Game Notes (MBK): Augustana College @ North Central College (1/4/17)

Final Score
Augustana 82, NCC 71

Game Summary
This was a tough one as the Cardinals (8-5, 2-2) couldn't buy a basket in the early going and falling behind 12-4. The Vikings (10-3, 3-1) had an answer for every perceived Cardinal push, and would lead by as many as 11 points as the half progressed. But the Cardinals finally made a bit of a sustained run, scoring seven straight at one point to pull within three, but Augustana had an answer again and pushed the lead back to eight before taking a 42-37 lead into the locker room. NCC scored almost immediately to kick off the second half to get back within three, but Augie answered with a three a minute or so later and would push the lead back up to nine. Again the Cardinals pulled back within three, but another 7-0 Viking run pushed the lead back to 10. The margin stayed in that 7-10 point range, but the Cardinals would get no closer than within six, and the Vikings would lead by as many as 12 before Grey Giovanine called off the dogs with under a minute to go.

Key Stats

• Chrishawn Orange (AUG): 3-12 FG (2-5 3PT), 9-10 FT; 17 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl. Overall, not the best night from the floor for Orange (who as I recall played really well in this matchup last year), but he hit a couple of key threes to fend off Cardinal comeback attempts, and he was magnificent at the free throw line. All in all, a pretty good night.
• Pierson Wofford (AUG): 4-5 FG (1-1 3PT), 2-2 FT; 11 pts, 12 reb (5 off), 1 ast. I kind of remembered Wofford having a decent game, but it wasn't until I looked at the box that I realized he actually played really well, notching the game's only double-double. Those five offensive rebounds were killer, and with Augie scoring 17 second chance points in this one, those went a long way towards giving Augie the victory.
• Erwin Henry (NCC): 4-8 FG (0-2 3PT), 5-6 FT; 13 pts, 5 reb (2 off). Erwin had to sit out much of the first half due to foul trouble, but gained some ground in the second half, helping key one of North Central's major runs to trim Augustana's lead by putting home layups and getting to the line. It was just too little, too late, and Henry's four turnovers, including one very careless one prompted by way too much dribbling, offset a little bit of his production.

CCIW Scoreboard Watch

• @ Wheaton 78 (6-6, 2-1), Carroll 71 (6-6, 1-2)
• @ Illinois Wesleyan 73 (10-3, 2-2), Millikin 64 (2-10, 0-2)
• Carthage 82 (9-3, 3-1), @ North Park 76 (9-2, 2-2),
• BYE: Elmhurst (5-7, 1-2)
• (WBK): NCC 117 (8-5, 2-2), @ Carroll 86 (0-11, 0-3)

Grey Giovanine Jacket Watch
This is by far my favorite non game-related function with my NCC Game Notes series. If you're unfamiliar with the CCIW or Division III basketball, Grey Giovanine is a hell of a basketball coach. He is also... kind of a head case. Non-Augie people are kind of tired of his shtick, because of the way he works officials, but the fun part with him is watching for when his suit jacket comes off. It often comes off quickly, but that's when you know the game has truly begun.

#CCIW play starts up tomorrow in #d3h, and this is my big question ahead of NCC-Augie: When is the #GreyGiovanineJacketWatch on full alert?

— Lucas Mitzel (@northsider89) January 3, 2017

I made that Twitter poll in advance of last night's game just for giggles, but Coach Giovanine made me wait. Given NCC's struggles, he was relatively composed until later in the half. He removed his jacket with 5:42 left on the clock in the first half. I didn't even get to see it; he just came over by the scorer's table and the jacket was off. Oh well, I got a Mountain Dew out of it.

Final Thoughts

I really want to complain about the officiating, because it was not very good, but it wouldn't do any good. NCC was called for 13 first half fouls which prompted early bench time for Alex Sorenson, who had two, and Jack Bronec also had to sit late with two fouls, and Matt Cappelletti picked up three in the first half. It led to a 17-10 free throw advantage for the Vikings, but considering the Cardinals couldn't buy a basket early in the game, I can't blame the officials for this one. Augustana earned this victory, and those first few minutes where they jumped out to that 12-4 lead were the key.

Big picture-wise, a loss to Augie, even at home, is understandable, but really hurts the Cardinals' cause as we move along in the season. Their underwhelming non-conference performance put a lot of pressure on the Cardinals to play well in CCIW play, and two home losses, even to the top two teams in the standings, does not bode well. The Cardinals need to regroup and get ready for Saturday, because things don't get easier with early CCIW Player of the Year favorite Jordan Robinson and North Park coming to town.