Big week ahead

Sitting at 2-1 "in-region", the Titans have an extremely big week ahead, with two in-region games. On Wednesday, IWU makes the long drive to southern Indiana to take on Hanover. Then a quick turnaround, as the Titans host Chicago in a rare IWU Friday evening game.
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Hanover is in rebuilding mode a bit as they transition from longtime head coach Mike Beitzel to new skipper Jon Miller, a 1997 Hanover graduate and former Panther standout player. The Panthers are just 2-6 but do own an impressive win in their conference (HCAC) over Translyvania, which was ranked #22 at the time of the game.
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U. of Chicago's start has been shocking. Coming off a UAA championship in 2008 (remember, national champion Wash U did not win the UAA last year), the Maroons were ranked #22 in the preseason. They returned a lot of talent, including guards Matt Corning and Jake Pancratz. After 7 games, Chicago is still winless. The Maroons have faced some tough teams (Augustana, Loras, Wheaton), but they've also lost some head scratchers - Edgewood, Illinois Tech, Lake Forest, and Kalamazoo. At some point you have to think Chicago will turn things around, so from that standpoint, Friday's game seems dangerous to me.
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I've seen the Titans play 4 games now (all but Maryville and Olivet Nazarene). Some general thoughts:

• This team is really loaded with talent. They have enough talent to win the CCIW this year, but the fact is a) they're young, and b) they're still trying to establish roles and settle in as a group. It is just a matter of whether or not it all comes together in time or not.
• I'd like to see 6-7/225 sophomore Doug Sexauer become the focal point of the offense. Through six games, Doug has 54 field goal attempts, which is third on the team to Sean Johnson (60) and Travis Rosenkranz (56). Believe me, there is no bigger fan of IWU's guards than me, but establishing in inside/out offense would make everything flow much smoother. Right now, IWU is kind of an outside/in team. I'd like to see Sexauer with the most FGA moving forward.
• Speaking of the guards, they are outstanding. Sean Johnson should have another big year and as I see it, the sky is the limit for point-guard Travis Rosenkranz. That kid can play. And what a luxury to bring a kid as good as Sean Dwyer off the bench! Dwyer brings toughness and leadership to the floor.
• Edmond O'Callaghan has improved quite a bit from his freshman season. I like what he brings to the floor - good height and leaping ability, specificially. This teams needs rebounding help and Ed brings that.
• I am a huge fan of both freshmen currently getting time - John Koschnitzky and Jordan Zimmer. The development of these two key pieces is going to go a long way in determining how 2008-09 turns out. Koschnitzky and Zimmer could be stars at Illinois Wesleyan - they're both very talented.
• A tip of the cap to some of the very talented players that seem to be out of the PT mix right...guys like Matt Schick. I know everyone would like to be playing, but the ones who aren't seem to have such a great team mentality. It is impressive. Jordan Morris is another guy who is not playing as much as I'm sure he'd like to be but just keeps working hard and supporting his teamates.

Really need 2 wins this week. One at a time, Titans!

#1 Wash U 93 IWU 86

Overall, I was extremely impressed with IWU's effort and performance today in St. Louis. The Titans gave Wash U a good battle.

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The big play of the game happened with 2:44 to play. IWU trailed by just 3, 83-80, and Wash U had the ball with the shot clock winding down. The Bears almost threw the ball out of bounds, but it was saved in by Cameron Smith to Tyler Nading with 2 seconds on the shot clock. Nading was about 4 feet behind the 3-point line on the right wing, took a quick look around and realized his only option was to throw up a bomb...and he made it. That shot put Wash U up 6. Had he missed, the Titans - with the momentum at that point - get the ball in good shape.

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IWU could not stop the Bears for any consistent stretch. Wash U shot 57% from the field. They are just such a talented and well-coached team though - it is just incredibly hard to stop their offense. Wash U will have some games this year where they come out flat or where they don't shoot it well (or both) and will lose, but when they come to play and are making shots, like today, they are very hard to beat. Wash U was also helped by a huge game from freshman Dylan Richter, who is going to be a Division III All-American someday.

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A lot of positives for the young IWU team today though. The Titans shot 61% from the field against a very good defensive team, in a pretty hostile environment. Point-guard Travis Rosenkranz was outstanding - 20 pts, 6 reb, 4 assists, and just 1 turnover. Backcourt mate Sean Johnson had 17 points, 6-7 sophomore Doug Sexauer finished with 13, and 6-6 Edmond O'Callaghan had 10 & 5 off the bench. Much like the Olivet Nazarene game though, the Titans just did not shoot the 3 well - 5-19 today.

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I think anyone at the game today would agree that this was a game between two pretty evenly matched teams in terms of talent, with one just being older, more experienced, and more ready to win a game like this. The Titans gained tremendous experience today, just as they did last year in a tough loss @ Wash U.

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IWU is certainly not the favorite to win the CCIW this year, but the Titans are going make it tough on everyone they play in January and February. I'll go as far as to say the Titans can win the CCIW this year if (big if) they can learn to defend and rebound better. They will only go as far as those two things.

IWU vs #1 Wash U

Well after laying an egg in the second half at Olivet Nazarene, we'll see what the Titans are made of here in the early going. IWU travels to St. Louis to take on defending national champs and current #1-ranked Washington University.

I'm very familiar with the Bears, having seen their last four NCAA tournament games last season as well as their exhibition game vs NCAA Division II Missouri-St. Louis this year (which Wash U won). Wash U has three All-American-caliber perimeter players - point-guard Sean Wallis, shooting-guard Aaron Thompson, and wing Tyler Nading. That trio is about as good as a Division III perimeter group gets.

Coming into the year I assumed Wash U's low-post game would be its weakness after they graduated D3 Player of the Year Troy Ruths, their 6-7 stud center. The Bears have been getting great contributions from 6-7 Zach Kelly though. Kelly had 18 points and 10 rebounds in Wash U's big overtime win at Augustana and then followed that up with 23 & 9 vs Aurora.

Wash U is a tremendous basketball team, but IWU can play with them if the defend and rebound. The Bears are shooting .511 from the field on the season and are out-rebounding opponents by 14 per game. IWU will have to work very hard to defend and rebound.

It should be a great test to see where this team really is...I don't really know what to make of the Olivet Nazarene loss. Wash U is providing a live video stream, so if you can't make it to St. Louis, you can watch!

http://www.iwuhoops.com/notes09.htm

Millikin registers D1 win

Hats off to the Big Blue of Millikin University for knocking off Division I SIU-Edwardsville last night, 70-59. Millikin was led by Justin Thompson (24 points, 7-10 FG) and Tunde Ogunleye (13 pts, 8 reb).

Not bad for the team picked 8th, huh? The CCIW is absolutely loaded, wow.


http://www.siue.edu/ATHLETIC/MBB/20082009/1204.html

3-0 Titans head to Olivet Nazarene

Overall, a very impressive performance by the Titans Sunday vs Maryville. Keep in mind, that same team IWU led by 29 with 5:32 to play in the 1st half took NCAA Division II Drury to the buzzer two nights earlier. I'm not suggesting Maryville is a powerhouse by any stretch, but the Saints are much better than the Titans made them look at the Shirk Center.

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Tuesday IWU will travel to Bourbonnais for the annual contest vs NAIA Division I Olivet Nazarene. Ralph Hodge always has a solid squad and this should be a nice test for the Titans. In looking at the probable starting lineup matchups and stats, ONU and IWU look very similar - Gameday Notes. Where the Titans should have a huge advantage is in the depth department. As I've said many times now, I'm just so impressed with IWU's depth...what a luxury.

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Let's hope the young Titans don't look past Olivet with the matchup with #1 Wash U looming Saturday. As bad as ONU pasted the Titans last year at the Shirk Center (97-79) I don't think that will be the case.

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Keep in rolling Titans!