-Jim Root
(check out the Horizon preseason preview here)
Final Standings:
Note - the below final standings are based on the conference’s (convoluted and confusing) algorithm to calculate seeding. I don’t understand it at all, but I’ll use the league’s methodology.
3MW’s All Conference Team:
Player of the Year: Antoine Davis, Jr., Detroit
Coach of the Year: Dennis Gates, Cleveland St.
Newcomer of the Year: Jalen Moore, Jr., Oakland
Freshman of the Year: Marques Warrick, Northern Kentucky
Season Storylines:
I thought I was high on Cleveland State by placing them 6th in the Horizon preview (the Vikings were 7th in the official league poll), but Dennis Gates laughed at even that. In his second season at the helm, Gates increased CSU’s conference win total by nine, from 7-11 to 16-4, and vaulted into a tie for 1st with heavy favorite Wright State. The 2-seed Raiders are still the most likely to cut down the nets and go dancing, but Gates should be a near-unanimous Coach of the Year choice for his efforts. An injury to star PG Darius Quisenberry – and a pathetic defense – prevented dark horse contender Youngstown State from making any actual noise.
Elsewhere, Greg Kampe and Oakland rode the impressive talents of JUCO transfer Jalen Moore to an impressive rise up the standings; if Rashad Williams could ever get fully healthy, this team could be especially scary. And speaking of lethal backcourts, Detroit and IUPUI certainly overachieved; I opted for Antoine Davis as the Player of the Year over the actual winner, Wright State’s Loudon Love. The Titans, ranked 2nd in the league at KenPom despite getting the 5-seed, are a major threat to go on a postseason run.
New coaches Will Ryan (Green Bay) and Luke Yaklich (Illinois Chicago) met with mixed results; Ryan’s prolific backcourt trio made the Phoenix feisty every night, but UIC did not show the defensive prowess that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from Yaklich squads. Perhaps with a more extended offseason, the Flames will be more potent. League newbies Purdue Fort Wayne and Robert Morris struggled mightily, with RMU’s issues stemming from unfortunate off-court hurdles (major COVID problems, star center AJ Bramah transferring).
Tournament Preview
Tournament Predictions
(5) Detroit over (12) Robert Morris
(11) Illinois Chicago over (6) Youngstown St.
(7) Green Bay over (10) Purdue Fort Wayne
(9) IUPUI over (8) Milwaukee
(1) Cleveland St. over (11) Illinois Chicago
(5) Detroit over (4) Northern Kentucky
(7) Green Bay over (3) Oakland
(2) Wright St. over (9) IUPUI
(7) Green Bay over (1) Cleveland St.
(5) Detroit over (2) Wright St.
(5) Detroit over (7) Green Bay