Horizon League 2003-04 Season Recap
The 2003-’04 season was a year of surprises for the Horizon League.
Week in and week out; a team or a player pulled off or nearly pulled off a shocking surprise. And it all began right at the beginning of the season with Cleveland State nearly beating the, then-ranked 8th team in the nation, North Carolina Tar Heels.
The Vikings led the majority of the contest at the Henry J. Goodman Arena, which had packed in 13,000-plus fans for the game. CSU carried a 76-73 lead over the Tar Heels with a shade under three minutes to go, but the Tar Heels showed why they are ranked and reeled off an 8-0 run to finish off the game and escape with the victory.
Among the other surprises were Green Bay and Wright State. Two teams that did not win a single road game in 2002-’03, turned it around and were in contention for the regular season championship all the way to the end of the season.
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, fresh off their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, surprised many with their non conference schedule. Trips to North Carolina State, Valparaiso and Wisconsin and a visit by Southern Illinois were the core of their early season schedule. And once league play started, the Panthers started with a 10-0 record in the league.
As the season winded down, the Youngstown State Penguins surprised almost everyone in the league when they defeated the Panthers – preventing UWM from clinching the regular season championship.
Finally, the postseason came around and the surprises still continued. Loyola-Chicago defeated the surprising Wright State Raiders in Dayton, sending the Ramblers to the quarterfinals of the tournament. That win would be the last for Larry Farmer as he would be fired shortly after losing to Detroit in the quarterfinals game.
But, the biggest surprises of them all came in the semifinals and the league championship game.
Illinois-Chicago played the surprisingly struggling Butler Bulldogs at the Hinkle Fieldhouse. With the Panthers waiting in the wings on where they will play for a second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, the Flames surprised many by beating Butler – sending the league title game to Milwaukee.
In that championship game, all the pieces were in place for UWM to return to the Big Dance – the ‘home’ game and a near capacity crowd of 10.254 fans at the U.S. Cellular Arena. But to the Flames, they had other ideas as they shocked everyone by doing the impossible – winning the championship game on someone else’s floor, giving them the trip to the Big Dance.
What happened in the league tournament?
The league finished off the commitment to Butler by giving them hosting rights. Starting next season, the league will go to its pure format of where the regular season champion will have first crack at hosting rights.
Cleveland State, who had a promising 4-2 start, finished off the season with a blowout by Detroit – giving them their 23rd straight loss. Loyola-Chicago would then defeat Wright State in Dayton, knocking the Raiders out in the first round for the second straight season.
In the quarterfinals, much went to plan as Detroit defeated Loyola-Chicago in Farmer’s last game with the Ramblers. Butler would defeat Green Bay in the other quarterfinal game, despite the Phoenix getting a first round bye.
In the semifinals, UWM struggled against the defensive-minded Titans, but got to the championship game. For the first time in recent memory, Panthers’ fans had to root for UIC so UWM could get the championship game in Milwaukee. And that’s what happened. UIC beat Butler, setting up the much-anticipated championship game between UWM and UIC.
In that championship game, the rocking U.S. Cellular Arena went home stunned and wondering what happened as the Flames stole a 65-62 decision – giving UIC their 2nd trip to the dance in three years.
NCAA Tournament
Unlike last season, only one team from the Horizon League garnered a trip to the Big Dance. UIC, who received the No. 13 seed, got it with the automatic bid that comes with winning the league tournament championship.
It was UIC’s second trip to the tournament in three years. Last time around, the Flames gave the Oklahoma Sooners a fight, but would eventually fall 75-63. This time around, the Flames were paired up against Kansas in Kansas City and put up little of a fight as the eventual Elite Eight participants coasted to victory.
National Invitation Tournament
Still trying to fathom in their heart-wrenching loss, the UWM Panthers opened up the NIT with a home game against Rice. UWM, with Marquette coaches in attendance, had absolutely no problems with the Owls as they coasted to a 91-63 win. At the end of the game, various chants began to ring through the crowd, “We Want Marquette! We Want Marquette!”
The two schools, which are separated by less than 10 miles, have not played each other since 1998. Marquette is 35-1 all-time in the series, but 80 percent of those game were played when UWM was not a Division I school. They have played only a handful of times since then.
UWM still had one more game to go in order to get that much-desired game with the Golden Eagles. But, were unable to come through after falling 73-70 to Boise State in Nampa, Idaho.
My award winners:
Player of the year:
Dylan Page, UW-Milwaukee
Newcomer of the year:
Ed McCants, UW-Milwaukee
Coach of the year:
Tod Kowalczyk, UW-Green Bay
Defensive player of the year:
James Thues, Detroit
First Team All-League
Dylan Page, UW-Milwaukee
Ed McCants, UW-Milwaukee
Jermaine Robinson, Cleveland State
Cedrick Banks, Illinois-Chicago
Seth Doliboa, Wright State
Second Team All-League
Vernard Hollins, Wright State
Martell Bailey, Illinois-Chicago
Paul McMillan, Loyola-Chicago
Joah Tucker, UW-Milwaukee
Elijah Warren, Detroit
All-Newcomer Team
Ed McCants, UW-Milwaukee
Joah Tucker, UW-Milwaukee
DaShaun Wood, Wright State
Alex Kock, Wright State
Brandon Morris, UW-Green Bay
All-Defensive Team
Martell Bailey, Illinois-Chicago
Armond Williams, Illinois-Chicago
James Thues, Detroit
DaShaun Wood, Wright State
Demetrius Williams, Loyola-Chicago
Butler Bulldogs (16-14 Overall, 8-8 Horizon League, sixth)
The Bulldogs, who went the Sweet 16 in the 2003 NCAA Tournament, struggled all season long. After losing in overtime to Michigan early in the season, they could never get on the right track, but when they did, they were too far out of contention. The Bulldogs made a late surge by winning 12 of their final 17 games, but a little too late. They still got their hosting privileges, but did not receive a bye and that hurt them. In head coach Todd Lickliter’s first two seasons in Indianapolis, he lost fewer games total than he did for the entire 2003-’04 season.
Team MVP:
Mike Monserez (11.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 4.7 APG)
Top Scorer: Monserez (11.7)
Top Rebounder: Monserez (6.1)
Top Assists: Moserez (4.7)
Starters Leaving:
Mike Monserez (graduating)
Duane Lightfoot (graduating)
Key Players Returning:
Avery Sheets (junior guard, 11.0 PPG, 2.5 APG)
Bruce Horan (junior guard, 10.6 PPG)
Jamie Smalligan (sophomore center, 4.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
Next season may replicate much like 2003-’04. They have a lot of youth on this team, but they are a little deeper with their talent. Sheets will be the anchor of this team as only a junior. Horan really stepped up last season and he will need to take an even bigger step to help give Butler a 1-2 punch with Sheets.
Cleveland State Vikings (4-25, 0-16, ninth)
With new head coach Mike Garland at the helm, the Vikings got off to a hot start. They started the year 4-2 with the two losses coming at home to North Carolina and at Penn State. But, from there they fell apart losing every game for the rest of the season – a league record 23 straight. A few times during the season they flirted with breaking the horrible streak, but just could not get the job done. In addition, everything that could go wrong for a first year coach, did. His top player goes down for 3-4 weeks with a hand injury, numerous players are ruled ineligible, one of his top returning players is dismissed from the team before the season even starts and the injury bug hit hard for the seven or eight players that could suit up.
Team MVP:
Jermaine Robinson (19.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.5 APG)
Top Scorer: Robinson (19.6)
Top Rebounder: Omari Westley (8.6)
Top Assists: Walt Chavis (3.7)
Starters Leaving:
Jermaine Robinson (graduating)
Pape Badiane (4-year eligibility)
Key Players Returning:
Modibo Niakate (redshirted 2003-’04, was dismissed in September, but returned in January)
Omari Westley (senior guard, 14.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG)
Patrick Tatham (sophomore forward, 3.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG)
Percell Coles (senior guard, 9.5 PPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
Things will be better for Garland. With a year under his belt and with the chance to recruit the players he wants for his program, he will get the Vikings out of the cellar. The former recruiting manager at Michigan State will get the Vikings on the right foot eventually. And with Niakate, Westley and Coles in the locker room, that will help.
Detroit Titans (19-11, 10-6, fourth)
The start of the season was an up and down year for Perry Watson’s crew. But after an 80-77 overtime loss to Loyola-Chicago on Jan. 31, the Titans finished the regular season with eight wins in a row and 10 overall before losing in the tournament semifinals to UW-Milwaukee. The Titans struggled to score last season as only one player averaged more than 10 points a game. But, just like they have always been, was the best defensive team in the league.
Team MVP:
Elijah Warren (11.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG)
Top Scorer: Warren (11.6)
Top Rebounder: Willie Wallace (5.1)
Top Assists: James Thues (3.6)
Starters Leaving:
Jimmy Twyman (graduating)
Rulon Harris (graduating)
Willie Wallace (graduating)
Elijah Warren (graduating)
Key Players Returning:
Ryvon Covile (junior center, 8.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG)
James Thues (senior guard, 8.4 PPG, 3.6 APG, 1.9 SPG)
Ben Green (junior guard, 4.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
The Titans return only one starter for next season – Ryvon Covile. But, they do have good talent that’s waiting to take on the starting reigns. Syracuse transfer Thues is one of them after he lost his starting position to Twyman midway through the season. Green is also a talented guard that may look to have a breakout season. But replacing the four starters will be tough.
Illinois-Chicago Flames (24-8, 12-4, second)
For the second time in three years, the Flames were dancing. They defeated UW-Milwaukee in the league championship game in Milwaukee to gain the automatic bid into the tournament. They received the No. 13 seed in the tournament and were paired up against Kansas, who was playing in the tournament just 40 miles away from their headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. And it showed as the Jayhawks dismantled the Flames, 78-53, in front of the heavy Jayhawk crowd.
Team MVP:
Cedrick Banks (18.4 PPG)
Top Scorer: Banks (18.4)
Top Rebounder: Armond Williams (5.8)
Top Assists: Martell Bailey (7.8, 2nd in the nation)
Starters Leaving:
Cedrick Banks (graduating)
Martell Bailey (graduating)
Armond Williams (graduating)
Aaron Carr (graduating)
Joe Scott (graduating)
Key Players Returning:
Elliott Poole (junior forward, 5.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
The Flames will not return to the NCAA Tournament in 2004-’05. Any team that has to replace all five starters is going to struggle and that is not going to change for UIC. Poole is the most seasoned player coming back, but he is only going into his junior season. Justin Bowen is another one that has some experience, but very little of it. Head coach Jimmy Collins is going to have a lot of work to do to get his bunch ready for next season.
Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (9-20, 4-12, seventh)
It was a very disappointing year for the Chicago northsiders, despite their youth – only three seniors. The Ramblers dropped 14 of 15 games between Jan. 5 and Feb. 21. Unfortunately, the rocky season would cost Larry Farmer his job after six years with the Ramblers where he posted a 91-108 record and had so much hope to turn around a fading program.
Team MVP:
Paul McMillan (17.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG)
Top Scorer: McMillan (17.0)
Top Rebounder: McMillan (7.4)
Top Assists: Blake Schilb (2.5)
Starters Leaving:
Paul McMillan (graduating)
Demetrius Williams (graduating)
Louis Smith (graduating)
Key Players Returning:
DaJuan Gouard (senior guard, 8.8 PPG)
Blake Schilb (sophomore forward, 8.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG)
Terrance Whiters (junior guard, 10.6 PPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
A youthful squad returns again for the Ramblers – three seniors. Gouard will be the anchor to this team that will have a new head coach. Whiters is going to be a key factor as he continues to improve and receive more minutes. The Ramblers are going to need him to have a breakout season next year in order to be successful. Tyrelle Blair, a redshirt freshman, was one of Farmer’s most highly touted recruits since signing David Bailey six years ago. Blair is a 6-foot-11 totem pole that no one in the league can match his height and athleticism.
UW-Green Bay Phoenix (17-11, 11-5, third)
What a year the Phoenix had. They only had two losing streaks all season long and posted a nine-game win streak early in the season that kept them in pace with UW-Milwaukee for the league lead. But the great season ended in heartbreaking fashion in the league quarterfinals to Butler – even after having a first round bye. This squad was one of the most talented bunches in Green Bay in the last few years. Head coach Tod Kowalczyk does have this program going in the right direction.
Team MVP:
Brandon Morris (10.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG)
Top Scorer: Mike King and Morris (10.9)
Top Rebounder: Morris (4.9)
Top Assists: Javier Mendiburu (4.5)
Starters Leaving:
Mike King (graduating)
Kevin Hughes (graduating)
Key Players Returning:
Brandon Morris (senior guard, 10.9 PPG)
Matt Rhode (senior guard, 9.9 PPG)
Javier Mendiburu (senior guard, 8.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.6 APG)
Josh Lawrence (sophomore forward, 5.2 PPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
The 2004-’05 season is going to be a very interesting season. They have many of their core players returning and are very hungry after the tough ending to last season. But a lot will depend how good of shape they will be in when practice starts in October. Fatigue was showing at the end of the season. If they can stay focused and if Kowalczyk can get his key players some rest and develop some depth, the Phoenix will be a dominant team in 2004-’05.
UW-Milwaukee Panthers (20-11, 13-3, first)
First and foremost for the Panthers is to figure out who is going to take on the role of Dylan Page. Without question, he was the toughest player to defend in the entire league. Who is going to be the leader? Page was the league’s player of the year this past season and it was much deserving. Head coach Bruce Pearl felt sorry for not getting his team back to the NCAA Tournament, but was very proud to bring home the school’s first Division I postseason win. The loss to UIC in the league championship game will be a sore spot for a long time to come.
Team MVP:
Dylan Page (20.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG)
Top Scorer: Page (20.9)
Top Rebounder: Page (6.6)
Top Assists: Adrian Tigert (3.5)
Starters Leaving:
Dylan Page (graduating)
Nate Mielke (graduating)
Kalombo Kadima (graduating)
Key Players Returning:
Ed McCants (senior guard, 17.1 PPG)
Joah Tucker (junior forward, 12.5 PPG)
Adrian Tigert (junior forward, 6.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
A lot is going to depend on who takes on the role as the team leader. Scoring will not be a problem for Pearl’s Panthers. McCants should be the go-to guy for scoring next season, but who is going to be that leader in the locker room. Another player that will be a key factor to the success is going to be Tigert. Tigert and Mielke rotated at the five spot all season long. Now, with Mielke gone, Tigert is going to be logging more minutes to the inexperience behind him. If he struggles, UWM will.
Wright State Raiders (14-14, 10-6, fifth)
The other first-year coach in the Horizon League, Paul Biancardi, had a strong first season – unlike Garland in Cleveland. They started the year at 3-6, but turned it up after that and got out to a 7-1 start in league play. But a fade towards the end of the season cost the Raiders a chance at a first round bye and that might have cost them as they lost in the opening round to Loyola-Chicago in Dayton and dropped five of their last seven.
Team MVP:
Seth Doliboa (15.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG)
Top Scorer: Vernard Hollins (16.3)
Top Rebounder: Doliboa (7.4)
Top Assists: Hollins (4.6)
Starters Leaving:
Seth Doliboa (graduating)
Vernard Hollins (graduating)
Key Players Returning:
DaShaun Wood (sophomore guard, 8.9 PPG)
Drew Burleson (sophomore forward, 7.6 PPG)
Vova Severovas (sophomore forward, 4.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG)
Zakee Boyd (sophomore forward/guard, 5.9 PPG)
Alex Kock (sophomore forward, 7.2 PPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
The success of this team will all depend on how well those five above sophomores-to-be perform. Wood, Boyd and Kock are the three that enjoyed most of the minutes last season, but Burleson and Severovas also made some big contributions at different times throughout the season. This squad is going to be the youngest in the entire league as all the players, but one, will be either freshmen or sophomores. The only senior will be Ohio State transfer Zach Williams was a three-year starter with the Buckeyes when Biancardi was an assistant in Columbus.
Youngstown State Penguins (8-20, 4-12, eighth)
Another year in the Horizon League, another year spent at the bottom – but they are getting better. However, how long will the Youngstown State administration wait for a winning season to come. A 2-7 start did not help the cause and losing seven of their final eight makes Penguins’ fans begin to wonder about the future of head coach John Robic. But the biggest win of the season came on Feb. 14 when they beat visiting UW-Milwaukee, who was looking to wrap-up the league title that day.
Team MVP:
Adam Baumann (12.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG)
Top Scorer: Baumann (12.6)
Top Rebounder: Baumann (7.0)
Top Assists: Jonathan Mends (3.0)
Starters Leaving:
Adam Baumann (graduating)
TeJay Anderson (graduating)
Key Players Returning:
Doug Underwood (senior guard, 12.2 PPG)
Khari McQueen (senior forward, 6.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG)
Next Season’s Chances:
Robic may be on the hot seat if the Penguins finish at the bottom of the league standings. So, look for the Penguins to have a better year. Underwood, one of the most underrated players in the league, will be a huge factor next season. He is going to carry this youthful team on his back. McQueen will also need to take on a bigger role as the big man for the past three years, Baumann, is graduating.
