Women's basketball weekend begins with two games on Thursday

INDIANAPOLIS –Horizon League women’s basketball continues its nine-game week, starting with Cleveland State and Butler tonight at 7pm ET.  No. 23/18 Green Bay and Milwaukee picked up wins on Wednesday.

After a 72-51 victory over Loyola (8-7 overall, 2-2 Horizon), Green Bay improved to 16-1 overall and 5-0 in the League.  This is the seventh consecutive season the Phoenix have started 5-0 in conference play.

Green Bay continues its three-game homestand as it hosts UIC (7-8, 2-2) on Saturday at 3pm ET, while the Ramblers wrap up their Wisconsin trip with a 5pm stop at Milwaukee (5-11, 2-3).  

The Panthers and the Flames also squared off last night, and Milwaukee came out on top with an 85-78 overtime victory, snapping a five-game overtime losing streak.  This is only the second time this season the Panthers have won two games in a row.  The Flames have lost two straight after starting the conference season at 2-0.          

Butler (9-6, 3-0) and Cleveland State (9-6, 2-2) will get the Thursday action rolling as the Bulldogs host the Vikings in a 7pm ET contest.  Butler is one of just two teams still undefeated in the league after picking up two road wins last week.  The Vikings are tied for third place after splitting a pair at home, knocking off Milwaukee (77-60), but falling to league-leading Green Bay (63-55).        

This marks the 37th all-time meeting between the teams with Butler holding a 24-12.  In their last meeting, the Vikings defeated the Bulldogs, 66-57, for the 2010 conference title.

Valparaiso (0-3, 3-12) and Youngstown State (0-4, 2-13) will also battle tonight as the Crusaders take the home court for the first time since the New Year.  Both teams are looking for their first conference win this season as they meet for the 28th time.  Tipoff is set for 8pm ET.

The Penguins are up 14-13 all-time between the schools, which were also rivals in the Mid-Continent Conference, but Valpo has won five of the last seven meetings, including two straight last season.

Youngstown State will then travel to Butler on Saturday for a 2pm ET contest, while Valparaiso hosts Cleveland State at 2:35pm.

Wright State (9-6, 2-2) will wrap up its three-game homestand on Saturday as it hosts Detroit (8-7, 2-2) in a 2pm ET tip.  The teams split a pair of road games last week, with both losing to Butler but defeating Valparaiso.  The Raiders and the Titans are tied for third in the standings at 2-2, along with Cleveland State, Loyola and UIC.