Horizon League Notebook
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (6-0 overall, 1-0 Horizon League)
The Panthers are off to a hot start. The preseason favorites are certainly proving why they were worthy of that selection as they have jumped out to their best start since 1992-93 when they started 8-0. Including easy wins over Prairie View A&M, University of Wisconsin-Parkside and South Dakota State, the Panthers have also scored big victories over Air Force and Saint Louis. But it does not get very easy from here. The Panthers are in the midst of a six-game road trip. They will be in Valparaiso, Ind., on Saturday to face Homer Drew’s Crusaders before road games at Wisconsin and Kansas in Kansas City.
Last week’s results
Wednesday, Dec. 1 – UWM 89, South Dakota State 54. Leading scorer for UWM: Ed McCants (19 points)
Saturday, Dec. 4 – UWM 75, Illinois-Chicago 67. Leading scorer for UWM: Chris Hill (18 points, a career-high)
Tuesday, Dec. 7 – UWM 57, Saint Louis 47. Leading scorer for UWM: Joah Tucker (21 points)
Cleveland State (3-0)
What’s this? The Vikings undefeated? That is no joke. After a team that started their year 4-2 a year ago and then lost a league-record 23 straight games after that, the Vikings could only go one way – up. A slight reason for the positive start for CSU is that they have yet to play a game on the road and plus they have not played North Carolina yet. It’s a little too early to be talking championship at this time of the year. But another factor for the early turnaround is Modibo Niakate. He leads the league in scoring (18.3 points per game entering Wednesday), this after just one year ago, he was dismissed from the team. The Vikings will take their best start since 1985-86 on the road on Wednesday, Dec. 8 to Akron to play the Zips and then return home on Saturday to face Kent State.
Last week’s results
Thursday, Dec. 2 – CSU 91, Clarion 73. Leading scorer for CSU: Raheem Moss (22 points)
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (4-2)
The Phoenix were practically run off the court following an embarrassing 104-46 loss at Michigan State on Nov. 23. Since then, the Phoenix have made strides towards improvement and continue to be one of the fastest growing programs in the league. A solid win over Weber State and taking nationally ranked Wisconsin to a 10-point defeat at the Kohl Center gives reasons to think so. Green Bay’s defense is ranked eighth in the league, but that stat can be misleading because of their game against the Spartans. Josh Lawrence is leading the way for UWGB as his 14.5 points per game has him seventh in the league. Benito Flores is fourth in the league in rebounding with seven per contest and his two steals per game is second-best. Green Bay will wrap up a three-game road trip with visits to Montana State on Saturday and finish up the home-and-home with Northern Iowa from last year’s ESPN Bracket Buster on the 15th.
Last week’s results
Wednesday, Dec. 1 – UWGB 79, Chicago State 71. Leading scorers for UWGB: Lawrence and Flores (21 points, with 11 and 12 rebounds respectively). Javier Mendiburu celebrated his 24th birthday with four points and seven assists.
Saturday, Dec. 4 – UWGB 82, Weber State 62. Leading scorer for UWGB: Lawrence (24 points, a career-high), also set a Resch Center record by shooting 10-of-11 from the field. The team shot 71 percent, also a Resch Center record.
Tuesday, Dec. 7 – Wisconsin 65, UWGB 55. Leading scorers for UWGB: Lawrence and Mendiburu (10 points)
Butler University (3-2)
The Hinkle Fieldhouse certainly can work magic for the Bulldogs. Butler started the season 3-0 with all of those games played in Indianapolis. Then, they venture out onto the road and now have lost two straight. However, Butler is right there in the midst of league leaders that’s keeping the Horizon League on watch. They are third in scoring and second in defense. A balanced attack has been the theme thus far as their leading scorer, Bruce Horan, is 13th in the league at 13 points per game. To complete the talented backcourt, Avery Sheets is third in the league in assists per game (5.2). The Bulldogs will play their next three games against in-state rivals with Indiana State up first on Saturday, Dec. 11.
Last week’s results
Thursday, Dec. 2 – Ohio 64, Butler 58. Leading scorer for Butler: Horan (17 points). The loss snapped a seven-game win streak by Butler over Ohio.
Tuesday, Dec. 7 – Bradley 75, Butler 66. Leading scorer for Butler: Sheets (17 points)
Wright State University (3-2)
The Raiders got the opportunity to play in the Preseason NIT and made some noise. They defeated Tulsa 72-66 before falling at Arizona, 83-66, in a game where the Raiders would actually outscore the Wildcats 45-41 in the second half. And it was those two games that show that the Raiders are one of the other fastest growing programs in the league. DaShaun Wood may be one of those pivotal cornerstones that are helping get Wright State back on track. His 17.3 points per game has him second in the league and Everett Spencer is third in rebounding. The Raiders have a big home game on Wednesday, Dec. 8 against Miami (Ohio). Then, will follow up with a Fox Sports Ohio telecast on Saturday against Akron.
Last week’s results
Wednesday, Dec. 1 – Ball State 61, Wright State 54. Leading scorer for Wright State: Wood (20 points)
Saturday, Dec. 4 – Wright State 59, Northeastern 53. Leading scorer for Wright State: Drew Burleson (19 points)
Youngstown State University (2-3)
The start of the season has already had its share of up and down moments. When they play well, the Penguins win convincingly. But on the flip side, if they are playing poorly, they are being blown out. And head coach John Robic needs to find some consistency. The Penguins play one of the easiest schedules in the entire league. But a lack of consistent talent is what is slowing them down so far. The Penguins will have two home games this week to hopefully boost their confidence. They get Bowling Green on Saturday, Dec. 11 and Siena on the 14th after their finals.
Last week’s results
SMS Price Cutter Classic
Friday, Dec. 3 – SMS 88, YSU 52. Leading scorer for YSU: Derrick Harris (16 points, a career-high, in his first collegiate start)
Saturday, Dec. 4 – Southeast Louisiana 77, YSU 55. Leading scorer for YSU: Brian Radakovich (16 points)
University of Loyola-Chicago (2-4)
Wright State (13-11, 9-4):
The first portion of the season for first-year head coach Jim Whitesell has been very productive and has shown positive signs, despite the record. Whitesell won his first game, 63-56, over Northern Illinois at the Gentile Center. But, he has not found the win column yet on the road. DaJuan Gouard has really elevated his game as he is averaging almost seven points per game more than he did last season (up to 15.3 from 8.9) – good enough for fifth best in the Horizon League. Blake Schilb is up there as well with 12 points per game for 17th best in the league. A two-point loss at Bradley, four-point losses at Western Michigan and Oral Roberts and a seven-point win over NCAA tournament participant Northern Iowa does have the Ramblers in high spirits as they know they are headed in the right direction. But two tough road games might tell the tale. On Wednesday, Dec. 8, the Ramblers head across the state of Illinois into Macomb to play Western Illinois before playing North Carolina on the 12th.
Last week’s results
Wednesday, Dec. 1 – Oral Roberts 48, Loyola 44. Leading scorer for Loyola: Dave Telander (16 points)
Saturday, Dec. 4 – Northern Iowa 80, Loyola 73. Leading scorer for Loyola: Gouard (27 points, tying a career-high)
University of Detroit (1-4)
It has been a tough start for the boys in the Motor City. An opening game win over Southwest Missouri State almost seems long forgotten as the Titans have dropped four in a row, including one to Purdue. Offense has been hard to come by during that four-game slide as they have not broken 60 points in any of those four games, making them the worse offense in the league at 55 points per game. It is the slowest start for the program since they went 1-12 out of the gates in 1988-89. The games do not get easier. After their meeting with Northeastern on Wednesday, the Titans travel to Cincinnati on Saturday.
Last week’s results
Wednesday, Dec. 1 – Western Michigan 64, UDM 48. Leading scorer for UDM: Ryvon Covile (11 points). It was WMU’s 21st straight home-win, fourth-longest in the nation.
Saturday, Dec. 4 – Bowling Green 59, UDM 53. Leading scorer for UDM: James Thues (14 points)
University of Illinois-Chicago (2-3, 0-1)
After nearly beating Georgia Tech on Nov. 22, the defending league tournament champions have not been a very powerful team. Their offense ranks only sixth in the league at 63 points per game and defense is seventh at 64 points per game. But one thing is for sure, if you play UIC, the game will be close. But not winning the close games is what can make or break any team’s season, and after UWM dominated the Flames in the last few minutes on Saturday, the Flames need to find a rhythm. That may change as Saturday’s match-up against the Panthers saw the return of league tournament MVP Armond Williams return to the lineup. Williams was forced to sit the early portion of the season for academic reasons and he was a Proposition 48 player. But, he completed his classes in the nick of time and was able to see very valuable minutes against UWM. Now the Flames have the outside threat in Cedrick Banks, complimented with the inside physical play of Williams. The Flames have a tough road ahead. On Sunday, they will play the back-half of the home and home from last season’s ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday in UNC-Wilmington. Then, two days later, the Flames will play at Duke on ESPN2, before a cross-town rivalry match-up with DePaul on Saturday the 18th.
Last week’s results
Saturday, Dec. 4 – UWM 75, UIC 67. Leading scorer for UIC: Banks (16 points)
