News On The Horizon 12/31/2009

Early-season games that will have an impact on March Madness--MICentralSports.com

Nov. 29

Clemson 70, Butler 69

A last-seconds loss capped a meh weekend in SoCal for the Bulldogs, and really is a microcosm for a season in which Butler hasn't yet hit all cylinders for any significant stretch of time. The Bulldogs are still formidable, but this may indeed be the "year before the year" for the still youthful Horizon kings.
...
Dec. 8

Georgetown 72, Butler 65

The Hoyas hadn't really played anyone since edging Temple in a low-scoring grinder almost a month earlier, so this was a solid win at MSG. It also provided the contrast between a team that's thriving in because its big man is playing very well (Greg Monroe) and one that hasn't reached expected heights because its big man has struggled and been foul-prone (Matt Howard). Now if G'town would just stop playing ODU at McDonough...
...
Dec. 19

Butler 69, Xavier 68

One of the 'xanier' endings of the season, featuring a 35-second final possession in which Xavier almost forced a turnover three or four times and a clock stoppage that led to Butler's winning layup with under two seconds left being declared the final play of the game. Xavier routed LSU Tuesday night and has another chance to make a nonleague statement Saturday at Wake Forest.
...
Dec. 22

UAB 69, Butler 59

... along with the Blazers, who have beaten Cincinnati, Florida-slayer South Alabama and the Bulldogs by double digits in their last three outings. UAB sits at 11-1, with a loss "@ Kent." Even though that's Kent State, not Kentucky, expect the Blazers to be a strong at-large contender if they don't get the auto bid.
...

Butler challenged to improve defense--The Indy Star

Bowen, Bulldogs Shoot Past Ball State, 82-67--ButlerSports.com

Wednesday's Shootaround--Ballin' is a Habit

Other notable games:
...
* Kansas State 85, Cleveland State 56: Jacob Pullen scored 18 points and Curtis Kelly added 17 as the Wildcats pulled away with a big run midway through the first half, opening up a 40-19 halftime lead.

Four Titans Score in Double Figures in Dominating 67-44 Win Over Colgate--detroittitans.com

Detroit (9-4, 2-0) at UIC (4-8, 0-2)--Daily Herald
Men's Basketball Hosts New Year's Eve Matinee Against Detroit--uicflames.com

UWGB men's basketball preview--Green Bay Press Gazette
UWGB men's basketball: Butler holds keys to Horizon--Green Bay Press Gazette

Panthers set to take their act on the road--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Fundamental flaw--The Post-Tribune
McPherson still battling--The Post-Tribune
No clear lessons from Horizon preseason slate--The Post-Tribune
Road worriers--Off The Mark
Valparaiso men set to host Milwaukee--The NWI Times
Valpo Kicks Off HL Home Slate With New Year's Eve Contest--valpoathletics.com

Wake Forest thumps Valpo--The Post-Tribune
VU women lose eighth straight--The NWI Times
Valpo Falls to Wake Forest in Non-Conference Finale--valpoathletics.com

Can WSU deny Horizon surprise Loyola's reason to party?--Dayton Daily News
Preview: Wright State (9-4) at Loyola of Chicago (10-2)--Dayton Daily News

Tough Defense Not Enough, Women Fall to UC--RaiderRoundball.com

Rally Comes Up Short as Guins Fall 72-67 to Robert Morris--ysusports.com

Men's Basketball Scoreboard - Dec. 30--The Horizon League
The Thrilling Conclusion--Horizon League Network

Women's Basketball Scoreboard -- Dec. 30--The Horizon League

News On The Horizon 12/30/2009

The Beautiful Season, Part 2--The Mid-Majority

Timing issue, Top 25 and other things--Indy Star Butler Insider
Bulldogs Close 2009 Against League-Leading Green Bay--ButlerSports.com

Butler Closes 2009 Against Ball State--ButlerSports.com

Tuesday's Pregame Beat--Ballin' is a Habit

8:00 pm: Cleveland State @ Kansas State: The Vikings are not quite the same team they were last season, but led by Norris Cole, they cam every close to knocking off West Virginia. Can they do the same against a K-State team with much better guard play?

No. 12 Kansas State swamps Cleveland State--MICentralSports.com
Horizon League basketball: the computer sez!!!--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Cleveland State can't handle Kansas State's first-half blitz in 85-56 loss--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Vikings Fall At No. 12 Kansas State, 85-56--csuvikings.com

Local Basketball Roundup: CSU women go cold in loss to EMU--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Vikings Fall at Eastern Michigan, 73-61--csuvikings.com

Titans Will Host Colgate on Wednesday--detroittitans.com

Detroit To Meet UIC In New Year’s Eve Matinee--detroittitans.com

UIC grounds Toledo with 20 by Kreps--The Chicago Sun-Times
Kreps guides Illinois-Chicago past Toledo 66-52--Daily Herald
Neely flips switch, Flames burn Rockets--Whoosh!Net
Men's Basketball Topples Toledo, 66-52--uicflames.com

Women's Basketball Finishes Non-Conference Schedule at Northern Illinois Tonight--uicflames.com
Women's Basketball Drops Final Non-Conference Tilt To Northern Illinois, 62-55--uicflames.com

Ramblers Jump Back Into Horizon League Play, Host Crucial Weekend Series--LoyolaRamblers.com

UWGB men's basketball: Rahmon Fletcher reinjures knee, will miss Butler matchup--Green Bay Press Gazette
UWGB's Fletcher hurt again, won't play vs. Butler--UWGB Basketball
Phoenix Men Close Calendar Year at Preseason Favorite Butler--uwgbathletics.com

Panthers Wrap Up 2009 With New Year's Eve Contest At Valpo--uwmpanthers.com

Panthers' Late Rallies Fall Short In Loss To Marquette--uwmpanthers.com

Valparaiso (3-7) vs. Wake Forest (8-4)--The Post-Tribune
Valpo Closes 2009 Facing Wake Forest at Surf 'n Slam--valpoathletics.com

A ‘Prowler’ hanging around Raider athletes--Dayton Daily News
A quiet New Year’s Eve--Mark Katz's Blog

Women's Basketball Drops Tough Contest at Cincinnati, 51-45--wsuraiders.com

Penguins hoping to snap streak to Colonials--Youngstown Vindicator
YSU MEN’S BASKETBALL--Youngstown Vindicator
Youngstown State Continues Homestand Against Robert Morris Wednesday--ysusports.com

Men's Basketball Scoreboard - Dec. 29--The Horizon League

Women's Basketball Scoreboard -- Dec. 29--The Horizon League
Women's Basketball Weekly Release #7--The Horizon League

News On The Horizon 12/29/2009

Butler leaves poll; Purdue stays No. 4--The Indy Star

Struggling Cleveland State faces a stiff challenge in 12th-ranked Kansas State--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Vikings Travel To No. 12 Kansas State--csuvikings.com

Vikings Conclude Nonconference Slate at Eastern Michigan--csuvikings.com

UDM, Oakland win at home--The Detroit Free Press
Eatmon Returns To Action As Titans Maul Bears--detroittitans.com

WBB Q&A: Graduate Assistant Katie Solner--detroittitans.com

Tuesday's matchup: Toledo at UIC--The Chicago Tribune
Scouting: Toledo @ UIC--Daily Herald
Men's Basketball Begins Three-Game Homestand Against Toledo--uicflames.com

Three games on tap after the holidays--ChicagoNow.com
Loyola beats St. Francis, Ill., 63-46--The Chicago Tribune
Revved-up Ramblers rolling on all cylinders--The Chicago Sun-Times
Loyola defeats St. Francis 63-46, moves to 10-2--Daily Herald
Loyola Defeats St. Francis (Ill.), 63-46 For Sixth Straight Win--LoyolaRamblers.com
Post-Game Quotes Loyola vs. St. Francis (Ill.)--LoyolaRamblers.com

Brittany Boeke's Career-High 22 Points Power Loyola Past Colgate, 86-57--LoyolaRamblers.com

UW-Green Bay stays at No. 22 in AP women's basketball poll--Green Bay Press Gazette
Women's basketball: UWGB has off night, but remains perfect--Green Bay Press Gazette
Tetschlag Has Career Game to Wrap up Green Bay's Non-conference Season Undefeated--uwgbathletics.com

Panthers Close Out 2009 vs. Marquette--uwmpanthers.com

Crusaders fall short of huge upset in women's basketball--The NWI Times
Wrapping up Auburn (WBB)--Region Sports Extra
Valpo’s Varner Named Horizon League Player of the Week--valpoathletics.com
Valpo Comes Up One Point Short Against Auburn--valpoathletics.com

Brownell says Raiders victory 'best performance of the year'--Dayton Daily News
WSU's Gardner solid in his first game since February--Dayton Daily News
Everything goes well for Raiders--Mark Katz's Blog
Close to a perfect game--Mark Katz's Blog
Raiders set three records in crushing Sam Houston State--Fairborn Daily Herald
Raiders Play Texas Hold Em in Dealing Sam Houston State an 88-48 Hand--RaiderRoundball.com
Raiders Set Threes Record in Crushing Sam Houston State--wsuraiders.com

Martin named Player of Week--Youngstown Vindicator
Sirlester Martin Tabbed Horizon League Player of the Week--ysusports.com

Youngstown State's Martin named Men's Basketball Player of the Week--The Horizon League
Men's Basketball Weekly Release #7--The Horizon League
Men's Basketball Scoreboard - Dec. 28--The Horizon League
Sleep Is Optional--Horizon League Network

Women's Basketball Scoreboard -- Dec. 28--The Horizon League
Varner named Women's Basketball Player of the Week--The Horizon League

News On The Horizon 12/28/2009

Holiday Bonus For Titan Fans As UDM Takes On Shawnee State On Monday--detroittitans.com

Monday's Shootaround--Ballin' is a Habit

Other notable games:
...
* Wisconsin 79, Illinois-Chicago 43: Jon Leuer and Jason Bohannon combined to scored 15 points in a 21-9 run to close the first half which opened up a 35-19 halftime lead.

Leuer helps Wisconsin overpower UIC--The Chicago Sun-Times
Leuer leads Wisconsin in rout of UIC 79-43--Daily Herald
Coal in Flames’ stockings--Whoosh!Net
Men's Basketball Defeated By Wisconsin--uicflames.com

Loyola and UIC are very different heading into Horizon League play--ChicagoNow.com
Scouting: St. Francis at Loyola--Daily Herald

Loyola Closes Out Non-Conference Action Against Colgate--LoyolaRamblers.com

Women's basketball: Today's UWGB vs. Southern Illinois preview--Green Bay Press Gazette
Women's basketball: Phoenix has chance at perfect regular season--Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay to Wrap up Non-Conference Play Hosting Southern Illinois--UWGB Basketball

Weekly Panthers report--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

VU gets three days in California--The Post-Tribune
Scouting today's Valparaiso University women's basketball game--The NWI Times

Crusaders struggles continue at Akron--The Post-Tribune
VU men's hoops team zapped at Akron--The NWI Times
Valpo Drops 77-57 Decision at Akron Sunday Afternoon--valpoathletics.com

Raiders hope for a better game vs. SHS--Dayton Daily News
Preview: Wright State (8-4) vs. Sam Houston State (8-3)--Dayton Daily News
Ready to play again--Mark Katz's Blog

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

News On The Horizon 12/27/2009

Former Titan Jason Bennett Signs With Irish Pro Team--detroittitans.com

Men's Basketball Makes Its Way To Madison To Face Wisconsin--uicflames.com

Badgers Outlast Milwaukee, 65-55; But Signs of Improvement Abound--Milwaukee Panther Tracks

Crusaders visit Akron before league play starts up--The Post-Tribune
Crusaders will try to rebound at Akron--The NWI Times
Valpo Returns to Hardwood Sunday at Akron--valpoathletics.com

Valpo Heads to Southern California to Battle Auburn in Surf 'n Slam--valpoathletics.com

Raiders' John David Gardner hopes to play on Monday--Dayton Daily News

News On The Horizon 12/26/2009

Kenney returns to Valpo lineup--The Post-Tribune

Wright State recruit Pacher works on versatility--Dayton Daily News
Raiders’ 
first basketball coach reminisces--Dayton Daily News

Break Time!--The Horizon League

News On The Horizon 12/25/2009

Ramblers Seek Tenth Win Of Season, Host St. Francis (Ill.) Dec. 28--LoyolaRamblers.com

Boyle aching to get back in--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

All I want for Christmas, NWI style--The Post-Tribune

* All I want for Christmas ... is for the Valparaiso University men's and women's basketball teams to finish in the upper half of the Horizon League.

Is that possible? At times over the last month, it has looked possible. Then at other times VU fans can only shake their heads and fondly wish for the good old days of 1998 (for the men) and 2003 (for the women), when reaching the NCAA Tournament was something to cheer, not fantasize about.

Wright State recruit, Brookville standout not just a scorer--Dayton Daily News