Men’s Basketball Schedule:
UIC at Butler, 7 p.m. ET – Horizon League Network
Cleveland State at Green Bay, 8 p.m. ET – Horizon League Network
Loyola at Valparaiso, 8:05 p.m. ET – Horizon League Network
Between the preparation, covering every single lesson plan and actually taking the test, finals are typically a time of stress for college students. When it comes to securing the best possible seed for the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Championship, the final week of the regular season is no less stressful.
While it is the last game on the schedule by tip time, all eyes will be on Valparaiso (19-10, 12-4 Horizon) tonight, as the Crusaders can make history by claiming their first Horizon League men’s basketball regular season title when they host Loyola (8-19, 1-14 Horizon).
Valparaiso was tabbed fifth in the Horizon League preseason poll, but the presence of Kevin Van Wijk in the post gave the Crusaders a second double-digit scorer to go along with Ryan Broekhoff. With Van Wijk controlling the block, Broekhoff has flourished while playing small and power forward, averaging 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Van Wijk, meanwhile, continues to lead the Horizon League in field-goal percentage at 61.5 percent. After struggling with back issues in his sophomore season, Van Wijk has averaged 23 minutes a game this year, resulting in a 14.3 ppg average.
And while Van Wijk has been limited by a bruised knee of late, Richie Edwards has stepped up, averaging 19.5 ppg over his last four outings.
Meanwhile, Loyola enters the evening with a surge in confidence after going toe-to-toe with Butler in a loss last Tuesday ahead of a 56-44 road win at Bradley in Sears BracketBusters X. The emergence of Jordan Hicks as a reliable third scorer seems to have opened up scoring opportunities for Ben Averkamp. Averkamp earned League Player of the Week accolades after putting up 23 points against the Bulldogs and 19 points and 10 rebounds versus the Braves.
The only question perhaps for the Ramblers may be the status of Walt Gibler, whose injured shoulder kept him from playing at Bradley. Gibler’s physical presence down low will be needed against Van Wijk, as the Ramblers try to better their seed in the conference tournament.
The team Loyola is chasing for ninth in the Horizon League takes to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Tuesday, as UIC (8-18, 3-12 Horizon) meets Butler (17-12, 10-6 Horizon) as the Bulldogs appear to be surging at the right time, winning four straight games.
For the Bulldogs, the game holds plenty of importance. A win against the Flames ensures that Butler puts itself one-half game up on Detroit before the Titans play on Thursday. Additionally, it keeps alive hopes of the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and a much-coveted bye.
While the game itself presents plenty of importance, it is too a chance to celebrate Butler’s senior class of Ronald Nored and Garrett Butcher. While two trips to the national championship game would provide enough filler for Senior Night, the duo has accumulated 104 wins, the third-most in Butler history. Nored ranks fourth in assists and second in steals in the Butler annals.
UIC comes to Hinkle Fieldhouse after collecting its first road win of the year, a 67-63 victory at Eastern Illinois in BracketBusters. The Flames will counter Butler’s emotion and balance with the backcourt tandem of Gary Talton and Daniel Barnes, who collectively rank as one of the best in the Horizon League.
Of the Flames’ 68 double-digit scoring efforts this year, Talton and Barnes have combined for 34. In League play, Talton’s 13.9 ppg average ranks sixth, while Barnes’ 2.3 threes per game are third in the conference.
Of course, when eyes at Hinkle or at the ARC aren’t trained on the court, they may be wandering to HLN Live, checking in on the events at the Resch Center, where Green Bay (12-14, 7-8 Horizon) closes out its home slate against Cleveland State (20-8, 10-5 Horizon).
The Phoenix will be honoring the senior class of Steve Baker, Eric Valentin and Jarvis Williams, which head coach Brian Wardle credits with laying the foundation for the success of the program. Much of that success will rest in the hands of Keifer Sykes and Alec Brown, each of whom have already shown examples of their talents.
Brown already owns the Green Bay record for career blocks, and in just his sophomore year, the 7-footer is fifth in scoring with a 14.2 ppg average in League play. Sykes, meanwhile, ranks third at 13.1 ppg, and since turning 18 on Dec. 30 has looked like a different player, putting up 14.5 ppg and 4.5 apg.
Meanwhile, Cleveland State hits the road looking for the form that had them leading the Horizon League just two weeks prior. Since then, though, the Vikings have dropped four straight, including three League losses that have them just one-half game ahead of both Detroit and Butler.
Over the last two games, Trey Harmon has tried to shoot Cleveland State past its foes, scoring 27 and 23 points, respectively, but the Vikings’ offense has consistently struggled in the first 20 minutes of play in each of their last six games. Since heading to Chicago to start the month, CSU has scored an average of 24.7 points, boosted solely by a 41-point effort at Milwaukee.
The absence of D’Aundray Brown has forced Gary Waters to adjust the rotations and lineups he had trusted throughout the year, and the Vikings have not found a five that clicks without Brown. His availability up in the air entering tonight, CSU must win (and have Valparaiso lose) to have a chance at catching Valpo for the No. 1 seed in the League Tournament.
