Monday, December 31, 2012

News On The Horizon 12/31/2012

KenPom Movement: Virginia Tech Comes Back To Earth--Big Apple Bucket
Biggest Risers This Week:
...
4. Loyola (IL): +29 (161)
...
Biggest Fallers This Week:
...
2. Cleveland St.: -33 (190)
...
Biggest Risers This Season:
...
2. UIC: +147 (142)
...
Thanks to a win at DePaul, Loyola (IL) is now amongst the biggest risers this season, coming in at 11. UIC and Loyola’s rise is why the demise of the Horizon League has been rather overstated. Though it’s somewhat offset by movement amongst other teams such as Milwaukee and Cleveland St. Still, eight the league’s nine teams can dream about winning a league title and hosting the conference tournament. Pomeroy projects six of them to finish between 9-7 and 7-9.

Biggest Fallers This Season:
...
4. Milwaukee: -105 (305)
ATB: Bluegrass Battle Produces Drama, UNC Steps Up Against UNLV, and One Excellent Day For Kevin Ollie….--Rush The Court
Your Quick Hits….
...
Horizon League Race Comes Into Focus. The earlier-than-expected departure of Butler to the Atlantic 10 created a void atop the Horizon League. With the Bulldogs gone, who would step up and assume its top-dog mantle? Valparaiso and Detroit looked a step above the rest, but early-season success from UIC suggested the emergence of another contender. With conference play tipping off this week, Valpo reclaimed its frontrunner status with a solid two-point win at Murray State Saturday night. The Flames are heading in the opposite direction, having dropped three straight, including Saturday’s blowout loss at Toledo (74-55). Valpo is a far cry from entering the at-large discussion, but when you go into Isaiah Canaan’s house and upend the Racers, that’s heady stuff. With the possible exception of Detroit, Bryce Drew’s team is the clear favorite in a watered-down league.
...
…and Misses.

Loyola Ends DePaul’s Hot Streak. Ah, the dark side of soft schedule strength. For the better part of the last four weeks, DePaul has fattened up on cupcake opponents, rattling off seven straight victories against lowly competition with semi-respectable wins over Arizona State and Auburn (If you can’t tell, I’m really stretching the definition of “respectable”) standing as exceptions. The Blue Demons got a wakeup call Saturday night from Loyola University of Chicago, who, at 9-3 and with wins over Mississippi State and Toledo, is one of the Horizon League’s better ensembles to date. At least DePaul has a shiny new, basketball-only league to look forward to. That’s right: As convoluted and unfair as it seems, DePaul gets to tag along with the Catholic 7 revolutionaries, while UConn and Cincinnati are stuck in the crumbling Big East. Fair is fair, right?
...
More Notes From Around The Nation.
...
Detroit Looks Formidable Heading into Horizon Play. In its final three games before the Horizon League opener against Milwaukee, Detroit – led by do-it-all junior guard Ray McCallum – pushed Syracuse to the limit and nearly spoiled Jim Boeheim’s 900th victory celebration, trounced Alcorn State and handled business against a rising Canisius team. Not a bad way to walk into league competition.
College Hoops Player of the Week: Tyler Haws, BYU--CollegeBasketballTalk
Bench: Ryan Broekhoff (Valpo), John Brown (High Point), Seth Curry (Duke), Frankie Dobbs (Bryant), Cully Payne (Loyola IL), Russ Smith (Louisville)

Week 8 efficiency rankings
--Horizon League Hoops
The 10 most quality wins of non-conference play--Horizon League Hoops

Miami Heat finding life on the road tough--Miami Herald
Harrellson led all bench scorers with five. Ray Allen (19:53) and Norris Cole (19:52) scored two points apiece.
Vikings Host Kent State on Wednesday--csuvikings.com

Vikings Post 6-0 Record During December With 70-51 Victory Over Lake Erie--csuvikings.com

Pregame Shootaround 12.30.12: Mid-majors dominate Sunday’s action--CollegeBasketballTalk
Mid-Major Matchup of the Day: Canisius vs. Detroit (3:00 p.m. ET)

Keep an eye on the backcourt in this one. Detroit’s Ray McCallum has been a threat throughout his career with the Titans, while Billy Baron has become Canisius’ best weapon since following his dad from Rhode Island and being granted eligibility to play immediately. Detroit comes in at 7-5, but has losses to Syracuse, St. John’s, Pitt, and Miami.

Both teams like to push the pace and put points on the board, led by Baron and McCallum respectively, so don’t expect a defensive battle.
...
Five Things to Watch
...
4. Canisius is an early-season upstart in the MAAC, already having beaten Temple. They travel to Detroit Sunday to face former McDonald’s All-American Ray McCallum. The Titans might be 7-5, but four of their losses have come to BCS-conference schools.
Detroit Mercy 83, Canisius 78: Ray McCallum (22 points) leads Titans--The Detroit Free Press
Sunday's state college basketball: Detroit Mercy men edge Canisius--The Detroit News
Detroit Takes Down Canisius 83-78--Titans Update
On this day 2 years ago - Dec 30, 2010--Titans Update
Titans Top Canisius 83-78, Stay Perfect at Home--detroittitans.com
McCallum Named HL Player of the Week--detroittitans.com

Flames drop 3rd straight on road--Whoosh!Net

UIC Travels to Indiana for New Year's Eve Tilt--uicflames.com
Bender Named Horizon League Newcomer of the Week--uicflames.com

Porter Moser To Be Guest On WGN Radio Monday Night--LoyolaRamblers.com
Men's Basketball Blog #10: Joe Crisman--LoyolaRamblers.com
Loyola To Host Pre-Game Reception January 2--LoyolaRamblers.com
Payne Named Horizon League Newcomer Of The Week--LoyolaRamblers.com

Men's basketball: UWGB routs overmatched Division II foe--Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Demolishes Illinois-Springfield 84-43--Phoenix Fever
On this day 9 years ago - Dec 30, 2003--Phoenix Fever
Muhammad Shoots the Phoenix Past the Prairie Stars--GreenBayPhoenix.com

Women's basketball: UWGB trounces Wichita State--Green Bay Press Gazette
Team Effort Leads Phoenix Over Wichita State--GreenBayPhoenix.com

On this day 9 years ago - Dec 30, 2003--UWM Update

Welcome to Murray, Kentucky--The Mid-Majority
College Hoops Team of the Week: UCLA Bruins--CollegeBasketballTalk
Seven more teams deserving of a shoutout:
...
Valparaiso: The Crusaders went into Murray and knocked off Isaiah Canaan’s Racer squad. Ryan Broekhoff led the way with 18 points and eight boards.
Mutka: New Year’s tips for impatient NWI jocks--The Post-Tribune
Basketball
...
A full house at Valparaiso University with Hobart fans pouring in Saturday to welcome Northern Illinois standout Amanda Corral for the 1:35 p.m. matinee with the Crusaders
...
Bryce Drew guiding Valparaiso to victory over the Detroit Titans for the Horizon League title and its first NCAA bid since departing from the Mid-Continent League for a basketball upgrade ... Now that Andrean’s Nick Davidson has broken the ice, how about more VU recruits from Northwest Indiana? It’s a lot more cost efficient than checking out talent in Australia, Croatia or Nigeria ...
Crusader Men Open Up 2013 at Home Wednesday Afternoon--valpoathletics.com

Gerardot earns Horizon League Player of the Week honors--valpoathletics.com

Raiders survive upset bid--Dayton Daily News
Raiders 9-4 going into Horizon League play--Dayton Daily News
Video highlights: Wright State vs. Mount St. Joseph--Wright State University Sports
Wright State Picks Up Win against Mount St. Joseph 58-49--Rowdy Review
On this day 10 years ago - Dec 30, 2002--Rowdy Review
Men Defeat Mount St. Joseph--wsuraiders.com

Women Hold On for 53-46 Win Over Morehead State--wsuraiders.com

On this day 6 years ago - Dec 30, 2006--Guin Report

Men's Basketball Final Shot: Dec. 30--Horizon League Network
Detroit's McCallum, Loyola's Payne Receive Weekly Awards--Horizon League Network

3-0 Sunday for Women's Basketball Teams--Horizon League Network
Tabitha Gerardot Named Player of the Week, Terri Bender Earns Newcomer Nod--Horizon League Network

No comments: