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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010 DECATUR, ILLINOIS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
AUTO RACING The Associated Press
Millikin basketball teams will have to prove themselves H&R staff report
The Millikin women’s basketball team returns all five starters from a year ago, but the CCIW coaches are taking a wait-and-see approach to what that means for this season. The Millikin men are nearly the opposite of the Big Blue women and will have Kerans to prove themselves through a rigorous schedule. Both coaches got a chance to talk about their teams on Thursday and see just how they stack up with the rest of the league. For the women, the Big Blue were picked to finish third in the preseason poll of league coaches. Illinois Wesleyan was picked to win its fourth straight CCIW title while Carthage was
voted second and took three of the first-place votes. The Millikin men finished last in the poll. Carthage was a pick to repeat as champions while Illinois Wesleyan was voted second. The preseason rankings by www.d3hoops.com have those teams reversed. Wesleyan is No. 4 in the nation with Carthage at No. 5. Augustana is at No. 24 by d3hoops, and Wheaton just missed the top 25. That kind of talent plus a young group has Millikin coach Marc Smith realistic about his team’s chances this season — especially about the start. “I think we’ll be able to compete as in years past, but it’s going to take a little while for these young players to figure things out,” he said. “We’ve lost a lot of experience over the past three seasons and it will show through
SPORTS B7
the first half of the season.” The Millikin roster will include just two seniors and one junior. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Smith likes the offensive potential more than he did any of his previous groups. “This is the season to switch things up and implement a more up-tempo offense,” Smith said. “I’m confident that our players will pick it up and make it their own.” The Big Blue women will have experience on their side, led by all-conference performer Elise Wildman. Crystal Zeigler, Beth Wellbaum, Cecily Aldridge and Julia Robert each started at least 21 games and will give coach Lori Kerans the steady hands needed as she also implements a more up-tempo offense. “The year of experience and cohesion gained from
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last season is valuable; however, every season begins anew,” Kerans said. “This team, returners and new student-athletes alike, must work every day to learn and compete at her highest level.” It won’t be easy to crack the top couple teams. As if Wesleyan wasn’t loaded enough with returning players like Olivia Lett and Hope Schulte, coach Mia Smith let on that her freshman class is dangerously good. “In my opinion, they are as talented as the senior group I have now. They just lack the college game experience,” Smith said. “If they can stay healthy and achieve the same type of team chemistry the seniors have, I believe we will have an NCAA contending team for the next four years. Seriously, talent-wise, (it’s) one of the best classes we have ever recruited.”
Site: Talladega, Ala. Schedule: Today, practice (Speed, 1-3:30 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.); Sunday, race, noon (ESPN2, noon-1 p.m., ESPN, noon-4 p.m.). Track: Talladega Superspeedway Last year: Jamie McMurray snapped an 86-race winless streak, capturing a race that ended under caution after Mark Martin went flipping across the track in a two-lap sprint to the finish. Last week: Denny Hamlin raced to series-leading seventh victory of the season and third straight at Martinsville Speedway. Hamlin is second in the season standings, six points behind four-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson. Martin was second, and Kevin Harvick finished third. Fast facts: The race is the seventh of 10 Chase events. ... Harvick is third in the standings, 62 points behind Johnson. Harvick won at the track in April, passing McMurray on the last of 12 extra laps.
Wheeling through the weekend Trucks Mountain Dew 250 Site: Talladega, Ala. Schedule: Today, practice (Speed, 9 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 3:30-5 p.m.); Saturday, race, 3 p.m. (Speed, 2-5:30 p.m.). Track: Talladega Superspeedway Last year: Kyle Busch raced to the sixth of his seven 2009 series victories, passing Todd Bodine just before the finish with bump-drafting help from Billy Ballew teammate Aric Almirola. Last week: Ron Hornaday Jr. won for the first time at Martinsville, passing Busch with three laps to go and holding him off in overtime. The 52-year-old Hornaday has two victories this year and a record 47 overall. Fast facts: Bodine leads secondplace Almirola by 282 points with four races left. Bodine has three victories this year. ... Busch leads the series with five victories. ... Ken Schrader is making his final start of the season for Kevin Harvick Inc.
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STANDINGS: Week 8
Northwestern Iowa Illinois
Mark Tupper Executive Sports Editor
Michigan Ohio State
WEEK 9 GAMES Saturday, October 30th
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4-1 5-0 4-1 4-1 4-1 5-0 4-1 4-1 5-0
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51-8 50-9 50-9 50-9 50-9 49-10 49-10 48-11 41-18
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Every Friday, area advertisers have been matching their skills against Herald & Review’s Executive Sports Editor Mark Tupper in predicting the outcome of BIG TEN football games. We invite you to follow along as they take on the Tupper Challenge.