On The Horizon

Jim Squire

Saturday Notes – December 21, 2019--Hoopville

UNC Greensboro 67, Northern Kentucky 50: A solid win for the Spartans against another good mid-major program despite 33 points for the Norse’s Tyler Sharpe. The Southern Conference is another one that should give us a good race for the title between a few good teams at the top.Wright State 79, Toledo 72: Quietly, the Raiders are 10-3 as Horizon League play beckons, and while they don’t have the resume wins or avoidance of bad losses to be an at-large team, they certainly look like they’ll be among the favorites to win there as expected before the season. They got 27 points and 17 rebounds from Tanner Holden in this one.

News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Saturday, Dec 21st--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-WEST VIRGINIA AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE. Kind of an odd road game for WVU, but it’s also a very winnable one.
-WRIGHT STATE AT TOLEDO. Both teams are kind of a longshot at landing inside the bubble, but both also have really good records and are looking like they’ll both do well in their conferences, so it should be a fun UTR match-up.

Eichelberger Pours in Career-High 23 Points at East Tennessee State--csuvikings.prestosports.com

State college roundup: Detroit Mercy cruises to win No. 2 behind Antoine Davis' 35 points--Associated Press
Titans Give SIUE The Ziggy, 81-55--detroittitans.com

Four Freshmen Score in Double Figures in Non-League Finale Against EMU--detroittitans.com

Saturday's state basketball roundup: Fairfield hands Oakland its fourth straight loss--Detroit News
Cruz scores 23 to carry Fairfield over Oakland 61-59 in OT--Associated Press
OAKLAND STUMBLES LATE, FALLS IN OVERTIME TO FAIRFIELD, 61-59--goldengrizzlies.com

STRONG SECOND HALF PROPELS OAKLAND OVER LOURDES TO SECURE PROGRAM'S 800TH WIN--goldengrizzlies.com

JayQuan McCloud's career game leads UWGB to win--Green Bay Press Gazette
McCloud's Career-High Day Lifts Green Bay to Strong Road Win at NIU--greenbayphoenix.com

Hailey Oskey makes surprising season debut in UWGB women's basketball loss--Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bays Falls Short in Non-Conference Finale with SDSU, 60-55--greenbayphoenix.com

Wisconsin basketball: Milwaukee recap--Bucky's 5th Quarter
Badgers Pull Away From Panthers In Second Half--mkepanthers.com

Bisping’s Career-High Not Enough as Panthers Fall to UND--mkepanthers.com

Tyler Sharpe's career day isn't enough, Northern Kentucky falls to UNC Greensboro--Cincinnati Enquirer
UNC Greensboro begins second half with 14-0 run, coasts to 67-50 win over injury-depleted NKU--Northern Kentucky Tribune
UNC Greensboro takes down @NKUNorseMBB, 67-50--nkunorse.com

Under The Radar Game of the Day: Saturday, December 21st--Hoops HD
Wright State basketball: Holden stars as Raiders beat Rockets on road--Dayton Daily News
Holden turns in career game as Raiders down Toledo--wsuraiders.com

Wright State falls to UCF on Saturday--wsuraiders.com

West Virginia Holds Off Youngstown State 75-64--The Smoking Musket
Penguins show fight--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Who will be watching the Penguins?--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Penguins Turn In Gritty Performance in 75-64 Loss to No. 25 West Virginia--ysu.prestosports.com

Jim Squire

The Morning Dish – Saturday, December 21, 2019--Hoopville

Tonight’s Menu
It’s a full day of action with a lot of good games to check out along the way, with quite a few coming at neutral sites.

Jacksonville State appears to have come alive, and they visit a Tennessee team trying to bounce back, while West Virginia travels to Youngstown State (1 p.m.)

Northern Kentucky visits UNC Greensboro in a nice mid-major matchup, while Murray State visits Evansville (7 p.m.)

A pair of SEC teams tip as Arkansas goes on the road to take on Valparaiso and Vanderbilt tries to get back on track as they host UNCW (8 p.m.)

Vikings Head to Tennessee for First-Ever Meeting with East Tennessee State--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Women’s Basketball Earns Program Record 10th Straight Win With 95-49 Victory Over Lake Erie--csuvikings.prestosports.com

GAME 13: OAKLAND RETURNS TO THE BLACKTOP TO HOST FAIRFIELD--goldengrizzlies.com

GAME 11: OAKLAND CONCLUDES TWO-GAME HOME SWING AGAINST LOURDES--goldengrizzlies.com

Flames Take Down Anteaters in Nonconference Finale--uicflames.com

JAGUARS CAP NON-CONFERENCE SLATE WITH LOSS AT FRESNO STATE--iupuijags.com

WILLIAMS' DOUBLE-DOUBLE PACES JAGS IN 72-42 WIN OVER EASTERN KENTUCKY--iupuijags.com

12/21 Big Ten Preview: Eleven Games On Tap--BT Powerhouse

-Milwaukee Panthers at Wisconsin Badgers

Time/TV: 5:00 PM (EST) / BTN

KenPom spread: Wisconsin -17

This is a battle of two teams that are struggling mightily. Wisconsin has lost 4 out of 5 games and Milwaukee their last 5 of 6.

The Panthers are one of the worst offensively efficient teams in the country, ranking 285th out of 353 D1 teams. Wisconsin still hasn’t lost at home this season. The Badgers could hold the Panthers under 50 today. I think the Badgers and win and cover.

Pick against the spread: Wisconsin

Niece scores 20 points as NKU women post 80-72 win over Wofford; Thomas More women lose in Arizona--Northern Kentucky Tribune
NKU women’s basketball wrap up nonconference play with 80-72 win--The Northerner
@NKUNorseWBB finishes off nonconference play with win over Wofford--nkunorse.com

West Virginia visits Youngstown State Saturday in Rare Non-Conference game--The Smoking Musket
Men's Basketball Takes on No. 25 West Virginia Saturday at Covelli Centre--ysu.prestosports.com

YSU goes deep for victory--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle

CMUChippewas.com

Women's Basketball Set To Close Out Non-League Play Against Lake Erie--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Men's Basketball Downed By Northeastern--detroittitans.com
Titans Set For Showdown With SIUE On Saturday--detroittitans.com

Women's Basketball Hosts Eastern Michigan in Final Non-Conference Game--detroittitans.com

GAME 13: OAKLAND RETURNS TO THE BLACKTOP TO HOST FAIRFIELD--goldengrizzlies.com

CMU women roll over Oakland, win streak now at six--CMUChippewas.com

OAKLAND DROPS NON-CONFERENCE GAME TO CENTRAL MICHIGAN--goldengrizzlies.com

Flames Close Out Nonconference Play with Anteaters--uicflames.com

JAGS TO CONCLUDE NON-CONFERENCE PLAY AT FRESNO STATE--iupuijags.com

Green Bay Travels to Northern Illinois on Saturday for Final Nonconference Game--greenbayphoenix.com

Panthers Volunteer with Gruber Law Offices at Holiday Jamboree--mkepanthers.com

Nonconference docket closes for @NKUNorseMBB with road test at UNC Greensboro--nkunorse.com

@NKUNorseWBB hosts Terriers in nonconference finale--nkunorse.com

Wright State at Toledo: What you need to know about Saturday’s game--Dayton Daily News
Wright State basketball: Raider freshman Holden regains early-season form--Dayton Daily News
Raiders close non-conference slate at Toledo Saturday afternoon--wsuraiders.com

Raiders fall to St. Bonaventure Friday afternoon--wsuraiders.com

Visit by WVU based on relationship--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Penguins Tie School 3-Pointers Record in 92-46 Win Over Muskingum--ysu.prestosports.com

Penguins Set for Seventh Annual Chick-Fil-A School Field Trip Game on Friday--ysu.prestosports.com

Jim Squire

The Morning Dish – Thursday, December 19, 2019--Hoopville

Side Dishes
The Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase had a doubleheader in Phoenix, and both results were noteworthy in part for an individual effort. In the opener, Loyola-Chicago stayed hot by riding a triple-double from Cameron Krutwig (22 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) to beat sliding Vanderbilt 78-70. The second game saw Saint Mary’s hammer Arizona State 96-56 behind 34 points from Jordan Ford, while the Sun Devils were basically a one-man show as Alonzo Verge Jr. scored 43 points. Saint Mary’s was 16-26 from long range.

Other results of note: Virginia turned back Stony Brook 56-44; Michigan State held off Northwestern 77-72 in Evanston to go to 2-0 in the Big Ten; Dartmouth kept Central Connecticut winless as they beat the visiting Blue Devils 76-60; UNC Greensboro headed north and edged Vermont in a dandy 54-53; VCU rallied from being down by eight at the half to beat College of Charleston 76-71 behind 17 points and 11 rebounds from Marcus Santos-Silva; Syracuse pulled away from Oakland 74-62; Illinois State stormed back to score the final 11 points of the game and nip UIC 67-66; Pacific moved to 11-3 with a 74-66 win at UNLV; and Oregon took care of Montana 81-48 behind a double-double from Francis Okoro (12 points, 17 rebounds).

News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Wednesday, Dec 18th--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-DEPAUL AT CLEVELAND STATE. This is a winnable road game for a DePaul team that’s having a great year.

DePaul holds off Cleveland State, 73-65--News-Leader
Cleveland State Takes DePaul to the Wire--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Syracuse 74, Oakland 62: Joseph Girard III explosive in transition with 20 points--Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Syracuse Outlasts Stubborn Oakland 74-62--Associated Press
Oakland falls 72-49 to Michigan State Spartans in Detroit--Oakland Post
OAKLAND FALLS SHORT AT SYRACUSE, 74-62--goldengrizzlies.com

Flames Drop Heartbreaker to Illinois State--uicflames.com

Flames Come up Short in Non-Conference Finale--uicflames.com

IUPUI pays visit to Fresno State--Omaha World-Herald

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TO HOST CLASS ON THE COURT AGAINST CLEVELAND STATE (JAN. 30).--iupuijags.com
JAGS HOST EASTERN KENTUCKY TO CLOSE OUT NON-CONFERENCE PLAY--iupuijags.com

UWGB freshman rips redshirt off, helps team set points record--Green Bay Press Gazette
Eight Players Score in Double-Figures as Green Bay Breaks Scoring Record with 126 Points--greenbayphoenix.com

Rechlicz Inks Five for Milwaukee Basketball--mkepanthers.com
Panthers Host UND to Close Non-Conference Schedule--mkepanthers.com

Don Owen: The 10 biggest sports stories involving NKU this decade? Time can’t hide the obvious answers--Northern Kentucky Tribune

Raiders Head to Orlando for Two-Day Tournament at UCF--wsuraiders.com

Defense dominates--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Defensive Effort Leads Men's Basketball to 73-55 Win Over Binghamton--ysu.prestosports.com

YSU women withstand Lake Erie--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Peters Collects First Double-Double in 83-48 Win Over Lake Erie College--ysu.prestosports.com

Jim Squire

The Morning Dish – Wednesday, December 18, 2019--Hoopville

Side Dishes
Other results of note: Florida State handled North Florida 98-81; Georgetown stayed on a roll with an 81-55 romp over UMBC behind 22 points and 13 rebounds from Omer Yurtseven; Wright State kept Mississippi Valley State winless with a 92-50 romp; Marquette took care of Grambling 93-72 behind 25 points from Markus Howard; Ohio State bounced back from their first loss by rolling over Southeast Missouri State 80-48; Dayton took care of North Texas 71-58; Purdue took care of Ohio 69-51 in Athens; Creighton pulled away from Oklahoma 83-73, handing the Sooners a second straight loss; Stanford moved to 10-1 with a 64-56 win over San Francisco; and Washington handled Seattle 81-59 behind 27 points and 13 rebounds from Isaiah Stewart.
Tonight’s Menu
A lot of good games are on tap, including a tripleheader.

Radford travels to Mississippi State and Oakland goes to Syracuse (8 p.m.)

Vikings Return to Wolstein Center to Host DePaul--csuvikings.prestosports.com

Men's Basketball Prepares For Northeastern On Thursday--detroittitans.com

Syracuse men’s basketball vs. Oakland: TNIAAM predictions & poll--Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

GAME 10: OAKLAND RETURNS HOME TO HOST CENTRAL MICHIGAN--goldengrizzlies.com

Men's Basketball Heads to Illinois State--uicflames.com

The Curious Case of Amari Davis--HoriZone Roundtable
10 Freshmen Who Have Shined in Opening Semester--CBB Central

Amari Davis (Green Bay)
Stats: 16.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.5 apg, .581/.000/.614
The early-season numbers from Davis are a little remarkable. A 6-3, 170 pound guard, Davis has attempted just two three-point shots but is shooting 76% at the rim and 58% overall from the field. Whether he can keep up this rather ridiculous finishing rate is certainly a question worth asking, but having a guy who gets downhill as often as Davis does is a major asset for a team that plays as fast as Green Bay does. Development as a shooter could make this kid special.

Green Bay Announces 2020 Hall of Fame Class, Celebrating 50 Years of Athletics--greenbayphoenix.com

Panthers Wrap Up Non-Conference Slate With Stop At Wisconsin--mkepanthers.com

Wright State basketball: Manns stays hot as Raiders roll to win--Dayton Daily News
Four Raiders finish in double figures in Tuesday win--wsuraiders.com

Penguins looking to game at Covelli--Mahoning Valley Tribune Chronicle
Men's Basketball Hosts Binghamton in Final Non-League Game at Beeghly Center--ysu.prestosports.com

Penguins Begin Four-Game Homestand Wednesday vs. Lake Erie College--ysu.prestosports.com

#HLMBB Weekly Notebook – December 18--The Horizon League

#HLWBB Weekly Notebook – December 18--The Horizon League