WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Green Beer]

This rotation currently has four freshmen playing key roles.  Robinson's game at Elmhurst a very welcome development.

Robinson's break-out game was VERY welcome on a team that lost so much fire power from last year. Freshmen King and Sears getting some floor time too. It's slow improvement...but it's improvement.

[iwu70]

In the new poll, IWU and Carroll remain at 13th and 14th, respectively. 

Yes, improvement and getting more contributors into the rotation.  These freshmen are playing well and are going to be a huge force in future in the CCIW. 

'70

[scottiedawg]

IWU could use a bit longer/deeper rotation, allowing the big four (Bardic, White, Balli and Heyden) to play less minutes.   This rotation currently has four freshmen playing key roles.  Robinson's game at Elmhurst a very welcome development.

I define "in the Rotation" as playing 6%+ of the team's minutes, which is 12 min per game.

Median Rotation Size is 7.

Illinois Wesleyan is at 6.  Last year they were at 7.

Across the nation:
Rotation Size, Count

5 Players -> 6 teams
6 players -> 58 teams
7 players -> 153 teams
8 players -> 140 teams
9 players -> 47 teams
10 players -> 9 teams
11 players -> 1 team (Houghton!)

[iwu70]

Scottie, thanks for the interesting info on "rotations."   I just think IWU needs a bit deeper rotation or the big four are going to wear out as the season goes along.  This is especially so given the kind of pressure defense, intense defense that IWU plays.  The top kids are all very fit and athletic, but playing 37-38 minutes every time is not going to be sustainable over the long haul, IMHO.   I hope Robinson helps, and perhaps a few others can lend a hand with meaningful minutes -- Sears, King, Heinz, Mahlum (either or both of them!), perhaps the new Palmer addition in January??  I think Lipic continues to be very important and, at times, can have big games.  She's worked very hard to have her chance now as a senior.

Heading for Ratner now, to watch the game in person up at U Chicago.

IWU'70

[lmitzel]

Naturally, the night I couldn't make it to the hangar, the Cardinals had little trouble dispatching Illinois College 90-73.

The Lady Blues hit seven of their eight threes in the first half to only trail by seven, but hit just 2-11 after the intermission while the Cardinals scored 29 points off 22 IC turnovers.

Ameli Sanchez poured in a career high 28, including tying the program record with seven three's, and notched a team high five steals, while Biz Daly had a near double-double with 24 and 9.

[iwu70]

The Titans laid an egg up in Chicago.  Chicago quicker and bigger and pretty much winning on all fronts -- TOs, rebounding, steals etc.  Maybe the Titans had the post-exam week blahs or something.  IWU was only down 4 at the half but Chicago basically put the game away in the 3Q 17-9 and held on to a 10-14 point lead the rest of the way.

For UC:
Spotts 17
Simpson 13
Gross 12

UC with a very successful high-low game, for which the smaller Titans had no answer.

54%/33% from three/ 60% FTs

For IWU:
White 16
Bardic 15
Leyden, a strong game, 12 and 9

36%/23% from three/ 78% FTs.

Titans fall to 7-3, 3-0 still in CCIW action.

In the rankings, Chicago may rise to a top ten team, IWU will fall into the 20th-25th territory, likely.

IWU has two games in Florida just before the New Year -- vs. #19 Bethel and  (RV) Wisconsin Lutheran.  IWU has a big CCIW game vs. Carroll in early January @The Shirk.

IWU'70

[iwu70]

IWU over #19 Bethel in the Florida Tournament, 78-76.  Sara Balli with the winning layup off an assist from Bardic, for the win with 1.8 seconds to go.  IWU winning with defense, coming from behind in the second half again. 

The tournament behind a paywall and no live stats available.  Bad form for D3.    Stats likely available later.

New Titan Leah Palmer (younger sister of Kate Palmer) got her first action, her first IWU program points today.  A good new addition for the CCIW season run. 

IWU moves to 8-3, 3-0 in CCIW, and plays Wisconsin Lutheran tomorrow in the same tournament.

Big CCIW game vs. Carroll at The Shirk, on January 3rd, 2 p.m.


IWU'70

[iwu70]

IWU loses to (RV) Wisconsin Lutheran, in Florida, 71-61

For WLU:
Frey 26
Stevens 12
Cole 11 and 10

For IWU:
Bardic 22
Kobylarczyk 13
Balli 11

Seems the Titans may have run out of steam on the road.  WLU seems to have handled the IWU pressure pretty well.

IWU now 8-4 in the pre-CCIW games, 3-0 in league play.  13 games to go in the regular season, all league games.

[Captain_Joe08]

IWU loses to (RV) Wisconsin Lutheran, in Florida, 71-61

For WLU:
Frey 26
Stevens 12
Cole 11 and 10

For IWU:
Bardic 22
Kobylarczyk 13
Balli 11

Seems the Titans may have run out of steam on the road.  WLU seems to have handled the IWU pressure pretty well.

IWU now 8-4 in the pre-CCIW games, 3-0 in league play.  13 games to go in the regular season, all league games.

I swear I don't understand this WLC team. Loses to Platteville, Loras and Messiah but has wins over Wartburg, Gustavus. Trine and IWU. Definitely a team to watch going forward.

[iwu70]

Captain, WLC looked good to me.  Frey very impressive.  I think IWU ran out of steam on the road.  Bardic continues to impress -- #22 averaging about 22 most games.  IWU needs more for the surrounding cast of characters.  Perhaps a bit of senior fatigue from Balli and White.  Maybe Leah Palmer plays a bigger role going forward.  The most impressive addition this year has surely been freshman Caitlyn Heyden.  Really a good player, leading the CCIW in rebounding. 

Big game in the CCIW race vs. Carroll this weekend at The Shirk.

'70

[lmitzel]

Aurora jumped out to a 16-3 lead at Merner this afternoon, and the Cardinals never really recovered as the Spartans topped NCC 83-59. The Cardinals were within 12 with about five and a half to play, but AU went bombs away from deep over the final few minutes to put it away.

Ameli Sanchez: 15 pts, 5 reb
Jocelyn Trotter: 13 pts, 11 reb

Krystyna Manzanarez had a monster game with 34 and 6 steals for Aurora. They're really good.

[iwu70]

Congratulations to IWU's Sawyer White becoming the IWU program's career leader in steals.  She just surpassed the previous holder, Rebecca Ehresman.  Still half the season to go, so she'll set an almost unbreakable career record.   I think she's the current, active #2 in steals for all of D3 women's basketball.

IWU'70