The Carthage College men's basketball team (3-2, 0-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked 18th in the Nov. 30 “D3hoops.com” poll, plays host to the seventh annual CCIW/MIAA Men's Basketball Classic on Friday-Saturday, Dec. 3-4 at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.
On Friday, Dec. 3, Calvin College (3-2) plays No. 21 Wheaton College (Ill., 4-1) at 6 p.m., followed by Carthage versus No. 49 Hope College (1-2) at 8 p.m. On Saturday, Dec. 4, Hope takes on Wheaton (Ill.) at 1 p.m., with Carthage playing Calvin at 3 p.m.
Looking at Hope College: Matt Neil, in his first year, guides the Hope College Flying Dutchmen. Neil replaced Glenn Van Wieren, who retired after the 2009-10 season with a 660-219 record over 33 season at Hope. Last year's team went 21-8 and finished second to Calvin College in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association with an 11-3 mark. The Flying Dutchmen lost to St. Norbert College, 72-65, in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship. This year's team, tied for 49th place in the Nov. 30 “D3hoops.conm” poll, brings a 1-2 mark into Friday's Carthage game after defeating Aquinas College, 92-69, on Saturday in the consolation game of the Grand Rapids Hall of Fame Classic. Carthage leads the Hope series, which dates to 1980, 6-2, with the Red Men winning last year's game, 83-77 in overtime, at Hope's DeVos Field House.
Looking At Calvin College: Kevin Vande Streek (286-114, 15 years at Calvin/379-194, 20 years overall thru Dec. 2) coaches the Calvin College Knights, who went 19-9 last year won the MIAA title with a 12-2 record. Calvin lost out on an NCAA berth after falling to Hope, 78-74, in the title game of the MIAA Men's Basketball Tournament. This year's team brings a 3-2 record into Friday's game with Wheaton College (Ill.) after winning the Grand Rapids Hall of Fame Classic with an 81-76 decision over Cornerstone College. Calvin leads the Carthage series, which began with the 2004 CCIW/MIAA Classic, 4-2, and the Knights won last year's contest, 72-69, at Hope's DeVos Field House.
Looking at Wheaton College (Ill.): Mike Schauer (23-10, 2 years at Wheaton/169-103, 11 years overall thru Dec. 2) coaches the Wheaton College (Ill.) Thunder, who went 19-9 last year (10-4, 2nd tie CCIW). Wheaton (Ill.) fell to Texas-Dallas, 63-62, in the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship after defeating the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor, 73-58, in a first-round game. The Thunder, ranked 21st in the Nov. 30 “D3hoops.com” poll, bring a 4-1 mark into the CCIW/MIAA Classic after upending at the University of Chicago, 95-67, on Wednesday night.
