A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
After 5 days of serious discussions about what has happened off the field in State College, Pennsylvania, it was nice to have two full days of actual games to take our minds off of more serious matters.
This week, I explain how a 1- or 2-loss team from a non-AQ league could realistically clinch a BCS bowl bid, why Oregon is more deserving than Alabama of a rematch with LSU, and why Major League Soccer needs to shift its schedule or risk losing casual fans.
But first things first.
Last night, Butler University’s Bulldogs– you know, the defending national runners up by about three inches – continued their 2011 renaissance with a 9th consecutive win, taking the Horizon League’s automatic bid, and salvaging what was, until a month ago, a disappointing season.
Had they fallen to Milwaukee for a third time this campaign, Butler would’ve possibly been on the March Madness 2011 bubble; now an 8 or 9 seed is more than likely for what I believe is the most intelligent (and perhaps best prepared) team in college basketball.
Update March 6th: The 2011 Horizon League Tournament championship game is set for Tuesday. See below for the matchup and time/TV info.
It’s February 27th, which means Selection Sunday is now two weeks away. So you know what that means: March Madness 2011 is almost upon us.
As we are every year around this time, MSF will be a one stop shop for all of the TV schedule, bracket, tickets, and history info you want or need. We’ll start with the conference tournaments and go all the way until the Final 4.
We have already posted our Big Ten Tournament Preview, Big East Tournament Preview, Big 12 Tournament Preview, ACC Tournament Preview, SEC Tournament Preview, Pac 10 Tournament Preview, and MVC Tournament Preview.
Now it’s the Horizon League Tournament Quick Preview, which includes the TV schedule, bracket breakdown, ticket links, and a rundown of the history of the Horizon League Tournament. And remember: the winner of this tournament last year went all the way to the NCAA Championship Game.
“It’s stunning to me that armed with 25-30 games of additional information, the writers’ ability to identify the nation’s best teams gets worse!”
- Ken Pomeroy, Basketball Prospectus
Updated 3/10 with championship game results. Congrats Butler! (originally published third week in February).
[Editor's note: This post is the first in a multi-part series of college basketball tournament previews that will be rolled out over the next few weeks. I know that we are starting a little bit early, but there is a lot to get to between know and March Madness. Now that football is over, it will be here before we know it.
This first preview looks at the Horizon League. AJ analyzes how this season has gone, what to watch for over the next few weeks, and also takes a look back at Horizon League mens basketball tournament history.]
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Following an impressive win Feb. 27 in the season finale at Valparaiso (playing without their best player no less), Butler finished the league schedule undefeated at 18-0. After their brutal non-conference schedule (7-4), they’ve literally been unbeatable throughout 2010.
Like the last two Marches, the Bulldogs, as league champs, will host the Horizon tournament at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse — beginning Friday night, March 5. Wright State has the two seed.
With their double-byes, Butler and the Raiders won’t play until Saturday evening the 6th, as the tourney starts for lower seeds at campus sites on Tuesday, March 2.
There are two division one hoops teams in the city of Indianapolis: IUPUI & Butler. Both are atop their conferences year in and out.
Usually, IUPUI will play their Summit League final at 7pm Tuesday of conference week, with Butler’s Horizon league final at 9pm, thereby setting up a nice, local twinbill.
But not tonight.
Cavaliers Danny Green and Cedric Jackson sat courtside as CSU (10-12, 6-4) got a much needed win at home against Horizon League bottom feeder Youngstown State 77-69 on Saturday.
The win moved the Vikings to 6-4 in conference, and right into the thick of the Horizon League race for second place.
No use racing for first, that belongs to #18 Butler (10-o in conference), and the Bulldogs aren’t a team you want to see early in the tournament.
In Norris Cole, D’Aundray Brown, Jeremy Montgomery, and Trevon Harmon, Cleveland State Coach Gary Waters returns four guards who saw considerable minutes on last year’s tournament team.
Over the last few games, while only two started last year, Waters made the decision to start all four of them this time around. A four guard line-up may give some things up – like size – but it also allows you other opportunities…such as pressuring the basketball for ninety-four feet.
CSU stretched their defense out that way on Saturday against UIC (University of Illinois – Chicago), and when Trevon Harmon (12 points) hit a jumper with 17:44 to go in the first half, the Vikings had cashed in on a few early Flames’turnovers, and couple disjointed offensive sets, to the tune of an 8-0 lead out the gate.
Not that UIC Coach Jimmy Collins didn’t think the Vikings would come out ready to play:
“Any time that you go against a Gary Waters’ team and a Vikings team it is tough. They get loose balls, play defense and are just a tough team to play. We went out and played hard tonight and made progress with our offense and defense.”
[Editor's note: I'm really excited to welcome Brendan Bowers of Stepien Rules back into the fold as a consistent MSF contributor. Brendan will be covering Cleveland State Viking basketball for the remainder of the season from his official seat in press row, representing MSF. Welcome back Brendan.]
With 3:47 left in the second half, and the Cleveland State Vikings (6-10, 2-2) clinging to a 52-50 lead, Loyola University’s Aric Van Weelden (11 points) hit a three from the right corner to put the visiting Ramblers up 53-52.
But after opening the first three conference games on the road, amidst a tough stretch of losses, the Vikings refused to let this one get away.
Cleveland State’s basketball team went to the NCAA tournament 23 years ago. They beat Bobby Knight’s Indiana team while there, and almost beat David Robinson’s Navy team. They bowed out in the Sweet 16, completing a banner year for the program. Star point guard Mouse McFadden and company had put the Vikings on the map. They were here to stay.
That stay would be short lived however.
In the off season, the coach and architect of the ‘Run and Stun’ Vikings of ’86 was found one night in a crack house, strung out on crack cocaine. The run was over. The coach, Kevin Mackey, would be soon relieved of his duties, and the Cleveland State Vikings would sink to an all-time low that they would not emerge from for 20 years.
Until now.
Cleveland State beat Butler on Tuesday 57-54 and got their Dance Card punched — again — for the first time in 23 years. The job done by this coach, Gary Waters, and his kids is nothing short of incredible. In 3 seasons as coach, Waters has taken possibly the worst Men’s Basketball Program – on a consistent basis – for the last two decades – in America – and turned them into an NCAA tournament team. His Vikings won 21 games last season, and won 25
this year, including wins over #12 Syracuse on the road, and #17 Butler last night for the Horizon League title and automatic bid.
They are not done yet either. Cedric Jackson is a point guard that can play. The St. John’s transfer, and Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, can match up with any PG in the nation. Anybody. And J’Nathan Bullock, the undersized, Tight End-looking, post player that roams the key for the Vikings is a tough cover inside as well.
They’ve come a long way this group…and Cleveland can’t help but be proud of them. If you don’t know about CSU, I’ll tell you this: you better be careful when you fill out your bracket, that’s all I am going to say.
Coach Waters’ group is just getting started.
Cleveland State photo credit: AP Photo/Darron Cummings
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Brendan Bowers is a featured columnist at Midwest Sports Fans who also runs Stepien Rules (and formerly ran Shaver Sports), where they discuss everything you ever wanted to know about the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Brendan Bowers’ contributions to Midwest Sports Fans are sponsored by BigTimeGameBoards.com, the company that helps you tailgate like a champion with our high quality cornhole boards, sets and accessories. And if you don’t know what cornhole is, you aren’t a Midwesterner.
