IWU 85
Hope 90 (OT)

This was a great game. Titans were a little cold-hot-cold through the 1st half.  Hope led by 14 midway through the 3rd Q before IWU started forcing turnovers and chipping away.  Then a furious stretch of titan three point shooting allowed them to tie, and then take the lead by 6.  But then it seemed they lost their offensive gas. Hope was able to tie it and then in OT put it away. Bardic fouling out with 3 mins left in the OT seemed to spell the end.

Great effort by the IWU ladies.

Carroll hosting and looks like a good draw.

Committee certainly didn't do the Titans any favors - traveling to Holland.  Then again, for the most part, nothing but good teams remaining at this time of year.

And the #s like 5 WIAC teams . . wow . .

Quote from: Gregory Sager on February 25, 2026, 12:47:30 AMPerhaps the biggest difference in the game was bench points: North Park had 15, Wheaton had none. Mike Schauer kept trying to plug in new people, but none of them were really giving him anything.

This has been a concerning trend over the last 10 games or so.  More specifically, (except for Noah Hedrick who mainly spells Wynja and is not a scorer) those coming off the bench are chiefly 3 point shooters offensively.  And Wheaton's 3 point shooting was poor, a real liability, in their last 10 games.  The fact that they only took 15, well below their average # attempts, (and 2 were garbage clock running out throws) last night might have reflected that realization. 

Wheaton 100
North Park 107 (2OT)

Congrats to the Vikings who made just enough plays down the stretch to pull out the home W.  Wheaton played hard and left it all out there.  They had their chances in regulation and the 1st OT.  But the struggling free throw shooting finally caught up to them, missing some critical ones in crunch time.  16 turnovers too. 

It was a great game to watch.  Credit to NPU for pulling it out.  Vukovich was dominant in the 2nd OT.  He knew it and made sure the ball stayed in his hands most of the time.

Millikin 69
Wheaton 66

Carson Grier  14 pts, 7 rebs,  4 stls
Devin Martin, 13 pts 5 rebs

Lane Thomann, 21 pts
Chris Ketchum, 14 pts, 7 rebs
Ian Winkler, 14 pts

It is a bummer losing the game and a bummer not having a home game on Tuesday.  But the way they lost tonight was what was most disappointing.  After playing so well against Carthage, they didn't seem at all prepared to compete vs MU.  Thomann seemed inspired to play against Richardson, and he won that matchup handily.

Carthage  88
Wheaton  96

Soren Richardson  31 pts  4 rebs
Devin Martin  19 pts 5 asst, 0 tos
Carson Grier  12 pts  9 rebs, 3 stls
Kyan VanderWoude 12 pts 6 rebs

Riley Brooks  26 pts  10 rebs
Ryan Johnson  23 pts 5 rebs 5 asst

Wheaton really needed one like this after 5 straight tough losses.  The Thunder led by as many as 13 pts with 7 mins left, saw the Firebirds chip away to get it down to 4 with 2 mins left, but was able to make enough plays down the stretch to hang on for the upset.  Several Thunder players had their best all around game of the year – none more than Devin Martin taking care of the ball, scoring on medium jumpers and hitting 4 crucial free throws down the stretch.  His perimeter shooting had left him for long stretches this season.  But tonight he found all sorts of ways to contribute and lead his team.

A bitter loss for Carthage playing without AJ Johnson and now very much on the Pool C bubble?

Quote from: Gregory Sager on February 14, 2026, 07:29:36 PMNorth Park 95
Wheaton 92

Mike Vuckovic: 24 pts (8-8 FT)
Kolden Vanlandingham: 23 pts, 7:2 a:to
William Bates: 16 pts
Dylan Fuzak: 7 rebs
Marquis Vance: 3 stls

Soren Richardson: 29 pts
Kyan VanderWoude: 23 pts
Carson Grier: 16 pts, 4 stls
Brady Wynja: 10 pts, 12 rebs

Not exactly a CCIW classic -- not enough defense played by either team for it to qualify for that moniker -- but a thrilling, back-and-forth affair nevertheless by two teams who were obviously well aware of what was at stake today. Two key plays in this one: Tyvin Garrison, who otherwise was quiet all day, knocked down a trey in the corner off of a Vanlandingham kickout with 61 seconds left that took NPU from being down one to being up two; and Reid Olson missing a trey at the corner with five seconds left and the Vikes up by  only two. Brady Wynja, standing under the basket, got the offensive rebound but pulled it down too far, knocking it off of Vanlandingham's thigh and into the hands of Lazario Cornish, who proceeded to make a FT with three seconds left to push the lead up to three. The Vikings forgot to foul immediately and send a Wheaton player to the line, so Olson did get off a halfcourt shot to tie ... but, fortunately for the Vikings, he front-rimmed it.

Wheaton's losing streak is now at five, and I feel for them. Been there, done that, not too long ago. THeir three-point shooting continues to betray them, as they only went 3-21 from downtown today. NPU, by contrast, had the hot hand from deep, shooting .500 from beyond the arc in both halves.

Fun to watch Vanlandingham and Soren Richardson, two of the decade's best CCIW players, go mano-a-mano in this one.

Yes. Another brutal close loss for the Thunder. And the second game in a row where Richardson played great, but decided to pass on taking the critical shot on the last possession.  Both were to Olson who missed (and badly tonight) but that's besides the point. 

Tonight he had the ball in his hands, fairly close to the lane where he made several easy post ups earlier, with a few seconds left needing a hoop to tie, and didn't want to take it for some reason.  Wednesday's against Elmhurst was even more obvious since he had a clear lane to the basket but dished off.  Pretty odd for your best player to pass on taking that key bucket in the closing seconds.

Wheaton is racing Augustana to the bottom of the standings and that sixth spot.  Losing 5 in a row in February is generally discouraged.

In OT at King Arena:
North Central  81
Wheaton  74

Soren Richardson  22 pts
Kyan VanderWoude  12 pts 7 rebs
Carson Grier  11 pts 7 rebs, 3 stls

James Bullock 22 pts 9 rebs
Alejandro Diaz  19 pts 8 rebs
Ehtan Marlowe 22 pts 4 rebs

Credit NCC for a gritty win, staying in the game and pulling out the win.  The Cardinals probably deserved one of these.

At the same time, they can thank Thunder stubbornness for continuing to shoot treys when it's just not happening.  Wheaton had 33 three point attempts and made a paltry 6 for 18%. I thought I was watching last year's team where often half their attempts were threes.  Teams have been happy to let them shoot the long ball where they have been pretty poor lately and their athleticism and size advantages are basically neutralized.

Kudos to Devin Martin who hasn't started the last two games, offensive struggles perhaps, but made some big shots/plays in the last minutes before fouling out.

Quote from: iwu70 on February 04, 2026, 10:41:49 PMIWU over Wheaton @Shirk, 82-71.  (Yes, a little more than 78 tonight).

Wheaton tried fiercely and aggressively to double Noah Cleveland tonight.  They got a few TOs out of it, but also a steady stream of open threes when he passed out of it . . . IWU making 17 treys, with Casen Lawrence having a feast with 8 for 12.

IWU goes to 17-4, 9-3, with four games to go.

For Wheaton:

Richardson had a better game tonight, 20
Grier 15
Wynja 13
VanderWoude 10

Wheaton at 44%/35% from three/ 70% from the FT stripe.

For IWU:

Lawrence 24, 8-12 from three
Colak 16 and 7
Cleveland, still a double/double, 12 and 17!
An emerging Connor Williams 13
Funk 11 and 7 with 4 blocks  (IWU with 7 blocks overall)

IWU at 53%/53% from three/ just 30% from the FT line

Carthage and IWU still tied for the regular season lead, with four games to go.

IWU'70

Even when he's not scoring his normal numbers, Cleveland is that sort of a presence for a defense.  Pair his ability to pass out of the double (9 assists, 1 short of triple double) and a disciplined team willing to make the extra pass - usually to Lawrence, and you're just picking your poison.

More than at King, the superior ability of the Titan players to just plain defend aggressively without fouling was really noticeable tonight.  VanderWoude really couldn't get much inside even with much smaller defenders on him.  Richardson's 20 were all hard-earned with hand in his face.  Yes, Wheaton is young and have some years ahead of them. But learning to play the type of defense necessary to be successful, especially in this league, doesn't come naturally just because you're a year older.  Gotta hit the weight room and up the dedication level at both ends of the floor.  I hope the likes of Grier, VanderWoude, Wynja do because the potential is crazy high.  Then maybe.

Augustana 65
Wheaton 71

Kyan VanderWoude  22 pts, 10 rebs
Soren Richardson  21 pts 5 rebs, 3 stls
Carson Grier  12 pts 8 rebs

Andre Klaver  14 pts, 7 rebs
Cam Atkinson  13 pts

The Thunder just had to gut this one out as they really played poorly at times and shot the ball pretty terribly.  The Vikings led for most of the game but never by more than 5-7 pts.  Richardson and Grier were in foul trouble quite a bit. But Kyan VanderWoude really picked up the slack early in the 2nd half to keep his team in it.  One of his better games among lots of good ones that he is beginning to put together.  A few late and untimely turnovers by Augie opened the door just enough for Wheaton to finally get a lead late in the game and extend.

The Thunder needed this one to not give up the tie-breaker with the Vikes.

Was hoping for more from Wheaton at home.  But realistically they're still a young and inexperienced team despite some recent success.  If not for a hot VanderWoude, this one would have been over even earlier. The Titans torched the Thunder defense in the first half shooting 17-31 for 55%, 8-14 from three for 57%.

Wheaton seemed lost against a really good and physical defensive team like IWU.  Soren Richardson was absent/ineffective throughout the night.  Carson Grier fouled out.  No answer for Cleveland and how do you leave Lawrence open for so many threes (he finished 6 of 9)?

Quote from: Gregory Sager on January 16, 2026, 02:09:41 PM

Quote from: Greek Tragedy on January 16, 2026, 09:31:10 AM

Quote from: Gregory Sager on January 15, 2026, 09:21:33 PMNobody figured that the Vikings were going to come out of Bloomington and Kenosha with two wins...

I'm shocked you would say this, especially basically being the face of NPU. "Nobody" means you, the coaches, the players etc. That's not a good attitude at all. NPU is a good team. They had won 6 of 7 with their only loss at Eau Claire. Going into Bloomington, they were actually ahead of the Titans in the standings and tied with Carthage in the loss column. So, no one thought they could win those games? It's not like they were perennial WIAC bottom-feeder Stout going into Shirk and just trying to be competitive. Oh wait, the Blue Devils won that game. NCC got their only conference win against IWU, albeit at home. Elmhurst beat the mighty Titans as well. It's a sad day when the face of NPU doesn't think there's a chance the Vikings could win those games.

I thought it would be inferred, but since you want me to be literal about it -- "nobody" refers to people outside of the North Park program and fan base.

Quote from: GoPerry on January 15, 2026, 04:53:23 AMWheaton is just tough to defend against.  Offensively, there's Richardson who is a handful.  Both VanderWoude and Grier like to score inside with their back to the basket as well as run the floor effectively.  And then you have Neibch, Olson, Carbonaro ready to receive the dish outs and extra pass with Martin ordering the floor.  They might defer to Richardson, but all of them seem to be willing and able to take the big shots when it counts.  If they can just keep their opponents between 75-80 pts   (---IWU <78) . .

Better make it "75-77 pts," because we all know what magically happens when a team reaches 78, right?

Oh good catch . . my bad Greg.  Amended above .

Wheaton 88
Millikin 76

Soren Richardson  33 pts
Kyan VanderWoude  15 pts, 5 rebs
Carson Grier  13 pts, 7 rebs
Kyle Neibch  12 pts

Nate Straughter  15 pts 5 rebs
Lane Thomann  10 pts 4 rebs

This game wasn't even as close as the final score as the Thunder pretty much controlled after the first 8 minutes.  That's when Richardson got scorching hot finishing 11-19, 6-9 from the beyond the arc.  I doubt it was in the game plan to shoot 30 treys out of 56 total shots (last season with regularity).  But it makes a coach look Wooden-like when you make 15/30 and the team shoots 56% from the field 32/57.  I don't think the Big Blue played a terrible game, maybe a little sloppy at times.  But when an opponent shoots like that, not much you can do.

Wheaton is just tough to defend against.  Offensively, there's Richardson who is a handful.  Both VanderWoude and Grier like to score inside with their back to the basket as well as run the floor effectively.  And then you have Neibch, Olson, Carbonaro ready to receive the dish outs and extra pass with Martin ordering the floor.  They might defer to Richardson, but all of them seem to be willing and able to take the big shots when it counts.  If they can just keep their opponents between 75-80 pts . . .

We'll see when IWU comes to King on Saturday followed by Park a week later.  Two big tests.

Carroll 84
Wheaton 85

Soren Richardson  25 pts 5 rebs 5 stls
Carson Grier  17 pts 6 rebs
Devin Martin 15 pts  8 asst (3to)

Michael McNabb  27 pts 4 reb
Lamar Smith  22 pts 7 rebs
Jacob Naber 10 pts 9 rebs

The Thunder got off to a fast start and led by as much as 16 pts in the 1st half.  Credit the Pios in hanging in and chipping away at the lead.  Wheaton played decent defense for about 30 mins.  But Carroll got back in the game by scoring easy barely contested layups in the last 2 mins to nearly pull off the comeback.  Richardson was terrific in hitting some really key buckets late.

We finally saw (yet another) freshman Luca Carbonaro on the floor for a few brief minutes.  The coaches have been high on his potential but had to wait for football to end.  I'm not sure there are that many spare minutes available for him however. 

Wheaton  73
Univ Chicago 94

Disclaimer:  I did not see the game because I am too cheap to pay FloCollege to watch the livestream.  And there's no cheap subscribe, watch, cancel-a-day-later scenario.  Let's just hope the CCIW never goes this route.

Looks like it wasn't much of a contest with the Maroons scoring the first 14 pts of the game.  The lead never got below double digits from the 1st half 8 minute mark on.  Livestats was still free – so I had that going for me . . . thanks U of C Athletics. . . .??

94 points was Chicago's 2nd highest point total for the year.  They shot 62% on 37-59, 48 points in the paint.