Horizon League Finals Preview
MILWAUKEE – Bruce Pearl and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers are trying to do something that has not been since 2001 – a number one seed win the Horizon League tournament title.
The Panthers advanced to the league final for a third straight season after defeating Loyola University Chicago, 94-76, on Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
The Butler Bulldogs, in 2001, was the last top-seeded team to win the league tournament. Butler was the top seed in the 2003 tournament when they lost to UWM, but still received an at-large bid.
UWM (23-5 overall) comes into the contest having won 16 of its last 17 games and having lost only one game since a 76-68 setback to the Detroit Titans on Jan. 3. The Titans (14-15) are the only team to have beaten UWM at the U.S. Cellular Arena. In fact, Detroit is a perfect 3-0 in games played in Milwaukee this year.
Detroit reached the title game courtesy of a 61-55 upset of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix on Saturday. The Titans will play in their first league final since 2001, a 53-38 loss to Butler. The Titans went on to the NIT Final Four that season.
The Panthers and Titans will tip-off from the U.S. Cellular Arena at 8 p.m. (CDT) on ESPN.
On Sunday night, during “The Bruce Pearl Show,” which aired on CBS Channel 58 in Milwaukee, Pearl brought up an interesting point. He said that this game on Tuesday night will be the season for Detroit. With a below .500 record, Detroit will not get a berth in the NIT if they lose. So, if Detroit wants to keep this season, they must win on Tuesday night and that is what Pearl feels is going to be the sole motivation for the Titans.
Also on the show, Pearl reiterated that Detroit, in his eyes, is deepest and most athletic team in the league. Coupling that with the fact that Detroit’s season will be over with a loss, the Titans have a ton of motivation for the game.
But that’s not to say that UWM does not have the motivation. UWM watched Illinois-Chicago dance on their home floor in last year’s final after the Flames beat UWM, 65-62. Over the past few weeks, the players and Pearl have all kept that feeling they had after the game in their minds, making sure it does not happen again – especially in front of an anticipated sell-out crowd at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
Fatigue may play a factor on Tuesday night. It will be Detroit’s third game in five days, while UWM has only played two games since an 87-81 victory over Hawaii on Bracket Buster Saturday on Feb. 19.
UWM will use its press to try and create plays. UWM used its press in its league final win over Butler in 2003 and that allowed for a 14-0 lead right away in the first half. But, last year they were unsuccessful in doing that and struggled. The effectiveness of UWM’s ability to create plays will be their biggest challenge.
For Detroit, the more athletic team in Pearl’s eyes will use their size to get rebounds. During the season, which the two teams split, Detroit kept the games close with its rebounding, because both teams struggled to shoot the ball.
Rebounding and creating plays are going to be the two biggest factors on Tuesday night as a berth into the NCAA tournament is on the line.
Keys to the game
UWM
- Rebounding. The Panthers are somewhat undersized when it comes to the five, or center, spot. James Wright and Derrick Ford will be very important to make sure that the Titans stay off the block.
- Turnovers. UWM is famous for creating turnovers off its press. Those turnovers many times lead to points, then runs where they can control the tempo of the game.
- Balance. When UWM gets balanced scoring, they are nearly unbeatable.
- Who’s going to step-up in the spotlight? On Saturday, Joah Tucker scored 31 points. If he and/or Horizon League Player of the Year Ed McCants struggle, who is going to pick-up the slack? Tucker scored 20 points in the victory by UWM over Detroit, zero in the loss.
Detroit
- Rebounding. The Titans hold the advantage size-wise. If Detroit can control the boards, they will be able to hang tight with UWM.
- Experience. Despite the fact that UWM is playing in its third straight league championship game, none of the players on Detroit’s roster has ever played in this caliber of a game. Brandon Cotton, James Thues and Chuck Bailey, transfers from Michigan State, Syracuse and Michigan are the only players on the roster to have played in big-time games. Will inexperience in the spotlight haunt the Titans?
- Bench play. Goes back to experience. For the reason that the Panthers love to run its opponents up and down the floor, fatigue may become a factor. If that happens, the effectiveness of the bench very well may become the life preserver.
- Momentum. The Titans come into Tuesday’s final winners of six of the last eight games and are on a four-game winning streak. With a loud and capacity crowd expected, momentum and focus will be crucial.
