WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Started by wheatonc, March 03, 2005, 06:18:19 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Hoosier Titan

Quote from: thundermike on January 19, 2009, 07:15:18 PM
A very important game in Decatur tomorrow night. It would be huge for Wheaton if they could win on the road against Millikin...snip...
Needless to say, I think this is going to be a great game and hopefully Wheaton can pick up a big win

You got your wish, thundermike.  Big win for Wheaton last night! 
You'll never walk alone.

thundermike11

Quote from: Hoosier Titan on January 21, 2009, 12:14:26 PM
Quote from: thundermike on January 19, 2009, 07:15:18 PM
A very important game in Decatur tomorrow night. It would be huge for Wheaton if they could win on the road against Millikin...snip...
Needless to say, I think this is going to be a great game and hopefully Wheaton can pick up a big win

You got your wish, thundermike.  Big win for Wheaton last night! 

Wheaton continues to play better every game, which is great for this part of the season. What it came down to last night was that the Thunder were just on fire. Every one who coach Baker put in the lineup made key contributions. And that's something you would only notice if you were at the game. For example look at Elisabeth Potts and Lissie McAlvey. You might not be blown away by their stat lines, but they both hit three-pointers in the first half that were huge in the momentum of the game, and they defended very well for the time they were in the game. The freshmen guard duo of Laura Karsten and Lindsey Brennemen was outstanding as well.

It really came down to defense for Wheaton, as Millikin was eventually worn down by the Thunder full-court press. The Big Blue was never able to get any kind of offensive rhythm, as can be seen by their shooting percentage and only having one player reach double figures.

And Wheaton's big performers did just that last night. Kathleen Fidelia took over the second half and finished with 25, Annie Bowen continued her solid inside play with 14, and Lynnea Kvam hit 3 three-pointers and had 11. Jamie Jones was plagued by foul trouble but still had 6 points.

A great team victory for Wheaton and a big confidence-booster going into Saturday's matchup with IWU. Top 25 teams are certainly not unfamiliar to Wheaton this year (Oglethorpe, Chicago, Whitewater), and now the Thunder is starting to really play well.

RogK

Elmhurst had an exciting come-from-behind 57-54 victory over Carthage.
The EC web site has a nicely-detailed recap.
The Bluejays got major late-game contributions from two players that haven't been relied on so much previously : senior guard Jen Myers played very well down the stretch in her six minutes and freshman Meghan Merklein scored a fast dozen during a five minute flurry.
Carthage's Katie Jarger also "came up big" at the end, hitting final minute shots (a 2 and a 3) to keep the contest very tight.
It was a game that could've gone either way and nearly did.
Elmhurst, trailing by 8 with 4:20 to go, was headed toward a 1-3 conference record. Roaring back to win, over a very good Carthage team, made the Jays happy to say the least.
EC's Brittany Bobruk led everyone with 19 points. Jarger topped the Lady Reds with 16 and Lisa Gartelos added 15, plus 8 rebounds.

iwumichigander

Illinois Wesleyan 109, Augustana 52

This one was over before it started.  IWU held Auggie scoreless until the 13:37 mark and took a 34 point lead into the Titan locker room at the half.

Mallory Heydorn 24 pts 8-12 FG in 20 minutes
Claire Sheehan  19 pts  7-9 FGs in 22 minutes
Stacey Arlis        18 pts in 18 minutes off the bench

Mr. Ypsi

IWU all over Wheaton with about 10 minutes to go: 62-33.  Castans has 13, Sheehan and Solari 10 each for the Titans; Fidelia has 13 for the Thunder.

Hoosier Titan

So much for comparing scores this week in the CCIW!  Last weekend IWU got by Millikin 70-64.  On Tuesday, Wheaton thumped Millkin in Decatur 79-59, setting up what looked to be a showdown between the Titans and the Thunder at King Arena.  As Mr. Ypsi reported, it was no contest, with the Titans dominating every aspect of the game for a final score of 79-47. 

The Titans were led in scoring by first-year Kylie Castans off the bench:  18 points on 6/12 FG shooting.  Castans picked up six rebounds and generally impressed with her hustle all over the court.  Claire Sheehan (15 points, 4 assists, and a block) and Christina Solari (12 points, 18 rebounds, and 2 steals) were their usual selves.  Mallory Heydorn played for 28 minutes and looked good, moving well.  Kathleen Fidelia led the Thunder in scoring with 13 points, 7 from the free-throw line.  Annie Bowen was perhaps the Thunder's most efficient scorer, with 11 points on 5/7 shooting as well as 11 rebounds.  Whitney Edgecombe was 4/5; when she was able to establish position on the block she was unstoppable.

The Titan transition game was dominant:  they scored 23 points off fast breaks.  They won the rebounding battle 50-37, they outshot the Thunder by 42% to 29%, and they shot 83% at the line compared to Wheaton's 48%.  No Titan starter played for more than 28 minutes.

The Thunder are a solid team, but IWU was simply stronger today.
You'll never walk alone.

RogK

Carthage almost replicated the IWU final, defeating North Central, 77-46. The Lady Reds held NC to .204 FG% while making 50% of their own shots (30/60).
Katherine Burshiem and Katie Jarger each scored 11, with Jarger reaching the career thousand point milestone. Carlie Janowiak had 9 assists. Drewann Pancratz scored 9 pts in 13:00.
For the visitors, Brianne Parra had 7 rebs and 19 pts.
Millikin edged Augie in OT, 68-65. Tracie Yantis had 17 pts, 7 rebs and 7 steals for Millikin and teammate Elise Wildman had 23 pts and 3 blocks. Natalie Runge did very well for the Vikings, nabbing 3 steals and scoring 19 (8/12, 3/3).
I saw the 2:00 Elmhurst 70-48 win at North Park and then the 5:00 NAIA Olivet Nazarene 117-100 win at Robert Morris.
Elmhurst used 18 players and North Park 9, with 22 players getting into the scoring column. I spent the whole game doing photos of all 27 players and therefore wasn't much of an astute observer (certainly not up to my usual level of mediocrity).
I will say that while North Park is having another difficult season, they are giving it all they have. New coach Amanda Reese gets very good reviews from Viking loyalists that I spoke to, including D3Hoops poster Greg Sager, who keeps an avid watch on all things North Park.
From what I've heard, Reese and her assistant Rachel Theodore are recruiting vigorously, so there is optimism for the future. I do realize, of course, that this year's team would not be thinking about '09-'10, as there are lots of games to play this year.

RogK

Hats off to IWU's Claire Sheehan for winning another CCIW Player of the Week honor.
Claire is a major reason why the Titans are doing so well.

iwumichigander

I don't get the opportunity to see many, if any, CCIW WBB contests.  Based upon raw conference stats, I had thought IWU would have had a challenge with Wheaton.  I was a little surprised, not a the outcome, but at the margin of victory.  IWU's current CCIW scoring margin is +30.3 with an overall scoring margin of +22.9

Does any poster see a CCIW team beating IWU the rest of the way out?  If yes, whom and why please.

If no, does this IWU team have what it takes to 'go all the way'?

Titan Q

Quote from: iwumichigander on January 26, 2009, 05:19:16 PM
I don't get the opportunity to see many, if any, CCIW WBB contests.  Based upon raw conference stats, I had thought IWU would have had a challenge with Wheaton.  I was a little surprised, not a the outcome, but at the margin of victory.  IWU's current CCIW scoring margin is +30.3 with an overall scoring margin of +22.9

Does any poster see a CCIW team beating IWU the rest of the way out?  If yes, whom and why please.

If no, does this IWU team have what it takes to 'go all the way'?

Congratulations to Mia Smith and the Titans on the school's first-ever D3hoops.com #1 ranking.  Quite an honor.

I think the Titans have a decent chance to run the table.  The game @ Carthage concerns me though.

This team runs the floor and moves the ball about as well as any team you'll see.  They also play tremendous defense.  The big question, though, is how they can handle some big, physical team.  Last year UW-Whitewater pounded IWU at the Shirk Center in the tournament.  IWU will have to deal with a WIAC team at some point on the road to Holland.

Hoosier Titan

I haven't yet seen either Elmhurst or North Central, so I couldn't give more than a guess about how IWU will do against those teams (we'll know more about Elmhurst in 24 hours).  I think Q's question about how they'll do against big, physical competition is a reasonable one.  What I can say is that the Titans have played a much tougher schedule than ever before, and they are not just playing to the level of their competition--they are playing hard every game.  Their pre-CCIW schedule included Wash U, Chicago, and St. Francis, all of whom are bigger and more physical than the Titans, and they're still undefeated.  They have a non-CCIW game scheduled in a couple of weeks against NAIA Division I Olivet Nazarene which should be an interesting challenge. 

In short, I agree that they have a reasonable chance at running the table, but there's still a long way to go.  One game, one possession, at a time.
You'll never walk alone.

theoneandonly

congrats to the IWU girls on taking over the number 1 spot!
Baseball players get to every base.

iwumichigander

Congratulations IWU Women's Basketball team.  Keep your focus and keep winning!

iwumichigander

Quote from: Hoosier Titan on January 26, 2009, 10:08:42 PM
I haven't yet seen either Elmhurst or North Central, so I couldn't give more than a guess about how IWU will do against those teams (we'll know more about Elmhurst in 24 hours).  I think Q's question about how they'll do against big, physical competition is a reasonable one.  What I can say is that the Titans have played a much tougher schedule than ever before, and they are not just playing to the level of their competition--they are playing hard every game.  Their pre-CCIW schedule included Wash U, Chicago, and St. Francis, all of whom are bigger and more physical than the Titans, and they're still undefeated.  They have a non-CCIW game scheduled in a couple of weeks against NAIA Division I Olivet Nazarene which should be an interesting challenge. 

In short, I agree that they have a reasonable chance at running the table, but there's still a long way to go.  One game, one possession, at a time.
Thanks Hoosier Titan.  I have the same concern as Q and you.  I'd like to see them run the table; however, a loss would not bother me as it is really tough to 'go all the way' without a loss.  Olivet Nazarene should be a good test for IWU and good prep for a NCAA tournament run.

Hoosier Titan

Quote from: iwumichigander on January 27, 2009, 11:53:12 AM
[  I'd like to see them run the table; however, a loss would not bother me as it is really tough to 'go all the way' without a loss.  Olivet Nazarene should be a good test for IWU and good prep for a NCAA tournament run.

Mia Smith is talking about keeping the team focused on being the hunter rather than the hunted, and I think that's a good way to look at it.  There's certainly been no taking anything or anybody for granted--that's how upsets happen.

I've heard some say that it might be better to lose a game before the NCAAs, and I don't agree with that. (I know that's not what you were saying, IWUmichigander).  While a loss wouldn't be a disaster, I don't see any advantage to it.  I think everyone understands and has learned from what happened last year and is working hard so that doesn't happen again.  That said, they still have to play the games, and there are a lot more to be played before tournament time.
You'll never walk alone.