On The Horizon

Jim Squire

#HLMBB Power Rankings – Week 6--HoriZone Roundtable
Recapping the Horizon League: Dec. 8-14--Mid-Major Madness
Horizon League watch guide for Dec. 15-21--Mid-Major Madness
Week 7 Watchlist: Strange Geometry--Basket Under Review

Tuesday, December 16

C Games

#119 Miami (OH) at #141 Wright State (-1), 7 PM ET, ESPN+. Miami Not That Miami: 10-0 and just one win away (okay, they also have a non-D1 later on) from a perfect non-conference run. It's almost like Travis Steele isn't actually a bad coach, folks. This will still be a pretty tough task, but Wright State is actually sub-50% ATS as a home team post-COVID.

Wednesday, December 17

C Games

#149 Oakland (-1) at #195 Northern Kentucky, 7 PM ET, ESPN+. Early Horizon League battle amongst two of the six or so best teams in a flat conference. Also two AWFUL defenses, so tune in if you like points.

#164 Youngstown State at #176 Robert Morris (-2), 7 PM ET, ESPN+. Same as above but with much better defenses. Robert Morris may have the widest FT Rate split I'm aware of, as opponents attempt double the free throws of their offense.

Friday, December 19

C Games

#175 South Dakota State (-2) vs. #241 Milwaukee, 5 PM ET, BTN+. I cannot figure out why this is on BTN+. It's the pre-cursor to the Wisconsin/Villanova game, which is on FOX...but neither of these teams are in the Big Ten. I'm guessing that since the latter is a FOX product they're having to use this as one, too, but I thought that's what FS2 was for? Who knows.

#HLWBB Power Rankings — Week 6--HoriZone Roundtable

Cleveland State Men's Basketball Defeats Oakland City, 96-52--csuvikings.com

Cleveland State Women's Basketball Returns To #HLWBB Play With Annual Health + Hoops Game--csuvikings.com

Titans Drop Close One At Purdue Fort Wayne--detroittitans.com

Game 9: Detroit Mercy Continues #HLWBB Play at Robert Morris--detroittitans.com

The Women’s Other Top 25: Top holds steady, movement further down--Mid-Major Madness

Four teams joined the ranking this week after not being in the top 25 last week: Green Bay (19), High Point (21), New Mexico (22) and Murray St. (23).

The Phoenix are 8-4 and beat Kansas St. back in November. They just took Washington, who was No. 20 in the AP poll, down to the wire and lost by five.

Here is the full ranking:

Ranking

Team

Last Week

19 Green Bay NR

MEN'S BASKETBALL TO CAP THREE-GAME HOMESTAND ON TUESDAY NIGHT--iuindyjags.com

Milwaukee Panthers lose to Indiana State; top scorer is out for season--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Panthers Denied Late In Tight 70-68 Defeat By Indiana State--mkepanthers.com

Panthers Stifle Ripon, 72–43, With Balanced Scoring and Stout Defense--mkepanthers.com

Oakland Drops Penultimate Non-Conference Game at Northern Iowa--HoriZone Roundtable

Women's Basketball Tallies Season-High in Blocks; Falls to Ramblers on the Road--goldengrizzlies.com

'Dons Record Only Two Turnovers in Win Over UDM--gomastodons.com

PFW sweeps Coliseum twin bill: Women handle Northern Illinois, men hold off Detroit Mercy--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Mastodon WBB Rolls Past Future HL Foe Northern Illinois 67-44--gomastodons.com

RMU Women's Basketball Hosts Detroit Mercy in Conference Home Opener--rmucolonials.com

Wright State basketball: Desperate for win, Raiders host undefeated Miami--Dayton Daily News
Men's Basketball welcomes Miami (OH) to Nutter Center Tuesday--wsuraiders.com

Women’s Basketball Readies for Midweek Action at Youngstown--wsuraiders.com

Rolf stays hot as YSU thrashes Thiel after week off--Tribune Chronicle

Five Penguins Reach Double Figures as YSU Tops Thiel 103-52--ysusports.com

Women’s Basketball Set for #HLWBB Home Opener on Tuesday vs. Wright State--ysusports.com

Under Armour #HLMBB Players of the Week (December 15)--The Horizon League

Under Armour #HLWBB Players of the Week (December 15)--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

12/14/25 SUNDAY NEWS AND NOTES--Staring at the Floorboards

Subscriber Content

One more reminder, I urge you to check out the incredible (and free) Weekend Watchlist for notes on the few “high profile” games on today’s slate.

Feels like it’s been awhile since I’ve discussed my hometown Indiana State Sycamores, but even under the direction of known 3PT avoider Mark Slessinger, the Trees are still very much a rim and 3 oriented offense .... This hasn’t been a typical rim dominant/offensive rebounding Bart Lundy offense at Milwaukee this season ...
One league on the slate today with Detroit visiting PFW....

Cleveland State Men's Basketball Set to Take On Oakland City at Woodling Gym--csuvikings.com

Cleveland State Thunders Past Niagara: Five Observations--HoriZone Roundtable
Cleveland State Women’s Basketball Picks Up 84-52 Victory Over Niagara--csuvikings.com

Streaking Titans on Top to Begin Conference Play--HoriZone Roundtable

Detroit Mercy Off to the Races to Start Horizon League Season--HoriZone Roundtable

Green Bay Falls at #20 Washington 79-74--greenbayphoenix.com

NKU holds on for tight win vs Bellarmine--HoriZone Roundtable
Five Norse score in double figures in NKU’s road win over Bellarmine--nkunorse.com

Garrett Posts Double-Double in Loss at Northern Iowa--goldengrizzlies.com

Robert Morris men rally from 21-point deficit vs. Toledo for 2nd-largest comeback in school history--TribLIVE
Robert Morris erases cold first half, mounts second-largest comeback in program history, beating Toledo--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Robert Morris Completes 2nd Largest Comeback in Program History in Win Over Toledo--Robert Morris Sports Now
Big Second Half Comeback Leads RMU Men’s Basketball Over Toledo, 75-70--rmucolonials.com

Colonials Cruise Past California (Pa.) at Home--rmucolonials.com

Wright State basketball: Marshall comes through in final minute to prevail--Dayton Daily News
Raiders drop Saturday heartbreaker--wsuraiders.com

Penguins Set to Host Thiel Sunday Afternoon--ysusports.com

Jim Squire

Cleveland State Women's Basketball Returns To Action By Hosting Niagara--csuvikings.com

Detroit Mercy Looks To Extend Winning Streak To Four Straight--detroittitans.com

UConn headlines a light Friday of College Basketball--Busting Brackets

The Thursday slate of games wasn’t incredible, but there were two results I want to talk about. Green Bay, coached by podcast host Doug Gottlieb, finally got its first Horizon League win this season. As much as I hate to admit this, Coach Gottlieb has built a competitive roster in the Horizon League. CJ O’ Hara and Preston Reudinger have been huge reasons for the resurgence of the Green Bay program.

UWGB basketball rips redshirt off ex-Kaukauna star Keegan Van Kauwenberg--Green Bay Press-Gazette
Big Games from Thomas, O'Hara and Ruedinger lead Green Bay over IU Indianapolis 85-75--greenbayphoenix.com

IU Indianapolis faces defamation claim from former basketball coach--The Campus Citizen
JAGUARS DROP HOME DECISION TO BALANCED GREEN BAY SQUAD--iuindyjags.com

Milwaukee Hosts Ripon at Klotsche Center on Sunday--mkepanthers.com

Stellar first half wasn’t enough as NKU women’s basketball falls to 21st-ranked Ohio State--The Northerner
Women’s Basketball falls on road to #21 Ohio State--nkunorse.com

Golden Grizzlies Travel to Cedar Falls to Take on Northern Iowa in Non-Conference--goldengrizzlies.com

Women's Basketball Begins Four-Game Road Stretch with Showdown Against Ramblers--goldengrizzlies.com

Mastodons Welcome Detroit Mercy on Sunday--gomastodons.com

Mastodons Withstand Abnormal Milwaukee Three-Point Parade--HoriZone Roundtable
NIU Visits Mastodon WBB For Horizon League Preview--gomastodons.com

Week 6 Weekend Watchlist--Basket Under Review

Saturday, December 13

C Games

#154 Toledo at #179 Robert Morris (-1), 1 PM ET, ESPN+.

There aren’t many teams with as radical of a differential between their efficiency on each end of the floor than Toledo. Tod Kowalczyk’s teams have always leaned more towards the offensive side, but it has reached a fever pitch over the last three seasons. Including this year, his teams have averaged ranking ~63rd in adjusted offense and ~304th in adjusted defense. For this year, in particular, the Rockets rely heavily on their starting lineup; they are one of only six teams in the country with five players at over 50% of minutes played while recording usage rates over 19% in Division I games.

On the flip side, Robert Morris has been the epitome of balance, rating 187th in offense and 183rd in defense. The Colonials also have distinct areas in which they have thrived and struggled. On the plus side, they are excellent on the offensive glass, plus rate in the upper half of the country in 2P% and 3P% on both ends of the floor. On the downside, they both turn the ball over and don’t force turnovers, as well as rank sub-350th in FTA/FGA offense and defense. For the season, opponents are making 9.3 more free throws per game.

Thankfully for Robert Morris, the free-throw game might not decide this one. Toledo already doesn’t send teams to the line (5th in FTA/FGA allowed), and it isn’t great at drawing fouls (287th), either. A key for RMU will be slowing down Toledo’s transition attack. The Rockets attempt 21.3% of shots in transition in their wins, as opposed to 16.9% in losses.

On the other end, Toledo will look to limit RMU’s offensive rebounding. The Rockets have struggled to get initial stops this season, and allowing second-chances when they do are killers. Toledo is 0-3 when allowing an OR% over 35% this season, while RMU has reached that mark in eight of 11 games. - Lukas Harkins

RMU Men’s Basketball Hosts Toledo--rmucolonials.com

RMU Women's Basketball Welcomes Cal (Pa.) for Saturday Showdown--rmucolonials.com

Wright State basketball: Cooper off to hot start, playing ‘far beyond his years’--Dayton Daily News
Wright State basketball: For Sargent, some traits and stats mean more than others--Dayton Daily News
Raiders back on the road for Saturday matchup at Marshall--wsuraiders.com

Raiders Slip at Canisius Friday Night--wsuraiders.com

Capsules--Tribune Chronicle

YSU announces Hall of Fame class

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State will induct a class of five former student-athletes and a long-time contributor into the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame in February.

The class of 2025 features Marta Burak (women’s tennis), Danielle Curry (women’s track and field), Dr. Ray Duffett (contributor), Phil Klein (baseball), Eric Rupe (men’s cross country and track and field), and Heidi Schlegel (women’s basketball).

Schlegel, who played from 2010-15, was a two-time All-Horizon League selection in 2013-14 and 2014-15. She ranks fourth on the all-time scoring list with 1,729 points, and her 621 points in 2013-14 rank fifth on the single-season chart, while her 584 in 2014-15 is eighth. Schlegel’s 20.0 ppg average in 2013-14 ranks eighth in a single season. Her 14.5 career-scoring average ranks 10th all-time, she ranks eighth all-time with 796 career rebounds and seventh all-time with 25 double-doubles.

Jim Squire

12/11/25 THURSDAY NEWS AND NOTES--Staring at the Floorboards

Subscriber Content

GREEN BAY @ IU INDY

IU Indy’s average tempo in the noncon: 85 possessions. IU Indy’s average tempo in two Horizon games: 69....

Phoenix Readies to Take on IU Indy--greenbayphoenix.com

Green Bay Moves to 3-0 in the Horizon League with Win at IU Indy--greenbayphoenix.com

IU Indy falls to Youngstown State in Dec. 6 home matchup--The Campus Citizen

IU INDY FALLS TO THE PHOENIX--iuindyjags.com
IU INDY ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026--iuindyjags.com

Danielle Lawrence - Women's Basketball
-Ranks fourth on the program's all-time scoring list (1,604 points), leading the team in scoring her final three seasons
-Also ranks among the program's top-10 all-time in free throws made (4th; 357) and steals (10th; 180)
-Three-time First Team All-League honoree
-Five-time League Player of the Week selection
-Led the team in steals all four years of her career

Panthers Come Up Short in 70-60 Loss Despite 13 Three-Pointers--mkepanthers.com

Dan Weber’s Just Sayin’: Time for NKU and TMU to get back together in basketball--NKyTribune
NKU men’s basketball: Defense overwhelms Brescia as the Norse cruise to 39-point victory--The Northerner

Mid-Major Madness Men’s Player of the Week Voting: Dec. 1-7--Mid-Major Madness

Brody Robinson - Oakland

Everyone’s favorite mid-major head coach in Greg Kampe has yet another incredible scoring guard on his hands with the arrival of Robinson from UT Arlington this past offseason. Robinson struggled for a consistent role in two previous stops at the Division-I level but in a new spot with Kampe, looks like he could be a star in the Horizon League.

Robinson has Oakland in the midst of a four-game win streak after dropping 27 points and producing eight assists to help the Golden Grizzlies beat Purdue Fort Wayne, 101-92. Three days later, he followed that performance up with 19 points, nine assists and three steals to help stave off Toledo, 98-97.

PFW men shut down Eastern Michigan in first half of win--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
‘Dons Dominate MAC-Foe Eastern Michigan--gomastodons.com

Lokica, Nelson lead PFW women past Milwaukee at Memorial Coliseum--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Fort Defended: Mastodons Move to 3-0 in #HLWBB Play--gomastodons.com

Jim Squire

CSU Courtside (December 9th)--HoriZone Roundtable

Phoenix Begins Four-Game Road Trip in Indianapolis--greenbayphoenix.com

IU INDY TO HOST GREEN BAY ON THURSDAY NIGHT INSIDE THE JUNGLE--iuindyjags.com

JAGUARS HOST PHOENIX IN THE JUNGLE--iuindyjags.com

Milwaukee Downs Robert Morris with Last-Second Tip-In Thriller--UWM Post
Milwaukee And Indiana State Set To Play For First Time Since 2009--mkepanthers.com

Women's Basketball Squares Off with Purdue Fort Wayne in Midweek Matchup--mkepanthers.com

NKU cruises in bounce back win--HoriZone Roundtable
Six Norse score in double figures in 39-point win over Brescia--nkunorse.com

Hard-earned win in 98-97 thriller gives Grizzlies winning record and extends streak to four--The Oakland Post
Robinson’s pure point guard play and zone defense ignite Grizzlies in 101-92 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne--The Oakland Post

Oakland Women’s Basketball falls to Cleveland State on the blacktop--The Oakland Post

Defend the Fort Doubleheader Set for Wednesday--gomastodons.com

Mastodon WBB Looks to Defend the Fort With Doubleheader--gomastodons.com

Wright State basketball: Ball-hawking Burch leads Horizon League in steals--Dayton Daily News
Wright State basketball: Raiders forced to be road warriors again this season--Dayton Daily News

Under Armour #HLMBB Players of the Week (December 8)--The Horizon League
#HLMBB Notebook – Dec. 9, 2025--The Horizon League

Under Armour #HLWBB Players of the Week (December 8)--The Horizon League
#HLWBB Notebook – Dec. 9, 2025--The Horizon League

Jim Squire

#HLMBB Power Rankings – Week 5--HoriZone Roundtable
Previews – December 11th – December 21st--HoriZone Roundtable
Recapping the first week of Horizon League play--Mid-Major Madness
Horizon League watch guide: December 8-14--Mid-Major Madness

#HLWBB Power Rankings — Week 5--HoriZone Roundtable

Teams of the Week Awards: Cyclone Season Rocks West Lafayette--Basket Under Review

HONORABLE MENTION: REMAINING CONFERENCE AWARDS
HORIZON LEAGUE: DETROIT MERCY - A 2-0 start for the Titans? Preposterous! Incredible effort last week by this group to get the job done over tricky IU Indy, and then a double-digit road win at Cleveland State. TJ Nadeau overcame a tough league opener to become the star of the show in Cleveland - 26 points on just 14 shot attempts. And Ayden Carter was the go to guy vs. the Jags, scoring 21 and snatching three steals. Lets see if these Titans can make it 3-0 this Sunday at Purdue Fort Wayne.

Ayden Carter and the Detroit Mercy Titans came prepared for Horizon League play and became the story of the league last week going 2-0.

The Women’s Other Top 25: Princeton ascends to No. 1--Mid-Major Madness

Two teams joined the ranking this week: Vermont at No. 24 and UC Irvine at No. 25. They replaced UTSA and Green Bay.

Dropped from Rankings:

UTSA – 23; Green Bay – 24

Oakland scores nail biting win over Toledo--HoriZone Roundtable