Good start

I was able to make the trip to North Manchester, IN this weekend and I'm glad I did. I left feeling very good about the 2008-09 season. General thoughts...

1) IWU has incredible depth this year. Friday the Titans started 6-0 Rosenkranz (So), 5-10 Dwyer (Jr), 6-1 Johnson (So), 6-7 Lawson (So), and 6-7 Sexauer (So) - 3 starters from the team that went 9-5 in the CCIW last year, with Lawson replacing Darius Gant and Sexauer for the injured Chamernik (Zimmer started in place of Dwyer Saturday). The "next 5", though, seems to be every bit as good as the starting unit. The Titans don't lose anything when they start subbing with 6-5 Zimmer (Fr) or 5-10 Dwyer, 6-6 Koschnitzky (Fr), 6-7 O'Callaghan (So), 6-3 Morris (Sr), and 6-4 Schick (So). And again, Chamernik really isn't even in the mix yet. I got to thinking during both games that I can't envision a scenario when this IWU team will be in foul trouble - at every position, the 2nd guy on the depth chart is just about as good as the first.

2) Defense and rebounding will be the big question mark for this young IWU team. This Titan team will be great offensively - there is no question in my mind about that. But can they defend and rebound? They did a great job in these areas in the 1st half vs Manchester, but on the weekend defense and rebounding were inconsistent.

3.) This team will be a "work in progress." It is going to take a while for Ron Rose and staff to sort out who should be starting, how the rotation should be setup, etc.. Having tremendous depth is a great thing, but it also means you have to really work hard to put all of the pieces together.


I'm not sure the Titans are quite ready to beat #1 Wash U, #2 Augustana, or #3 Wheaton today, but I'm pretty sure this team will be very good by the time the CCIW schedule starts. The Titans are loaded with talent.

CCIW action underway

The official start of the Division III season was Saturday, November 15. Several CCIW teams took advantage of the new, earlier start date and have games in the books...

Wed, 11/19:

#2 Augustana 58 #22 Chicago 57

#17 Elmhurst 80 Simpson 65

Tues, 11/18:

#17 Elmhurst 79 Aurora 65

Sun, 11/16:

North Park 70 La Verne 65

Sat, 11/15:

#1 Wash U 89 North Park 65

#2 Augustana 82 Simpson 79

#17 Elmhurst 91 MacMurray 65

Millikin 67 Aurora 61


The league is 7-1 right now, with the lone loss being North Park's to #1 Wash U. Look for a great non-conference record from the CCIW collectively in 2008-09 - maybe .700+.

Augie survived a real scare on the south side of Chicago tonight. The Vikings trailed by 1 when Jordan Delp hit a shot with :02 to play to win the game.

The Titans tee it up this weekend!

Green/White scrimmage in the books

Veteran IWU assistant coach David Steinbrueck took it to rookie coach Chris Jones ('06) this morning as the White beat the Green. Leading scorers noted...

White 80 (Coach - David Steinbrueck)

G Eliud Gonzalez (Fr), 5-9 - 13 pts
G Jordan Morris (Sr), 6-3 - 17 pts
F Matt Schick (So), 6-4
F John Koschnitzky (Fr), 6-6
C Doug Sexauer (So), 6-7 - 24 pts

Reserves: Ryan Connolly (Fr, 6-9) - 10 pts, Michael Kempf (So, 5-11)

Green 65 (Coach - Chris Jones)

G Travis Rosenkranz (So), 6-0 - 16 pts
G Sean Johnson (So), 6-1 - 9 pts
F Jordan Zimmer (Fr), 6-5
F Duncan Lawson (So), 6-7 - 13 pts
C Edmond O'Callaghan (So), 6-6 - 16 pts

Reserves: Eric McCullough (Fr, 6-9), Steve Rudnicki (Fr, 6-3), Sean Siebring (Fr, 6-2)


Brett Chamernik (Sr, 6-5) DNP
Sean Dwyer (Jr, 5-10) DNP
Josh Sutton (So, 6-5) DNP
Dexter Walker (Fr, 6-5) DNP


Time to go play someone else now!

Illinois Wesleyan 2008-09 Season Preview

I posted the '08-09 Season Preview today. Enjoy!

http://www.iwuhoops.com/

D3 UW-Platteville defeats D1 Bradley

An exhibition game, but a great win for the Pioneers of UW-Platteville. UWP is ranked #7 in the D3hoops.com preseason Top 25.

City/Suburban Hoops report - good reading

Division I is not the be-all, end-all, by Joe Henricksen.

D3hoops.com All-American team

D3hoops.com released its 2008-09 preseason All-America team today. Five CCIW players are on the 20-man team...

Kent Raymond, Wheaton (24.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.9 apg) - 1st
Brent Ruch, Elmhurst (16.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, .618 FG) - 2nd
Steve Djurickovic, Carthage (23.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.3 apg) - 3rd
Brett Wessels, Augustana (14.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 apg) - 4th
Andy Wiele, Wheaton (15.2 ppg, 10.5 rpg, .571 FG) - 4th


In addition to these outstanding players, there are eight other all-conference performers returning to the CCIW this season...

2nd Team
Ryan Burks, Elmhurst
Nick Williams, North Park
Chris Drennan, North Central

3rd Team
Matt Pelton, Augustana
Ben Panner, Wheaton
Tunde Ogunleye, Millikin
Sean Johnson, Illinois Wesleyan

And Jordan Delp, and 2nd teamer in 2006-07 who missed the entire conference season last year with injury.

When you also consider all of the young talent in the league (like on the IWU roster), you realize that the CCIW is just absolutely loaded this year.

Rollie Massimino, Northwood vs Villanova tonight

IWU's Christmas trip this year is to NAIA Northwood University in beautiful West Palm Beach, Florida. The pairings for the tournament are:

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12/29 - IWU vs St. Xavier (Chicago), Northwood vs Missouri Baptist

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12/30 - winners vs winners, losers vs losers

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Northwood is coached by Rollie Massimino, who is best known for leading Villanova to the 1985 NCAA Division I national championship.

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Tonight Northwood plays at Villanova. Since the Seahawks are a potential IWU opponent, it might be worth checking on that score tomorrow. Northwood appears to be loaded this year, with a very D1-like roster. They have transfers from Seton Hall, Providence, and George Washington and have 3 players listed as 7-0 or taller.

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The Villanova basketball site is here. And below are links to a couple articles from the Philadelphia Inquirer on the game:

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Massimino returning for exhibition vs 'nova

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Rollie Massimino has Spectrum of memories from his time at Villanova

This date in Titan history: IWU @ Illini, 11/3/05

It was three years ago today the Titans traveled to Champaign to take on the Fighting Illini, fresh off a loss to North Carolina in the national championship game in 2004-05. Here are some pictures from that game, taken by my good friend Bob Freeman, and the boxscore.

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Despite playing the game without starting center Cory Jones (injury) and only having Zach Freeman on the floor for 22 minutes due to foul trouble, the Titans gave Illinois a game. IWU only trailed by 6 at the half, and with 14:38 to play in the game, Jason Fisher tied it at 41 with a 3.

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Adam Dauksas and Keelan Amelianovich sure looked like they belonged on the floor with the D1 guys that night. I remember Chris Jones playing very well too vs the bigger, strong Illini and the fact that the Titans never looked intimidated.

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Probably an experience those players won't ever forget. It was a lot of fun.