On The Horizon

Jim Squire

Explosive Second Half Drives Bulldogs Past Christian Brothers, 83-40--Dawgnet News
Bulldogs Overpower Lady Bucs 83-40--GoBUCSGo.com
Explosive Second Half Drives Bulldogs Past Christian Brothers, 83-40--ButlerSports.com

Butler cracks AP Top 25--MICentralSports.com
HAYWARD NAMED HL PLAYER OF THE WEEK--THE unOFFICIAL BUTLER BULLDOGS MEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE
Gordon Hayward Named Horizon League Player of the Week--Dawgnet News
#25 Bulldogs End Holiday Break Against UAB--ButlerSports.com
Gordon Hayward Named Horizon League Player of the Week--ButlerSports.com

CSU's Cole feels he's right at home--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Vikings Hit Road For Horizon League Play--The Fan Home of the Cleveland State Vikings
Vikings Continue League Play At Wright State--csuvikings.com

Bulls Fall to Cleveland State, 75-48--UBAthletics.com
Garland, Klein Lead Vikings Past Buffalo, 75-48--csuvikings.com

College basketball matchup: UW-Milwaukee at UIC--The Chicago Tribune
Men's Basketball Hosts Milwaukee This Tuesday Night--uicflames.com

Women's Basketball Collides With New Mexico State In San Diego--uicflames.com

College basketbal matchup: Alcorn State at Loyola--The Chicago Tribune
Ramblers Continue Homestand By Hosting Alcorn State On Tuesday--LoyolaRamblers.com

Women’s basketball: Maturity helping Harty’s game--Green Bay Press Gazette
Women's basketball: DePaul takes over down stretch, tops UWGB--Green Bay Press Gazette
Phoenix Weekly Sports Report - Dec. 29-Jan. 4--uwgbathletics.com
Second Half Propels Blue Demons Past Green Bay--DePaulBlueDemons.com
Big Shots Late Lift DePaul Over Women's Basketball--uwgbathletics.com
Men's basketball: Tonight's UWGB vs. Western Michigan preview--Green Bay Press Gazette

Panthers fly under the radar--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Three things to watch--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Panthers Close Out 2008 At Marquette Wednesday--uwmpanthers.com

VU can catch its breath against North Park--The Post-Tribune
North Park could present a challenge for Crusader men--The NWI Times
Valpo Looks to Bounce Back against North Florida--valpoathletics.com

Kenney's monster effort not enough for VU--The Post-Tribune
Crusader women lose to La Salle--The NWI Times
La Salle Rallies in Second Half for Victory--GoExplorers.com
Valpo Falls to La Salle in First Round of Christmas City Classic--valpoathletics.com
Valpo Looks to Bounce Back against North Florida--valpoathletics.com

Wright State's Gardner a pleasant surprise--Dayton Daily News
Preview: Wright State (6-7) vs. Cleveland State (10-4)--Dayton Daily News
Getting ready--Mark Katz's Blog

Davis leads Wright State women to victory--Dayton Daily News
Late Comeback Falls Short for IPFW--GoMastodons.com
Women Hold On for Win Over IPFW--wsuraiders.com

YSU ready for Horizon--Youngstown Vindicator
Youngstown St. pulls to 81-60 win over Lock Haven--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Bald Eagles fall to YSU 81-60--Lock Haven University Athletics
Liles' Double-Double Paves Way For 81-60 Win Over Lock Haven--ysusports.com

Penguins Play at Toledo Tuesday to Start Busy Week--ysusports.com

Hayward named Men's Basketball Player of the Week--The Horizon League
Men's Basketball Scoreboard -- Dec. 29--The Horizon League

UIC's Jasmine Bailey Named Women's Basketball Player of the Week--The Horizon League
Women's Basketball Scoreboard -- Dec. 29--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

Titans First 2009 Home Game Will Be a "Free for All"--detroittitans.com

Second-Half Comeback Falls Short Against San Diego--uicflames.com

Weekly Panthers report--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Moore leads No. 10 Purdue past Valparaiso--MICentralSports.com
Riddell, defense sparks Purdue--Journal and Courier
Reserve Riddell keys Boilers--The Post-Tribune
NWI Boilers have no excuses--The Post-Tribune
Valparaiso improving despite not winning--The Post-Tribune
Live from Mackey Arena: Valparaiso at Purdue (Crusaders edition)--Off The Mark
Leftovers from Valparaiso-Purdue--Off The Mark
Purdue star Hummel unfazed by VU ties--The NWI Times
VU men's hoops player Diebler 'nose' scoring--The NWI Times
Wrapping up Purdue--Inside VU Sports
Brandon McPherson Update--Inside VU Sports
Riddell was born to be a Boilermaker--The NWI Times
No. 10 Boilermakers Beat Valporaiso 59-45--PurdueSports.com
Crusaders Hang Tough, Eventually Succumb to #10/15 Purdue--valpoathletics.com

VU seeks 2nd tourney title--The Post-Tribune
No shortage of interesting stories in '08--The Post-Tribune

-- Roll out the red carpet for VU's women's basketball team. The Crusaders knocked off Purdue for the first time, then nearly doubled their pleasure against Notre Dame less than 72 hours later. Both opponents were ranked at the time, making the memorable week in December the most significant in Coach Keith Freeman's 15 years at the helm.

Injuries could affect Crusader women's hoops team--The NWI Times

YSU teams hoping to play better--Youngstown Vindicator

Men's Basketball Scoreboard -- Dec. 28--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

Vikings enjoy a hoops holiday with lopsided victory over Notre Dame College, 91-40--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Xmas exhibition--NotreDameFalcons.com
Vikings Demolish Notre Dame College 91-40--csuvikings.com

Women's Basketball Falls to Canisius in New York--detroittitans.com

Read Josh Mayo's Interview With Sporting News--uicflames.com

Women's Basketball Faces San Diego In Maggie Dixon Surf N' Slam Classic--uicflames.com

Phoenix Men Aim For Second Straight on Road Tuesday--uwgbathletics.com

Panthers Return From Holiday Break With Tuesday Contest At UIC--uwmpanthers.com

Weather, injuries added issues for VU--The Post-Tribune
Crusaders face tall task today at No. 10 Purdue--The NWI Times
Special week for the Horizon League--Inside VU Sports
Live from Mackey Arena: Valparaiso vs. No. 10 Purdue--Inside VU Sports

Meet The Raiders: Will Graham--Dayton Daily News
Rested Raiders await talented Cleveland State--Dayton Daily News

2008 was year to remember and forget--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle

Men's Basketball Scoreboard -- Dec. 27--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

Horizon League Notebook--Hoopville
Butler, Gonzaga resume role as mid-major favorites--espn.com

The favorites

Butler (Horizon League): Graduating four-fifths of the starting lineup from a round of 32 team won't inspire many to expect a repeat performance. But the Bulldogs are back.

Despite a tough nonconference schedule, Matt Howard and Butler are off to a strong start.

Returnee forward Matt Howard, now a sophomore, anchors a group of youngsters who have achieved a 10-1 record despite playing one of the nation's toughest schedules. Remember names like Shelvin Mack and Gordon Hayward. They're freshmen, but they're learning how to win very early in their careers -- and Butler's giant nine-point win over Xavier on Tuesday shows that it is already ready for big W's.
...
What you might not have realized

The Horizon League is really good. Retooled Butler is just a three-point loss to Ohio State from perfection. Illinois-Chicago beat Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech on the road. Cleveland State's stock rose when the Vikings shocked Syracuse, but it went up even higher after Syracuse turned around and beat Memphis five days later. If the cards fall right in conference play, two tourney bids aren't out of the question.

Young Butler Team Upsets No. 14 Xavier 74-65--Dawgnet News

Bulldogs Close Non-League Slate Against Christian Brothers Monday--ButlerSports.com

Vikings Host NDC To Close Non-Conference Slate--csuvikings.com

Vikings Return to Action on Monday at Home Against Buffalo--csuvikings.com

Women's Hoops Looks to Extend Win Streak at Canisius--detroittitans.com

Panthers Return From Holiday Break With Tuesday Contest At UIC--uwmpanthers.com

Bench play sparks 'Rabbits--Brookings Register
Drew lifts Jones' suspension--The Post-Tribune
A curious Christmas morning--Off The Mark
Logan Jones reinstated by Valpo--Off The Mark
VU'S DIEBLER, HOCHSTETLER EARN ACADEMIC HONORS--The NWI Times

Valparaiso University basketball players Jake Diebler and Launa Hochstetler each earned the Horizon League's U.S. Army Scholar Athlete of the Week awards.

Diebler leads the men's team with 17 steals this season. He has a 3.57 grade-point average as a marketing major with communications and a theology minor.

Hochstetler had a career-high 24 points against No. 22-ranked South Dakota State. Hochstetler has a 3.75 GPA with a double major in accounting and finance.

Suspension lifted for Crusaders guard Logan Jones--The NWI Times
Valparaiso at #10/15 Purdue Men's Basketball Game Notes--valpoathletics.com
Crusaders Sweep League Scholar-Athlete of the Week Accolades--valpoathletics.com
Valpo Women Set for Christmas City Classic--valpoathletics.com

They’re back--Mark Katz's Blog

Valpo's Jake Diebler, Launa Hochstetler Honored as U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Week--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

Waters Dominates Former Team, Vikings Pummel Flashes--The Fan Home of the Cleveland State Vikings

Jim Squire

Butler blog on vacation--Indy Star Butler Insider

Booting Jones would send the wrong message--The Post-Tribune

Timko to try out for YSU basketball team--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle

Jim Squire

Butler upsets No. 14 Xavier 74-65--MICentralSports.com
Butler fouls up Xavier's night--Cincinnati Enquirer
Butler did it! Bulldogs down suddenly slumping Xavier--Cincinnati Post
Nored stays cool under pressure--The Indy Star
Bulldogs make point--The Indy Star
A 10-1 record? Never saw it coming--Indy Star Butler Insider
BUTLER 74, XAVIER 65--THE unOFFICIAL BUTLER BULLDOGS MEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE
XU Falls 73-65 to Butler--GoXavier.com
Young Butler Team Upsets No. 14 Xavier 74-65--ButlerSports.com

Stat wars: Vikings dominate the scoresheet in routing the Golden Flashes--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Lockdown: Vikings defense throttles the Flashes in a record-setting romp--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Cleveland State wows fans in dismantling Kent State--Terry's Talkin' Sports
Weekly News and Notes--The Fan Home of the Cleveland State Vikings
Toledo's Second-Half Rally Falls Short in 65-55 Loss to UIC--UTRockets.com
Kent State Ice Cold In 67-41 Loss At Cleveland State--KentStateSports.com
Vikings Knock Off Kent State 67-41--csuvikings.com

Titans surge past Central--The Detroit Free Press
Free Throws Help Titans Down Chippewas, 67-55--CMUChippewas.com
Kennedy Catches Fire In Second Half As Titans Roll Past Central Michigan--detroittitans.com

UT gets a lesson on rebounds--Toledo Blade
Illinois-Chicago defeats Toledo--The Chicago Tribune
VanderMeer sets record--The Chicago Sun-Times
Stewart shows scoring punch as Flames rebound--Whoosh!Net
Men's Basketball Turns Away Toledo, 65-55--uicflames.com

VAN WEELDEN A PART OF LOYOLA MEN'S SUCCESS--The NWI Times

Munster grad Aric Van Weelden has started the last three games for Loyola and the Ramblers are 3-0. In three games since moving into the starting lineup, the junior guard is averaging 3.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

In an 89-65 win over SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 22, Van Weelden had four points, four rebounds and three assists.

McCloskey Ties NCAA Record But Cold-Shooting Loyola Slumps To 85-55 Loss At Dayton--LoyolaRamblers.com

Women's Basketball Returns to Action Monday at DePaul--uwgbathletics.com

Hansbrough, Heels roll--Chapel Hill News

Tyler Hansbrough scored 25 points and the Tar Heels overcame a sluggish start Saturday before rolling to an 85-63 victory over Valparaiso.

Hansbrough, who became North Carolina's career scoring leader Thursday night in a victory over Evansville, sparked runs at the end of the first half and beginning of the second.

North Carolina (11-0) won by double figures for the 11th straight game, tying a school record also held by the 1992-93 team that won the national championship.

Valparaiso (3-7) was facing the No. 1 team for the fifth straight season and the seventh time in school history. The Crusaders are now 0-7 in those games.

Hansbrough scored eight straight points -- two free throws, a layup after a steal, a slam and a jumper -- to get the Tar Heels started on a 12-0 run late in the first half that built a 38-25 lead. They were ahead 41-31 at the half.

North Carolina then scored the first nine points of the second half to pull away from the scrappy Crusaders in the game at the United Center.

North Carolina has won 37 straight regular-season games against non-conference opponents. They'll go for 38 when they host Rutgers this Sunday in the Smith Center.

Men's hoops back from Puerto Rico feeling good--Dayton Daily News
A season in parts--Mark Katz's Blog

League on the Horizon--Youngstown Vindicator

Men's Basketball Scoreboard -- Dec. 23--The Horizon League
Men's Basketball Weekly Release #6--The Horizon League
ATB: Lumps of Coal for Xavier and Gonzaga--Rush The Court

Bad Santas. Portland St. 77, Gonzaga 70. Santa Claus made an early visit to the environs of Cincinnati, OH, and Spokane, WA, tonight, but instead of leaving toys and treats for the tots of Xavier and Gonzaga Universities, respectively, he left a couple of lumps of coal and another undisclosed brownish substance in their stockings. AP #7 Gonzaga and AP # 14 Xavier, both coming off of devastating Saturday losses (in different ways), were unable to shake off their hangovers from losses to UConn and Duke and instead dropped home games tonight that sent shocks throughout mid-major America. The more surprising upset of the two took place out west, where Gonzaga was thoroughly outplayed by the scrappier, guttier Portland St. Vikings. PSU was led by 5′6 Jeremiah Dominguez, who hit seven threes for a sick line of 25/6/5 assts. Yes, a guy shorter than you outrebounded all but Gonzaga’s 6′11 Austin Daye (9 boards) and 6′10 Josh Heytvelt (8) in this game. Portland St., who has losses to Hampton and Cal Poly on its resume, never wavered in the face of the superior athleticism and size of Gonzaga. GU, should have come out ready to eat glass in this one, but instead they allowed their heartbreaking loss to UConn over the weekend to mentally affect their play tonight. Would that have happened to UNC? Pitt? Duke? UCLA? Gonzaga needs to get tougher mentally. Butler 74, Xavier 65. Wasn’t Butler supposed to be rebuilding this year? Amazingly, eight of Brad Stevens’ top nine Bulldogs are freshmen and sophomores, whereas XU starts two juniors and one senior. So how is it that Butler was able to come into the Cintas Center and earn a victory in a location where Xavier had won its last fifteen games? Standard Butler-issue hardnosed defense and poise. Butler was able to keep Xavier under control from three (7-24) while also winning the battle of ball control (-7 turnovers) in a tough game that Xavier will regret losing come March. Matt Howard (19/14) and Gordon Hayward (19/10) both provided double-doubles, but the key stat of the game may have been Xavier’s 12-22 from the line. The 198th best FT-shooting team in America didn’t help their cause tonight, several times failing to convert both FT opportunities down the stretch. If Gonzaga and Xavier want to be taken seriously as “high mids” vying for the Final Four, they cannot afford to lose home games like these.