INDIANAPOLIS -- The Horizon League earned two television games in the 2012 Sears BracketBusters X, ESPN announced on Monday evening. Cleveland State, the fifth-rated home team in the event, hosts Drexel, while Valparaiso will head to Los Angeles to meet Loyola Marymount.
Presently leading the Horizon League, Cleveland State (18-4, 8-2 Horizon) hosts Drexel (17-5, 9-2 CAA), who enters this week one game out of first place in the Colonial Athletic Association.The game will be the first to air nationally on Feb. 18, with ESPNU airing the game at 11 a.m. ET from the Wolstein Center.
Valparaiso (15-7, 8-3 Horizon), who enters the week one-half game behind Cleveland State for the Horizon League lead, heads to Loyola Marymount (13-9, 6-3 WCC). Presently tied for third in the West Coast Conference, the Lions and Crusaders will tip at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 18, with ESPNU carrying the game.
Overall, Horizon League teams will play opponents across seven different conferences, with Butler (12-11, 6-5 Horizon) welcoming Indiana State (13-9, 4-7 MVC) to Hinkle Fieldhouse. The meeting will be the 126th all-time between the teams and first since the 2007-08 season. For the 37th time, Loyola (5-16, 0-11 Horizon) and Bradley (6-17, 1-10 MVC) will clash, with the Ramblers heading downstate to meet the Braves in the second Horizon League-Missouri Valley matchup.
Milwaukee (14-9, 7-4 Horizon) will host the MAAC’s Fairfield (11-10, 6-4 MAAC), with Detroit (12-11, 6-5 Horizon) bringing the CAA’s James Madison (10-12, 3-8) to Calihan Hall. The Stags and Panthers last met in 1993, while the Titans and Dukes have never played.
In two Horizon League-Ohio Valley contests, UIC (6-14, 2-9 Horizon) will venture to Eastern Illinois (9-11, 2-6 OVC) and Youngstown State (11-9, 6-4 Horizon) to Austin Peay (9-14, 6-4 OVC). Green Bay (9-12, 5-6 Horizon) will host Eastern Michigan (10-11, 5-2 MAC) of the MAC. Wright State (11-12, 6-5 Horizon) will hit the road to meet UMKC (9-15, 3-9 Summit) of the Summit League.
Dates and tip times for all eight non-televised contests will be announced by the schools at a later date.
In 2011, Horizon League teams went 2-1 in televised BracketBusters matchups, with Wright State and Valparaiso collecting dominant home wins, while Norris Cole set a Ted Constant Convocation Center opponent record in Cleveland State’s defeat to Old Dominion.
Sears BracketBusters X features the largest field in the format’s history; the 142-team field will feature teams from 16 conferences: 12 each from Colonial Athletic Association, Mid-American Conference and Southland; 11 each from Ohio Valley Conference and Big South; 10 each from Horizon League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Missouri Valley and Summit League; nine each from America East, Big Sky and Big West; eight from the Western Athletic Association; four from the Southern Conference; three from the MEAC; and two from the West Coast Conference.
Teams participating this season in Sears BracketBusters have produced 88 appearances in the last six NCAA Championships, including Butler’s national title game appearance in 2010. The Horizon League was a founding member of the BracketBusters 10 years ago.
2012 Horizon League Sears BracketBusters Schedule
Feb. 17 -- Valparaiso at Loyola Marymount, 9 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Feb. 18 -- Drexel at Cleveland State, 11 a.m. ET (ESPNU)
Feb. 18 -- Indiana State at Butler, tba (HLN)
Feb. 18 -- Fairfield at Milwaukee, tba (HLN)
Feb. 18 -- James Madison at Detroit, tba (HLN)
Feb. 18 -- Eastern Michigan at Green Bay, tba
Feb. 18 -- UIC at Eastern Illinois, tba
Feb. 18 -- Loyola at Bradley, tba
Feb. 18 -- Wright State at UMKC, tba
Feb. 18 -- Youngstown State at Austin Peay, tba
Tags: All Teams - Men's Basketball · Horizon League - Men's Basketball
