College Basketball Conference Preview #14 - Horizon League Conference
Wright State returns its top three scorers as the Raiders hope to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. The Raiders will be led by center Loudon Love, forward Bill Wampler, and guard Cole Gentry. Wright State added a pair of transfers in forward Aleksandar Dozic (Marist) and guard Jordan Ash (Northwestern). Northern Kentucky will be hard pressed to match last season’s success as the Norse lost Head Coach John Brannen and forward Drew McDonald. The Norse will push the Raiders this season though due to the return of forwards Jalen Tate and Dantez Walton. Tate is expected to be a 1st Team All-Horizon League Player this season. New Head Coach Darrin Horn will also be able to rely on guard Tyler Sharpe this season in what will be an easier first season than what many other Head Coaches are in for. UIC will challenge for the top spot in the Horizon League Standings this season due to the return of four seniors. The Flames will be led by Tarkus Ferguson who is the favorite for Horizon League Player of the Year. If Ferguson gets help from the trio of guards Marcus Ottey and Godwin Boahen and forward Jordan Blount then UIC may be able to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament come mid-March. Youngstown State returns their top six players from last season. Will that be enough for the Penguins to dethrone the elite in the Horizon League? It may come down to how much the Penguins reserves can contribute this season. Youngstown State will be led by junior forwrd Naz Bohannon and sophomore guard Darius Quisenberry. IUPUI may be able to fight their way into the Top 3 of the Horizon League Standings this season as they return three starters including guard Jaylen Minnett. The Jaguars will need to play better the 2nd half of the season as they lost eight of their final 10 games in 2018-19. If they do play better this season they will be a team no one wants to face in the 2020 Horizon League Conference Tournament.
Green Bay will challenge the top teams in the Horizon League on most nights this season. Can the Phoenix pull off enough upsets to finish in the top half of the Conference Standings? A pair of seniors in JayQuan McCloud and ShanQuan Hemphill will help the cause but it is most likely that the Phoenix finish no better than 6th in the Horizon League this season. Detroit Mercy will go as far as sophomore guard Antoine Davis can take them this season. Davis will get assistance from guard Josh McFolley this season but the potential 1st Team All-Horizon League Player will need contributions from several others for the Titans to contend with the Conference elite. Head Coach Mike Davis knows that rebounding will be his team's key to success this season. Oakland is a big unknown this season beyond senior forward Xavier Hill-Mais. The Golden Grizzlies lost four of their top six scorers from last season and will have a hard time staying competitive on a nightly basis should Hill-Mais have an off shooting night. Milwaukee returns a pair of seniors in Darius Roy and DeAndre Abram. The Panthers will need to have several of their seven underclassmen step up if they expect to improve on last season's win total. Cleveland State will be in for a rough season. New Head Coach Dennis Gates has his work cut out for him as the Vikings lost eight players to the transfer portal. The most discouraging thing is that all of them left in mid-June or later leaving Gates little time to fill out his roster. The best Vikings fans can hope for is probably 5 to 7 wins overall this season.
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