Western Illinois, Year 9, 2015-16 season

Welcome back to the Western Illinois Leathernecks’ chase for immortality in ‘College Hoops 2K8.’ If you’re new here, check out the About page on this website for an introduction to the series and results from previous seasons. Before we get to Year 9, let’s recap what happened last season.

• We won the national fucking championship.

Hang the banner!

Banner from @Winter_Ben.

The goal of this project was to win a national championship with Western Illinois while simulating every game + doing the recruiting. Now that we’ve accomplished that, what’s next?

I think the answer is easy: to turn Western Illinois into the greatest college basketball program of all-time

Before you laugh, ask yourself: what was Duke before Coach K? What was UCLA before John Wooden? What was Gonzaga before Mark Few?

One championship is nice, but a dynasty is better. That’s what we’re hoping to build at Western Illinois. Onward to Year 9.

Year 9

Here’s a look at the roster:

There are some tough decisions we have to make at the onset of the season. What position should Willis play? Do we redshirt my star recruit Draughan or let him ball out as a true freshman? Do we dare redshirt Willis to maximize my roster for next year?

Great questions, all of them. Eventually I settle on a lineup and a rotation. Let’s run through the starters real quick:

• PG Armein Amous, redshirt sophomore: Averaged 3.1 minutes per game last season. While he doesn’t have great size (5’11) or explosiveness, he is the rated as the best passer (81 overall) and ball handler (88 overall) on the team. Former No. 155 recruit with C+ potential. He projects as a three-year starter.

• SG Lubos Hatten, redshirt sophomore: Came off the bench as a true freshmen before being hit with a controversial redshirt last year. Former No. 66 overall recruit with B- potential. Projects as arguably our top scoring option this season. He also checks all the boxes for being super cool: headband, high socks, No. 23, best dunk rating (82) on the team. This dude truly has it all, and I can’t wait to unleash him this season.

• SF Phil Powell, redshirt sophomore: Last year’s March Madness hero gets a starting spot this season. Powell was already huge for a small forward, and he’s gotten bigger over the offseason: he’s now listed at 6’10, 250 pounds. Despite being the size of an NBA center, Powell has the skill set of a guard. He’s rated a competent 77 in three important categories: ball handling, passing, and shooting. Former No. 103 recruit with A- potential. He’s already projected as a second rounder in this year’s draft. If he comes back to school next year, he could eventually grow into one of the best players in the country.

• PF Ira Willis, senior: The lone returning starter from last year. He projects as a classic stretch four as the top-rated three-point shooter (84) on the team. He also has the best low post offense + low post defense rating on the team, while being a 90-overall as a rebounder on both ends of the floor. Former No. 82 overall recruit with C+ potential.

• C Burton Ballinger, redshirt junior: Enters the starting lineup after being the sixth man on our national title team last year. I think he’s poised for a huge junior season. He’s awesome defensively, with a 89 rating in blocks and an 80 rating in steals. Former No. 217 recruit with B potential. I just noticed he’s projected as a first round pick! Shit. We want him back for his fifth year but support his dreams if he wants to turn pro.

Joseph Bowens will be our sixth man (83 overall) as a 6’9, 262 pound power forward with a solid face-up game. I’m hoping the game will let him play backup minutes at the three as well, because he’s a capable shooter (73 three-point rating). Redshirt sophomore center Jordi Geli Holden will be the seventh man, with Ljubisa Copeland as the first guard off the bench. I decide to redshirt point guard Nikola Stockman as a sophomore, as he’s our worst scholarship player at 73 overall. That means we need one more guard to fill out the rotation.

Let’s go over the freshmen real quick.

• Bert Draughan: 78 overall, C+ potential. This is the big fish in our recruiting class as the No. 29 overall player. I went back and forth on letting play or redshirting him, but we decide to go with the redshirt because I think Bowens can handle backup small forward minutes and there’s a chance Draughan stays five years because his potential rating isn’t all that high. He’s going to be a stud in a few years and will ultimately replace Powell whenever he decides to turn pro.

• Ime Terrell: 76 overall, B- potential. 6’2 shooting guard looks like a monster defender and has 92 speed. Only rated a 72 rating in three-point shooting, but we can work on that. We decide to let him play this season, and will likely redshirt him next year. Was the No. 78 overall recruit.

• Najeeb Goode: 75 overall, C potential. I thought this guy was supposed to be a dope shooter? My scouting must have been wrong on that because he’s only rated as a 59 in three-point shooting. Former No. 114 recruit. We’re redshirting him and plan to let him eventually replace Bowens in the lineup.

• Trevor Hoyer: 74 overall, C potential. Looks like he’ll be a solid five-year big man. Former No. 212 recruit. He’s getting a redshirt.

I only have one available scholarship this year. I need a point guard. My thought is we might as well go after a five-star prospect early because there will always be a decent three-star point guard around late if we miss out. Let’s hope this national title run helps us in recruiting.

After assessing the top lead guards, I decide to visit Boris Pleick, No. 17 overall, from Savanah, Georgia, and Billy Assel, No. 25 overall, from Indianapolis. A week later, I give Assel the scholarship offer.

This would be my first five-star recruit from the high school ranks if I can land him. I also load up my target list with four- and three-star point guards as backup plans if we miss out.

We’re rated as a 92 overall, but in a lot of ways this feels the year before the year. I hope I’m wrong. Time to see where these guys are at.

Western Illinois @ No. 25 Tennessee

Let’s start out this championship defense on the right foot. The Volunteers are rated a 95 overall.

Could a win push me into the top-25 for the first time in program history?

Man, big L, 91-70. Deke Van isn’t walking through that door (but you can still buy a t-shirt). We actually had a first half lead, too. What the hell happened? Also, look at Terrell in his first game as a true frosh: 9 points in five minutes on perfect shooting. We turned the ball over 19 freaking times, which just isn’t going to cut it.

Two days later, we play Illinois. Now that we have this ‘ship, can we show that we’re the top program in the state? The Illini are rated as an 88-overall.

Damn, another L, 71-65. We shot 5-of-18 from three and lost the battle of the boards 32-26. Powell, WYD? Next game is @ Iowa. Can we finally get a win?

Oh yeah, 95-78! First dub of the year. Huge game for Hatten (21 points, eight rebounds) and Willis (22 points). We turn the ball over 17 times to 10 for the Hawkeyes, but still blow them out.

Now we have the national championship rematch vs. Kansas. The Jayhawks enter as the No. 1 team in the country. As I stated when we played Michigan State in the regular season last year, you get a coaching bonus point for beating the No. 1 team. Can we do it? KU is a 98 overall. LET’S GO.

Ahhhh, two-point loss. Why are walk-ons Green and Benjamin getting minutes?? That isn’t supposed to happen and I’m not sure what I can do about it.

We beat Creighton, 84-70, the next game behind 25 points from Willis. Next up: the two early conference games we have every year. We win a close game against the second best team in the Summit, Southern Utah (Ballinger: 22 points), and blow out Fort Wayne (Hatten: 20 points).

As signing period comes and goes, we have a big lead for Assel, but he’s only at 83 percent interest. His No. 1 priority is feeling wanted, which we should check with an early offer. His No. 2 priority is playing at a big program, which we do not check. So, we’ll see how that goes. Meanwhile, Pleick signs with NC State, so I’m glad I didn’t chose to go after him.

Now I have Kentucky @ Rupp. They’re No. 7 in the polls and rated as a 96 overall.

Big win! I did not expect an 88-63 blowout at all. Maybe this team does have what it takes to compete against the top teams in America? Ballinger with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. Willis with 24 points and four steals. My point guard Amous with 15 points, eight assists and five rebounds as well. Hell yeah.

We’re 5-3 right now, and have one more set of games before we enter conference season. It’s an in-season tournament that begins with a matchup against lowly American.

WHAT

HOW did that happen? They were rated a 73 overall! We are 20 points better!!! Look at how bad this roster is. This is the team that just out-rebounded us 37-23. Man. Maybe this team doesn’t have what it takes. Giovanni Nelke, where are you?

We get a consolation game in the tournament against Long Beach State and beat them. Who cares. We’re 6-4 entering conference play and it feels like we won’t have a chance at an at-large bid.

On the recruiting front, IU is really sneaking up on Assel. Ugh. Most of my original backup plans are off the board by this point, too. I guess I just have to hope they don’t offer him.

We start off hot in conference play, winning our first four games by an average of about 35 points. Hatten drops 31 on South Dakota State. Hatten drops 23 on IUPUI.

We’re undefeated in conference with three weeks left. IU has passed me in interest for Assel, even though I’m at 100 percent, and even though they haven’t offered!

We close out conference play with my 200th career win, which gets me a coaching point. The regular season is over, and we have again gone a perfect 18-0 in Summit League play. We enter the conference tournament at 22-4 overall.

Hatten leads the team in scoring at 15.2 PPG.

Man, this team just strokes from three: Hatten hits 42.7 percent, Willis hits 43 percent, Powell hits 45 percent, even Bowens hit 48.2 percent (!) of his 29 attempts from deep. Shooters everywhere. I’m starting to talk myself into this team being dangerous.

Another bit of end-of-season news is that Ballinger has fallen to a projected second rounder. Unfortunate for my boy, but hopefully he stays next year when we’re more primed for a deep tournament run.

Summit League tournament

IUPUI is our opponent in the opening round.

Win win, 77-43. Ballinger with 23 points to lead the way. Fort Wayne next in the semifinals.

We win, 93-67. Six players in double figures for scoring, led by 19 points from Hatten.

Now we have Oral Roberts in the title game. They’re 19-11 on the year and ranked as a pretty solid 78 overall. Need this win. Need it!

omg we lost.

OMG, we lost

We were 20-0 in conference before this game. We turn the ball over 18 times and let them shoot 12-of-31 from three. I can’t believe it. We got straight up smoked in the second half.

Is this really how our championship defense ends? Can we possibly get an at-large bid 24-5 overall?

Somehow we get in as a No. 9 seed.

Oh my. Our opponent is … Ole Miss! The same team we started the tournament run against last year!

You may remember that the Rebels missed a wide open at the buzzer that would have beat us. They don’t look quite as talented last year.

We are clearly the better team. In fact, we’re only rated one point worse overall than last year when we went all the way. I’m starting to get excited.

Let’s check in on the roster real quick:

I really like the squad. Point guard was supposed to be our problem area, but Amous has come along nicely. Our first few options off the bench are super solid, and we’ll have even more depth next year when the redshirts come off our current freshmen class.

Oh baby. Let’s do this.

No. 9 Western Illinois vs. No. 8 Ole Miss, NCAA tournament opening round, 2016

As always, we’re watching this game and not playing it.

Can’t wait to see how the new guys perform under the spotlight. Let’s go!

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

Ahhhhhhh! What a game for Hatten: 32 points on 9-of-18 shooting from three. Ballinger is so tight, too: the assists! the blocks! the scoring efficiency! The Hatten-Powell-Ballinger trio is super dope. Hopefully Willis can find his shot next round, too.

Did I experience a brief moment of terror when Ole Miss let go that deep three to tie the game at the buzzer? Maybe. Also, why weren’t they fouling on my final possession to extend the game?

Huge win. And my reward for that victory is a date with top-seeded Alabama.

No. 9 Western Illinois vs. No. 1 Alabama, NCAA tournament round of 32, 2016

I love this alternate reality where Alabama is a basketball school. The Tide enter as a 98 overall. Their roster is deep and talented across every position.

Man, we usually have a front court advantage against most teams, but not this time. Nothing but respect for the roster the Tide as built.

I still believe we have a chance to compete. We’re going to need to limit turnovers and hit a bunch of threes. Who wants to be the hero?

As I stated last week, I’m going to start doing live streams when we make the Sweet 16. With stakes this high and our championship defense on the line, I decide to record the entire game.

Please, enjoy 53 minutes of simulated video game college basketball. Let’s go!

***

***

***

***

***

***

Well, shit. That was a major second half collapse.

The thing that upsets me the most is the minutes allocation for my starting backcourt. Is it that hard to rotate Copeland in at both backcourt spots, Willis and Bowens at both forward spots, and put in Terrell for a few minutes to get our guards a breather? Amous and Hatten are supposed to play 31 or 32 minute each, not 37 or 38. I think they just ran out of gas.

My takeaway from that game is I might need to adjust the rotation for games we’re actually watching. Something to think about next year.

Good run. We’ll be back.

Offseason

• Wisconsin wins the national title as a No. 4 seed.

• Willis graduates, but Ballinger and Powell both return to school. Willis leaves school with 1,015 career points, 509 career rebounds, 51.8/42.6/80.0 career shooting splits, and one national championship ring. What a legend.

• I earned two attribute points. We boost offense and defense, making me a B+ in both categories.

• I also make a major addition to the coaching staff by hiring Kendrick Porter. Big upgrade in offense, defense, scouting, and (most importantly) teaching, where he’s a B+.

And on the first day of spring recruiting, I land Assel. My first five-star high school prospect!

His numbers don’t look amazing, but this is still a great get.

Now it’s time to set my schedule. I’m tempted to go with a bunch of cupcakes and try for the undefeated 40-0 season … but I’m worried it will come back to haunt me in March if we don’t test this team early. Instead, I decided to schedule all Big Ten schools.

I am so ready for this year.

Year 10

Here’s a first look at the roster:

To be continued

Back on Monday or Tuesday, probably.