WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

RogK · February 01, 2012, 11:35:49 AM

Hey Backer, is there any news on Meghan M's knee? If not, maybe I'll learn something at the Bluejay game tonight. I wonder if it was a torn meniscus, which can happen when one is pushing off one foot or pivoting at a bad angle. I did that to my left knee while pivoting to relay/throw a baseball.
On another topic, while the CCIW doesn't have anyone in the top 25, it's appropriate to have three teams in the vicinity, getting votes. It's not real easy to pick up wins in conference play; just ask Augie, who went 8-3 in nonconference play, but is 1-7 in the CCIW. Or North Central (6-5 nonconf, 0-8 in CCIW), North Park (6-5 nonconf, 2-6), Millikin (8-3 nonconf, 4-4). Only IWU and Wheaton have better winning percentages in CCIW play than in nonconference; IWU had a very tough nonconf schedule and Wheaton was waiting for 2 good players to finish their soccer season.

Backer · February 01, 2012, 12:00:42 PM

I'm hearing nothing torn. Will no doubt take tonight's NCC game off and rest up for WC on Saturday. Hoping for the best for her!

iwu70 · February 01, 2012, 12:45:57 PM

Hope she's OK, gets to play more.

IWU70

Backseat Driver · February 01, 2012, 09:08:35 PM

Wheaton leads Millikin 33-30 at the half. Very, very sloppy first half. Painful to watch at times. Millikin has 19 turnovers and Wheaton 17. The Thunder also having a hard time getting back in transition.

iwu70 · February 01, 2012, 09:24:51 PM

IWU up over AC 36-34 at half at Carver. Lett with 14, but overall Titans not playing very well. AC playing quite well, playing good D. Titans with way too many sloppy plays, TOs, though leading the rebounding battle. Better step it up and use more of the "run and jump." Titans seem a bit lethargic.

IWU70

Mr. Ypsi · February 01, 2012, 09:26:33 PM

Potential shocker at the half: 0-8 NCC 32, 5-2 Elmhurst 28!

Closer than expected: 1-7 Augie trails 7-1 IWU by only 2 at the half (Jessica Baids nailed a jumper for the Vikes at the buzzer). Olivia Lett has 14, but no one else seems to be helping out (second leading scorer has 6). When I first tuned in (just under 10 remaining), IWU trailed by 4 and my reaction was 'What the

?')

Backseat Driver · February 01, 2012, 09:27:20 PM

Quote from: Backseat Driver on February 01, 2012, 09:08:35 PM
Wheaton leads Millikin 33-30 at the half. Very, very sloppy first half. Painful to watch at times. Millikin has 19 turnovers and Wheaton 17. The Thunder also having a hard time getting back in transition.

Quote from: iwu70 on February 01, 2012, 09:24:51 PM
IWU up over AC 36-34 at half at Carver. Lett with 14, but overall Titans not playing very well. AC playing quite well, playing good D. Titans with way too many sloppy plays, TOs, though leading the rebounding battle. Better step it up and use more of the "run and jump." Titans seem a bit lethargic.

IWU70

Perhaps Wheaton and IWU with some lingering fatigue from a hard fought game on Saturday.

iwu70 · February 01, 2012, 09:31:06 PM

CC way up on NPU with about 16 to go in the second half. Jacklin has 22 and 9 boards already, with much of the second half to play.

IWU70

Backseat Driver · February 01, 2012, 10:10:13 PM

Millikin 71
Wheaton 61

Not a good night for Wheaton. The Thunder led by eight, 53-45, with nine minutes left and seemingly had the game in hand. But it was all Big Blue from that point on. Give a lot of credit to Millikin for taking it to Wheaton tonight. It was a really important game for the hosts and they played with a lot more urgency.

Announcers were the biggest homers I've ever heard, and they weren't students. They were calling the game for a Decatur radio station.

Beth Wellbaum had a great game for the Big Blue (17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists), hitting a couple big threes to erase Wheaton's lead. Heather Pruemer (14 points; 8-8 FTs), Cecily Aldridge (13 points), and Julia Robert (11 points, 6 rebounds) also had very strong games for Millikin.

Lindsey Brenneman (17 points), Maris Hovee (15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks), and Elisabeth Potts (11 points) reached double figures for Wheaton.

Tough loss for the Thunder. Big home game against Elmhurst coming up this weekend. Wheaton needs to continue to defend home court.

Backseat Driver · February 01, 2012, 10:17:13 PM

With Millikin now right on Wheaton's tail for a conference tourney slot, Saturday's win over IWU takes on another dimension for Wheaton, as it gives them a potential tiebraker over Millikin. Obviously, still a lot of basketball left to decide the top 4 slots.

The Thundertaker · February 01, 2012, 10:18:20 PM

Quote from: Backseat Driver on February 01, 2012, 10:10:13 PM
Announcers were the biggest homers I've ever heard, and they weren't students. They were calling the game for a Decatur radio station.

Agreed. Not sure who the announcers were, but they were a disgrace to radio commentary. They were criticizing the Thunder all night even going as far as ridiculing players shooting form saying "it is the worst in the county", "I can't stand watching it", and "she looks like a wounded deer" when shooting. It's one thing to be homerish and its another to insult individual players like that. Completely inappropriate for radio commentary. There's no place for that on the radio or in the CCIW

Backseat Driver · February 01, 2012, 10:20:28 PM

Quote from: The Thundertaker on February 01, 2012, 10:18:20 PM
Quote from: Backseat Driver on February 01, 2012, 10:10:13 PM
Announcers were the biggest homers I've ever heard, and they weren't students. They were calling the game for a Decatur radio station.

Agreed. Not sure who the announcers were, but they were a disgrace to radio commentary. They were criticizing the Thunder all night even going as far as ridiculing players shooting form saying "it is the worst in the county", "I can't stand watching it", and "she looks like a wounded deer" when shooting. It's one thing to be homerish and its another to insult individual players like that. Completely inappropriate for radio commentary. There's no place for that on the radio or in the CCIW

Especially considering that they were lambasting one of the best players in the conference.

Mr. Ypsi · February 01, 2012, 10:26:44 PM

Livestats has still not gone to 'final', but apparently Elmhurst survived a scare by winless NCC, 63-60.

Overly close early, but IWU eventually downs Augie, 76-64.

iwu70 · February 01, 2012, 10:33:59 PM

Yup, IWU keeps their one game conference lead, a rather unimpressive, though hard-fought win at Carver.

IWU 76 AC 64.

Give Augie credit, they defended well tonight, holding Lett to no points in the second half and she had four fouls, had to sit long portions of the second half. Other Titans had to step up, as Lett fouled out with about one minute to go as well.

Hasselbring 14 and 9 -- one of her best games this season
Lett 14 and 7
Bilek 12 and a fine game, with several key treys
Gardner 10 but no treys
Baltes 8

Karen Solari did not play . . . a worry.

Leading scorer for Augie was Natalie Runge, with 17.

AC played the Titans tough at home, but Titans prevailed getting a lead of 10-12 by latter part of the second half. ANY road win in the CCIW is a good win.

Titans now 8-1 in CCIW play, host NPU in the Pink Zone game on Saturday, 5 p.m. @ The Shirk.

Good tough, gritty win tonight, not pretty, but we'll take it. Keep it rolling Titans. The drive for five still going.

IWU70

Mr. Ypsi · February 01, 2012, 10:50:36 PM

While IWU SHOULD have little trouble with NP at the Shirk, and Augie @ NCC is for the basement, two HUGE games on Saturday: Carthage @ Millikin and Elmhurst @ Wheaton.

Not necessarily a prediction, but I'll root for both home teams to give the Titans some breathing room! (Though I'm torn on Elmhurst @ Wheaton - Wheaton definitely seems to be the tougher match-up for IWU, so if they miss the tourney ...!)