WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwu70]

Really sorry to hear about Beoletto's season-ending injury.  That's a tough loss of one of the two seniors on the squad for the Titans.

Hope the Titans continue to develop and improve, get used to their schemes and strengths, find the right floor leadership and demeanor, as I think this team is so very talented, could go far.  Yes, Madison, 8-3 would be grand.  We'll see.

Seems, Greg, that NPU is really a strong team this year.  So, must be a four team race for the CCIW crown -- WC, EC, then IWU and NPU ?  Should be an interesting race, season.

IWU 70 -- now back on the Far Side, watching basketball in the a.m. hours. 

Congrats to the IWU soccer women -- National Semi-Finalists in the Final Four in KC, great run, great season . . . losing today, going out to undefeated Lynchburg College of VA. 2-1.  Johns Hopkins and Williams playing now in the other Semi. 

ms

[Gregory Sager]

Seems, Greg, that NPU is really a strong team this year.  So, must be a four team race for the CCIW crown -- WC, EC, then IWU and NPU ?

You're forgetting Carthage. The Lady Reds will be right there with the rest of the top teams.

I don't know what order I'd pick them all right now, aside from the fact that I think Wheaton's the team to beat.

[iwu70]

Greg, yes.  CC right there too.  Agreed.

I guess I'd pick them:  WC, CC, EC, IWU, NPU . . . and on, NCC, MU,AC,? .  We'll see.  Not sure either quite how to rank them.  Will be more clear after more games, more observations.  IWU will be erratic, up and down, sometimes very good, other times not getting it done.  Vertically challenged.   Would love to see them go 8-3 before CCIW opening.  Beoletto out for the season with a knee injury is a big loss, only one of two seniors there.  The freshmen are really showing early on what good potential they have, esp. Ehresman.  Mia must be pretty optimistic for the few seasons to come.  They need to recruit some size, paint and rebounding presence to get back to the elite levels of the CCIW and the national picture.  Only player, another freshman, taller than 6 ' also out for the season. 

IWU vs. UChicago should be a good test, good measure of how far IWU is coming, developing.  Helpful to have the game at The Shirk.  This young Titan team ran out of gas vs. Wash U in that second half down in Jacksonville, after the good win vs. DePauw the day before. 

IWU70

[iwu70]

IWU goes down to U Chicago at home, 69-63.  The Titans had a good 12 point lead with about 11 to go in the second half, but could not hold back the taller U Chicago team, losing the rebounding battle, not finishing the game again.  Perhaps some fitness and tiredness issues.   Holness with 20.  Titans now 4-3, still learning how to play together, how to win down the stretch.  Poor shooting night from three.  More tough games to come.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

North Park 87
Illinois Tech 46

Amani Davis: 13 pts
Soly Roman: 11 pts, 12 rebs
Annie Shain: 11 pts, 8 rebs
Liz Rehberger: 11 pts
Kennedy Kantner: 10 pts, 8 rebs
Shaylee Sloan: 7 rebs, 3 stls
Rachel Torres: 3:0 a:to
Nikki Przybyslawski: 4:1 a:to

I'd rather not see NPU play such a weak opponent, but at least the bench got some work in. Everybody who suited up for the Vikings played at least 13 minutes in this one. NPU head coach Amanda Crockett even spotted IIT an odd sort of advantage by playing four forwards for most of the second half, which made the Vikings look awkward on the floor -- but at least it distributed the minutes more evenly.

[iwu70]

IWU women with a nice win over Lindenwood-Belleview 80-62 @The Shirk, moving to 5-3 on the season.

Two double doubles -- Alina Lehockey 10 and 13 coming into her own, Kasey Reaber 10 and 10
Weber 14 and 9 close behind
Ehresman 11 3:1 A:TO
Gray 9
Holness 8

Good overall balance, a rotation of 10. 

The Titans forced 24 TOs, had 10 steals, seemingly using their pressure for many points off the TOs.

On a non-basketball related topic, President Dick Wilson of IWU announced his retirement, effective next July.  He has been a excellent President, with many advances and achievements for IWU during his 11 year tenure.  Major improvements at Tucci Stadium at Wilder Field, in the overall athletic complex @The Shirk, at Horenberger Field for baseball, and now the extension, improvements on the east side of Shirk, under construction soon.  He will be greatly missed. 

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

North Park 92
Blackburn 52

Soly Roman: 16 pts
Shaylee Sloan: 15 pts, 9 rebs
Nikki Przybyslawski: 14 pts, 7:2 a:to
Liz Rehberger: 13 pts, 6:3 a:to
Amani Davis: 12 pts, 6 rebs, 4:2 a:to
Rachel Torres: 5:1 a:to

For the second Monday in a row North Park (7-1) wins a laugher by 40 or more. All eleven Vikings who dressed played at least ten minutes, and all eleven scored.

But the laughers are over now. This weekend the Vikings travel to Texas to take on Trinity (TX), which is 4-2 and riding a four-game winning streak, and Austin, which is 3-3, and then they'll come home in between Christmas and New Year's Day to take on a very good St. Mary's (MN) team that's currently 8-1 on the season. But that's the right way to do it: schedule the tough ones right before the CCIW portion of the season begins.

[iwu70]

Greg, looks like the NPU women are developing faster, stronger even than the NPU men.

Gonna be tough for my young Greenie Titan women's team to compete for the CCIW crown this year.  Stats show many Titan weaknesses so far this season, esp. rebounding the ball.

Many many strong contenders this year.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

Greg, looks like the NPU women are developing faster, stronger even than the NPU men.

The NPU women had a much better foundation in terms of returnees than the NPU men had.

[iwu70]

Agreed, Greg.  The NPU women have to be considered one of the contenders, I would think.  WC, CC and EC, maybe NCC the others?  Until IWU figures out how to finish games, rebound the ball better, even with their pressure, skill and speed, seems they may finish somewhere in the middle of the CCIW pack this season.  Good things coming in the future, though, as only one senior (Reaber, with Beoletto now out for the season, a big loss) and all the rest mostly sophomores and the two talented freshmen, now getting very valuable varsity experience.  Ehresman very impressive so far.  I'd be surprised if this team wins 9 games in CCIW play, so likely finishing somewhere around 16-9 or 17-8.  We'll see.  A re-building year, it would appear.

Of course, I hope they surprise me.   

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

Final from San Antonio, TX:

Trinity (TX) 59
North Park 54

Liz Rehberger: 15 pts, 6 rebs
Annie Shain: 13 pts

The Vikings hung around, but just couldn't catch up to the host Tigers this evening. NPU outshot the Tigers from both the field and from behind the arc, but TU won the game on volume. The Tigers got off more shots due to a rebounding advantage and a plus turnover ratio. They broke a halftime tie and pulled out to as much as an eight-point lead late in the game. NPU did manage to struggle back, but the Vikings just couldn't hit the big shots when they needed them.

They'll get a rest tomorrow, and then finish up their road trip to the Lone Star State by taking on Austin College on Sunday.

[iwu70]

IWU has a game @The Shirk today vs. Rose-Hulman, with the Titans at 5-3 and RH at 6-3.  Titans need a win, need to pick up as many wins as possible before CCIW play, which is really going to be a tough road this year.  This is the last game before the Christmas week break.  Titans have two more games on the road before opening the CCIW season in early January.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the CCIW chatsters.  Warm and festive here in Hong Kong, sunny and clear today about 70, with more that 12 million+ Mainlanders predicted to come to town during the holiday period.  Hong Kong is being overwhelmed.

I saw on FB today that the construction on the Shirk extension has started, pulling down the east walls to allow for expansion out that way into the east side parking lots.  More workout, activity and lifting areas, new meeting rooms and new locker room spaces, perhaps for Lacrosse and others. 

Go TITANS!

IWU70

[iwu70]

After Rose-Hulman, the Titans have on heck of a stretch of games --  to NJ for #7 and 10-0 Montclair State @MSU, perhaps #21 and 8-0 Salisbury (or 4-3 Baruch), then CCIW openers vs. NCC, WC and Carthage.  Guess Mia Smith has a sense of humor about scheduling the best to get ready for the rough and tough CCIW campaign.  The Titans will be very lucky to be 7-4 coming into the CCIW run, immediately facing three top contenders in the league as January dawns. 

Go TITANS -- let's pull some surprises.

IWU70

[iwu70]

Good win @The Shirk for the Titans tonight, 70-55 over Rose-Hulman.   It appears RH had no answer for Molly McGraw, playing perhaps her best overall game ever as a Titan, so far, in her freshman year.

McGraw 25 and 5
K. Reaber 13 and 5
G. Weber 8 and 6
Ehresman 7

For RH:  Grace Gibbs 20

RH had a massive 37 TOs, yielding to the Titan pressure.  RH 0-7 from treyland.  When they are playing well, this is a good Titan defensive team. 

Titans move to 6-3, can celebrate now for Christmas and some culinary indulging, but then head to scenic NJ for #7 and 10-0 Montclair State on their floor just before the New Year enters. The other game out there will either be #21 Salisbury or Baruch. 

Congrats to Coach Smith and the Titans on this last home win of 2014. 

GO TITANS!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

IWU70

[iwu70]

I would have thought that North Central might get a little love from the rankings voters by now, given their record and pace of scoring to date.  Only Wheaton appearing in the top 25 or even ORV category.

IWU70