distribution, although Carthage scored 938 points, Augie 790. Elmhurst's numbers show the least reliance on threes and the most reliance on FTs. Is reliance the right word?
Any analysis of these numbers should include bearing in mind that they were influenced not only by a coach's philosophy and players' skills, but also by the opposition's defense.