WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Enginerd]

I told you guys IWU would be ok. The way they play creates havoc and if their opponents are not able to control the tempo and IWU makes some shots they will beat teams that, on paper anyway, they probably shouldn't. They aren't as talented as they've been over the past several years but they're going to be just fine. If they add a couple shooters and a solid post player or two next year look out. 

[GoPerry]

I didn't expect any CCIW teams in the top 25.  But Wheaton stays in and falls to #24 which is rather dubious.

It's very surprising to me that Millikin is getting no votes.  This is likely based on their 3 losses, all on the road, to two undefeated teams (DePauw, Wisc Lu) that are ranked or ORV and another (Chicago) at 5-3.  A 22-3 total record.  On the other hand, they have no significant wins either.  Still, they are and always have been the team to beat this season.

[iwu70]

Enginerd, I share your assessment of IWU . . . as they are developing fast now, learning how to play at their style and pace.  The three freshmen are coming on quickly, learning the system.  The three seniors can be very good, or just so so, depending on the night.  They need consistency, especially Eck.  Bowen had a breakout game this past weekend at Wheaton.  Great to see.  She's totally unrelenting on the defensive pressure.  I hear from IWU sources they have a great shooter coming in next year.  They do have some bigs with great potential, though needing lots of fitness and footspeed work.  For now, Carlson is the strongest they have for the paint, for rebounding off the bench.  When they play fast, with that sense of chaos and havoc, they basically want all the speed and ball-handling, defensive pressure, on the floor.  It's a four guard team, plus Bowen, at that point.  Lauren Huber is an excellent defender and rebounder, far better than you would think given her size . . . If this group keeps working hard, keeps improving, they could challenge the top teams this year . . . and surely could be back in the top tier by next season.  A key this year is how far Lansford can take them with pace, speed and some trey shooting at the PG, and also keeping Huber out of foul trouble and on the floor.  If the seniors play more consistently and the freshmen continue their rapid upward development, this team will be dangerous almost any night.  Wheaton was a great test and IWU passed it with flying colors.

Personally, I don't think Wheaton is a top 25 team.  Of course, they played IWU without Annie Tate.  We'll see if she's back and playing when WC visits The Shirk later on . . .

I share the view that NPU and MU may be stronger, at the top of the CCIW race for now . . .   

IWU'70

[RogK]

If Wheaton-without-Tate was "a great test" and a "flying colors" win for IWU, then Carthage's victory over Wheaton-with-Tate was even more significant.

[Gregory Sager]

Agreed. Wheaton-with-Tate is a totally different team than Wheaton-without-Tate, and the Firebirds did the exact same thing to Wheaton-with-Tate in King Arena that they later did to NPU in the crackerbox.

Carthage is going to be a very tough out, because Tim's got his team playing really nasty halfcourt defense. If they can generate enough offense, there's no reason why the Firebirds can't win the league. Whether they will or not is another matter, of course.

[iwu70]

Agreed about Carthage.  Perhaps they challenge NPU and MU for the league championship.  Lots of possibilities out there. 

As for IWU over Wheaton, with Tate or without, given where the Titans have come from, starting 1-4, it was a good test to play a ranked team on their home floor and come out with a convincing 19-point win, basically running Wheaton out of their own gym with run and jump, with pressure defense.  At this stage in the season and with the development of the Titans, with three freshmen playing major roles in the 8–9-person rotation, I'd say this was passing with flying colors . . . at least for this game.  Yes, I'm fully aware many more games, many more serious tests to come, esp. vs. NPU and MU . . . and now Carthage too.  I have higher hopes now for IWU's improvement and development, as they come together and figure it out after a pretty rough start.  I'll still be rather surprised, surely pleased for this team to finish with 15 wins or more for the season. 

Here comes North Central into the Shirk tomorrow night.

IWU'70

[Jester1390]

Massey has IWU winning 70-62

[iwu70]

Thanks, Jester.  Should IWU get to 70, I think they will win the game.  We'll see.  Consistency is needed, esp. on the offensive end.  It would be grand to start at CCIW play at 3-0. 

IWU'70

[Gregory Sager]

Massey has IWU winning 70-62

Massey's not worth all that much this early in the year. I usually don't start paying a lot of attention to Massey until after the holidays.

[RogK]

UW Platteville 63-44 over Augustana.
I viewed nearly all of the game's webcast and will give credit to Platteville for their hard work.
Augustana's performance was somewhere between grim and bleak, with a lot of sloppiness thrown in.

[iwu70]

Well, maybe Massey does know something (IWU 70 NCC 62) -- actual score IWU 74 NCC 59.

The Titans played poorly in the first half, down at the half, but put together a much more intense, pressure-filled second half, getting to 70 as hoped, scoring 42 points and coming away with the win, now 3-0 in CCIW play to start out the conference campaign.

For NCC:

Sutter 15 and 10
McClure 10

For IWU:

The freshmen rising further, a coming out party for Kate Palmer

Kate Palmer 19 and 6, 5-7 from three
Lansford 17
Another freshman, Powers 16 rebounds

IWU made 8 threes tonight.  Huber a quiet game.  No Catie Eck tonight, on Covid protocol.  Likely out a few games.

Again, a shout out to Kaia Bowen.  Though she fouled out tonight with about 2 minutes remaining, she's just a great defender, often against bigger post players.  She uses her agility and quickness, tipping balls, hustling on the "run and jump" and helping cause the havoc and confusion with the press that IWU feeds off of.  NCC actually handled the pressure well in the first half, but things got to them a bit in the latter part of the 3rd Q and surely in the 4th Q when things got away from them, and IWU almost got out to a 20-point lead.  IWU continuing to improve in the three-ball game. 

A good win, at home.  Nice to start CCIW play at 3-0

Keep it rolling, Titans.  University of Chicago coming into The Shirk on Saturday, 2 p.m.  Another good test.   The men to Wash U on Sunday afternoon . . . 

IWU'70

[RogK]

Yeah iwu70, whatever adjustments and/or instructions Coach Smith provided at halftime had immediate impact shutting down North Central's scoring.
NCC  20  15  6  18  = 59
IWU  17  15 16  26 = 74

[iwu70]

IWU played harder in the second half and returned all the starters to the floor.  Bowen and Heller had some foul issues, Huber having an off game, so Coach Smith went to the bench during the second quarter and things held up OK.  When the starters returned in the 3Q, the intensity level went back up, with "run and jump" and with Lansford and Kate Palmer hitting threes, including the 50+ footer by Palmer at the end of the 3Q that made ESPN's Top Ten today.  Check it out.  Great steal and then an even greater shot from just inside the half-court line.  It hit the board and went in just as the backboard lit up ending the Q.  Obviously, a big boost for the Titans going into the final period.   Fun basketball, esp. watching the freshmen develop so fast and play so well early on in their IWU careers.  Huber, Powers and Palmer are going to be quite an effective trio.  If the Titans can develop a big or two, likely Kleffman, they could be pretty good the next three years.  Coach Smith always a pretty good recruiter. . .

Powers had 16 rebounds in this NCC game. 

I think U of Chicago even a greater test, challenge than Wheaton. 


'70

[Gregory Sager]

Well, maybe Massey does know something (IWU 70 NCC 62) -- actual score IWU 74 NCC 59.

Alright then, Mark, since you want to stick up for Ken's HAL 9000, let's see how it does over the remainder of the pre-Christmas CCIW slate. Is it a valid prognosticator at this point, or is it just whistling "Bicycle Built for Two"?

Saturday, Dec. 18
Carroll @ Elmhurst
Massey sez: Carroll 74, Elmhurst 59 (CC 90/11)*

North Central @ Millikin
Massey sez: Millikin 71, North Central 60 (MU 83/17)

Chicago @ Illinois Wesleyan
Massey sez: Chicago 70, Illinois Wesleyan 66 (UC 62/38)

Sunday, Dec. 19
North Park @ Augustana
Massey sez: North Park 65, Augustana 62 (NPU: 56/44)

Washington (MO) @ Millikin
Massey sez: Millikin 73, Wash U 70 (MU 58/42)

Monday, Dec. 20
Carroll @ Westminster (MO)
Massey sez: Carroll 72, Westmo 65 (CU 71/30)*

Carthage @ UWSP
Massey sez: UWSP 58, Carthage 55 (UWSP 58/42)

Coe @ Elmhurst
Massey sez: Coe 71, Elmhurst 61 (Coe 80/20)

Tuesday, Dec. 21
Carroll @ Centre
Massey sez: Carroll 70, Centre 55 (CU 91/9)

North Park @ Dominican
Massey sez: North Park 77, Dominican 47 (NPU 99/1)

I will, of course, note Massey's recalibrations after every game.

* I find it troubling that math is not the HAL 9000's strong suit.

[Roundball999]

What would make it really interesting is if y'all who know these teams well make your own predictions, then compare to Massey (and each other).

I agree that it's not as good early in the season but in past years I have found Massey to be surprisingly accurate for an algorithm, not just the win-lose but also a reasonable estimate of the score.  I don't know if it's better than human experts but it has been generally better than me