Mid-Major Madness - Horizon League 2013 Conference Tournament"So what are they going to call it? NonPower5Madness.com?"https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50397/midmajor-fav.png2013-03-12T21:08:48-07:00http://www.midmajormadness.com/rss/stream/38227472013-03-12T21:08:48-07:002013-03-12T21:08:48-07:00Valpo Dancing Again After Surviving Wright State
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<figcaption>I love the smell of tee-shirts in the evening -- smells like victory! | Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Twenty-five turnovers, one for every hour in the day, and then one more for good measure. That might be how long Bryce Drew's headache lasts -- although it would be a lot longer if Valparaiso had lost. </p> <p>Wright State has every reason to be mad at us. We gave them <a href="http://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/12/4092526/horizon-league-championship-preview-valparaiso-wright-state-2013">absolutely no shot to beat Valparaiso</a> in the Horizon League Championship game.</p>
<p>Then again, no one gave Wright State much of a chance to do anything in the league this season. They showed us.</p>
<p>If someone wants to hire us as bulletin board material for their team, we are all in. After all, the Raiders almost pulled this one off against the Crusaders, causing turnovers left and right before the shots stopped falling. Valpo walked away with a win, 62-54, but there are a lot of bruises and a major headache following Bryce Drew around for the next couple of days.</p>
<p>Perhaps we should have seen this coming. Wright State was one of the top defensive teams in the Horizon League and the country this season. That turned into ... oh, only 25 turnovers by Valparaiso.</p>
<p>For a good stretch of the second half, it seemed that there was nothing the Crusaders could do to get to the basket. Every possession got within five feet of the basket, and then the ball magically ended up in the hands of a player with a green jersey on.</p>
<p>Valparaiso didn't get a shot off; Valparaiso didn't get a look. This one looked like it was going to be a replay of last year all over again.</p>
<p>But this was the same Valparaiso team that we watched all season, the one with depth and a number of weapons to convert into scoring and defense of their own. So it didn't matter that <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100444/ryan-broekhoff" class="sbn-auto-link">Ryan Broekhoff</a> went 2-for-8 from the field, or that <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124601/kevin-van-wijk" class="sbn-auto-link">Kevin Van Wijk</a> managed just three baskets of his own (and seemed to be costing the Crusaders at the foul line).</p>
<p>This is why you have a player like <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52898/erik-buggs" class="sbn-auto-link">Erik Buggs</a>, who can take over a game if need be (22 points, three assists, four steals). He did a better job of it than <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146514/reggie-arceneaux" class="sbn-auto-link">Reggie Arceneaux</a> and so Valpo will be walking away with the hats and pieces of the home-court nets.</p>
<p>Arceneaux tried. He really did. He almost willed this Wright State team to a win while scored 14 points and pulling three steals to contribute to the 24 turnovers. And he had a lot of help from <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175437/jerran-young" class="sbn-auto-link">Jerran Young</a>, who seems destined to be all-conference next year given this breakout performance over the final month of the season.</p>
<p>The stat line won't show what he did tonight. Seven points and two boards don't stand out. One block doesn't stand out (although there was at least one that didn't count because of a goaltend -- we called both "Not Today!"-quality swats). What is missing is the two charges he took while braving his fourth foul.</p>
<p>His was a performance that lost out because he had to spend time on the bench in the first half with two fouls. The second half showed that he could play without being afraid of that next call against him.</p>
<p>Since Feb. 20 -- the game after the last time Wright State played Valpo -- Young has six games with double-digit scoring, and at least five boards in every game but one. And to think that his best moments don't show up in the box score.</p>
<p>But this Valparaiso team wasn't going to be denied. Not after the comeback against Green Bay, not after last season's disappointment against Detroit.</p>
<p>Broekhoff finally hit a three in the final two minutes, adding an eerie echo to the game-winner over the Phoenix in the semifinals. It was his first basket in almost 35 minutes, and it came just when the Crusaders needed it, right in the middle of a 5-plus-minute scoreless streak by the Raiders.</p>
<p>After that, it was a matter of just holding onto the ball and making free throws. Valpo was back, and back in the NCAA Tournament. That was a long time in coming.</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/12/4097426/valparaiso-dancing-wright-state-horizon-final-recapBenjamin Miraski2013-03-12T05:00:11-07:002013-03-12T05:00:11-07:00Valparaiso Should Close Out Wright St. For Bid
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<figcaption>Michael Hickey</figcaption>
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<p>Valparaiso will be bringing a lot of talent to the floor Tuesday night to face Wright State. It isn't the matchup expected, but nothing about Wright State's season has been. </p> <p>There was a point this season when Wright State was undefeated in the Horizon League at 4-0. No one knew how it was happening; in some ways, it still doesn't make sense.</p>
<p>Yes, the Raiders were playing three of the bottom four teams in the league, but the run of four wins began against Green Bay, a team that had <a href="http://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/4/4064132/ray-mccallum-ryan-broekhoff-horizon-player-year-awards">multiple all-conference candidates</a>, a very talented newcomer, and a strong defensive squad.</p>
<p>Wright State wasn't supposed to be able to compete with that.</p>
<p>And yet the Raiders started 5-1 in the league before collapsing down to the No. 3 (10-6) seed overall, and leaving a two-horse race between Valparaiso and Detroit.</p>
<p>But in the end, the season included two wins over the Titans, and the Raiders are playing against Valparaiso in the Horizon finals, not <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123451/ray-mccallum">Ray McCallum</a> and team. That is better than overachieving. That is one step from making the most of this season, by clinching that Tournament spot.</p>
<p>Standing in the way of the Raiders is Valparaiso, a team that beat them twice this season, both time with rarely a doubt. Sure, the meeting including the Crusaders making a run from seven points down over the final seven minutes. But the second meeting left no doubts.</p>
<p>There are just too many weapons for Valparaiso at play in this one, including the two big men: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100444/ryan-broekhoff">Ryan Broekhoff</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124601/kevin-van-wijk">Kevin Van Wijk</a>. But the list continues, and it ends even longer than the impressive set that Green Bay put togethers (and almost used effectively to be facing the Raiders instead of Valpo).</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100441/matt-kenney">Matt Kenney</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52898/erik-buggs">Erik Buggs</a>, or <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99825/ben-boggs">Ben Boggs</a> can all beat you as the third man for the Crusaders. They can get the extra contribution from any of these guys. It doesn't just have to be the two big men.</p>
<p>That depth is the real difference maker here. Valpo placed two players on the two all-conference teams, had another on the defensive team, and Broekhoff was no ordinary first teamer. He only finished second in a very close race for the player of the year (and may have at least played McCallum equally in the league).</p>
<p>Wright State placed just one player on that roster, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124688/cole-darling">Cole Darling</a>, who may not even be available for the final.</p>
<p>Even with Darling, the Raiders were six or seven points behind the Crusaders. Without him, Ken Pom has the game up to an 8-point advantage, but this could be even more by the end of the night.</p>
<p>Wright State still has weapons, but nothing like they did with Darling in the lineup, and nothing like what its opponent will put on the floor Tuesday.</p>
<p>This one will be going to the Crusaders, by 10, in a game that is rarely close.</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/12/4092526/horizon-league-championship-preview-valparaiso-wright-state-2013Benjamin Miraski2013-03-05T21:12:32-08:002013-03-05T21:12:32-08:00Green Bay, UIC Easily Advance to Second Round
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<p>The Horizon League's stars helped make sure their teams advanced into the second round of the conference tournament. Green Bay and UIC had no trouble dispatching their lower-seeded opponents.</p> <p>The first round of the Horizon League Tournament takes place at the home of the better seeds, and the three schools that earned that right all made it count Tuesday night.</p>
<p>Green Bay defeated Milwaukee 62-46, and Illinois-Chicago trounced Cleveland State 82-59, as they advanced to meet each other Friday night when the tournament switches its location to Valparaiso.</p>
<p>The Phoenix were led by the three usual suspects, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145419/keifer-sykes">Keifer Sykes</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175365/jordan-fouse">Jordan Fouse</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123615/alec-brown">Alec Brown</a>. Sykes, <a href="http://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/4/4064132/ray-mccallum-ryan-broekhoff-horizon-player-year-awards">named to the first team all-conference Monday</a>, had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists in the win. Fouse, one of the selections to the newcomer team, finished with yet another double-double for the Phoenix: 12 points and 11 rebounds, with three blocks thrown in for good measure.</p>
<p>A six-point halftime lead quickly bloomed to 15 by the first media timeout in the second half. The Panthers never got within 10 points after that while a few Sykes free throws in the final minutes helped to close it out.</p>
<p>Milwaukee's Paris Gulley had 14 points and six rebounds in the loss.</p>
<p>Down I-43 and I-94 a bit, UIC got its boost from its own newcomer. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53408/josh-crittle">Josh Crittle</a>, the preseason transfer from Central Florida amid its scandal, scored 20 points, including 10 from the free throw line, and had six rebounds, three assists and two blocks for the Flames.</p>
<p>Daniel Barnes added 16 points and eight rebounds, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145480/gary-talton">Gary Talton</a> had 11 points and five assists.</p>
<p>This one never really was in doubt as UIC began with a 30-6 run that left the Vikings in the dust. No matter how good he is, newcomer of the year <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175323/bryn-forbes">Bryn Forbes</a> (16 points) wasn't going to lead Cleveland State back. (The Vikings are another team that is wondering what could have been. They lost <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145216/anton-grady">Anton Grady</a>, who should have been one of the top players in the league, to a knee injury early this season and never recovered.)</p>
<p>Green Bay and UIC will play at 8:30 p.m. Friday night. The game will be streamed online.</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/5/4069846/green-bay-uic-advance-to-second-round-of-horizon-league-tournamentBenjamin Miraski2013-03-05T20:42:58-08:002013-03-05T20:42:58-08:00Youngstown Beats Loyola Late Again
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<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>D.J. Cole became the third different hero for Youngstown State against Loyola this season with a driving layup in the final seconds. The Penguins will move on to face Wright State in the second round.</p> <p>When one star is missing the other players have to step up. That is the situation that Youngstown State found itself in again Tuesday night, and finally, the string of embarrassing conference losses came to an end.</p>
<p>In their <a href="http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/mar/05/kendrick-perry-out-ysu-tournament-opener/?nw">fourth game without all-conference Kendrick Perry</a> -- darn knee injuries -- the Penguins battled to take and hold a lead against Loyola until the final seconds.</p>
<p>That is when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146541/d-j-cole">D.J. Cole</a> broke down his defender off the dribble and made his reaching layup with just two seconds on the clock. The desperation heave by Loyola missed, and Youngstown State will advance to play Wright State with a 62-60 win in the<a href="http://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/2/4058676/horizon-league-2013-conference-tournament-schedule"> first round of the Horizon League Tournament</a>.</p>
<p>It almost didn't get to that point, the third time this season that the Penguins have pulled out a victory late against the Ramblers. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145626/christian-thomas">Christian Thomas</a> looked like he would be unstoppable in the first half, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100411/ben-averkamp">Ben Averkamp</a>, himself back for only the second game since a concussion kept him on the bench for close to a month, took full advantage of some good looks inside.</p>
<p>Yet <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53535/damian-eargle">Damian Eargle</a> came alive in the second half on the defensive end. He finished with seven blocks and helped hold Thomas to just four points, twelve minutes apart after the break. This is exactly why <a href="http://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/2/4058676/horizon-league-2013-conference-tournament-schedule">Eargle earned the Defensive Player of the Year nod</a>, his ability to shut down the opposition's hottest scorer when it matters.</p>
<p>And Youngstown needed time to adjust to playing without Perry. It didn't help that they had been up against three of the top four teams in the conference during the stretch without him.</p>
<p>Now, a win by two points isn't exactly going to inspire confidence going into Friday night's second round game. Wright State did just whup the Penguins by 27 points. It is going to take more than a D.J. Cole scoop to make up that deficit.</p>
<p>As for Loyola, there is a lot of wondering what could have been this season. Injuries and youth definitely derailed what looked to be a promising season after opening the conference slate with a win against the eventual regular season champion Valparaiso. A healthy Averkamp, a full season from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99895/cully-payne">Cully Payne</a>, or <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145624/joe-crisman">Joe Crisman</a>, maybe this year ends differently.</p>
<p>Tonight it ended with the scoop drive, and another heartbreaking loss to Youngstown State.</p>
<p><embed src="http://horizonleague.org/mp4video/player-licensed.swf" height="346" width="620" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="&author=The%20Horizon%20League%20Network&controlbar=over&date=March%2005%2C%202013&description=%3Cspan%20class%3D%22caps%22%3EYSU%3C%2Fspan%3E%20hosts%20Loyola%20in%20the%20First%20Round%20of%20the%20Horizon%20League%20Tournament.&file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQXdODy8Tys8&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FQXdODy8Tys8%2F0.jpg&plugins=viral-2&title=Highlights%3A%20MBB%20Tournament%3A%20(7)%20Loyola%20at%20(6)%20Youngstown%20State&viral.email_footer=www.horizonleague.com&viral.email_subject=Check%20out%20this%20video%20on%20HorizonLeague.com&viral.link=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FXlnoI2&viral.onpause=false"></embed></p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/5/4069742/d-j-cole-helps-youngstown-state-advance-to-second-roundBenjamin Miraski2013-03-02T21:22:14-08:002013-03-02T21:22:14-08:00Horizon League Tournament Schedule
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<p>The 2013 Horizon League Tournament tips off Tuesday, March 5 at campus sites based on seeding. The championship is Tuesday, March 12, at the site of the highest remaining seed. It will be televised at 9 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.</p>
<p><b>Official Hashtag:</b> #HLMBB</p>
<p><b>Website:</b> <a href="http://horizonleague.org">HorizonLeague.org</a></p>
<p><b>First Round, March 5:</b></p>
<p>No. 9 Milwaukee at No. 4 Green Bay, 8 p.m.</p>
<p>No. 8 Cleveland State at No. 5 UIC, 8 p.m.</p>
<p>No. 7 Loyola at No. 6 Youngstown State, 7:05 p.m.</p>
<p><i>All games streamed online</i></p>
<p><b>Second Round, March 8, at Valparaiso:</b></p>
<p>No. 3 Wright State vs. Loyola/Youngstown State, 6 p.m.</p>
<p>Green Bay/Milwaukee vs. Cleveland State/UIC, 8:30 p.m.</p>
<p><i>All games streamed online</i></p>
<p><b>Semifinals, March 9, at Valparaiso:</b></p>
<p>No. 2 Detroit vs. Wright State/Loyola/Youngstown State, 6 p.m.</p>
<p>No. 1 Valparaiso vs. Green Bay/Milwaukee/Cleveland State/UIC, 8:30 p.m.</p>
<p><i>Both games on ESPNU (Detroit game tape-delayed)</i></p>
<p><b><i>Championship</i></b>, March 12, at higher seed, 9 p.m.</p>
<p>All Times Eastern</p>
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2013/3/2/4058676/horizon-league-2013-conference-tournament-scheduleBenjamin Miraski