On The Horizon

Jim Squire

The First Round’s Done…But the Transfers Aren’t--HoriZone Roundtable
NMTC Update: Conference tournaments are here--Mid-Major Madness

Horizon League

It was an ideal opening night in the long-shot conference. The No. 6 seed Youngstown State Penguins handled business as we expected they would. Then, in a bit of a surprise, the No. 10 seed Fort Wayne Mastodons rose from the dead (and extinction) with the help of a ridiculous buzzer-beating bank triple at the end of overtime to secure a double-OT victory against, ironically, the Green Bay Phoenix. (Get it?)

Pipkins Buzzer Beater Helps 'Dons Top Green Bay in Double Overtime#GoDons #FeelTheRumble #HLMBB https://t.co/nOmR6SmISY
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 26, 2021

Still, the likelihood of either team emerging from this league is thin, with top-seeded Cleveland State and third-seeded Oakland hosting the ‘Dons and ‘Guins, respectively. Something to keep your eye on, though. These games will occur on March 2.

Titan Memory Podcast - Rashad Phillips--detroittitans.com

OAKLAND WELCOMES YOUNGSTOWN STATE FOR QUARTERFINALS--goldengrizzlies.com

Kahlaijah Dean's father emailed all 354 DI programs; Oakland responded, and it paid off--Detroit News
DEAN REFLECTS ON 1000 CAREER POINT MILESTONE BUT HER GOAL REMAINS THE SAME...JUST WIN--goldengrizzlies.com

Wright State women’s basketball: Top-seeded Raiders set to face NKU in Horizon League tourney opener--Dayton Daily News

Jim Squire

Championship Week Video Notebook: Day 1--Hoops HD

When there were only four, how CSU’s championship team was born--Cleveland Plain Dealer

UWGB star guard Amari Davis enters NCAA transfer portal--Green Bay Press Gazette
After season ending loss, what comes next?--Phear The Phoenix
Offseason roster changes tracker--Phear The Phoenix

Panthers Host YSU to Open Postseason--mkepanthers.com

NKU WBB advances to quarterfinals behind Duvall’s career-high 29 points--The Northerner

Oakland men and women set for Horizon League Tournament quarterfinal home games--Oakland Press

Mastodons' Pipkins says of epic shot: "I knew it was money"--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
PFW hero knew shot 'was money'--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Nelson's coaching contract not renewed, Purdue Fort Wayne says--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Women's basketball coach out at PFW--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Niecee Nelson’s Contract Not Renewed by Mastodons--gomastodons.com

RMU women's basketball eliminated from Horizon League Tournament--Trib Live

Jim Squire

IPFW beats Green Bay in 2OT to advance in Horizon tourney--Associated Press
Akuchie, Bohannon lead Youngstown St. over UIC 74-58--Associated Press
Lucas lifts Milwaukee over IUPUI 84-72 in Horizon tourney--Associated Press
Davis sets Horizon tourney records with 46 points, 10 3s--Associated Press
Under the Radar: Feb 24th (and Championship Week Video Notebook: Day 0)--Hoops HD

This is our final episode of Under the Radar for the season. Conference Tournament play tips off tomorrow and we will have our Championship Week Video Notebook updates every night. We begin tonight by looking at the Horizon League, whose tournament tips off tomorrow, and discuss if we think there are any potential upsets in the opening round, and how we think Wright State and Cleveland State are the two favorites to win it all.

Conference Tourney Previews (Part 1 of 2)--Hoops HD

Horizon tourney predicted champ: Wright State (#2 seed)
Dates: February 25-March 9
Location: Campus sites and Indianapolis, IN
2020 tourney champ: Northern Kentucky (#2 seed)
Fun fact: Northern Kentucky has won this tourney 3 times in past 4 years
Seeding: none of past 5 champs were #1 seed
I love Loudon Love, you love Loudon Love, and unfortunately for Cleveland State this tourney does not love #1 seeds so no love for the Vikings. The Raiders lost 3 of 4 in early-January but then got it going and won 10 of their final 11 with only a 6-PT loss at Northern Kentucky last week. Coach Scott Nagy has more than 500 career wins and needs just 1 more to extend his streak of 19-wins seasons to 11 in a row. Each of his top-4 players are averaging at least 10 PPG/6 RPG so unless you can play some defense or hit the boards they will just keep scoring and rebounding until they win it all.

Horizon League basketball tournaments: UDM men, Oakland men and women open at home--Detroit Free Press

Vikings Earn 69-43 Victory Over UIC In #HLWBB First Round--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Antoine Davis dominates as Detroit Mercy basketball advances to Horizon League quarters--Detroit Free Press
UDM's Antoine Davis scores 46 (3 off program record) in first DI men's postseason game of season--Detroit News
Davis Scores Tournament-Record 46 in First Round Victory Over Colonials--detroittitans.com

Say it isn't so: UWGB men's basketball season ends with a heartbreaker--Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Suffers Heartbreaking, Double-Overtime Loss in Horizon League Tournament--greenbayphoenix.com

JAGUARS UNABLE TO RALLY ON THE ROAD IN #HLMBB TOURNEY OPENER--iupuijags.com

UWM 84, IUPUI 72: Well-balanced effort earns Panthers first postseason victory since 2018--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Big First Half Sets Up Panthers For 84-72 Victory Over IUPUI--mkepanthers.com

@NKUNorseWBB advances to quarterfinal matchup with 68-54 defeat over Robert Morris--nkunorse.com

MEN’S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: FEB. 26--goldengrizzlies.com
JALEN MOORE: A TRUE POINT GUARD--goldengrizzlies.com

Mastodons win in 2 OTs--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Pipkins Buzzer Beater Helps 'Dons Top Green Bay in Double Overtime--gomastodons.com

Parker's Heroics Not Enough in Horizon League Championship Opener--gomastodons.com

Robert Morris ousted from Horizon League tourney by Detroit Mercy--Trib Live
RMU Falls In First Round Of #HLMBB Tournament--rmucolonials.com

Colonials Bow Out to Norse in #HLWBB First Round--rmucolonials.com

Penguins Push Past Flames in #HLMBB First Round--uicflames.com

Flames Fall to Cleveland State in #HLWBB Championship's First Round--uicflames.com

Wright State basketball: Nagy knows challenges await his team in tourney--Dayton Daily News

Penguins men roll--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Men's Basketball Advances With 74-58 Win Over UIC--ysu.prestosports.com

YSU women edge Mastodons--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Penguins Fight Off Purdue Fort Wayne to Advance in Tournament--ysu.prestosports.com

#HLMBB Championship First Round Roundup--The Horizon League

#HLWBB Championship First Round Roundup – February 25--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

#HLMBB Tournament Staff Picks: First Round--HoriZone Roundtable
Horizon Tournament Preview 2021--Three Man Weave
Breakdowns of men's college basketball conference tournaments--USA Today

Horizon League
Dates: Feb. 25, March 2, March 8-9
Favorite: Wright State
Other contenders: Cleveland State, Northern Kentucky
Wright State and Cleveland State finished tied atop the league standings. Though the Vikings have the No. 1 seed via tiebreakers, most analytics peg the Raiders as the league favorites, led by the efficient inside-outside tandem of Loudon Love and Tanner Holden. It won’t be easy, though, as fourth-seeded Northern Kentucky just gave them all they could handle in splitting the final regular-season series last weekend. The league’s seeding formula implemented due to COVID-19 causing schedule imbalances didn’t sit well with everyone, most notably Detroit Mercy. The Titans were seeded fifth despite an 11-7 league record and will have to play an extra game to reach the four-team championship round in Indianapolis.
Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 25
Robert Morris at Detroit Mercy, 7 p.m.
Illinois-Chicago at Youngstown State, 8 p.m.
Purdue Fort Wayne at Wisconsin-Green Bay, 8 p.m.
IUPUI at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 8 p.m.

College Basketball Viewing Guide for Thursday, February 25, 2021--Blogging The Bracket

Horizon League First Round

ESPN+ ($) will stream all four games.

No. 12. Robert Morris (4-14, 3-12) at No. 5. Detroit Mercy (11-9, 10-6), 7 p.m.
The Titans defeated the Colonials twice at home.
No. 11. UIC (9-12, 6-10) at No. 6. Youngstown State (14-11, 9-11), 8 p.m.
The pair split a series in Youngstown.
No. 10. Purdue Fort Wayne (7-14, 6-14) at No. 7. Green Bay (8-16, 8-12), 8 p.m.
The Phoenix defeated the Mastodons twice at home.
No. 9. IUPUI (8-9, 7-9) at No. 8. Milwaukee (8-11, 7-10), 8 p.m.
The pair split a series in Indianapolis.

Yes, it’s February for a few more days, but March officially begins tonight with this quartet of Horizon League Tournament matchups. Tonight’s winners advance to Tuesday’s quarterfinals, where they’ll be re-seeded and paired up for trips to the top four seeds.

State hoops: Players can't let guard down; one positive COVID-19 test, and 'it's over'--Detroit News

After mental health break, a turnaround at Detroit Mercy--Associated Press

Green Bay Welcomes #10 Purdue Fort Wayne for First Round Matchup Thursday--greenbayphoenix.com

Even a Pandemic Hasn’t Kept Sydney Roule from Elevating Her Game During Her Senior Season--The Campus Citizen

UWM's first-round opponent in the Horizon League tournament, IUPUI, is a very familiar foe--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
VIDEO: Catch The Next Episode Of The "MKE MINUTE"

No. 8-seeded @NKUNorseWBB squares off with No. 9-seed Robert Morris in Horizon League Tournament--nkunorse.com

PFW excited to still be playing--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

PFW women face Penguins in Horizon tourney--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

PREVIEW: Colonials head back to Motown to take on Titans--Colonial Sports Network

Robert Morris basketball teams set for 1st Horizon League playoffs--Trib Live

Wright State basketball: Defense lagging lately but still a strong suit for Raiders--Dayton Daily News

Tourney trail gets started for YSU--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle

Jim Squire

Conferences scramble to make sense of postseason path in COVID-impacted college basketball season--Heat Check CBB

Detroit’s Mike Davis voices frustration over seeding

Speaking of bizarre end-of-season news, the Horizon League unveiled its head-scratching tournament bracket over the weekend, much to the dismay of Detroit head coach Mike Davis.

The Titans, which finished conference play 10-6, are seeded 5th in the tournament behind a pair of teams with lower winning percentages in 10-10 Oakland and 11-7 Northern Kentucky.

Let's play everyone's favorite game ... #WeirdConferenceTournamentSeeding

—Horizon League—

1) Cleveland State — 16-4
2) Wright State — 16-4
3) Oakland — 10-10
4) Northern Kentucky — 11-7
5) Detroit — 10-6
— Heat Check CBB (@HeatCheckCBB) February 23, 2021

The Horizon’s conference seeding formula calls for four factors including league winning percentage, strength of schedule, weighting road wins vs. home wins and number of league games played.

“We wouldn’t have lost all four games, I can tell you that,” Davis said about being seeded lower than Oakland, which had the same number of league wins and four more losses. Detroit and Oakland split their four regular-season matchups, and now Davis’ squad has to take on Robert Morris in the first round instead of beginning its postseason with a bye into the quarterfinals.

Comparing #HLMBB All-League picks--HoriZone Roundtable
IUPUI, Milwaukee meet in Horizon tourney--Associated Press
Ft. Wayne, Green Bay meet in Horizon tourney--Associated Press
UIC meets Youngstown St. in Horizon tourney--Associated Press
Detroit faces Robert Morris in Horizon tourney--Associated Press

Cleveland State's Destiny Leo, Dennis Gates among Horizon League honorees--News-Herald

Vikings Set To Host UIC To Begin #HLWBB Tournament Play--csuvikings.prestosports.com

'We're dangerous': Back in postseason, Detroit Mercy basketball a scary foe as No. 5 seed--Detroit News
Titans Open Up Progressive Insurance #HLMBB Championship On Thursday Vs. Robert Morris--detroittitans.com

NO. 9 JAGUARS TO OPEN POSTSEASON AT NO. 8 MILWAUKEE--iupuijags.com

Postseason Opens With Milwaukee Hosting IUPUI Thursday--mkepanthers.com

NKU standouts Faulkner, Warrick earn All-Horizon League honors; Love named Player of the Year--Northern Kentucky Trbune
Norse Players Earn Horizon League End-of-Season Honors--River City News
NKU MBB guard Marques Warrick named Horizon League Freshman of the Year--The Northerner

And now for something new--HoriZone Roundtable

'Dons Aim to Start #HLMBB Title Run In Titletown--gomastodons.com

Purdue Fort Wayne Set to Play in First #HLWBB Championship--gomastodons.com

RMU-UDM Rematch Set For #HLMBB Tournament--rmucolonials.com

Colonials, Norse Square Off in #HLWBB First Round--rmucolonials.com

Flames Heading to Cleveland State for First Round of #HLWBB Championships--uicflames.com

Penguins ends season on high note; Covington, Bohannon and Rathan-Mayes earn awards--HoriZone Roundtable
Obiazor leads award winners--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Men's Basketball Opens #HLMBB Tournament Against Flames--ysu.prestosports.com

Penguins Begin Tournament Play Versus Mastodons on Thursday--ysu.prestosports.com

#HLMBB Weekly Notebook – February 24--The Horizon League

#HLWBB Weekly Notebook – February 24--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

HoriZone Roundtable #HLMBB All-League Teams--HoriZone Roundtable

HoriZone Roundtable #HLWBB All-League Teams--HoriZone Roundtable

Vikings earn share of regular season conference title--HoriZone Roundtable
Gates Wins #HLMBB Coach of the Year; Gomillion Defensive Player of the Year--csuvikings.prestosports.com

White Named A Finalist For The Senior CLASS Award--csuvikings.prestosports.com
White Named #HLWBB Defensive Player of the Year; Leo Named #HLWBB Sixth Player of the Year--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis misses Horizon League POY, makes first team for 3rd time--Detroit News
UM's Hunter Dickinson wins seventh Big Ten freshman honor; UDM's Antoine Davis takes national honors--Detroit News
Davis Selected #HLMBB Player Of The Week & Lou Henson National Player of the Week--detroittitans.com
Davis, Kuol, Johnson Earn Horizon League Honors--detroittitans.com

Amari Davis, Lucas Stieber Tabbed to All-Horizon League Teams--greenbayphoenix.com

Caitlyn Hibner Garners Horizon League Player of the Week Honors After Weekend Sweep--greenbayphoenix.com
Caitlyn Hibner Tabbed to All-Horizon League Second Team--greenbayphoenix.com

BURK VOTED TO #HLMBB SECOND TEAM BY LEAGUE'S COACHES--iupuijags.com

MCLIMORE VOTED TO #HLWBB SECOND TEAM AND ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM--iupuijags.com
WILLIAMS NAMED #HLWBB PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR THIRD-STRAIGHT YEAR--iupuijags.com

Te’Jon Lucas Earns Horizon League Postseason Honors--mkepanthers.com

Bisping Receives College Madness Weekly Recognition--mkepanthers.com
Walstad, Bisping Earn Horizon League Honors--mkepanthers.com

NKU's Faulkner and Warrick earn Horizon League honors--Cincinnati Enquirer
NKU’s Warrick earns Horizon League Freshman of the Week accolades for seventh time this season--Northern Kentucky Tribune
NKU Earns First Round Bye in Horizon League Tournament--River City News
Marques Warrick collects seventh #HLMBB Freshman of the Week award--nkunorse.com
NKU’s Faulkner and Warrick receive end-of-year Horizon League honors--nkunorse.com

Duvall, Turner and Rose receive Horizon League awards for standout seasons--nkunorse.com

MEN’S BASKETBALL EARNS FOUR ALL-LEAGUE HONORS--goldengrizzlies.com

DEAN EARNS HORIZON LEAGUE FIRST TEAM HONORS--goldengrizzlies.com

Mastodons steal one over Cleveland State, now it’s tournament time--HoriZone Roundtable
Jarred Godfrey Named to All-Horizon League Third team--gomastodons.com

Sol Castro named to Horizon League All-Freshman Team--Colonial Sports Network
Castro Garners Horizon League All-Freshman Team Recognition--rmucolonials.com

UIC Gets Back In Win Column As Horizon League Tournament Looms--College Hoops Recruit
Flames Face Penguins in Horizon League Tournament Opener--uicflames.com

Jaida McCloud Named to #HLWBB All-Freshman Team--uicflames.com

The Other Top 25: Here’s some Colgate appreciation--Mid-Major Madness

The Other Top 25: Week 14

Rank School Record Change Our reasoning

19 Wright State 18-5 -2 The Raiders saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end on Friday against Northern Kentucky, but rebounded Saturday to close the season. Wright State will actually be the 2 seed in the Horizon League tournament, with Cleveland State getting the top spot.