The saying, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish,” sums up the Horizon League last season.
Led by the transcendent play of NBA first-round draft pick Norris Cole, the Cleveland State Vikings jumped out to a 12-0 start to the season. Unfortunately for the Vikings, the lack of consistent play from their bench eventually caught up to them, and the Vikings lost five Horizon League conference games on their way to a three-way tie for first place.
After losing Gordon Hayward to the NBA draft, Butler was not expected to repeat its remarkable run to the NCAA championship game. Butler started the season slowly, losing multiple games in nonconference play. Following a loss to Youngstown State, many observers most likely thought that it would be an accomplishment for Butler to make the NCAA Tournament, let alone make another appearance in the NCAA championship game. However, Butler proceeded to once again shock the college basketball world and make another magical run through the NCAA Tournament. Although the Bulldogs lost to the Connecticut Huskies, coach Brad Stevens and the Bulldogs provided fans with another tournament full of upsets and memories.
Among the other teams in the Horizon League, Youngstown State’s 9-21 record was a bit deceiving. In addition to defeating the NCAA runner-up Bulldogs, the Penguins nearly defeated Milwaukee toward the end of the season. After a rough start to the season, the Milwaukee Panthers caught fire during conference play and finished in a three-way tie with Butler and Cleveland State for first place in the Horizon League.
Here’s how the Horizon League will shake out this season:
- Butler
- Cleveland State
- Detroit
- Milwaukee
- Valparaiso
- Green Bay
- Youngstown State
- Wright State
- Loyola-Chicago
- UIC
Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year: Ray McCallum Jr., Detroit
Horizon League Coach of the Year: Brad Stevens, Butler
Preseason All-Conference Team:
Ray McCallum Jr., Detroit
Trevon Harmon, Cleveland State
Andrew Smith, Butler
Ronald Nored, Butler
Alec Brown, Green Bay
Coaching changes in the Horizon League:
During the offseason, there were two coaching changes in the conference. At Valparaiso, the legendary Bryce Drew takes over for his father, Homer Drew. At Loyola-Chicago, Porter Moser takes over for Jim Whitesell, who was fired in March.
You are putting way too much stock in Butler and way too much stock in Alec Brown being super tall (he’s not exactly Matt Howard or Gordan Hayward- heck, even Ryan Tillema was a better forward at Green Bay… but he’s young so I guess we’ll see).
It will be Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland State… in no particular order.
Sorry but (esp. after last night’s loss to D-II Northern State or whoever that was) I am even 10% sold on a Hayward and Mack-less Butler.
I also think Loyola will do better than 9th even with the big injury.