On The Horizon

Jim Squire

Previewing your college hoops weekend--Ballin' is a Habit

Sat. 2:00 pm: Valparaiso @ Milwaukee: There are four teams sitting within a game at the top of the Horizon League, and these are two of them. The Panthers are at the end of the toughest portion of their schedule, going 1-2 against Youngstown State, Cleveland State and Butler. Valpo, on the other hand, lost their last game at Green Bay, dropping them a game off the pace. Depending on what happens in the Cleveland State game, the loser of this game could end up two games behind first place in the league standings.
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Sat. 7:05 pm: Cleveland State @ Youngstown State: The Horizon is as muddled as any league in the country. How muddled? Cleveland State is currently sitting in first place in the league. Youngstown State is a game behind them and all alone in fourth place. The Vikings, who are my pick to win the league, won the first matchup between these two at Youngstown State. Will the Penguins get their revenge?

Alabama Falls Onto The Bubble--Basketball Predictions

Wisconsin-Milwaukee 53, Butler 42
Butler has had a shocking number of horrific offensive efficiency games so far this season. They had a 28.9 eFG% and scored 0.67 PPP. It's the fourth time this year they've had an eFG% under 35%, and the sixth time they've scored less than 0.85 PPP. To put that in perspective, they only hit either of those low marks twice all of last season, with one being the National Title game. The problem continues to be backcourt play, which has been so inconsistent without anybody able to hit a shot. They have four guards that play regular minutes (Nored, Stigall, Hopkins and Aldridge), and they're shooting a combined 28.2% on threes. I give Brad Stevens credit for mixing up his lineup and trying new players, but if you don't have anybody on the perimeter that can hit a shot then there's not a whole lot that the coach can do.

The Butler frontcourt is still scoring efficiently. Even here, Khyle Marshall and Andrew Smith combined for 20 points on 9-for-21 shooting, with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 3 turnovers... not that bad. And Wisconsin-Milwaukee deserves some credit here. They are third in the nation in 3P% against (25.2%). Butler's offense actually has been (other than here) playing better over the past month than they were back in November and early December.

This loss drops Butler to 6-4 and, with a home loss to Cleveland State, basically out of the Horizon regular season race. The key the rest of the season is going to be trying to figure out their offensive issues. They're running out of time before the Horizon League tournament. Butler's next game will be tomorrow at Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Wisconsin-Milwaukee moves only a half game behind Cleveland State with this win. They lost to CSU in Cleveland but will have a return visit on February 14th. With a soft upcoming schedule, it's really not so unlikely that Milwaukee could win a second straight surprise Horizon League regular season title. They'll play Valparaiso at home tomorrow before games against Youngstown State and Wisconsin-Green Bay.

LeBron James Alley-Oops and LeBron James Dunks on Bill Walker and LeBron James Lobs it to Dwyane Wade--The Big Lead

Norris Cole’s no-look oop to LeBron

Men's Basketball Games of the Weekend 1/28 - 1/29--College Sports Madness

VALPARAISO at MILWAUKEE (2 p.m. Saturday at US Cellular Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

It isn’t quite as bad as the A-10, but four teams are within a game of the top spot in the Horizon League. The two teams tied for second place are Valparaiso and Milwaukee, and they meet in Wisconsin this weekend. Valparaiso (14-8, 7-3) hopes it has better luck against another Wisconsin school than it did against Green Bay, which beat the Crusaders 75-60 to snap Valpo’s four-game winning streak. Valparaiso’s other league losses came against Wright State and Milwaukee, which downed Valpo 57-55. Milwaukee (14-8, 7-3) beat Butler 53-42 in its last contest as James Haarsma’s 12 points led the way. Milwaukee lost to Youngstown State and Cleveland State before this, so hopefully it has better luck against the Crusaders.

Utah Jazz: Al Jefferson, Raja Bell game-time decisions tonight--Deseret News

As for the shooting guard spot, several scenarios could unfold, including having C.J. Miles or Josh Howard start at small forward with Gordon Hayward moving over to the off-guard spot. Rookie Alec Burks is another shooting guard starter possibility.

Utah Jazz let game slip away vs. Dallas Mavericks--Salt Lake Tribune

Wing players including Bell, Miles and Gordon Hayward said they’ve already absorbed one crucial point. After watching big men Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson carry Utah through its early-season run, the Jazz have become too reliant on the duo to will the team to victory.

Millsap delivered again Friday, scoring a team-high 20 points, while Jefferson played through an ankle injury to pour in 19. But as Dallas (12-8) continually mixed an all-around offensive attack that saw speedy reserve point guard Rodrigue Beaubois (game-high 22 points) rip apart Utah’s interior at the same time Jason Terry, Lamar Odom and Vince Carter fired away from the perimeter, the Jazz continued to perform as a two-man show.

Hayward and Bell disappeared from Utah’s offense; Miles was frustrated by Dallas’ length and size; Jazz point guard Devin Harris failed to score in the second half and took just one shot after recording 10 points during the initial two quarters.

At a Glance: Butler at Green Bay--The Indy Star
Butler hears BracketBuster foe on Monday--The Indy Star
Bumpy week for Bulldogs--Indy Star Butler Insider
Butler (12-10) Battles Green Bay (8-12)--Butler Blue Fever
MILWAUKEE 53, BUTLER 42--THE unOFFICIAL BUTLER BULLDOGS MEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE
Butler Wraps Up Road Stretch At Green Bay--ButlerSports.com

WHITE OUT: Bulldogs Host Milwaukee Saturday--ButlerSports.com

It lacks punch, but Heat-Knicks still a heavyweight bout--Miami Herald

In the second quarter Friday, Norris Cole, displaying a deft touch, made a no-look, behind-the-shoulder alley oop lob to James for a dunk. In the fourth quarter, Cole grabbed a steal and fed James for a spinning drive to the basket.

A Norris Cole only comes around once in a life time, says Cleveland State coach Gary Waters--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Youngstown State men's basketball team looks to sweep Cleveland State--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Cleveland State men's basketball team has chance to distinguish itself: Local College Basketball Insider--Cleveland Plain Dealer
On this day 12 years ago - Jan 27, 2000--Vikings Ball
Updated: Cleveland State (17-4) and Youngstown State (11-8) Square Off--Vikings Ball
Viking Notes: Cleveland State Opens Second Half of Horizon League Play At Youngstown State--Cleveland State Hoops

Preview capsules for this weekend's local college basketball games--Cleveland Plain Dealer

Women

Cleveland State vs. Detroit

Tipoff: 2 p.m. at Wolstein Center.

Notable: Cleveland State (8-11, 3-5 Horizon League) got a four-game homestand off to a poor start with a loss, but looks to reverse that trend against Detroit (9-11, 5-3). Tickets are $1 to "Pack the House."

Next for CSU: Thursday vs. Butler, 5 p.m.

Vikings Host Detroit In Pack The House Game--csuvikings.com