WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

iwu70 · March 13, 2012, 09:15:50 PM

Thanks, RogK, great info. I saw the similar writeup in the Pantagraph and on the regular IWU website today too. Much appreciated. Thanks.

Sadly, I can't go this year -- to Salem or Holland, though I'd love to be either place, or especially both places at once. I have elder care to attend to here, so will be watching both games, Live Stats, listening to WJBC, etc. with my 93 year-old Father, who is also a long, long-time Titan fan. I'll be yelling and cheering, but in the quiet confines of my Dad and Mom's "assisted living" apartment. Hope the Titan nation can turn out a huge contingent at both places to cheer on our Double Happiness Final Fours.

Thanks for the views about the Tommies. Perhaps others will come on and tell us more about George Fox and Amherst. We saw them both up close last year, and I'm sure they are just as good as they were, if not better. Can Munger be any taller? Amherst is loaded and in a 50 game winning streak. Sounds pretty awesome, but, truthfully, I have faith in our Titans going all the way this year. Tough schedules build toughness, character, and we are playing at our highest level so far this season. I'm optimistic for the weekend.

Hope you get to go to Holland.

All best, IWU70

RogK · March 14, 2012, 11:42:53 AM

I see a pun in "Hope you get to go to Holland."
Here are some Amherst stats through 31 games:
2FG .473 (651/1375), 3FG .327 (203/620), FT .697 (419/601);
opp 2FG .310 (416/1341), 3FG .220 (71/323), FT 599 att;
Rebs 45.7, opp 35.5
TOs 12.5, opp 18.9
7.4 blocks/g, 10.3 steals/g
heights of most-used players : 5'10", 6', 5'9", 6'2", 5'3", 5'8", 6', 5'8", 6'1".
Such excellent stats can only mean one thing : they haven't played anybody good yet. Just kidding! They must be highly energetic and talented.

iwu70 · March 14, 2012, 12:08:23 PM

Thanks, RogK, yes, I'm still hoping.

Amherst and GF stats are impressive, off the charts. Haven't seen the SOS for either, but assume they are pretty good. Amherst plays a tough team in Williams twice each year for sure. Will have to look further at their other schedule. GF has one key rival out west.

I think being battle-tested in many close games, even taking some tough losses for further motivation, is very important come Final Four weekend. Both GF and Amherst have not taken a loss, though of course only one can go forth to the championship game. UC and Mary Washington, the other undefeateds coming in, have both gone down earlier. MW to GF and I think UC to Calvin, right?

I do like IWU's chances, with an amazing run through their bracket so far, with blowouts and one 1-point, buzzer beater game vs. Mount Union. Like our draw vs. Tommies, then on hopefully to the big showdown with GF or Amherst. Great weekend upcoming . . . and our drive to improve on last year's national 4th place finish at Shirk still rolling!

Good luck to Coach Smith, all the IWU players, and all the Titan nation supporters gathered at DeVos, yet again, for this weekend's two games. Keep it rolling, play the tough D, "run and jump" 'til the cows come home, win the TO and rebounding battles, bring home the Walnut and Bronze, and go for the higher order of banner in the rafters of The Shirk.

Nice piece in today's pgraph about IWU sophomore Victor Davis . . . and also a column about Dennie Bridges' decision as AD to support Mia Smith and go to the Women's tourney this time round. President Wilson will go to Salem to support the men, represent the University. Good moves all.

GO TITANS!!! GO TITANS!!! Double happiness.

IWU70

iwu70 · March 14, 2012, 12:20:15 PM

RogK, if you look at the long run of victories on both the schedules of Amherst and GF, it would not be too difficult to conclude that they don't play anyone tough. Not sure if that's the case, but in Amherst's up-to-now undefeated schedule, only Colby came ANYWHERE close to them. Perhaps they are that good, surely they are good, but not much tough competition and surely no close games to speak of. Same is pretty much true with GF as well, with only 1-2 really close games and no close games in the tourney. They beat previously undefeated Mary Washington pretty easily. Guess that's why, too, that MW was ranked lower down in the D3hoops poll all season, even with an undefeated record up to that point. Seems the Tommies may have played a tougher schedule than either Amherst or GF. To be honest, I think our Titans played one of the toughest, if not THE toughest, schedule of any D3 program in the country. In close games, when the game is white hot, I think this will show up this weekend. Our team is battle-tested and has been through the wars -- of adversity and the best possible competition. If we do go all the way and win the Walnut and Bronze, I think we can thank Whitewater, Wheaton x 2, Chicago, and Carthage x 4 for the earlier examinations. We'll see soon enough.

IWU70

Hoosier Titan · March 14, 2012, 01:12:02 PM

Quote from: Hoosier Titan on March 11, 2012, 03:04:56 PM
Current rankings and SOS numbers for the Final Four:

School d3hoops ranking Massey ranking NCAA SOS Massey SOS

Amherst 1 1 8 34
George Fox 3 2 78 21
St Thomas 12 7 110 39
IWU 16 4 5 1

To date, IWU has gone 8-5 against teams in Massey's top 25; four of those losses came early in the season when they were playing without starter Karen Solari and the fifth was a 2-point, double-OT loss at Wheaton. Although they took their knocks early, it looks as though the tough schedule Mia Smith put together prepared the Titans well for this Final Four run.

I posted this last week. It would be a mistake to assume that Amherst and GF haven't played a tough enough schedule to ready themselves. Last year IWU saw GF in the Elite Eight game (I didn't; I was on a plane), and a very impressive Amherst team was far and away the best team at the Final Four. Either will be tough to beat.

But it would also be a mistake to overlook either St Thomas or IWU, for the reasons we've all identified. No direct comparison between the Massey, NCAA, or d3hoops methods of evaluating teams and schedules was intended. But the NCAA and Massey strength of schedule numbers agree that IWU has played a very challenging schedule.

RogK · March 14, 2012, 02:11:07 PM

Incidentally, since there will be two games on Saturday, all four teams will play twice.
One more item about Amherst : they've grabbed 40 pct of possible offensive rebounds and 72 pct of possible defensive rebounds. I'd estimate anecdotally that the national average might be that 30-33 pct of rebounds go to the offensive team, so Amherst is a strong rebounding team, no doubt.
Later in the day, I'll have time to look at the UST and George Fox stats.

mactitan · March 14, 2012, 02:13:55 PM

I remember reading about this at the beginning of the season, but haven't heard anything since. Has Coach Smith been undergoing treatment all season?

http://wjbc.com/cancer-doesnt-slow-illinois-wesleyan-coach-mia-smith/

iwumichigander · March 14, 2012, 02:14:29 PM

Quote from: Hoosier Titan on March 14, 2012, 01:12:02 PM
Quote from: Hoosier Titan on March 11, 2012, 03:04:56 PM
Current rankings and SOS numbers for the Final Four:

School d3hoops ranking Massey ranking NCAA SOS Massey SOS

Amherst 1 1 8 34
George Fox 3 2 78 21
St Thomas 12 7 110 39
IWU 16 4 5 1

To date, IWU has gone 8-5 against teams in Massey's top 25; four of those losses came early in the season when they were playing without starter Karen Solari and the fifth was a 2-point, double-OT loss at Wheaton. Although they took their knocks early, it looks as though the tough schedule Mia Smith put together prepared the Titans well for this Final Four run.

I posted this last week. It would be a mistake to assume that Amherst and GF haven't played a tough enough schedule to ready themselves. Last year IWU saw GF in the Elite Eight game (I didn't; I was on a plane), and a very impressive Amherst team was far and away the best team at the Final Four. Either will be tough to beat.

But it would also be a mistake to overlook either St Thomas or IWU, for the reasons we've all identified. No direct comparison between the Massey, NCAA, or d3hoops methods of evaluating teams and schedules was intended. But the NCAA and Massey strength of schedule numbers agree that IWU has played a very challenging schedule.

Absolutely correct HT! Most years, every Final Four team is capable of winning it all. St. Thomas turns out very good teams and will challenge the Titans.
Amherst, like Williams and the UAA teams draw top student/athletes from all over the country. Their non-conference schedule is pretty good for the Northeast. Amherst in particlular reminds one of IWU in that Amherst does not rebuild - it just reloads. I'd expect Amherst to be at least as tough as last year's team.
As for GF, well someone has to figure out how to game plan for Hannah Munger.

Hoosier Titan · March 14, 2012, 02:16:51 PM

Mac,
It's my understanding that her treatment was completed over the fall. She's certainly going strong now!

iwumichigander · March 14, 2012, 02:19:11 PM

Quote from: Hoosier Titan on March 14, 2012, 02:16:51 PM
Mac,
It's my understanding that her treatment was completed over the fall. She's certainly going strong now!

More sight - I have a lot of respect for Coach Smith and how tough and determines she is -
http://www.pantagraph.com/blogs/kindred/kindred-for-bridges-decision-is-no-buzzer-beater/article_ba3e9ce6-6d97-11e1-888f-0019bb2963f4.html

RogK · March 14, 2012, 06:49:59 PM

George Fox stats, 31 games --
2FG .504 (580/1149), 3FG .332 (187/564), FT .625 (476/762);
opp 2FG .357 (433/1213), 3FG .295 (119/404), 489 FT att;
rebs - 40.6, opp 32.7
TOs - 17.7, opp 21.5
6.1 blocks (four by 6'5" Hannah Munger), 11.1 steals;
Heights of most-used players : 5'10" (West region player of the year Keisha Gordon), 5'8", 6'5", 5'11", 5'7", 5'10", 6'1", 5'9".
All stats very good, except .625 FT, but notice that they get to the line a lot, 24.8 att/g.
Just for fun, I'll note here that Olivet Nazarene has taken more 2FG att (1225) than George Fox has, in the same number of games (31). Some people say, "all they do is shoot 3s!"

RogK · March 14, 2012, 07:13:04 PM

St Thomas, also 31 games:
2FG .472 (635/1344), 3FG .346 (107/309), FT .756 (470/622);
opp 2FG .384 (424/1105), 3FG .289 (146/546), FT att 442;
rebs 37.8, opp 29.7;
TOs 15.3, opp 17.1;
3.5 blocks, 9.3 steals;
Heights for most-used players : 5'11", 6', 6'2", 5'11", 5'9", 5'6" and 5'5" tied (the 2 main point guards), 5'11", 6'.
They are a tall bunch, aren't they?
Bear in mind that stats measure what happened, not what could happen next.

Titan Q · March 15, 2012, 08:16:20 AM

Article on the Titans...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/women/revamped-iwu-women-find-way-to-return-to-final-four/article_2848338e-6e5e-11e1-b87b-001871e3ce6c.html

RogK · March 15, 2012, 10:29:59 AM

Olivet Nazarene blew a 24 point lead and their season is done.
http://www.naia.org/fls/27900/1NAIA/SportsInfo/Championships/2012DIWBB/Game7_2012DIWBB.htm?SPSID=640721&SPID=96231&DB_OEM_ID=27900#TOP
That groan you heard was me.
Their 27-5 season was still pretty good!
- -

NCF · March 15, 2012, 11:16:40 AM

Quote from: Titan Q on March 15, 2012, 08:16:20 AM
Article on the Titans...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/women/revamped-iwu-women-find-way-to-return-to-final-four/article_2848338e-6e5e-11e1-b87b-001871e3ce6c.html

It seems to be the story line of both Titan teams-Lost several players to graduation, new look, etc, however, both teams have taken everything in stride and busted it to get to the Final Four-Good Luck to all!!