Game Notes: (MBK) Millikin University @ North Central College (1/28/15)

Final Score
Millikin 69, NCC 66

Game Summary
The Big Blue (8-11, 3-5) overcame an early 3-0 deficit to take early control of the game. The Cardinals (14-5, 4-4), after falling out of the D3hoops.com Top 25 this week, struggled to respond out of the gate but managed to keep it close, tying the game at 22 before Millikin went on another run, outscoring the Cardinals 15-6 to close out the half up 37-28. The Big Blue opened up their lead to as many as 14 coming out of the break, but the Cardinals rallied back, including a thunderous fast break dunk by Jack Burchett, to close the gap. A Rosenberg layup tied the game at 62, and a Burchett jumper tied it again at 64, but the Cardinals went four straight possessions failing to take advantage of a chance to grab the lead, and the Big Blue escaped Naperville with an upset win after a pair of three pointers in the final 20 seconds were off the mark.

Key Stats

• TJ Sims (MIL): 12-17 FG (1-2 3PT), 4-5 FT; 29 pts, 4 reb (1 off), 6 ast, 1 stl. Really, the best way to describe his game is, "Wow." Sims was hitting pretty much every shot he took last night. His jumper was fluid all game, and he hit some impossible shots. Pull up jumpers with a man in his face, a sideways-falling jumper... but most crucially, with time running down up one, he drove out of control to the basket, threw up a falling desperation layup... and bounced it home off the glass. It was that kind of night for him.
• Kevin Honn (NCC): 8-17 FG (1-4 3PT), 4-6 FT; 21 pts, 8 reb (3 off), 5 ast, 1 stl. Way back in November, I talked about how much of a key figure Honn would play for the Cardinals this year, but it really took until last night for him to show that off. He looked good on multiple drives to the basket, but struggled a bit on his jumpers (to think, had he hit one more three...). The rest of his numbers show how good of an overall game he had. Honn basically kept the Cardinals afloat in the first half.
• Charles Rosenberg (NCC): 5-9 FG (0-2 3PT), 9-12 FT; 19 pts, 3 reb, 1 ast, 5 blk. Rosenberg was one of the key figures in the second half rally, attacking the basket and getting to the line, where he was pretty effective. He had one of the Cardinals' two final tying looks on the last possession, but couldn't get it to go.

Around the CCIW

• @ Illinois Wesleyan 79 (14-5, 6-2), Wheaton 70 (9-10, 2-6) (OT)
• North Park 79 (11-8, 2-6), @ Carthage 75 (7-11, 3-5)
• Augustana 77 (17-2, 7-1), @ Elmhurst 73 (15-4, 5-3) (OT)

Final Thoughts

Photo from The Daily Herald

First, a non-game related note:I actually got to see my old mentor and legendary former Aurora Christian basketball coach Don Davidson at Merner last night. He was there to see Millikin head coach Matt Nadelhoffer, who is also an Aurora Christian graduate ('93), and for Davidson, it was a trip back to where he once played (he played college ball at Illinois Wesleyan, and Merner was in use back in his playing days). He said he loves the new digs. All in all, great to see him.

As for the game itself... this loss hurt. The Cardinals needed it to get back in the hunt for the CCIW Tournament. If the season ended today, they'd still make it, but now Millikin and Carthage are breathing right down their necks for the fourth and final spot, while Augie took care of business in overtime, and Wesleyan was able to escape with a home overtime win. Either way, losing four of five, including three straight home games and two in a row to the bottom teams in the conference are not a good omen.

The Cardinals stay home with a chance to right the ship on Saturday, where the early game will probably be bigger (though let's be honest, even the men's game will be huge) as Wheaton comes calling. I missed this matchup last year. I'm not missing it again. Be there, wear whatever color the Cardinal Crazies say you should wear, and be loud. Beat Wheaton.