WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Can anyone stop Sydney Moss?  She must be a talent right up there with Olivia Lett's level.

If she sticks around, Sydney Moss is a candidate for THREE-time national POY.  I am in awe of what Olivia did, but Moss is beyond that.

It will be very interesting to see how Sydney Moss does against the top-flight teams in the Sectional and, presumably, in the Final Four.  Has there ever been a two time national POY, let alone three?  Seems Moss also has a pretty good supporting cast too, so perhaps this is Thomas More's year.

Nice to see you two finally starting to come around to my way of thinking :

Thomas More looked every bit as impressive as the Wesleyan team of two years ago, Chuck, national championship or no national championship. The Saints returned three starters from a 27-2 team, as well as four of last season's reserves who each averaged at least 15 mpg, and added a transfer from the U of Florida, Sydney Moss (daughter of former NFL star Randy Moss), who made the All-SEC Freshman team last season and is averaging 21.5 ppg this season for the Saints.

I'll have to check them out when they play a good team.  I have my doubts that Sydney Moss is the equal of Olivia Lett, or that her supporting cast is the equal of Olivia's.  But I'll keep an open mind - or at least try to!!

She's more than "pretty good," Rog. Sydney Moss is averaging 24.8 ppg and 10.6 rpg while playing a wing position, and she's shooting 52% from the field, 35% from downtown, and 80% from the line while only playing about 30 minutes per game. And she's only a sophomore.

Again, she made the All-SEC Freshman Team last season. She played in all 37 games for the Florida Gators, starting 24 of them and averaging 11.8 ppg and 6.8 rpg. That's no small potatoes.

Of course Chuck is not going to give her credit because of this Olivia Lett thing ... but he bleeds green and you don't, Rog.

Now, now, Greg.  I'll try to view it objectively.  From what I'm reading, she may end up the best D3 player ever.  But Walnut-and-Bronze and national POY IS a pretty steep target for a sophomore!  And I haven't viewed them yet, but I have my doubts her teammates are as solid as Olivia's.

I'll try to remember to watch them on the 19th against Chicago or the 30th against Centre.  (Unless they have a worthy opponent, I wouldn't be able to judge her skills.  Anyone can look great against Podunk Tech.)

BTW, that is quite an unusual transfer.  Usually a transfer from D1 is because they saw the handwriting on the wall that they were overmatched.  Anyone have an explanation why she went D3?

Jenny Burgoyne (17.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg) is an outstanding player who would be a star in our league. Katie Kitchen, Devin Beasley, and Sydni Wainscott are terrific players as well.

I chose my words very carefully. When I said that TMC was as good as any team that I've seen in a long, long time, I meant it. Granted, it was only one game -- and the more times you see a team, the truer the picture of that team that you get. But that one performance would've been incredibly hard to fake; I'm not saying that it's impossible that I saw a deceptive picture on Saturday afternoon, but most teams simply don't have the physical capacity to do the things that the Saints did.

I understand why you've gotten your partisan hackles up about that, Chuck. But this isn't about oneupsmanship of any sort. I am simply relaying what I saw on Saturday afternoon.

[badgerwarhawk]

If you read the story posted on the front page you'd see that her reason for transferring was that she didn't feel Florida was a good fit for her.  Why isn't clarified but given her first year's performance I kind of doubt the reason was she didn't feel she could compete at that level.  She also indicated that she didn't want to sit out a year by transferring to another D1 program and she played high school hoops in Kentucky so Thomas Moore was her choice.

I once said that I thought Oliva Lett was the best DIII female player that I'd ever seen.  I haven't seen Sidney Moss play so I'm not prepared to say that she is better than Lett.  However she is within 32 points of setting the all time DIII record for points scored in a season, she already holds the record for points scored in a single game (63), has had 15 double-doubles this season and she averages just a shade under 9 rebounds a game as a sophomore.   Something tells me she's pretty damn good.

[iwu70]

I'd love to see Sydney Moss play, see how she is this year.  She sure is playing at an exceptional level as a sophomore.  Trully incredible numbers.  No doubt. 

Of course, we are very proud of Olivia Lett's performance and career at IWU -- it was truly outstanding, especially the national championship year as MOP of the Year.

Sounds like Sydney Moss could garner similar awards and accolades, lead her team this year or in future to the national title.  We'll soon see.  A rare case of a high-performing DI playing moving to a DIII program. 

Good luck to Carthage this weekend -- hope they are able to get two really tough road wins at DePauw and move on to the Final Four at WI-SP.

IWU70

[iwu70]

Carthage goes down to DePauw.  Hard to take down the defending national champion on their floor.

Great season for the Redpeople.  Congrats to them.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

The Lady Reds saw their season come to a close tonight, as they went down hard to #3 DePauw, 73-54. Carthage had an eight-point lead about halfway through the first half, but the defending champion Tigers just turned it on from there and never looked back, building up a lead that reached 26 in the latter stages of the game.

Stephanie Kuzmanic did not go out with a bang, as the Tigers limited her to four points on 2-11 shooting, although she did dish out nine assists. Her fellow seniors Michelle Wenzel and Krist Schmidt bowed out with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

[iwu70]

Sorry to hear Sydney Moss was injured, playing only 6 minutes, and couldn't get her team (and her skills) to be on show at the Final Four.  Looks like a very strong Final Four grouping, with three new teams making it to the last weekend.

IWU70

[BruinFan]

Sorry to hear Sydney Moss was injured, playing only 6 minutes, and couldn't get her team (and her skills) to be on show at the Final Four.  Looks like a very strong Final Four grouping, with three new teams making it to the last weekend.

IWU70

Maybe not a huge difference, but she played 12 minutes of the first half.
I wish her a full recovery - all the tougher when your season ends with an injury.

[badgerwarhawk]

Sydney Moss is injured and won't play this weekend?  Really???

[BruinFan]

Moss left the game versus Whitman with under 8 minutes to play in the first half and did not return.
The score was 19-19 at the time and she had 6 points. She was on pace for about 20 points, 8 points below her average.

Whitman will play Whitewater in the semi-final.

[iwu70]

Yes, wishing Sydney Moss quick and full recovery.  Tough to be out in such a crucial game for Thomas More.  Shades of what happened to the 6'5" player from George Fox? in one of the key games against IWU a few years back.  She went down early and didn't return in the game.  A crash, roll on the floor with Olivia Lett, as I recall.  Was key to IWU getting to the national title. 

Looking forward to hearing more news about CCIW recruitment for next season.  Getting to mid-April soon, so these top players will be making their choices and signing admissions letters/contracts.  IWU needs some post players, some strong rebounders to compliment their normal pressure D and perimeter style offense.

IWU70

[Mr. Ypsi]

Yes, wishing Sydney Moss quick and full recovery.  Tough to be out in such a crucial game for Thomas More.  Shades of what happened to the 6'5" player from George Fox? in one of the key games against IWU a few years back.  She went down early and didn't return in the game.  A crash, roll on the floor with Olivia Lett, as I recall.  Was key to IWU getting to the national title. 

Looking forward to hearing more news about CCIW recruitment for next season.  Getting to mid-April soon, so these top players will be making their choices and signing admissions letters/contracts.  IWU needs some post players, some strong rebounders to compliment their normal pressure D and perimeter style offense.

IWU70

That was in the first half of the national title game (Hannah Munger was the injured player).  George Fox partisans insisted that was the only reason IWU won the title.  I went on their thread to point out that in the previous year IWU ousted George Fox in the E8 with Hannah Munger playing the whole game (and, IMO, Olivia Lett not yet being OLIVIA LETT); I doubt they were convinced!

[iwu70]

Congrats to Lexi Baltes and Colleen McMahon on All-Region selection.  A great year, great careers for both of these Titans. 

But, Zeller over Colleen McMahon for first team, that's just wrong.  Come on selectors -- do your homework. 

Kuzmanic very deserving.  No doubt.

IWU70 

[Pat Coleman]

Congrats to Lexi Baltes and Colleen McMahon on All-Region selection.  A great year, great careers for both of these Titans. 

But, Zeller over Colleen McMahon for first team, that's just wrong.  Come on selectors -- do your homework. 

Voters looked at the full season's resume and disagreed. Not sure what else to tell you.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Congrats to Lexi Baltes and Colleen McMahon on All-Region selection.  A great year, great careers for both of these Titans. 

But, Zeller over Colleen McMahon for first team, that's just wrong.  Come on selectors -- do your homework. 

Voters looked at the full season's resume and disagreed. Not sure what else to tell you.

Curious.  Out of points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and lack of turnovers, McMahon led Zeller in 5 of the 6 categories.  I have to wonder what on the full season's resumes they thought they saw.

[Pat Coleman]

I notice Zeller shot better, across the board.

Could be, too, that Baltes and McMahon split the IWU vote.