WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[RogK]

Indeed. In fact, Jenn Berg is the last non-Hannah to lead Wheaton in scoring.
Today's opener at 5pm promises to be a fun watch. The previous two encounters were action-filled : IWU 85 Carthage 71; IWU 85 Carthage 73. I'd like to see today's matchup go double overtime, with the losing team scoring 99+. Just personal preference, no wagering involved. Speaking of that, I wonder if/how D3 will be affected by legal sports gambling that is coming to many states.
Looking at the CCIW tournament program,
https://static.cciw.org/custompages/CCIW_Links/WBasketball/Tournament_Programs/WBBProgram19.pdf
I see that Wheaton's 12 blocks vs IWU two years ago is a tourney high. That mark might be in jeopardy today. (notice I bravely don't say by whom!)

[lmitzel]

I wonder if/how D3 will be affected by legal sports gambling that is coming to many states.

As soon as it's legalized in Illinois I'm going to start handicapping the Grey Giovanine Jacket Watch.

Too bad North Central still doesn't play The System. I'd love to see how they'd set lines and over/unders on those games.

[Gregory Sager]

Massey has Wheaton beating North Park, 68-49, with WC having a 95% win probability.

In the early game, Massey has Illinois Wesleyan beating Carthage, 74-65, with IWU having a 77% win probability.

[Mr. Ypsi]

End of Q1:  Titans 17, Carthage 7.

[Mr. Ypsi]

End of first half:  IWU 34, Carthage 16.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Final:  IWU 78, Carthage 59.  Merritt had 19; five players with between 9 and 13.  For Carthage, Kalis had 13, Gilbert had 11.

IWU started out 27-7, and the game was never even remotely close.

[Gregory Sager]

After one quarter, WC 15, NPU 8.

[Gregory Sager]

Wheaton leads NPU at the half, 32-19. Hannah Frazier leads the way for Wheaton with 13 points, while Zakiya Newsome has nine for the Park.

[Gregory Sager]

After three quarters, WC 52, NPU 35.

[Gregory Sager]

Wheaton 68
North Park 56

Jayla Johnson: 15 pts
Zakiya Newsome: 12 pts, 4:2 a:to
Lauryn Alba Garner: 10 pts
Josie Summerville: 6 rebs

Hannah Frazier: 26 pts, 9 rebs, 5:2 a:to, 5 bllks
Hannah Williams: 15 pts
Devin Kyler: 12 rebs, 5 stls

Hannah Frazier showed again why she's the league's best player by far, as she did everything for the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance except put the salt on the popcorn at the concession stand. Wheaton got a nice secondary-scoring effort from Hannah Williams as well. But WC really won it at the defensive end, as their reach played havoc with NPU's interior passing lanes. Aside from Jayla Johnson, the Vikes just don't have someone who can knock down jumpers consistently, which tends to make them one-dimensional on offense against a team that doesn't have to extend its defense out and can just pack it in and prevent dribble penetration.

NPU got a very nice effort tonight from Zakiya Newsome, who as usual left everything that she had on the floor. Johnson had some nice stretches as well, and Lauryn Alba Garner came on late for some offense to at least keep NPU from fading. But Wheaton was never really threatened in the second half.

[iwu70]

Well, here we are, as expected.  IWU and WC reign.  (There you go, Ypsi, hope I got it right this time!    ).     The game we all expected, for the AQ.

IWU dominant, never really threatened after an awesome defensive performance in the first half.  IWU reins in CC . . . raining in some treys during the game. . . esp. Sam Munroe.

Merritt 19 and 6
Sosa 13
Schneider an excellent game, 12 and 6
Shanks 10
Hughes 9, on a perfect line

Gilbert 11
Szydlowski 10 ?

The Titans forcing CC into 24 TOs.

Against WC, the Titans have to find a way to get the tempo up and play at a pace more suitable to their offense.  Playing static half-court most of the time vs. WC will not do it.  IMHO. 

IWU now 22-4, a good resume.  Why not the AQ too?

IWU'70

[Gregory Sager]

NPU's final record of 11-16 is a little deceptive, considering how the Vikings finished the year. It wasn't just that the Vikes were losing a lot going into February, they were also losing by a lot. But something clicked in Rock Island in their upset on Groundhog Day over Augie, and from that point on they were tough customers, winning four of their last six -- including a second win at Carver over Augie, this one the very first CCIW tourney win in program history.

It was a very young team -- only one junior and no seniors in the rotation after Alisha Panthier was lost for the year -- and young teams usually improve in fits and starts. But the Vikes seem to take a giant leap forward with that one big win, and that is exciting. It implies that they finished with something that they can build upon next season, because a big part of their late-season success was the fact that they didn't play "young" so much anymore. Amanda Crockett still doesn't have a roster that's going to win the league -- the Vikings really need a couple of outside shooters, if they aren't able to develop them internally from the current roster, and they could use a fourth big as well -- but there's an awful lot of promise to this team. I like the outlook for NPU for 2019-20; the program really feels as though it's on an upward trajectory.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I wish d3 women's basketball had a fantastic 50 or a knightslappy - I just don't know the national terrain like I do for the men.  My sense is that both Wheaton and IWU are absolute locks for the tourney, with tomorrow's game being a battle for a home pod vs. being a #2 seed in someone else's pod, but I just don'r know.  Anyone else have thoughts on that?

And, of course, it is also another test of Greg's 'favorite' cliche - that it is difficult to beat a team three times in one season!   Wheaton won the first two, but IWU is a GOOD team, so Greg is vindicated if the Titans win (since the opponent is Wheaton, I assume he will hold his nose and root for the Titans).

[Gregory Sager]

I don't really see any point in rooting for either team, Chuck. There's no tournament ramifications attached to the outcome; both WC and IWU are dancing, regardless of what happens tomorrow.

[GoPerry]

I wish d3 women's basketball had a fantastic 50 or a knightslappy - I just don't know the national terrain like I do for the men.  My sense is that both Wheaton and IWU are absolute locks for the tourney, with tomorrow's game being a battle for a home pod vs. being a #2 seed in someone else's pod, but I just don'r know.  Anyone else have thoughts on that?

Central RR:

#1 UW-Oshkosh  23-3;  vs UW Whitewater, .88 WP%, .568 SOS, vRRO 6-3,  Win over Wheaton
#2 Univ Chicago  19-5, @ Wash U tomorrow, .800 WP%, .593 SOS, vRRo 5-3.  Wins over Wheaton and IWU
#3  Wheaton, 22-4  .850 WP%, .556 SOS, vRRO 3-3.   2-0 over IWU
#4  IWU,   22-4  .850 WP% , .551 SOS, vRRo 3-4

If Oshkosh loses Sunday to Whitewater, I don't see them dropping any further than #2.  If Chicago loses tomorrow, I think it still likely they remain #2 ahead of both Wheaton and IWU based on SOS and head to head.  Wheaton could possibly get to #2 with a win over IWU and loss by Chicago.  I think whichever teams are #1 and #2 will host – fairly typical.

Hopefully the winner of WC and IWU might get a favorable seeding or bracket.  I really don't want to play Wash U and Madeline Homoly for a 3rd year in a row.  Wash U already has the AQ I believe having won the UAA reg season.