Horizon League Basketball Roundup for January 23

INDIANAPOLIS – Week 5 of the #HLMBB season opened with three road teams earning victories as Green Bay, Milwaukee and UIC triumphed away from home, while Detroit Mercy recorded the lone victory on its home floor.

RESULTS

GAME RECAPS
Green Bay 78, Cleveland State 74

• Green Bay won its third #HLMBB game in a row and its first road win of 2020.
• JayQuan McCloud scored a game-high 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting and grabbed six rebounds, his most during HL play this season.
• Cleveland State was led by Craig Beaudion tallied a team-best 26 points and five assists.
• The Phoenix got good production off the bench, outscoring the Vikings 26-14 in bench points.

Milwaukee 75, Youngstown State 73 (OT)

• The Panthers tallied their second consecutive win and its second road win during Horizon League play.
• Milwaukee had four players finish in double figures with DeAndre Abram (19 points, 13 rebounds) and Josh Thomas (15 points and 11 rebounds) each recording double-doubles.
• Youngstown State’s Donel Cathcart III scored 19 points, while Darius Quisenberry and Naz Bohannon each tallied 17.
• The Panthers gave the Penguins its first loss this season inside the Beeghly Center.

UIC 80, Oakland 50

• The Flames picked up their third-straight win and the second in a row on the road.
• Tarkus Ferguson led the way for UIC with 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Godwin Boahen scored 14 points on four 3-pointers.
• Oakland’s Brad Brechting finished with a team-high 13 points, while Rashad Williams and Xavier Hill-Mais tallied 12.
• UIC shot 60 percent from the floor and 57 percent from long range.

Detroit Mercy 76, IUPUI 64

• Detroit Mercy collected its first win at home since Jan. 3 against Northern Kentucky.
• Antoine Davis recorded 27 points with five triples for the Titans and Chris Brandon ended the game with 18 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 12 boards.
• Two IUPUI finished with double-doubles as Marcus Burk registered 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Elyjah Goss recorded 15 points and 12 boards.
• The Titans shot 91.7 percent from the free-throw line, compared to just 28.6 percent by the Jags.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

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Horizon League Basketball Notes for January 22

INDIANAPOLIS – Week 5 of the #HLMBB season has a marquee matchup as the top two teams in the standings face off on national television as Wright State and Northern Kentucky renew their rivalry Friday night on ESPNU.

#HLMBB NEWS & NOTES
• Wright State moves up to No. 10 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll with Northern Kentucky receiving votes.
• The Raiders are 7-1 to start #HLMBB play and have been dominant so far this season. In HL play they rank tops in scoring, rebounding, 3-point field goal percentage and blocks. Nationally, WSU is 17th in the country in scoring offense with 80.9 points per game and 11th in rebounds per game at 41.4.
• The Norse are riding a five-game winning streak and boast the best scoring defense in the HL at 64.3 points per game as they rank third in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage defense, allowing teams to shoot just 26.7 percent from deep.
• The HL had three players tabbed on the Lou Henson Award Midseason Watch List as Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis, Loudon Love of Wright State and Northern Kentucky’s Dantez Walton were tabbed on the list. The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the nation’s top Division I mid-major player.
• Preseason Player of the Year Antoine Davis of Detroit Mercy continues to lead the HL in scoring and ranks third in the NCAA as he is averaging 23.6 points per game. In addition, he is top-15 in the country in free throw percentage (92.9) and 3-pointers per game (3.32).
• Youngstown State continues to hit the offensive glass as the Penguins are 12th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game with 13.7 and 43rd in total rebounds per game at 39.6. Naz Bohannon is leading the charge on the glass grabbing 3.9 offensive boards per game, 12th in the NCAA. They return home this week where they are 8-0 at the Beeghly Center for the first time in its Division I era.
• Amari Davis of Green Bay is a six-time winner of the #HLMBB Freshman of the Week honor, tied for the fifth-most in program history, and ranks third in the HL and top-10 nationally among freshmen at 16.7 points per game and is second in the HL shooting 53.3 percent from the floor.
• The Phoenix continue to be one of the best offensive teams in the country as they are 12th in the NCAA in scoring offense at 81.5 points per game, while also ranking eighth in assists per game at 17.5, 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio and shooting 37.6 percent from behind the arc to rank 28th in the NCAA.
• Milwaukee’s Te’Jon Lucas is fourth during HL play with 18.4 points per game and is also the League leader in steals, third in assists and top-10 in field goal percentage.
• Tarkus Ferguson continues to do a little bit of everything for UIC leading the team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. He leads the HL with 5.0 assists per game. The Flames are riding a two-game winning streak heading into their road trip to Michigan this week.
• IUPUI’s Marcus Burk and Jaylen Minnett are two of the top three scorers during #HLMBB play as Burk is averaging 19.6 points per game and Minnett is scoring 18.7. In addition, Elyjah Goss is the top rebounder with 14.6 boards per HL contest.
• Oakland has one of the best rebounding front courts in the HL as they are the only team to have three players ranked in the top-12 in rebounding. Xavier Hill-Mais is fourth with 7.4, followed by Brad Brechting with 6.1 and Daniel Oladapo with 5.8.

RESULTS

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Northern Kentucky’s Sharpe, Green Bay’s Davis named Horizon League Players of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – Northern Kentucky’s Tyler Sharpe averaged 25.5 points per game, made 12 3-pointers and scored his 1,000th career point to help the Norse go 2-0 for the week to earn Nike® #HLMBB Player of the Week, while Green Bay’s Amari Davis led the Phoenix to a 2-0 record at home by shooting 53.1 percent from the floor and averaging 20.5 points per game to be named Nike® #HLMBB Freshman of the Week as the Horizon League announced its men’s basketball weekly honors on Monday.

Tyler Sharpe

#HLMBB Player of the Week
Tyler Sharpe | Northern Kentucky | Senior | Guard | Mt. Washington, Ky.
Sharpe picks up his second #HLMBB Player of the Week honor of the season as he averaged 25.5 points per game on the strength of 58 percent (15-of-26) shooting from the floor and 67 percent (12-of-18) from long range. He also contributed 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Against Youngstown State, he posted his fifth 30-point game of the season with a career-high-tying 33 points, converting 9-of-12 from long range and establishing a DI-era record for made 3-pointers in a game. The senior sharp shooter then scored 18 points to help lead Northern Kentucky over Cleveland State on Saturday. Sharpe also joined the 1,000-point club in grand fashion, converting his first three 3-point baskets of the week – all within the first four minutes – of NKU’s game against the Penguins on Thursday night, becoming the 28th player in Norse history to eclipse 1,000 points.

#HLMBB Freshman of the Week
Amari Davis | Green Bay | Freshman | Guard | Trotwood, Ohio
Davis collects his sixth #HLMBB Freshman of the Week honor, tied for

Amari Davis

the fifth-most in HL history, as he led the Phoenix to a pair of victories this past week at home, averaging 20.5 points per game against Oakland and Detroit Mercy. He began the week with 22 points against the Golden Grizzlies on 10 made field goals and followed it up with a 19-point performance with four boards and four assists versus the Titans. Davis went 17-for-32 in the two games, shooting 53.1 percent on the week and playing 32 minutes in each contest. The left-handed freshman went 7-for-8 at the free throw line, had seven rebounds and eight assists in those wins as well. He ranks third in the Horizon League in scoring with 16.7 points per contest and leads the team in that category, and is also averaging 18.0 points in Horizon League games.

2019-20 Nike® #HLMBB Players of the Week
November 11 – Daniel Oladapo, Oakland
November 18 – Marcus Burk, IUPUI
November 25 – Dantez Walton, Northern Kentucky
December 2 – Dantez Walton, Northern Kentucky
December 9 – Dantez Walton, Northern Kentucky
December 16 – Tyler Sharpe, Northern Kentucky
December 23 – JayQuan McCloud, Green Bay
December 31 – Loudon Love, Wright State
January 6 – Torrey Patton, Cleveland State
January 13 – Te’Jon Lucas, Milwaukee
January 20 – Tyler Sharpe, Northern Kentucky

2019-20 Nike® #HLMBB Freshmen of the Week
November 11 – Amari Davis, Green Bay
November 18 – Mike DePersia, IUPUI
November 25 – Grant Basile, Wright State
December 2 – Amari Davis, Green Bay
December 9 – Amari Davis, Green Bay
December 16 – Amari Davis, Green Bay
December 23 – Tanner Holden, Wright State
December 31 – Blake Lampman, Oakland
January 6 – Amari Davis, Green Bay
January 13 – Blake Lampman, Oakland
January 20 – Amari Davis, Green Bay

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Horizon League battle tonight with Wright State hosting NKU on ESPNU

The Horizon League-leading Wright State men’s basketball team closes its homestand with a national television contest on ESPNU against Northern Kentucky on Friday night. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m. inside the Nutter Center. The Raiders (17-4 overall, 7-1 HL) have won 10 of their last 11 games at home and are undefeated in Horizon League play inside the Nutter Center. Northern Kentucky will come to town 14-6 overall and with a 6-2 Horizon League record while on a five-game winning streak.

Friday night will also be a Green Out, with the first 4,000 fans receiving t-shirts and the first 3,000 fans receiving glowsticks. Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act will perform at halftime, while Raider head coach Scott Nagy will be coaching barefoot in support of Samaritan’s Feet.

Last time out, Wright State remained undefeated at home in Horizon League play with a 79-72 victory over Youngstown State last Saturday night inside the Nutter Center as three Raiders finished with double-figure scoring nights. It was a back-and-forth battle for most of the first half, as the Raiders pushed the lead to as many as eight on several occasions but could never fully pull away in the opening 20 minutes. A Youngstown State layup with 3:44 to go in the half gave the visitors their first lead at 27-26, but that lead would be gone 30 seconds later on a Cole Gentry jumper and Wright State never trailed again in the contest despite the game’s outcome hanging in the balance for the majority of the night. Loudon Love finished with a game-high 21 points, including 13 in the second half, along with nine rebounds, two blocks and a steal in his 11th double-digit scoring game of the season and his fifth contest with 20 or more points. Bill Wampler scored 10 of 16 points in the second 20 minutes, while Cole Gentry tallied 11 points.

SHOELESS SCOTT – A GOOD SAMARITAN
For the 12th consecutive year, head coach Scott Nagy and his staff will coach a game in their bare feet to raise awareness for Samaritan’s Feet, an international humanitarian organization whose mission is to put new shoes and socks on the feet of those in need. Since beginning his tenure at Wright State, Coach Nagy and the Raiders have served at three shoe distributions in the Dayton area, providing nearly 600 pairs of shoes to children and adults. The Raiders also served on an international level in 2018 in the Dominican Republic. Fans can go to www.samaritansfeet.org/CoachNagy to make a donation that will support an upcoming local shoe distribution in which the team will serve.

NORSE NOTES
Saturday will be the 37th meeting all-time between Wright State and Northern Kentucky, with the Raiders holding a 24-12 advantage in the series. The teams split the regular season series last year with the combined margin of victory just eight points, while NKU won the Horizon League Championship over the Raiders last March. The first-ever meeting came Dec. 6, 1972, a 91-87 Raider win at Northern Kentucky.

THE NORSE SIDE
NKU extended its winning streak to five straight with a dominant 75-49 victory over Cleveland State, holding CSU without a 3-point field goal, marking the first time since Nov. 15, 2009 when an opponent failed to convert a three against the Norse. NKU has been stingy on the defensive end, holding teams to 64.3 points per game, and only one opponent has scored more than 73 points against the Norse this season. The Norse have ripped off 161 steals so far, a total that ranks 26th in the nation. The team’s 8.1 steals per game also rank 60th. Offensively, the Norse are letting it rain from long range this year. The team ranks 11th in the country in 3-point field-goal attempts (541) and 21st in made threes (178). Tyler Sharpe became NKU’s 28th member of the 1,000-point club with a career-high-tying 33-point outing versus Youngstown State, his fifth 30-point showing this year. Sharpe is averaging 16.5 points per game and his 55 made threes rank 23rd in the nation.

LEADERS ON THE HORIZON
The Raiders are 7-1 to start in Horizon League play and have been dominant so far this season. In HL play, Wright State leads the league in scoring (81 ppg), rebounding (42.1 rpg), 3-point field goal percentage (41.3%) and blocks (41, 5.13 pg). Nationally, Wright State is 17th in the country in scoring offense with 80.9 points per game overall and 11th in rebounds per game at 41.4.

MID-MAJOR POLL
Wright State moved up to No. 10 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, released on Jan. 20. The ranking ties the Raiders’ highest this season (with Nov. 11 poll date), while the team has been in every weekly ranking all season after opening at No. 13 in the preseason listing.

GAME PREVIEW WRITTEN BY & COURTESY OF WRIGHT STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

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Wright State, Northern Kentucky set for National Television exposure on ESPNU

The Horizon League-leading Wright State men’s basketball team closes its homestand with a national television contest against Northern Kentucky on Friday night. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m. inside the Nutter Center.

The Raiders (17-4 overall, 7-1 HL) have won 10 of their last 11 games at home and are undefeated in Horizon League play inside the Nutter Center. Northern Kentucky will come to town 14-6 overall and with a 6-2 Horizon League record while on a five-game winning streak.

Tickets can be purchased via this link.

Friday night’s game will be a battle for the top spot in the Horizon, with Wright State sitting alone in first place entering the weekend with its 7-1 conference mark. Northern Kentucky is currently 6-2 in league action. Friday is the official halfway point in the Horizon League schedule – Wright State has 10 remaining regular season games on its schedule including Friday’s matchup. Four of the final 10 games will be played at home inside the Nutter Center.

Friday night will also be a Green Out, with the first 4,000 fans receiving t-shirts and the first 3,000 fans receiving glowsticks. Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act will perform at halftime, while Raider head coach Scott Nagy will be coaching barefoot in support of Samaritan’s Feet.

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