MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwu70]

Well, IWU got well past 78 today -- winning easily over NCC 93-64.  It was the Noah Cleveland show again.  IWU moves to 16-4, 8-3.  Five regular season games to go.

For NCC:

Only Diaz in double figures 15

NCC shooting 33%/31% from three/60% from the line.

For IWU:

Cleveland another monster game 29 and 12.  NCC had no answer for him.
Funk 16 and 9
Kolak 14
Neigo 13  6:1 ATO -- he can go on the dribble anywhere he wishes.

IWU shooting 57%/ 39% from three/70% from the line.

Many former IWU players in the house . . . a great crowd.

Five games to go in the regular season.

'70

[markerickson]

In a massive blunder, North Park and its official photographer failed to stage a player lineup under the banners, which woulda been an immediate classic.  Opportunity missed.  Uff da!! 

[Gregory Sager]

Former North Central head coach Benjy Taylor has learned that life in his current coaching situation can be even tougher than in the CCIW:

Seriously, this Morehouse rent-a-cop needs to go, tout suite.

[kenoshamark]

Greg,

I was looking at the box score from the game and noticed the attendance was 250.  Is that accurate?  Seems like this big event would have drawn a large crowd and rightfully so.

[iwu70]

Attendance at Shirk last night:

For women: 1703
For men: 2193

Many former players in attendance.  Women's game the Pink Zone game raising money for cancer research and the local Cancer Center. The men's team wearing Pink as well.

Thank you Titan fans, thank you Titan nation. . .

IWU'70

[Gregory Sager]

Greg,

I was looking at the box score from the game and noticed the attendance was 250.  Is that accurate?  Seems like this big event would have drawn a large crowd and rightfully so.

It was much larger than 250. That must've just been paid attendance, not counting the students, the various guests who were on hand for the induction ceremony and the luncheon afterwards (who were all comped at the door), the kids, etc. There were at least 800 people there.

Kudos to the Carthage fans present, who joined with everybody else in giving a rousing hand to all of the national-championship inductees who were introduced and honored at halftime. That was a great display of classiness on the part of the Carthage fan base, and they more than made up for that nasty woman wearing red (whom I'm certain is either the mother or the aunt of one of the Firebirds) who was loudly mocking NPU center Lazario Cornish as he was writhing on the floor in agony after being gashed above his left eye. That was easily the most classless thing I think I've ever heard from an adult parent or relative at a game.

But, as I said, I don't hold that against Carthage fans at all. Again, kudos to them all for joining in to recognize our beloved heroes in their final moment of adulation on the court where they excelled many years ago. I don't take that for granted, as I'm sure that there are plenty of fans out there who wouldn't do that for a rival school.

[GusD]

Former North Central head coach Benjy Taylor has learned that life in his current coaching situation can be even tougher than in the CCIW:

Seriously, this Morehouse rent-a-cop needs to go, tout suite.

After such an exemplary display of quick thinking and decisive action in an obviously dangerous and potentially volatile situation, that Morehouse rent-a-cop surely will quickly rise to the top of the ICE recruitment list! 🥷🏻

[GusD]

Greg,

I was looking at the box score from the game and noticed the attendance was 250.  Is that accurate?  Seems like this big event would have drawn a large crowd and rightfully so.

It was much larger than 250. That must've just been paid attendance, not counting the students, the various guests who were on hand for the induction ceremony and the luncheon afterwards (who were all comped at the door), the kids, etc. There were at least 800 people there.

Kudos to the Carthage fans present, who joined with everybody else in giving a rousing hand to all of the national-championship inductees who were introduced and honored at halftime. That was a great display of classiness on the part of the Carthage fan base, and they more than made up for that nasty woman wearing red (whom I'm certain is either the mother or the aunt of one of the Firebirds) who was loudly mocking NPU center Lazario Cornish as he was writhing on the floor in agony after being gashed above his left eye. That was easily the most classless thing I think I've ever heard from an adult parent or relative at a game.

But, as I said, I don't hold that against Carthage fans at all. Again, kudos to them all for joining in to recognize our beloved heroes in their final moment of adulation on the court where they excelled many years ago. I don't take that for granted, as I'm sure that there are plenty of fans out there who wouldn't do that for a rival school.

1. Even if the opposing team isn't your favorite, applause is appropriate when an injured opponent rises and departs the court. 👏

2. How exhilarating it must have been to be a four year member of the NPU basketball team beginning with the 1976-1977 season and winning the national championship in your sophomore, junior, and senior years! 🥇 🥇 🥇

[mwunder]

Former North Central head coach Benjy Taylor has learned that life in his current coaching situation can be even tougher than in the CCIW:

Seriously, this Morehouse rent-a-cop needs to go, tout suite.

Made ESPN's top headline today as well.  Open and shut case here.

[mwunder]

I disagree this week because his team went 1-1 instead of 2-0 and another player in the league had very similar stats and beat him head to head.

Congrats to Noah Cleveland for another Student Athlete of the Week award.  I believe this is his 4th on the season and will probably lock up the player of the year award.

[iwu70]

Congrats to Noah Cleveland on his fourth Player of the Week honor.

Yes, Ryan Johnson probably should have won it this week.  Agree with mwunder. 

Perhaps the POY comes down now to which of the two top teams wins the conference regular season championship.  Both Cleveland and Johnson are super deserving.

'70

[iwu70]

New Poll:   U of Chicago and Nick Roper at #1.

IWU at #16, with ORV Carthage.  (IWU beat Chicago and Nick Roper earlier at Shirk). 

Five games to go.

'70

[lmitzel]

Quick look at the standings coming into tonight:

CAR	8-3
IWU	8-3
WHE	6-4
ELM	6-4
AUG	5-5
MIL	5-6
CRL	4-7
NPU	4-7
NCC	2-9

With current ties, Wheaton has the head to head over Elmhurst for the moment so they're currently in 3rd. Carthage holds the tiebreaker over Illinois Wesleyan at the moment with a win over Elmhurst; IWU lost to the Jays in their first meeting. And then I for now have Carroll with the tiebreaker over NPU; they split their meetings, but Carroll has only played Carthage once (and lost); NPU has two losses at the moment.

There's just one clinching scenario tonight. Illinois Wesleyan can punch its postseason ticket with a win at Shirk over Wheaton AND a North Park loss at Millikin. Carroll is idle tonight, but the Titans have already secured a sweep over the Pios. Carthage can't clinch tonight even if they win and NPU loses since they will close the regular season with the Pioneers.

[iwu70]

IWU 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

[lmitzel]

Does anybody have a hookup for holy water or a shaman or something?

North Central kept it close up in Kenosha the entire game, but trailed by seven with just under two minutes to go. Somehow they managed to come back and tie the game at 65 on a Tre Davis layup with eight seconds to go. The video feed was well behind my dad following the live stats sitting behind me at Merner when he told me that NCC had tied it, and I made the crack that Carthage would hit something at the buzzer to win the game because that's how this season has gone.

Naturally, Ryan Johnson got a third chance tip in right at the buzzer for a 67-65 Firebird win.

Honestly, all we're missing at this point is fouling someone up three on a halfcourt heave at the buzzer, them somehow making it, then hitting the free throw with all zeroes on the clock to complete the superfecta.