Game Notes: College of Faith vs Hope College (11/16/12)

I normally save these kinds of features for games I attend, and try to do them immediately after the game is over, but I'm doing a retroactive Game Notes on the fourth anniversary of this game because, why not. This game deserves its recognition.

Final Score
Hope 118, College of Faith 20

Game Summary
Where do I even begin? The Dutchmen (1-0) won the opening tip, got a dunk four seconds into the game, and it just went downhill from there. The Mighty Believers (0-1) (yes, that was their actual team name at the time), fell behind 7-0 before scoring their first basket 100 seconds into the game. After going to their bench to get the starters some rest following a made free throw, the Dutch went on a 24-0 run spanning six and a half minutes to blow it open. The Mighty Believers managed a few more points, breaking into double digits with a little over five minutes to play in the half, but Hope scored the final 19 points of the stanza to lead 67-11 going into the break. They scored four unanswered to start the second half, surrendered a jumper, and then the floodgates opened as Hope went on an 11 minute, 30-0 run capped by a three that put Hope over the century mark before a three with about seven and a half minutes left snapped the drought. The Dutchmen had a chance to make it a 100 point margin, but after a missed jumper at the end of the shot clock with 32 seconds left resulted in an offensive rebound, they opted to run out the clock and end this affair.

Key Stats

• College of Faith: 6-50 FG (12.0%), 3-14 3PT (16.7%), 5-24 FT (20.8%). I've seen teams shoot poorly before, but never like this. The three point performance I can understand; that's not out of the realm of possibility. But to only make three of your 36 two point shot attempts?! Granted, Hope played stellar defense, but still! The free throw performance is just inexcusable.
• Nate Snuggerud (HOPE): 13-13 (2-2 3PT), 1-2 FT; 29 pts, 11 reb (2 off), 3 stl. If only he had made that second free throw. Even so, a perfect day from the field is impressive, and that he made it a double-double in just 17 minutes of action is icing on the cake.
• Caleb Byers (HOPE): 8-9 FG, 3-6 FT; 19 pts, 3 reb (1 off), 1 ast, 1 blk, 5 stl. For reference: Byers averaged 5.3 points per game in 26 games that season, including 11 starts. But I feel safe assuming he never had a game quite like this one, especially since he did all that damage in just 12 minutes.

Final Thoughts
I've never seen a game like this one. I never will again. That's what makes this one so special. The paid attendance was only 56. Counting players, coaches, officials, and game staff, that makes me one of roughly 100 people who saw this game. I will tell my grandchildren about this game one day, they will think I'm making it up, and I will show them the picture I took of the scoreboard at the end as proof that this actually happened and I was there.

Photo by Robert Kurtycz (Hope Athletic Department)

Hope opened that season ranked #7 in the country according to D3hoops.com. They followed this win up with a loss to North Central, who would go on to a Final Four. The Dutchmen would finish 18-9 overall, losing in the MIAA Championship Game at Calvin. College of Faith, meanwhile, has expanded to multiple locations in the United States. Their uniforms are less intramural-like, but the NCAA has taken a hard look at the school. They have their place, but on a football field or basketball court against NCAA teams in games that count... sadly, no. That means that that game I announced on the afternoon of November 16, 2012 is of the type that will never occur again. It is lost to history, but it will always live on in my memories.

Game Notes: University of Chicago @ North Central College (11/22/15)

Final Score
Chicago 74, NCC 61

Game Summary
The Maroons (2-1) came out guns blazing, staying hot from outside as the Cardinals (1-1) struggled to get anything going offensively. Chicago was able to use its outside presence to open up the inside a little bit, and the Cardinals had trouble at the line, unable to take advantage of Maroon foul trouble, going into the half down 38-21. The Cardinals came out of the locker room strong, but Chicago kept hitting its jump shots to keep the pace. The Cardinals were able to cut the lead to eight, but momentum swung back Chicago's way and they pulled away to seal the win.

Key Stats

• Chicago: 9-26 3PT (34.6%). This number went down thanks to a cold second half, but the Maroons hit seven of their 15 in the first half to make this one theirs from the start.
• Waller Perez (CHI): 6-7 FG (1-2 3PT), 3-4 FT; 16 pts, 6 reb (3 off), 5 ast. Perez was probably their best all around player today, filling the stat sheet all around. He also had a killer and-1 to serve as the dagger.
• Connor Raridon (NCC): 6-10 FG (0-2 3PT), 2-3 FT; 14 pts, 9 reb (5 off), 3 ast, 1 blk. With his first game jitters gone, Connor stepped up and played well. He scored more than he did in the opener, but also got more involved elsewhere. It's a good start and hopefully a good building block.

Tip Off Tournament Watch
Mount Union 74, Chicago 58
This was a very good game that went back and forth in the first half, but the Purple Raiders pulled away in the second half as the Maroons missed 16 second half free throws. JJ Kukura paced the Raiders with 19 points and six rebounds, while Jake Jacubec added 17 points and six boards. Jordan Smith led the Maroons with 21 points while Alex Voss had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

All Tournament Team
Jake Jacubec, Mount Union
JJ Kukura, Mount Union
Jordan Smith, Chicago
Alex Sorenson, NCC
Connor Raridon, NCC

Tournament MVP
Alex Voss, Chicago

Final Thoughts
I'm just going to come right out and say it: the Cardinals did not play well today. It's possible they underestimated Chicago given their game yesterday, it's possible that playing a matinee threw them off... I don't know. Whatever the case, Chicago outplayed and out hustled them pretty much all game. It meant a rock-paper-scissors tie, with point differential apparently going to Mount Union.

The Cardinals go on a three game road trip now, and will return home on December 9th for a date with the defending national champions in Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Game Notes: Maryville College @ North Central College (11/21/15)

Final Score
Maryville 87, NCC 85

Game Summary
The Scots (3-0) jumped out to an early lead a la the Cardinals (1-2) last night, and pressed to an early 13-6 advantage. The Cardinals worked their way back, keeping it around a one or two possession game for most of the first half, but the Scots started to get some shots offensively and took a 45-35 halftime lead into the locker room. North Central started to hit threes in the third quarter to counteract Maryville free throws to narrow the gap to two after three quarters, then took the lead early in the fourth. They led by as many as seven until the shots stopped falling and Maryville took the lead back. The Cardinals had a chance with half a second left following a turnover, but Jamie Cuny missed a shot as time expired and the Scots escaped with the title.

Key Stats

• Mindy Brackins (MVILLE): 11-18 FG (6-10 3PT), 2-4 FT; 30 pts, 4 reb (3 off), 2 ast. Brackins hit all of Maryville's threes in the game, and was a key part of their comeback to win the game. An outstanding tournament for her.
• Maryville: Outrebounded NCC 70-39. This was an underrated part of the game. Maryville got 25 offensive rebounds including a couple at the start of each half to set the tone. This hurt in the long run.
• Paula Zerante (NCC): 3-5 FG (1-2 3PT), 7-8 FT; 14 pts, 7 reb (2 off), 7 ast, 4 stl. Paula has really stepped up the last few games and was all over the place today at both ends of the floor.

North Central System Watch

• Maryville Turnovers: 31. Another high number, with a ton of errant passes. The Cardinals did draw one ten second call in the first half, which would have been a turnover on a steal if they didn't call it, but it was the right call. They also drew a five second call on an inbound. The Cardinals had 14 steals, led by Zerante's four, while Anita Sterlinng added three.
• NCC 3PT: 16-51 (31.4%). Two games in a row the Cardinals have shot very well from deep. They caught fire in the third and early fourth quarter before cooling off again.
• NCC Charges Drawn: 0. Anita didn't get the call on one down low but did get called for a pair of charges. One looked pretty close to the same play she got called for a block on. Alas.

Tip Off Tournament Watch
Bethel 91, Principia 49
The Panthers struggled to shoot, managing just a 33 percent clip against a tough Bethel defense while the Royals shot 50 percent to dominate their second game. Molly O'Toole had 16 points and seven rebounds to pace the Royals, while Hannah Johnson emerged with 14 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. Rachel Perea had 15 points for the Panthers.

All-Tournament Team
Kara Johnson, Principia
Molly O'Toole, Bethel
Mackenzie Puckett, Maryville
Paula Zerante, NCC
Anita Sterling, NCC

Tournament MVP
Mindy Brackins, Maryville

Final Thoughts
My initial thought: this was embarrassing for a home game. The fan support wasn't great, the band was a no-show, and Maryville traveled incredibly well to the tournament this weekend, which I have to give them a ton of credit for.

It was a funky end to a great game, as we had a shot clock controversy that was handled correctly at the table but needed like five minutes worth of discussion to figure out. I'm still not sure what happened. Very weird sequence. May be worth a full blog post later; we'll see.

I'm honestly not shocked the Cardinals are off to a 1-2 start, given their schedule. They played very well tonight, but just couldn't close it out. They hit the road for a couple weeks before coming back on December 8th.

Game Notes: University of Mount Union @ North Central College (11/20/15)

Final Score
NCC 83, Mount Union 68

Game Summary
The Cardinals (1-0) came ready to play out of the gate, surging to an early advantage and forcing an early Purple Raider (1-2) timeout to try to stop the bleeding. It wasn't enough, as the Cardinals continued their surge behind a balanced attack. Mount Union eventually switched from man defense to a 2-3 zone and was able to fight back into the game, but the Cardinals adjusted and carried a 42-27 lead into the locker room. The Cardinals picked right back up where they left off in the second half making great offensive plays and keeping the crowd into it despite a sluggish pace thanks to a ton of fouls. The Raiders played it tough, but the Cardinals bled clock to finish it off as the crowd chanted "Overrated" on the final possession regarding the Raiders' being ranked 7th in the country.

Key Stats

• Alex Sorenson (NCC): 13-27 (0-2 3PT), 1-2 FT; 27 pts, 11 reb (5 off), 1 ast, 3 stl, 2 blk. The sophomore transfer from Northern Michigan proved an excellent successor to the Burchett/Rosenberg duo by dominating the paint with great touch around the basket. He also threw down an alley oop early in the second half to bring the house down.
• Aiden Chang (NCC): 2-5 FG (2-4 3PT), 4-4 FT; 10 pts, 4 reb (1 off), q ast. Chang is a freshman out of the Freeport area and was effective in his first college outing. He's a solid shooter and ball handler off the bench and shot pretty well. There were flashier guys to put in this spot, but I like this kid. Keep an eye on him.
• JJ Kukura (UMU): 11-21 FG (1-5 3PT), 10-10 FT; 33 pts, 11 reb, 1 ast. Talking with the official scorer, he's a guy you love to play with and hate to play against. He dominated offensively and was a pest on both ends, drawing a ton of fouls. 

Final Thoughts
I'm not too sure if the Raiders are that overrated as the crowd suggested, but they were definitely sluggish tonight. They got going later in the game but by then it was too late. The argument could be made them at the officiating was poor, but I think it was mostly consistent. Some calls were debatable, but it went both ways.

He Cardinals are off tomorrow, coming back Sunday to play Chicago for the tournament title. I'll have tomorrow's score between Chicago and Mount Union on Sunday as part of that game's post.

Game Notes: Principia College @ North Central College (11/20/15)

Final Score
NCC 124, Principia 68

Game Summary
It was a quick start for the Cardinals (1-1), who scored the game's first 11 points and remained on fire to lead 42-15 after one quarter. They cooled off a bit in the second half as the Panthers (0-2) started to run on the press and got some layups. The Cardinals wouldn't score for three and half minutes, but kept the lead intact, leading 61-34 at the break. North Central poured it on in the third, continuing the barrage of threes before calling off the press late in the third quarter. They got a Mayson Whipple layup just shy of the buzzer to hit the century mark after three quarters, then transitioned to more of an inside game in the fourth to finish the deal.

Key Stats

• Anita Sterling (NCC): 7-13 FG (6-11 3PT); 20 pts, 7 reb (5 off), 2 ast, 4 stl. Anita was on fire early, hitting five first quarter threes and getting the table excited about possible record breaking, but she fell one triple shy of the school record for a single game.
• Therese Pettersson (NCC): 7-14 FG, 2-2 FT; 16 pts, 10 reb (8 off), 1 ast, 2 stl. T struggled from the floor in the early going but got her bearings as the game went on and started to hit her shots. Strong outing.
• Kara Johnson (Principia): 11-22 FG (1-4 3PT), 1-4 FT; 24 pts, 11 reb (7 off), 3 ast, 1 stl. The Panthers' best player of the night took most of the advantage on her layup opportunities and did some damage on the glass as well. She's probably her school's rep on the All-Tournament Team.

North Central System Watch

• Principia Turnovers: 31. The Cardinals did a ton of damage here, logging 21 steals paced by Sterling's four, while Paula Zerante and Jamie Cuny each had three. The Cardinals also forced a five second in bounding call and pulled off a ten second call thanks to the new clock reset rules.
• NCC 3PT: 25-77 (32.5%). This was a much better outing compared to last week, mainly thanks to that first quarter. They shot 50 threes in the first half before slowing down and being a little more efficient. If they can stay in this range all season, they'll win a ton of games.
• NCC Charges Drawn: 0. Nothing doing in this department, though not for lack of trying. Anita didn't get whistles on a couple, and may have tried to sell one or two as well, but no dice.

Tip Off Tournament Watch
Maryville 65, Bethel 43
I'm not used to such low scoring games. This was a tightly contested and well defended game early, with Maryville up 16-15 after one quarter. Then Bethel went cold, hitting a couple free throws midway through the second quarter and going on a ten minute scoring drought and 17 minutes without a field goal while the Scots took control. Mindy Brackins led all scorers with 21 points for the Scots, Rachel Hawn added 12 and Mackenzie Puckett had 11 points and six assists. Shanni Moorse led the Royals with 12 points.

Final Thoughts
North Central's 124 points ties the school record for points in a game, and their 25 made threes is one shy of the school mark. They had a chance at both marks too, but couldn't cash in. They did, however break the program record for rebounds (82) and assists (31) in a game, as well as field goal attempts (131), the latter falling just three attempts shy of the national record.

North Central will play Maryville for the title tomorrow at 5:00 in what should be a tough battle, while Principia will play Bethel at noon.

2015 North Central College Tip Off Tournament Preview

We have an unusual situation this year. Normally, the weekend before Thanksgiving officially kicks off the Division III basketball season, at least for North Central. The women, however, got an early start in their game against Calvin last Friday. The men's season officially begins today.

I've already previewed the upcoming year for both the men and the women, but I'm doing what I did last year and giving the Tip Off Tournament its own preview. Given the format changes again this year, I think it's needed.

Photo from NCC Athletics Department

The women's tournament is returning to its format from prior years, with North Central playing the 5:00 game on Friday, the Friday losers playing at noon on Saturday while the Friday winners play at 5:00. Last year, NCC played both 5:00 games in an effort to deliver a "championship" game, and it succeeded with a double overtime thriller that saw a couple school records fall. Meanwhile, the men's tournament is changing formats again, but out of necessity this time. The school was unable to secure a fourth team to the tournament, so they and their two guest teams will play a round robin with one game apiece on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Obviously, this could complicate the championship, but last year saw a split championship between North Central and Wisconsin-Whitewater after both teams went 2-0 over the weekend.

The tournament's first day will proceed almost like normal, just with no noon games; the women play back to back this afternoon. There will be a neutral men's game on Saturday in between the two women's games, and the North Central men will play their second game on Sunday to spread things out. Here's a look at the five teams coming to Naperville this weekend.

Game Notes: Bluffton University @ North Central College (11/22/14)

Final Score
NCC 77, Bluffton 61

Game Summary
The Cardinals (2-0) struggled a bit at the outset from the Beavers' (1-3) inside game, but NCC was able to respond and control most of the half, leading 33-26 at the break. NCC came out guns blazing in the second half and opened up a double digit lead. Bluffton never really threatened and NCC walked away victorious.

Key Stats

• Charles Rosenberg (NCC): 7-18 (0-2 3PT), 9-12 FT; 23 pts, 6 reb (1 off), 5 ast. It's good to have him back this year. After leading the team in scoring on Friday, Rosenberg did so again on Saturday. He didn't shoot well from the floor, but he took advantage of his chances at the line, something he'll need to do once we hit CCIW play.
• Kevin Honn (NCC): 5-7 FG (4-5 3PT), 4-5 FT; 18 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl. The Downers Grove native was a key player when I previewed the season, and he lived up to expectations last night. He shot pretty well from three last year and is off to a good start this year, as well as being an inside presence for rebounds. They'll need him if Rosenberg or Jack Burchett get into foul trouble. 
• Thayne Recker (BLF): 9-10 FG, 6-8 FT; 24 pts, 5 reb (3 off). I think Bluffton's season lives and dies with this guy. He did a ton of damage against Whitewater on Friday, and was a problem early for the Cardinals too. Very dominant post player.

Early Game Notes
Wisconsin-Whitewater 95, Trinity International 72. Whitewater let the threes fly early and took a strong early lead, but the Trojans stayed with it for most of the first half. It wasn't until the last couple minutes of halftime that the Warhawks began to pull away, leading 47-32 at the break. The second half really wasn't close, and the Warhawks were able to call off the dogs very late in the contest.

Tournament Awards

All-Tournament Team
Justin Peeples (TIU)

Quardell Young (UWW)

Drew Bryson (UWW)

Thayne Recker (BLF)

Jack Burchett (NCC)

Tournament MVP
Charles Rosenberg (NCC)

Final Thoughts
The Cardinals looked much better tonight compared to yesterday. Even so, Bluffton kept it fairly close for much of the early part of the game. NCC was able to put it away late and looked good doing so. They'll be back on Tuesday to take on rival Aurora University at 7:00.

Game Notes: Millsaps College @ North Central College (11/22/14)

Final Score
NCC 117 Millsaps 115 (2OT)


Game Summary
The Majors (1-2) came out running and got out to an early lead. The Cardinals (2-0) were able to keep within shouting distance for most of the first half, closing it to a one possession game multiple times, but couldn't get over the hump, trailing 52-44 at the break. NCC came out firing, but wasn't able to tie until at 78 all with about five minutes left, then again at 88 with about 90 seconds to go. Maryssa Cladis hit a layup with 16 ticks left, and the Cardinals just missed a game winning three at the buzzer. The teams were balanced throughout overtime, neither team building a commanding lead. NCC had a chance to win but couldn't get a bucket, forcing double overtime. It was tight in double overtime too, but NCC hit enough free throw and overcame enough bad calls to escape with a win.

Key Stats

• Tess Godhardt (NCC): 12-19 FG (1-4 3PT), 15-20 FT; 40 pts, 14 reb (10 off) 3 stl. Tess owned the offensive paint tonight and hit the key free throws to really put the game away. Her 40 points are a school record for a single game.
• Jamie Cuny (NCC): 1-7 FG (all 3PT), 1-2 FT; 4 pts, 13 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 8 blk. Jamie didn't have a great offensive game, but was key to the comeback win on the defensive end. She played the end of regulation and most of the extra time before fouling out late in the second one. Fun note: coming into tonight, the NCC record for blocks in a game is eight... the team record. Cuny got there by herself.
• Samantha Perez (MIL): 5-13 FG, 4-6 FT; 14 pts, 10 reb, 14 ast. Perez was one of the best players all tournament long, and picking up a triple double is a big deal (it doesn't happen often).

North Central System Watch

• Millsaps Turnovers: 31. This seemed lower, but Bluffton did throw it away a ton. The Cardinals picked up a pair of inbounding five second calls late to help this figure. NCC did manage 13 steals, led by Hodhardt's three. 
• NCC 3PT: 13-72 (18.1%). Ick. Most of the looks so far this year have been open, but they aren't falling. Some of them are rushed as well, which doesn't help. This number will go up, I'm sure, but that's a lot of shots. 72 is an NCAA record.
• NCC Charges Drawn: 1. Therese Pettersson drew another, giving her three in two games. Millsaps drew I don't know how many in response. It was ridiculous.

Early Game Notes
St. Mary's 79, Trinity International 36. The Belles bounced back well after last night's loss. Ariana Paul had another double-double (12 points and 11 rebounds) while Gabby Diamond got the start and led her team with 13 points. Arielle Miree led the Trojans with 16 points, including 9-14 from the stripe.

Tournament Awards
All-Tournament Team
Arielle Miree (TIU)

Ariana Paul (SMC)

Miah Brooks (MIL)

Samantha Perez (MIL)

Jamie Cuny (NCC)

Tournament MVP
Tess Godhardt (NCC)

Final Thoughts
First thought: the officiating was not good. Like, really bad. There were a ton of missed calls , but they were missed both ways. NCC was able to step up late to force overtime. That ending... Man. It was a great win, and it was awesome to see the celebration that ensued. NCC comes back home next Saturday to face Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Game Notes: Trinity International University @ North CentralCollege (11/21/14)

Final Score
NCC 81, TIU 64

Game Summary
The Cardinals (1-0) came out strong and slowly built a lead, but the Trojans (1-5) kept it fairly close throughout the first half despite a lot of foul trouble. The lead ballooned bit by bit, growing to as much as 15 before NCC went into the locker room up 42-28, though Jack Burchett left shortly before the buzzer after getting hit in the head. Burchett returned for the second half, which was good, as he helped stem the Trojans coming out of the gate strong. They narrowed the gap to single digits for much of the half. The Cardinals kept ahead thanks to a strong inside game and clutch free throw shooting overall late.

Key Stats

• Jack Burchett (NCC): 9-11 FG, 6-12 FT; 24 pts, 14 reb (5 off), 3 ast, 1 stl. Big Jack was a force of nature. He was in double figures by halftime with nine rebounds, so he didn't get a ton in the second half, but he was the key offensive piece that stopped the bleeding.
• Charles Rosenberg (NCC): 11-14 FG (1-2 3PT), 2-7 FT; 25 pts, 5 reb (1 off), 2 stl, 3 blk. It's good to have Charlie back, though he goes by Charles now. The man was a destructive force in the paint to lead all scorers, though his free throws leave much to be desired. Then again, he hit a three late to drive Merner bonkers, so there's that.
• Justin Peeples (TIU): 4-12 FG (0-5 3PT), 8-12 FT; 16 pts, 2 reb (1 off), 5 ast, 1 stl. Peeples was probably the best guy for the Trojans tonight. He was a major player in keeping them close throughout the second half. He just couldn't knock down the deep ball.

Early Game Notes
Wisconsin-Whitewater 67, Bluffton 46. From what I heard, this was a closer game than the score suggested. Thayne Recker did most of the damage for Bluffton with 25 points and 11 rebounds, but the next leading scorer had six points. The Warhawks had a balanced attack led by Quardell Young (16 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals) and Drew Bryson (11 points).

Final Thoughts
This seemed like a good tuneup for the Cardinals, who were the last CCIW team to start the season. They clearly needed it with the struggles they had for much of the game. Good free throw shooting from freshman Joe Kennell put it away. NCC is back at it tomorrow against Bluffton at 7:30.

Game Notes: St. Mary's College @ North Central College (11/21/14)

Final Score
NCC 100, St. Mary's 84

Game Summary
It was a fairly slow start for the Cardinals (1-0), who missed their first several threes to start the game and the Belles (0-3) took advantage to build an early 9-2 lead. The threes started to drop from there and the press started to force turnovers. A 19-4 run got the Cardinals well in front and helped them stake a 44-33 halftime lead. North Central came out stronger in the second half and pushed the lead to about 20 halfway through. The Belles would narrow the gap to as closets 13 with about five minutes to go, but the Cardinals were able to step up late to put it away.

Key Stats

• Miranda Grizzafi (NCC): 5-11 FG (all 3PT), 1-1 FT; 16 pts, 4 reb (3 off), 1 ast, 1 blk. Miranda got the first triple of the year to kick things off, and was shooting well the rest of the night. She also crashed the offensive glass, giving the Cardinals extra chances.
• Jamie Cuny (NCC): 5-15 FG (3-11 3PT), 1-2 FT; 14 pts, 9 reb (1 off), 1 ast, 2 stl, 4 blk. The U of I-Springfield transfer and Naperville native had a good first game, launching plenty of shots from outside, but she also provided good interior defense and reach on the press. She hit a layup with 10 seconds left to hit the century mark. 
• Ariana Paul (SMC): 9-13 FG, 2-4 FT; 20 pts, 20 reb (4 off), 2 ast, 2 STL, 1 blk. As is the case with NCC's system, opposing forwards typically score a lot, but a 20-20 game doesn't happen that often. She did have five turnovers however, which didn't help.

North Central System Watch

• SMC Turnovers: 42. The Belles turned it over 28 times in the first half, obviously struggling with the pressure. Every player who saw time save one had at least one giveaway. NCC did force one ten second call, and 21 of the turnovers came on NCC steals; Bobbi Johns led the team with four, while Mayson Whipple had three.
• NCC 3PT: 16-67 (23.9%). The NCAA record for attempts is 68, so they fell just short, but did set a program record. After missing a bunch to start, the Cardinals finished 7-35 at the break. The second half was better (9-32), but still not a great start. Most of the shots were open looks, so I imagine those will fall as the season goes on.
• NCC Charges Drawn: 4. This is a new feature I'm adding this year. I told Coach Roof before the season started that this should be an official stat. I've been a proponent of this since my days at Aurora Christian, where charges were kept as an official stat at least until 2010 (I'm not sure with the new regime if it still is). I didn't catch who, but they drew a pair in the first half. Therese Pettersson drew a pair early in the second half before fouling out.

Early Game Notes
Millsaps 55, Trinity International 31. Trinity did hold some early leads, but the Majors were in control most of the contest. Kala Freeman led the way with 16 points and six rebounds, while Sam Perez had a great floor game (9 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals). Amari Parham led the Trojans with 11 points, but has seven of TIU's 27 turnovers.

Final Thoughts
Fun officiating notes tonight: NCC was assessed an early technical. They had a player wearing a wrong jersey in the book, which is a two-shot tech. But apparently, you can only get assessed one per game. We learned this when we caught a second one in the second half. Also, apparently it's now against the rules for a player to step out of bounds and touch the ball right away once you're back in bounds.

Overall, not the best start, but a win is a win. NCC will plays Millsaps for the title tomorrow night at 5:00.

Chicago Marriott Naperville Tipoff Tournament Preview

I'm officially on my weekend from my day job, though in the grand scheme of things, it's not much of a "weekend", as I'm working. Two days. Eight games. A total of probably 10 hours in a gym exercising my vocal cords. And I love every second of it.

North Central has hosted a basketball tournament the weekend before Thanksgiving every year since I can remember (so, 2007 when I first became aware, though the NCC Athletics website traces the tournament's history back to at least 2000). It gets both the men's and women's teams involved early enough, though I wish more people were aware of how entertaining the NCC women's team is. But there's a title drought for both teams, as the women haven't won since a 2008 double overtime thriller against St. Ambrose, and the men missed out on a chance to threepeat last year.

The women's tournament changed formats this year. Back in the day, the first day of games would determine who played when on the second day, where the consolation games took place in the early part of the day, followed by the title games. For a couple years, the men's tournament has had predetermined matchups where NCC gets the 7:30 game both nights. The women are switching to a similar format this year, so they will play at 5:00 on both days. The past couple years, this format has worked to deliver de facto championship games in the later time slots, but of course, upsets can happen.

So before the tournament tips off tomorrow at noon, here's a look at the non-NCC squads making the trip to Naperville.

Women's Tournament

Millsaps College (Jackson, MS)
2013-14: 17-9 (10-4 SAA), Lost SAA Semifinal
Nov. 21: vs Trinity International; Nov. 22: vs NCC
The Majors come into the tournament never having made the trek up to Naperville, much less ever having faced the Cardinals in basketball before. Millsaps features three seniors and a defense that allowed only 56.5 points per game last season. The key people to watch out for are senior point guard Samantha Perez (12.1 PPG on 44% shooting, plus 5.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game) and senior sniper Velvet Johnson (led the 2013-14 Majors with 15.4 PPG on 40.5% shooting, including 38.8% from deep), though sophomore Kala-Jewel Freeman provides an excellent presence down low (47.5% shooting to reach 10.5 PPG, plus a steal and over half a block per game). as does junior Miah Brooks (only 8.2 PPG, but shot 59.3% from the floor and adds an interior defensive presence as well). There's a lot of youth on this team, but only a couple freshmen. They've been around the block a few times, and should pose a challenge on Saturday.

Trinity International University (Deerfield, IL)
2013-14: 3-24 (0-18 CCAC)
Nov. 21: vs Millsaps; Nov. 22 vs St. Mary's
This trip is a first for the Trinity women, who play at the NAIA level. There's some confusion with their 13-14 schedule, as I count 4 wins, but whatever; that's last year. The Trojans lost their top three scorers from 2013-14, which means sophomore JaToya Woods will have to step up her game after averaging nine points a game last year but only shooting 30% from the floor. This team shot poorly from deep (just shy of 26%) in 2013-14, and will need to rely on players like sophomore point guard Arielle Miree (4.7 PPG, 32% from deep) to pick up the slack. The Trojans will also need to rely on some inexperienced players in the post; junior Asja Triplett did not play in 2013-14, though they picked up a 5'11" guard from my alma mater in Sara Childers, and Aurora Christian's girls team has taken a turn of respectability.


St. Mary's College (Notre Dame, IN)
2013-14: 7-18 (5-11 MIAA), Missed MIAA Tournament
Nov. 21: vs NCC; Nov. 22 vs Trinity International
The Cardinals made the trip to Indiana last year to take on the Saints and won a 90-89 thriller. That narrowed the all-time series gap to 3-2 in favor of the Saints, and Friday night might see that get tied. The Saints will have to move on without last year's leading scorer Shanlynn Bias (14.7 PPG), so most of their 2014-15 offense will probably rely on a pair of 5'10" forwards who were right behind Bias last year. Senior Ariana Paul is a double-double threat (13.9-8.1, 42% shooting) and junior Krista Knapke is right up there with her (11.0-7.4, 44% shooting). Both of them struggle with free throws, however (Paul shot 65.6%, Knapke 51.8%), so the Cardinals will have some leeway here. Junior Eleni Shea will also have to step up down low after averaging about nine points a game last year. I'm not sure what to expect in terms of guard play; the Saints attempted a total of 80 threes all season last year, hitting 23. I'll be interested to see how they handle North Central's press.

Men's Tournament

Bluffton University (Bluffton, OH)
2013-14: 10-15 (6-12 HCAC); Missed HCAC Tournament
Nov. 21: vs Wisconsin-Whitewater; Nov. 22: vs NCC
The Beavers are 2-2 all time against NCC, and that tie will be broken on Saturday. Two of Bluffton's four leading scorers are gone, but there are still some key pieces that return for the 2014-15 campaign. Thayne Recker brings the interior attack (13.6 PPG on 63% shooting, plus 6.8 RPG) while Billy Taflinger strikes from the perimeter (10.5 PPG on 42% shooting, but went 12-51 from deep last year. Senior Ryan Ebbeskotte is the floor general who averaged 8.1 points and 4.4 assists per game last year while shooting just shy of 35% from three, and senior Brock Homier is a deadlier deep weapon (37.7% from outside) who will get more time this year.

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks (Whitewater, WI)
2013-14: 29-4 (13-3 WIAC); Won NCAA D-III National Championship
Nov. 21 vs Bluffton; Nov. 22 vs Trinity International
Ah, my old nemesis. Whitewater completed the rare trifecta last year, winning a national title in all three major men's sports. They've also historically had the Cardinals' number; they are 8-1 all time against NCC. However, the most recent meeting went to the Cardinals when they bounced the then-defending champs from the NCAA Tournament. At the time I started writing this, the schedule was set so Whitewater would play NCC on Saturday. For whatever reason, that changed, and the Warhawks now play TIU on Saturday. Whitewater's roster for this season isn't available yet, but the Warhawks lost four seniors to graduation. One piece they didn't lose was leading scorer KJ Evans (17.3 PPG on 51.9% shooting, including 36.6% from outside). Quardell Young is another major piece that returns (10.7 PPG on 54.3% shooting, including 43.2% from outside). Most of the starting frontcourt left, so that leaves guys like Steve Egan (5.4 PPG on 52.6% shooting in about 12.6 minutes a game) to pick up the slack, plus whatever youth they brought in this year.

Trinity International University
2013-14: 5-25 (3-16 CCAC)
Nov. 21: vs NCC; Nov. 22: vs Wisconsin-Whitewater
The Trojans are playing in the Tip Off Tournament for the second straight year after taking third place in the 2013 edition (they lost badly to DePauw before righting the ship against Valor Christian). They've never faced the Cardinals before, but get to in NCC's season opener. An amazing five of the top six scorers from last year's team return. Senior center Nate Ball led the way in 2013-14 (12.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG, shot 49% from the floor; in the 2013 tournament, scored 14 of his 16 points and pulled down 11 of his 13 rebounds in the win over Valor Christian), while German sophomore Thomas Amrine was the team's main sniper (11.9 PPG, shot 42.7% from three last year; scored 19 against Valor after getting shut out by DePauw in the 2013 tournament). Justin Peeples (10.0 PPG, 2.7 APG; two points and three assists total in the 2013 tournament, though he only played eight minutes in the Valor win) and Sam Salem (9.3 PPG, 3.2 APG; had three rebounds and one assist in the DePauw loss before bouncing back with 12 points and eight assists in the win over Valor) provide a good balance of scoring and distribution. They have a very tough task ahead of them this year in facing a pair of really good D-III programs.

I'll have writeups for all of the NCC games, plus bonus material on the early games each day. With Saturday's posts, I'll also list the All-Tournament Teams and Tournament MVPs as we really get basketball season kicked off in a big way.