WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[RogK]

Each team in the conference knows it has things to work on and improve, but calling the whole league weak seems way too much of an insult.
We should appreciate all of the effort given, win or lose.
To completely reinforce that, here is irrefutable evidence of parity in the league :
Carroll defeated IWU, IWU defeated Wash U St Louis, Wash U St Louis defeated U of Chicago and U of Chicago defeated Carroll.
So there! 

[Gregory Sager]

I'm not insulting anybody. And I most certainly do appreciate all of the effort given. I have nothing but respect for each and every student-athlete who puts on a CCIW uniform, and for each and every coach who puts in the work to help run one of our nine CCIW women's basketball programs.

But sports is a results-oriented endeavor. I'm a realist, and I have to call it the way I see it. The CCIW just isn't the powerhouse in women's basketball that it is in other sports. That's been true for awhile now. I'm honestly stumped as to why this is so, but, especially when you compare it to how the CCIW fares in other women's sports (volleyball and softball in particular) or its male hoops equivalent, the league across the board just doesn't have the same sort of mastery over non-conference opposition, both in November/December and again in March, that it does in those other sports.

I sure wish it wasn't so, but it is.

[GoPerry]

I'm not insulting anybody. And I most certainly do appreciate all of the effort given. I have nothing but respect for each and every student-athlete who puts on a CCIW uniform, and for each and every coach who puts in the work to help run one of our nine CCIW women's basketball programs.

But sports is a results-oriented endeavor. I'm a realist, and I have to call it the way I see it. The CCIW just isn't the powerhouse in women's basketball that it is in other sports. That's been true for awhile now. I'm honestly stumped as to why this is so, but, especially when you compare it to how the CCIW fares in other women's sports (volleyball and softball in particular) or its male hoops equivalent, the league across the board just doesn't have the same sort of mastery over non-conference opposition, both in November/December and again in March, that it does in those other sports.

I sure wish it wasn't so, but it is.

Agreed.  Especially when you consider that it wasn't that long ago that the national champions came out of the CCIW in 2012 and 2005.  There's been zero tailwind from those accomplishments it seems and the performance of the conference has been pretty mediocre ever since.

I've watched a few games of the top teams.  Millikin is a good team.  But Hope, CNU, Trinity (TX) are a different tier.  Heck, if you saw the CNU/Washington and Lee game, W/L is THE best 4 loss team in the country and should be ORV.

[GoPerry]

Wheaton over North Park 75-68

Kate Oliver  25 pts, 9 rebs
Annika Richardson, 14 pts, 5 rebs
Anna Fernandez, 13 pts, 5 rebs

Victoria Perry, 15 pts
Kathryn Keene, 12 pts, 6 rebs

This was a game of runs depending on which team happened to be making shots.  In the end, Wheaton led practically the entire game although the Vikes got within 1 several times. But NPU could never tie or get the lead.

North Park had no answer trying to stop Kate Oliver and her drives to the basket.

[Gregory Sager]

The thing that you forgot to mention was that the Vikings were without the heart and soul of their team, reigning CCIW POW Esther Miller, tonight. That's not only 14.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg missing from the North Park lineup, that's also probably the league's best defender (Esther's 22nd in the nation in steals) missing.

I'm not sure why she was MIA tonight. Whatever the reason, I hope it was only for that one game.

Regardless, the fact that the Vikings were so competitive that they were down by a single possession inside of two minutes to play, even without Miller, is a real testimony to them. Elisha Dunlap (11 pts, 8 rebs) came up big in trying to fill Esther's shoes as the closest thing NPU had to a forward, which is encouraging. Kudos to the Vikings for competing so fiercely tonight.

[iwu70]

IWU got off to a good start vs. Millikin, let things slip in the second quarter, fought back to within 5 in the third, let MU get out to a 17 point lead in the 4th, fought back again late, but fell short by 9.  Too much Elyse Knudsen as expected.  She's an amazing talent, as we all know, with a complete game.  She finished with 34, no other MU player in double figures.  Knudsen scoring more than half of Millikin's 66.  The final was 66-57.

Caite Knudson back from injury with a good game.  Huber 14 and 6, Palmer 13.  IWU fought hard but still the same issues -- 24 TOs and too many defensive breakdowns.   Knudsen very difficult to defend, though the Titans challenged her well in the paint, but she scored from deep and from mid-range, several easy break-aways  . . . scoring almost at will.  I think in the first Q she was the only Big Blue team member to score at all!

At least the Titans gave it a very good effort tonight, and played better, even quite well at points. 

MU will win the conference going away . . . they are a very good team defensively, more offense now with Coffman back, and Knudsen a 1st team All-American. 

IWU'70

[RogK]

Quite a full stats line for Elyce Knudsen : 12/22 2FG, 2/7 3FG, 4/4 FT, 9 rebs, 6 assists, 6 TOs, 5 fouls, 3 blocks and 7 steals.
iwu70, what do you make of Sarah Isaf's one-handed three point shooting style? She hit 3 of 4.
She has had other excellent 3FG shooting games already, such as 4 for 5, 6 for 9 and 6 for 8. She's also been "off" from distance a couple of games (0 for 11, 1 for 8). She's one of many promising freshmen in the league this year.

[lmitzel]

The Firebirds took control early with a 14-1 run up at Tarble to put the Cardinals in chase mode all night, and a late NCC rally was too little too late as Carthage defended home court with a 77-72 win.

Marianna Morrissey: 17 pts, 8 reb
Lauren Knight: 16 pts
Elena Knebel: 14 pts, 12 reb

Natalie Stavropolous: 18 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast
Alli Pearson: 15 pts
Grace Keiffer: 14 pts, 5 reb

Pearson didn't seem to have a minutes restriction based on a check at halftime, and if my math is correct, is up to 987 points for her collegiate career. With the next two for the Cardinals at home, barring 80 minutes of cold shooting or another injury or something... I'll probably have a milestone to announce.

The first of the two upcoming guests to the hangar is Millikin. The Big Blue are losers of two straight in Naperville coming in, so I'm hoping the usual jolt the Cardinals have gotten from playing this Big Blue team the last couple times is there again.

[iwu70]

RogK, yes, Knudsen is the real deal.   She got loose early and often against the Titans.   IWU gave MU a good game at points, but MU does play good defense too, and has more weapons now with Coffman, late in the game.  Huber played well, but a bit below her averages.  Powers continues to struggle following her injury.  She just looks tentative, weaker than before. 

Isaf does have a strange shooting stroke, but they do go in.  I think many promising freshmen in the league now, esp. at IWU -- Sawyer White already playing well at the varsity level . . . others at IWU will be good or decent CCIW players -- Mahlum, Balli, Galvan . . . perhaps others.   They just need time, strengthening, getting used to the speed of the game, and their opportunity to play. 

IWU didn't adjust well to the better, pressuring defense that MU plays.   Lots of tipped balls, defenders in the passing lanes etc.  But, this was an improved performance by the Titans . . . just not enough, esp. the let-down in the 2Q.

IWU'70

[RogK]

Five CCIW players currently (through Jan 11 games) rate in the top 20 nationally in good categories.
Elmhurst's Taylor Harazin is #10 in made FTs (77)
Illinois Wesleyan's Lauren Huber is #2 in made FGs (120) and #7 in points scored (298)
Millikin's Elyce Knudsen is #1 in made FGs (131), #1 in points scored (327) and #10 in scoring average (21.8)
North Park's Victoria Perry is #19 in made FTs (70)
North Park's Esther Miller is #15 in steals (49) and #22 in steals per game (3.5)
- - - using the top 20 as the cutoff was my arbitrary choice

[lmitzel]

Well, the first quarter at the hangar was fun. Alli Pearson buried a corner three with about three minutes to go in the frame to hit 1,000 points for her career and the Cardinals led by as many as 18 before taking a 12 point lead to the locker room.

Aaaaaand then proceeded to go 4-27 from the field in the 2nd half. Millikin took the lead for good late in the third and pulled away in the 4th for a 72-57 victory.

Elyce Knudsen: 24 pts (20 in the 2nd half), 7 reb, 5 ast
Chelsea McCullum: 11 pts, 4 reb
Bailey Coffman: 11 pts, reb

Allison Pearson: 14 pts
Megan Duffy: 13 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast
Grace Keiffer: 10 pts, 5 reb

[iwu70]

At the Shirk, IWU got to the magic number = 78, winning 78-69.  Augie got within five at one point, but IWU was able to pull away.

A career night for Katlyn Heller, another robust night for Lauren Huber.   Augie's Brenneisen is really a nice looking player.

AC:
Brenneisen 13
Bert 13
Beinborn 11
Stone 10

IWU:
Heller 25 and 7, with 5 assists
Huber 20 and 12
Knutson 11 and 6
White, the freshman, 12 with 5 steals

Powers in a boot, likely out for some games.   It's been obvious that something was wrong.  Hope she can get back by February.  Carlson starting in her place.  At some points today, Mia Smith had quite a gaggle of freshmen on the floor:  White, Mahlum, Balli . . .  good to see them getting the experience. 

Huber just exploded in the 3Q. 

IWU now 9-8, 4-4 in CCIW, climbing their way upwards.

A very nice crowd for women and men's games at The Shirk today.

'70

[GoPerry]

A bit of a struggle tonight.  But Wheaton held off Carthage at King for a 55-49 win.  Wheaton hardly lit it up shooting 30.8%/22.7%/ 50%.  But the Redbirds were even worse going 27.60%/ 25% / 85%.

[Gregory Sager]

Carroll beat North Park by 40. The less said about it, the better.

[RogK]

Having attended the Carroll win, I can note that Olivia Rangel's very efficient 25 pts (9/11 2FG, 7/9 FT) put her in contention for player of the week, as she previously made 7 of 8 2FGs vs Elmhurst.
Many Pioneers were quite productive in limited playing time (no one exceeded 22 minutes), including Kate Christian who had 10 assists.
Brooke Foster missed only 2 shots while scoring 13 and nabbing 2 steals. We don't mention Foster a lot, but any coach would be happy to have her on the team, as she does a variety of good things helping the Carroll defense and offense.