Mid-Money Madness March 3--Mid-Major Madness
Horizon League Tournament:
Detroit Mercy vs. Northern Kentucky
Spread: Northern Kentucky -3
Total: 133
Tip-off: 7 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN +
Detroit’s Antoine Davis is worth the ESPN + subscription. The star guard is averaging 24.2 points while shooting 38% from 3-point land. NKU defense plays a zone, which isn’t ideal against a dynamic shooter. Per Shot Quality, NKU surrenders the second-highest scoring rate in the conference from shots surrendered behind the arch. Detroit ranks third in the conference on the offensive side of the ball. Guard play is so key in neutral sight conference tournament matchups. Detroit has a significant advantage here. Northern Kentucky’s point guard Bryson Langdon has had some turnover issues, and I will take the best player in the conference catching points here.
The pick: Detroit Mercy +3
Oakland @ Wright State
Spread: Wright State -4
Total: 145
Tip-off 7 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN +
Another Horizon League quarterfinal matchup. Oakland didn’t have to break a sweat against a shorthanded IUPUI. Jalen Moore and Jamal Cain are some of the conference’s best pick and roll tandems. They will be facing the Wright State team that doesn’t do well in pick and roll coverage. The Raiders rank 242nd in two-point defense. Oakland loves to play downhill. Oakland doesn’t defend the rim well off post-ups and drives. That is where Wright State feasts- down low with Grant Basile and Tanner Holden. Oakland ranks in the bottom 300 in two points defense and proximity shot quality. Both teams should be able to create easy shots for themselves down the stretch. Oakland should have a faster pace than it did in the first-round matchup. I think the over is a safe bet in this one.
The pick: Over 145
Never Made the Tournament Club, 3/3/22: First Big, then South--Mid-Major Madness
Horizon League: Penguins go cold
Youngstown State, what happened? The Penguins entered their conference tournament game against Robert Morris as major favorites. Playing at home, Youngstown State got blitzed in the first half and trailed for the entire game. Although they tried to come back very late, the Penguins never challenged the Colonials. After entering the night as the lock of the group, it turned out to be the game we shut off first.
Thursday Action:
Typically this first Thursday of conference tournament season is a great day for the NMTC, but the last two days have been somewhat painful.
The other highlight of the night will be Fort Wayne’s first test of the Horizon League Tournament against the UIC Flames. Fort Wayne has won nine straight and is brimming with confidence. While the Flames could prove to be a tough out, the Mastodons have won their last eight home games and will be comfortable favorites. BartTorvik gives Fort Wayne a 21.2% chance of winning the auto-bid from this point, so we’re pinning a lot on this one. They also have Damian Chong Qui, who has plenty of experience dishing heartbreak to NMTC teams, so maybe he can use his sorcery for good this time.
Thursday, March 3
All games at 7PM on ESPN+ (again, lol)
Horizon League Semifinals
(2) Purdue Fort Wayne vs. (8) UIC
Championship Week Video Notebook: Day 4--Hoops HD
NOW, ONTO THE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS, WHICH THERE WERE A LOT OF:
We break down a busy night of conference tournaments with the ASun, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, and Horizon League all having their quarterfinal action tonight. The West Coast and Missouri Valley also got underway.
March Madness bracket predictions 5.0: Projecting the Field of 68 for 2022 NCAA Tournament--Sporting News
NCAA tournament Field of 68 projections
No. 16 seeds
*Cleveland State (19-9, 15-6 Horizon)
Resume: Net: 175, KenPom: 193
Bracket Watch: Lurking bid thieves and a potentially memorable March for mid-majors--The Athletic
South Region (San Antonio)
Seed Team Site Arizona*
Cleveland State*
Davidson*
Iona*
Texas
North Texas*
New Mexico St*
Rutgers
Duke*
Longwood*
Cleveland State men’s basketball right on time in 83-67 Horizon League quarterfinal win against Robert Morris--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Torrey Patton got back to stuffing the stat sheet and led Cleveland State men’s basketball to a Horizon League tournament win--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Men’s Basketball is headed to Indy after Quarterfinal win over RMU--csuvikings.prestosports.com
Leo, defense lead Vikings into #HLWBB semifinals--HoriZone Roundtable
Cleveland State Women’s Basketball Advances To #HLWBB Semifinals With 59-51 Victory Over NKU--csuvikings.prestosports.com
Cleveland State Women’s Basketball Set To Face Green Bay In #HLWBB Semifinals--csuvikings.prestosports.com
Bad fortune haunted Detroit Mercy men all season, and in the end, they were gassed--Detroit News
Titans Championship Run Comes To An End At NKU--detroittitans.com
UWGB women's basketball team tops rival, advances to Horizon League semifinals--Green Bay Press Gazette
Schiltz, Suffocating Defense Lead Green Bay Past Milwaukee In #HLWBB Quarterfinals--greenbayphoenix.com
Bonus: A Chat With IUPUI’s Iron Six--HoriZone Roundtable
JAGUARS ADVANCE TO #HLWBB SEMIFINALS WITH WIN OVER ROBERT MORRIS, 72-41--iupuijags.com
UW-Milwaukee turns page on Pat Baldwin, now must make the correct call on his replacement--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Panthers Fall to Phoenix in Quarterfinals--mkepanthers.com
Dan Weber’s Just Sayin’: NKU does what it does in March, and goodbye Mel Webster--Link Nky
Men’s basketball advances to Horizon League semifinals--The Northerner
@NKUNorseMBB downs Detroit Mercy, punches ticket to #HLMBB Championship semifinals--nkunorse.com
@NKUNorseMBB, Purdue Fort Wayne to meet in #HLMBB Championship semis--nkunorse.com
@NKUNorseWBB defeated by No. 4 seed Cleveland State in #HLWBB Quarterfinals--nkunorse.com
'Not my best moment': Oakland men blow big second-half lead, season ends short of Indy--Detroit News
Men’s basketball’s season comes to an end in Horizon League quarterfinals--Oakland Post
SEASON CONCLUDES FOR OAKLAND AT WRIGHT STATE--goldengrizzlies.com
Oakland gets one team through to Horizon League semifinals--Oakland Press
'The stuff we dream about': Oakland women are off to Horizon League semifinals for first time--Detroit News
Women’s basketball upsets second-seeded Penguins, punches ticket to Indianapolis--Oakland Post
OAKLAND UPSETS NO. 2 YSU IN HORIZON LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS--goldengrizzlies.com
Mastodons Notch Tenth Straight Win, Advance to Horizon Semis--HoriZone Roundtable
1 down, 2 to go for PFW--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Mastodons March On To Semifinals--gomastodons.com
'Dons Play Northern Kentucky in #HLMBB Semifinals on ESPN2--gomastodons.com
Robert Morris sees season end with loss to Cleveland State in Horizon quarterfinals--Trib Live
Robert Morris’ season comes to an end in Cleveland--Colonial Sports Network
RMU Falls In #HLMBB Quarterfinals To Vikings--rmucolonials.com
Robert Morris gets another chance at IUPUI, this time in the Horizon League Quarterfinals--Colonial Sports Network
Natalie Villaflor enters transfer portal--Colonial Sports Network
RMU Falls in Horizon League Quarterfinals--rmucolonials.com
Furious Fight Falls Short for @UIC_MBB--uicflames.com
UIC Transitions Women's Basketball Leadership--uicflames.com
Wright State uses 20-0 run to stun Oakland in Horizon League quarterfinals--Dayton Daily News
Holden leads charge for Raiders, leaves young fans souvenir--Dayton Daily News
Big second half pushes Raiders past Oakland, on to Indy--wsuraiders.com
Oakland stuns YSU again--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Penguins Fall 63-52 to Oakland in Quarterfinals--ysu.prestosports.com
Keeps Horizon League Men’s Basketball Championship Quarterfinal Roundup--The Horizon League
Keeps #HLWBB Championship Quarterfinal Roundup--The Horizon League
#HLWBB Notebook – Semifinals--The Horizon League
