HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
Top-seeded Green Bay won the 2009 Speedway Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship with victories over #8 Detroit, #5 Wright State and #7 Milwaukee.
Second-seeded Butler lost to #7 Milwaukee in the quarterfinal round of the 2009 tournament.
Third-seeded Cleveland State defeated #6 UIC in the quarterfinal round and lost to #7 Milwaukee in the semifinal round of the 2009 tournament.
Green Bay owns nine Horizon League Tournament championships, while former Horizon League member Notre Dame ranks second all-time with five titles.
The top seed has won the Horizon League Tournament in nine of the last 11 seasons. With Green Bay losing in the semifinals, that won't be the case this year.
#2 SEED - BUTLER BULLDOGS (23-8 overall, 14-4 in Horizon League)
2010 Horizon League Player of the Year - senior Melanie Thornton
2010 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year - senior Melanie Thornton
2010 Horizon League All-Newcomer Team - junior Alyssa Pittman
2010 Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year - senior Susan Lester
Butler has won 14 of its last 16 contests overall and seven straight away from Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Butler will be playing in its seventh Horizon League Tournament championship game. The Bulldogs are 1-5 in the previous six with their only victory coming in 1996.
Butler suffered a 91-64 setback to Green Bay in the 2007 Horizon League Tournament championship game. Two Bulldogs on this year's team played in that game, including Melanie Thornton who scored nine points.
Butler's 23 wins mark its most since the 1997-98 campaign. That squad went 25-6.
Butler tied its school record for conference wins (14) for a second straight year.
The Bulldogs have clinched their third consecutive 20-win season and fifth straight winning campaign.
Wins over Bowl Championship Series Conference opponents this season - 65-48 at Cincinnati (12/13/09)
#4 SEED - CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS (18-13 overall, 11-7 in Horizon League)
2010 All-Horizon League First Team - senior Kailey Klein
2010 All-Horizon League Second Team - junior Shawnita Garland
2010 Horizon League All-Defensive Team - junior Shawnita Garland
Cleveland State has won six of its last seven contests overall and three of its last four away from the Wolstein Center.
Cleveland State will be playing in its third Horizon League Tournament championship game. The Vikings are 1-1 in the previous two with their only victory coming in 2008.
Cleveland State posted a 70-56 victory over Wright State in the 2008 Horizon League Tournament championship game. Four Vikings on this year's team played in that game, including Kailey Klein who recorded 29 points.
Cleveland State snapped Green Bay's 27-game homecourt winning streak in the semifinal round on Friday. The Vikings were also the last team to beat the Phoenix at the Kress Events Center on March 14, 2008. Kailey Klein tallied 18 points in the 2008 win and 28 points in the 2010 victory.
Wins over Bowl Championship Series Conference opponents this season - 77-75 in OT vs. Indiana (12/19/09)
HORIZON LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS
Green Bay and Butler both qualified for 2009 postseason play. The Phoenix (29-4, 18-0) suffered a setback to LSU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, while the Bulldogs (20-12, 14-4) defeated Duquesne in the first round of the WNIT and fell to Marquette in the second round.
Butler has won three Horizon League championships so far in 2009-10 - men's cross country, women's cross country and men's basketball.
Cleveland State has yet to win a Horizon League title in 2009-10, but is the reigning champion in men's tennis, men's golf and softball.
HORIZON LEAGUE HISTORY
The Midwestern City Conference was officially formed on June 16, 1979. The six charter members were Butler, Evansville, Loyola, Oklahoma City, Oral Roberts and Xavier.
The Midwestern City Conference changed its name to Midwestern Collegiate Conference on June 27, 1985. Members at that time were Butler, Detroit, Evansville, Loyola, Notre Dame, Oral Roberts, St. Louis and Xavier.
The Midwestern Collegiate Conference changed its name to Horizon League on June 4, 2001. Members at that time were Butler, Cleveland State, Detroit, Green Bay, Loyola, Milwaukee, UIC and Wright State. CSU has been in the League since 1994.
Tags: All Teams - Women's Basketball · Horizon League - Women's Basketball
