WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[lmitzel]

In another dominant win by IWU, the Titans go to 23-1, 14-1 winning at North Central, 79-55

It was 44-17 at the half.

For NCC:

Daly 14
McClure 10
Trotter 6 and 8

NCC with 28 TOs.

Shooting 42%, 25% from three, and 75% from the line.


For IWU:

White 15, 5 boards, and 7 steals
Bardic 14
Balli 13
Huber 12 and 11 -- inching closer to the all-time career scoring mark at IWU. She needs 8 more.
Palmer 10 with no TOs.

IWU had 21 steals, winning the rebounding line 38-28, and scoring 46 points off of TOs.

IWU shooting 47%, 38% from three, and 90% from the FT line.

One more game @ Augie on Saturday, then the CCIW tournament at home, at The Shirk.

What a season, what a run.

'70

Things were fine for the first few minutes. NCC was able to get across halfcourt on the first few possessions and forced the Titans to play in the halfcourt on the other end to keep it close down 7-6. Aaaaaand then it all went to hell, they couldn't take care of the ball, and the Titans did what they do and took full advantage of it. All told, that 23-0 Titan run was the story of the game.

Honestly this probably should have been a 40 point margin, but Mia Smith called off the dogs with five or six minutes to go and called a very pissed off timeout with about two minutes to play when the Cardinals got the margin back to 20.

Talking with Maggie McCloskey-Bax postgame, we agreed that the best thing that could have happened to the Titans was losing at Carthage a week and a half ago. This team is the real deal.

Also had a very nice brief postgame chat with Mia Smith when she was on her way down from the loft after her postgame interview. Much respect.

[lmitzel]

Here's a Twitter thread with the clinching scenarios for Saturday.

I look forward to the CCIW putting out their release about it tomorrow or Friday that basically confirms everything I figured out on Monday night/super early Tuesday morning.

[iwu70]

Thanks, Imitzel, for your comments about the Titans.  I agree this group, the first 8 or so, are the real deal this year.  Tremendously beautiful team basketball -- defense turning into offense.

We are very lucky to have Coach Smith.  I also have great respect for her, how she handles the team, encourages the fan base, and has a good staff of assistant coaches to work with.  The program has been excellent for a long time now, due to Coach Smith and a lot of tremendous players over the years.  This year's group is one of the best in skill, dedication, temperament and in support of each other.  The senior group has been so good for some years -- Huber, Palmer, Powers and Knutson.

Let's hope they have a good run in March.   I'd love to see them play NYU. 

'70

[iwu70]

I have four Titans making the All-CCIW team:   Huber, Palmer, Powers and Bardic.  If I were voting Sawyer White too, but unlikely this year.

Huber likely the MOP. 

Mia Smith again Coach of the Year.

IWU's final regular season game tomorrow up at Augie.  IWU likely finishes 24-1, 15-1. 

What a great run so far this year.

'70

[iwu70]

With 8 points or more, Lauren Huber will today become the all-time leading career scorer in IWU women's basketball history, overtaking Traci Butler.  What a record, what consistency over her IWU career.

With a good tournament run, she may also set the career record for rebounds.  Stay tuned.

Congratulations Lauren.

'70

[iwu70]

#2 Scranton lost to Elizabethtown, ending their undefeated season.

'70

[iwu70]

In a defensive-minded, scrappy and poor-shooting event at Carver, IWU finishes off the regular season winning 65-54 over Augie. 

For AC:

Berg 19
Smith 11
Erickson 9
Tatum 7

AC with 19 TOs.
Shooting 35%, 36% from three, and 6-6 for 100% from the FT line.

For IWU:

Powers 15 and 11
Palmer 15
Bardic 13
Huber 12 and 8

IWU wins the rebounding line 47-33.

Shooting 33%, only 16% from three, a really poor outing, and 73% from the FT line, making 16.

Lauren Huber with her 12 points becomes IWU's all-time career leader in scoring, surpassing Traci Butler.  An amazing career and achievement, given all the quality players IWU has had in women's basketball over the decades.  Congratulations to Lauren. 

IWU finishes off a great regular season at 24-1, 15-1 to win the regular season CCIW championship.

Now to the tournaments. 

Congratulations to Coach Smith, all the coaching staff and all the Titans on this remarkable regular season run.



IWU'70

[RogK]

here is my opinion on all-CCIW :
  1st team :
Lauren Huber (league MVP, just slightly ahead of Ava Bardic)
Ava Bardic
Olivia Rangel
Natalie Gricius
Jocelyn Trotter
Mallory Powers
Sawyer White
Marianna Morrissey
  2nd team :
Annika Richardson
Kadence Tatum
Kristin Bukata
Sierra Gibson
Emily Brenneisen
Emilie Wizner
Emma Thistle
Kate Oliver
--- opinion derived from seeing teams in person (Elmhurst 8 times, North Park 8, Wheaton 7, Carroll 3, Illinois Wesleyan 3, Millikin 3, North Central 3, Augustana twice and Carthage once) plus noting the results of their other games

[iwu70]

RogK, agree with most of your choices.  Not sure Sawyer White will make it, though she's incredibly important to the Titans' championship success.  I'd have Kate Palmer at least on the Second team, surely ahead of Tatum.

Looking forward to the CCIW Tournament this next weekend at The Shirk.

'70

[iwu70]

Remarkable, five Titans make the All-Conference team:  Huber, Powers, Bardic on 1st team, Palmer and White on second.  RogK, you were right about White.  I am very happy for her.  I had four Titans making it.  IWU has been very fortunate to have this remarkable group of women athletes. 

A bit surprised Huber was not named MOP, though Rangel is surely very deserving.  Congrats to her and all the other honorees.  Huber is now the all-time career scoring leader in IWU women's basketball program history. 

Bardic and White return next year for the Titans, along with Balli, Mahlum and the pine-sitters, the newbies recruited, 8 in all, according to reports.  It looks like Mahlum will remain out for the tournaments, as she's still in a major knee brace.

Congrats to Coach Smith on being named Coach of the Year for the seventh time, hopefully soon to tie Coach Kearns who has 8 awards.

It's been a very enjoyable regular season of CCIW women's basketball.

IWU'70 

[iwu70]

With Scranton's loss, IWU rises to #3 in the week 12 poll. 

Carroll should be getting more love.

IWU '70

[scottiedawg]

Carroll should be getting more love.

I believe I was one of the minority to have Carroll on their ballots within the last few weeks or so, but at this point 2 losses to teams outside the top 100 make it hard to justify putting them back on.

[iwu70]

Dawg, I guess according to the tracker now, Carroll needs to win the AQ Saturday night to get into the tournament.

IWU may be the only CCIW team in. 

'70

[scottiedawg]

Yes, unfortunately. The NPI is just too low - they can obviously raise it significantly by beating IWU, but in that scenario, they wouldn't need the Pool C anymore!

[iwu70]

IWU has #6 seed Millikin now on Friday night, 7:30 p.m.  It will be Wheaton-CU at 5 p.m.

Still looks like a CU-IWU repeat championship game to me -- #2 seed vs. #1.  A fitting conclusion to the CCIW season.

'70