MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwu70]

At the Shirk, IWU over pesky Millikin, 72-62.  Always makes one nervous when it looks like the Titans will play in the 50s or 60s.  IWU had only 22 points at the half, and roared back with 50 in the second half to get into the 70s.

For MU:
Thomann 17 and 11
Straughter 16

MU at 43%/33% from three/ 73% from the FT line


For IWU:

Cleveland 19 and 8
Colak 17 and 8
Lawrence 16
Neigo 9 and 5:2 A:TOs
Funk 8 with 5 blocks

IWU at 37%/ 30% from three/74% from the FT line.

IWU takes the lead in the CCIW race at 6-2.

IWU at Carroll on Saturday.


'70

[lmitzel]

NCC 82
Carroll 78 (OT)

In today's episode of Taylor Janssen Hates Playing in Naperville, NCC led for most of the contest, but did not take a dreaded double digit lead, though their highest cushion of nine was immediately cut into by the Pioneers. And yet despite that, Carroll missed seven of their 19 second half free throws. Despite that, NCC still couldn't put the Pios away in regulation. Tre Davis hit a three to put NCC up four with just under a minute left, but taunted the guy guarding him to earn a tech. Then after Tyler Surin broke a 63-all tie with a deep three with under 20 seconds to go, the Cardinals stupidly fouled Michael McNabb on a layup, which he turned into a three point play to tie the game with under 10 seconds left. NCC had a shot to end it in regulation, but Alejandro Diaz missed from the baseline and we got free basketball. NCC never trailed in the extra stanza, and even wised up at the end of overtime by fouling up three and benefitting from the intentional second miss not even coming close to hitting the rim.

Alejandro Diaz: 16 pts, 5 ast, 3 stl (missed basically all of overtime with an injury; he said he was "good" postgame, but was noticably limping)
Justin Sveiteris: 14 pts, 6 reb
Tyler Surin: 10 pts, 9 reb

Michael McNabb: 29 pts
Lamar Smith: 14 pts, 6 reb, 3 blk
Dennis Estepp: 10 pts

[Gregory Sager]

Augustana 92
North Park 87

Kolden Vanlandingham: 26 pts, 6 rebs
William Bates: 14 pts
Lazario Cornish: 13 pts, 11 rebs
Mike Vuckovic: 12 pts

Andre Klaver: 22 pts (10-10 FT)
Dom Rhoden: 17 pts (15-18 FT), 6 rebs, 3 stls
Cam Atkinson: 15 pts (3-4 trey)
Eli Aldana: 13 pts (8-10 FT), 3 stls
Jake Willems: 10 pts

For the Park this was a near note-for-note reprise of Wednesday's loss to Elmhurst: give up a huge first-half lead (Augie scored the first ten points of the game last night and led by as many as 21 in the first half), start chipping away at that massive deficit well after the second half has begun, make a great attempt at a comeback that succeeds in getting the game close in crunch time, then just can't make enough plays at the end to sprint that final mile to the finish line.

The Vikings simply aren't playing defense at a level necessary to win CCIW men's basketball games. In league play NPU is bottom third in points allowed, opponent FG %, opponent trey %, and defensive rebounds. That won't get it done.