Horizon League Notebook
by Cory Eve
Hearts on Fire
What do you think of that article title? Not only did I make a pun for a Valentines Day article, but I did using a song lyric from any number of the epic movies in the Rocky saga. Let’s stick with this theme of Valentines Day and Rocky by taking a look at some teams and people who deserve some love, and by looking at those less fortunate individuals and teams who aren’t feeling so rosy on this day for lovers.
Who Deserves Some Love?
1. Wright State Raiders – This is a team nobody was talking about heading into league play, and after beating Butler 77-65 on Saturday and Cleveland State 68-55 today, the Raiders are now 13-2 in the conference and one game ahead of the second-place Bulldogs. Going back to the Rocky theme, I think this team could be comparable to Sly in Rocky 3. Clubber Lang (Butler) completely decimates Balboa (Wright State) in the first meeting, but Stallone comes back with a vengeance to take the title. They have won eight straight games, which makes them the hottest team heading into the Horizon League Tournament. If the Raiders can get a win on the road next Thursday against Youngstown State, then they will be guaranteed at least a share of the regular season league championship. Wright State not only deserves flowers, but let’s go ahead and give them a box of chocolates too.
2. DeShaun Wood – I know I’ve been writing a lot about this guy, but I still feel like he does not get the love he deserves. He is the best player playing on what is currently the best team in the league. All of the focus on the Horizon League guard play has gone to Butler’s duo of A.J. Graves and Mike Green, and they deserve the praise they are getting; however, Wood is having quite a season of his own. He leads the league in scoring at nearly 20 points per game, and he also averages five rebounds, close to four assists, and two steals per game. He may not win it, but I believe Wood is the conference player of the year, and without him, the Raiders would not be in first place. The nation and the Raiders owe a lot of overdue love to DeShaun Wood.
3. Ryvon Coville – The big man for the Detroit Titans deserves some love even though he is playing on one of the bottom teams in the Horizon. Coville has been one of the bright spots for a team that has been in the shadows of the league all season. He has averaged a double-double this season by scoring 13.5 points per game and grabbing a conference-leading 10.5 rebounds per game. He’s very efficient on the offensive end of the floor, shooting nearly 56 percent from the field. Coville also gets it done on the defensive side of the ball in blocking nearly two shots a game. If nobody else is willing to do it, then I will give Coville some love on Valentines Day.
Who Needs a Hug?
1. Cleveland State – It’s been a very rough season for the Vikings all year long. They are currently in the midst of a five-game losing streak, which has left them dwelling the cellar of the Horizon League at 2-12. With the exception of a few games, this team is not getting blown out every night. Five of their 12 losses in conference play have been by five points or less, so it makes the losses even more heartbreaking for the Vikings and nobody likes to see broken hearts on Valentines Day. I suggest we give the Vikings some of those candy hearts because they do not quite deserve a big gift since they have lost so many games, but everyone needs some love, especially today.
2. Avery Smith – Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s leading scorer at 15 points per game has only scored a total of 20 points in his past three games, and the Panthers have lost all three. During this three-game skid, Smith is 9-29 from the field. This is the third time this season the Panthers have been on a losing streak of at least three games. Smith and all the Panthers need a hug or some other sort of love to get them back on track if they plan on doing anything in the Horizon League tournament.
3. Detroit Titans – It’s been a struggle all year long for the Titans, who are currently tied for second-to-last in the league at 5-9. After today’s loss to Youngstown State, Detroit has lost four straight games after reaching a respectable .500 in the conference. The defense for the Titans has been the leading cause for this past losing streak, as they have given up nearly 74 points per game. During their four-game slide down the Horizon standings, the Titans have been allowing their opponents to shoot an average of 49 percent from the field. If the teams you are playing are hitting nearly every other shot, then you are not going to win most of those games. The Titans need hugs.
