On The Horizon

Jim Squire

#HLMBB Tourney Semifinals – Wright State and Northern Kentucky Advance--HoriZone Roundtable
Mid-Money Madness: Conference Tournament Edition--Mid-Major Madness

Horizon League Semifinal

Matchup: No. 4 Wright State vs No. 1 Cleveland State

DraftKings line: Cleveland State -1

Total: 145.5

When: 7 p.m. EST

TV: ESPNU

This game is my favorite play on the entire slate, so I’m going to cut to the chase. Cleveland State is the pick here. Wright State’s defense has been horrible in every game other than the quarterfinal against Oakland. The Raiders rank in the bottom 250 in two-point defense. Cleveland State has the 6th highest rim finishing rate at the rim per shot quality.

It just seemed like Oakland couldn’t hit water in a barrel. Cleveland State is the gritty team. The Cleveland State pressure forced 41 Wright State turnovers in the previous two matchups. The Vikings’ 32nd best offensive rebounding rate should give them extra possessions as well. Tanner Holden and Grant Basile can score at will. Cleveland State can limit the trouble. Dennis Gates is one of the better coaches in the conference and they have been the most consistent team all year. Give me the Vikings big.

The pick: Cleveland State -1

Championship Fortnight 2022 Viewing Guide: Monday, March 7, 2022--Blogging The Bracket

Horizon League Semifinals

Game 9: (4) Wright State (19-13, 15-7) vs. (1) Cleveland State (20-9, 15-6), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
The Vikings won the season series 2-0.
Game 10: (3) Northern Kentucky (19-11, 14-6) vs. (2) Purdue Fort Wayne (21-10, 15-6), approx. 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The season series was a 1-1 home split.

For a conference that’s struggled to place its best team in the field in recent seasons, at least the Horizon’s top four seeds all had a relatively easy time making it to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis tonight. Purdue Fort Wayne had the closest call, as the Mastodons only defeated Missouri Valley-bound UIC, 78-72, at home in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Of course, the Sun Belt-like, demolition derby nature of the Horizon League Tournament will likely be evident in these matchups tonight.

3/8/2022 MATCHUP NEWS AND NOTES--Staring At The Floorboards

Subscriber Content

HORIZON CHAMPIONSHIP
Interestingly, ShotQuality graded Wright State and Northern Kentucky as slight losers in their semifinal matchups...

Vikings Indianapolis bound for second year in a row--HoriZone Roundtable
The Breakfast Buffet — March Madness Edition--College Hoops Today

Things To Sample
Seeds in mid-major conference tournaments are meaningless
We’re still five days away from Selection Sunday and already we’ve seen anarchy hit the mid-major level. As of today, four teams — Towson, Cleveland State, Northern Iowa, and Texas State — who were the top seeds in their respective mid-major conference tournaments have lost before the title game. Translation: Seeds are meaningless in mid-major conference tournaments.

Cleveland State men’s basketball handed 82-67 upset loss by Wright State in Horizon League semifinal--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Men’s Basketball falls in Horizon League Semis to Wright State; Set for NIT bid--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Vikings extinguish Phoenix, head to first #HLWBB title game since 2010--HoriZone Roundtable
Cleveland State women’s basketball reaches Horizon League title game with 69-42 win against Green Bay--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Cleveland State Women’s Basketball Earns Spot In #HLWBB Championship Game With 69-42 Victory Over Green Bay--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Kamari McGee & Cade Meyer provide UW-Green Bay building blocks for the future--HoriZone Roundtable

UWGB women's basketball suffers worst postseason loss in its Division I history--Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Unable to Keep Pace with Hot Shooting Cleveland State in Horizon League Semifinals--greenbayphoenix.com

JAGUARS ADVANCE TO THIRD CONSECUTIVE #HLWBB CHAMPIONSHIP GAME--iupuijags.com