On The Horizon

2. NKU REPEATS IN HORIZON LEAGUE: A new head coach. A completely different system. A one-time role player turned superstar performer.

NKU players and cheerleaders celebrate after repeating as Horizon League champions. (Photo by Jeff McCurry)

Those unknown ingredients produced a familiar late-season storyline for Northern Kentucky University, which captured its second straight Horizon League Tournament championship with a 71-62 win over Illinois-Chicago in March. The Norse built a 17-point lead in the second half and held off a late rally to hoist the championship trophy for the third time in four years.

Jalen Tate scored 14 points, dished out four assists and grabbed four rebounds to lead NKU, which improved to 23-9 and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Tate — who was voted the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year — was also named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Once viewed as a defensive stopper who wasn’t one of the team’s primary offensive weapons, Tate emerged as NKU’s go-to player. The 6-foot-6 junior guard also proved to any publications that omitted him from preseason Horizon League honors that he’s Mr. Clutch in key moments.

Several days after winning the Horizon League title and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the pandemic forced the cancellation of March Madness. NKU, under the direction of first-year head coach Darrin Horn, was expected to be a No. 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

OAKLAND BASKETBALL LEARNS THE BIG CHALLENGES AND SMALL VICTORIES OF PLAYING IN A PANDEMIC--goldengrizzlies.com

Disappointing defense hampering Robert Morris in early season action--Chronicling the Colonials
RMU Rings In 2021 With Pair of #HLMBB Home Tilts--rmucolonials.com

Wright State treks to Oakland in HL action this weekend--wsuraiders.com
Raiders to host Youngstown State on ESPN2 on January 8--wsuraiders.com

Raiders return to road, face Youngstown State--wsuraiders.com

Youngstown State-Wright State to Air on ESPN2 January 8--ysu.prestosports.com

Women's Basketball Set to Begin Season vs. Wright State on Friday--ysu.prestosports.com

#HLMBB Weekly Notebook – December 30--The Horizon League

#HLWBB Weekly Notebook – December 30--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

The More Things Change…--HoriZone Roundtable

CSU takes two from in-state rival Youngstown State--HoriZone Roundtable

Titan Memory Podcast - Terry Tyler--detroittitans.com

Archdeacon: A homecoming to remember for former Trotwood-Madison star--Dayton Daily News

Panthers Resume Play With Pair Of Games At Robert Morris--mkepanthers.com

“We don’t lose To Detroit”--HoriZone Roundtable

Through The Eyes: Breanne Beatty--goldengrizzlies.com

Robert Morris shows its potential – and concerns – in mixed opening weekend--HoriZone Roundtable

The Other Top 25: A pair of Missouri Valley teams break into the rankings--Mid-Major Madness

Also receiving votes: Rhode Island, Toledo, Georgia State, UAB, Davidson, UNC Greensboro, New Mexico State, Wright State

Winning on the road matters and YSU can’t do it--HoriZone Roundtable

Jim Squire

Vikings Victorious in Home Opener--csuvikings.prestosports.com
Vikings Take Down Penguins--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Detroit's Mike Davis blasts COVID-19 protocols, says Oakland series shouldn't have been played--Detroit News
Titans Edged In Overtime By Oakland--detroittitans.com
Detroit Mercy Drops Heartbreaker In Final Seconds--detroittitans.com

UWGB's Ansong ready to provide spark after NCAA (finally) lets him play--Green Bay Press Gazette
Still searching for a win: UWGB men match worst start in program history--Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Falls After Raiders’ Second Half Surge--greenbayphoenix.com
Davis’ Career Day Not Enough as Green Bay Falls at Wright State--greenbayphoenix.com

UWM's weekend games against Illinois-Chicago canceled due to COVID-19--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee/UIC Men’s Basketball Games Cancelled--mkepanthers.com

'Huge step for us': Rashad Williams plays hero as Oakland sweeps Detroit Mercy in weekend series--Detroit News
Oakland sweeps Detroit with pair of last-second scores--Oakland Press
PARRISH HITS GAME WINNER TO GIVE OAKLAND EIGHTH-STRAIGHT WIN OVER DETROIT MERCY--goldengrizzlies.com
WILLIAMS DRAINS BUZZER BEATER TO LIFT OAKLAND PAST DETROIT MERCY, 83-80--goldengrizzlies.com
PARRISH EARNS NIKE® #HLMBB FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK HONORS--goldengrizzlies.com

12/28 Women's Basketball Players of the Week--College Sports Madness

Horizon Kahlaijah Dean G Oakland

Coffman looking for more vocal Mastodons--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Mastodons drop to 0-3 in Horizon League--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
PFW still winless in Horizon League--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Godfrey leads PFW to 1st Horizon League victory--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Mastodons post 1st Horizon win--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Jarred Godfrey Scores 22 In 102-88 Loss To Robert Morris--gomastodons.com
Mastodons Roll RMU 87-82 For First Horizon League Win--gomastodons.com

Robert Morris men’s basketball wins Horizon League debut--TribLive
Another big game from AJ Bramah not enough for Robert Morris--TribLive
Men’s basketball starts Horizon League play against Purdue Fort Wayne--Colonial Sports Network
Colonials Soar To Horizon League Debut Win--rmucolonials.com
Late Charge Falls Short Against Mastodons--rmucolonials.com

Flames Pause Basketball Activities, Series at Milwaukee Canceled--uicflames.com

12/28 Men's Basketball Players of the Week--College Sports Madness

Horizon Tanner Holden G Wright State

Wright State basketball: Basile gives Raiders another potent post player--Dayton Daily News
Wright State basketball: Defense leads Raiders past Green Bay--Dayton Daily News
Wright State overcomes slow start, tops Davis-led Green Bay--Dayton Daily News
Wright State basketball: Holden named Horizon League Player of the Week--Dayton Daily News
Double-Doubles by Love, Holden lead Raiders past Green Bay--wsuraiders.com
Hall's career night leads Raiders to weekend sweep--wsuraiders.com
College Sports Madness names Holden its HL Player of the Week--wsuraiders.com
Holden named Horizon League Player of the Week--wsuraiders.com

Penguins visit CSU for two on weekend--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Balanced Vikings pull away from YSU--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
2nd-half woes lead to loss for Penguins--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Men's Basketball Falls to Cleveland State, 87-69--ysu.prestosports.com
Covington Scores 24 in 81-74 Loss at Cleveland State--ysu.prestosports.com
Penguin Playbook Begins Weekly Schedule Tonight--ysu.prestosports.com

#HLMBB Roundup – December 26--The Horizon League
#HLMBB Roundup – December 27--The Horizon League
Nike #HLMBB Players of the Week (December 28)--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

Horizon League Women’s Basketball Power Rankings – Week 4--HoriZone Roundtable

Cleveland State Set to Host Youngstown State--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Titans To Host Oakland This Weekend In #HLMBB--detroittitans.com

Men's Hoops Hosts Robert Morris This Weekend--gomastodons.com

Horizon League Adds #HLMBB Games for Dec. 26-27--The Horizon League
#HLMBB Weekly Notebook – December 23--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

Horizon League Power Rankings – Week 4--HoriZone Roundtable
Oakland, Detroit Mercy both have open weekends; rivalry series could be pushed up--Detroit News

A Cleveland State basketball player scored 46 points? Just who is D’Moi Hodge? – Terry Pluto--Cleveland Plain Dealer

Green Bay's Emmanuel Ansong Granted NCAA Waiver, Receives Immediate Eligibility--greenbayphoenix.com

Home Opener Brings Flames To Town For Pair Of Games--mkepanthers.com

NKU men's basketball cancels weekend series, pauses activities due to COVID-19 concerns--WCPO
NKU weekend games canceled after COVID-related matters in program--Cincinnati Enquirer
Northern Kentucky basketball's rotation is taking shape featuring Marques Warrick--Cincinnati Enquirer
COVID Forces NKU Basketball to Pause Activities, Including Weekend Games--River City News
NKU MBB pauses basketball activities due to positive COVID-19 test--The Northerner
Activities paused for @NKUNorseMBB, weekend series at Oakland canceled--nkunorse.com

Non-Conference Opponents’ Update: December 23--Hammer and Rails

Oakland Golden Grizzlies (0-9, 0-2 Horizon League) – KenPom: 288, NET: 222 – Oakland is gettin’ those checks in a pandemic year. They have yet to play a home game and will be doing a similar style of league schedule to the Atlantic Sun. They have losses to Xavier, Michigan, Purdue, Oklahoma State, and Michigan State, with their best one in that set by 10 in overtime at Michigan.

No. 25 Michigan State women dispatch Oakland 94-56--Associated Press

New Era Begins Saturday For Colonials--rmucolonials.com