Chicago College Basketball

Sorry that this preview of the Horizon League is a little late, the holidays have a way of getting the best of everyone. With conference play already going full swing in the league there is a lot to talk about. I'm covering the Horizon League for Rush the Court this season, so there is a lot of information over there, but this is the first "Power Poll" I've posted about the league since the beginning of the season.

There have been a number of surprises. Some things though continue to stay the same. Butler looks like the team to beat, but there are a number of contenders and surprises attempting to take the crown away. The Bulldogs' non-conference schedule struggles and the lack of many marquee wins across the league means that everyone will be fighting for one NCAA Tournament berth come March.

One of the Chicago-area teams, Loyola-Chicago, is one of the surprises of the season thus far. The Ramblers are 9-2 and play St. Francis (Ill.) before resuming league play. Picked to finish dead last in the media preseason poll the young Ramblers have won close games all season and also have found a go-to-guy in Terrance Hill. But more on them after the jump.

1. Butler - On New Years Eve the Bulldogs will play Green Bay in what should be a game that will help determine the course of the Horizon League this season. The Phoenix are the league leaders with a 3-0 record, but that's just because Butler hasn't played as many league games. Butler challenged itself with a number of tough non-conference games, including Northwestern, Minnesota, Clemson, Georgetown, Ohio State, Xavier and UAB. Unfortunately the Bulldogs could only win three of those games. Matt Howard needs to fix his foul problems and become an effective post player. Still, Butler is the most talented team in the Horizon League. Nobody can match the talent of Gordon Hayward.

2. Wright State - The Raiders are a team that should be in consideration for an at-large berth, because they're having that good of a season thus far, but with 0 marquee wins and losses to Northeastern and Miami (OH), Wright State will have to win its way to the tournament. The defense and offense have both been very solid. Sam Houston State comes to town before conference play and that game could be more of a struggle than people realize.

3. Green Bay - At 10-4 overall the Phoenix have a great record, but it is also a perplexing one. There is the excellent upset victory over Wisconsin at home, but Green Bay also lost to Long Beach State and Buffalo on its home court. Including the showdown against Butler, Green Bay has three road league games coming up, that could knock the Phoenix down a peg or two in the standings. A quick nod to Rahmon Fletcher who has been absolutely outstanding, when healthy, this season.

4. Loyola - The Ramblers, believe it or not, really have a shot at being the fourth best team in the conference. While some other teams, like Detroit, might have more overall talent, this team is playing as a very cohesive group. The schedule has been light and the Ramblers did get crushed at Kansas State and at Green Bay, but both times they bounced back strong, leading to the 9-2 mark. Loyola relies on a balanced attack that includes all 5 starters and 2 key reserves, but 10 guys could play on any night. Jordan Hicks is slowly being worked back into the Ramblers' rotation as he returns from injury and Ben Averkamp has been a stud on the inside as a freshman.

5. Detroit - The Titans are loaded with young talent. Thomas Kennedy is the old man senior of the bunch, but junior Xavier Keeling and sophomore duo Chase Simon and Eli Holman do a lot of the work. Holman was injured, but he's return and Detroit is playing well. The Titans beat Bowling Green and Central Michigan their last two times on the court. This team is also TALL. It shows as they have a high number of blocks and shoot a high percentage in the paint. Those traits should carry over even better during conference play and make the Titans a very tough out as the season continues.

6. Cleveland State - This is a bet on the future of the Vikings instead of their past. Cleveland State had a very rough start to the season, but all but one of the losses are understandable. Losing to Robert Morris at home makes me question if this team will struggle with "learning how to win" all season long. The Vikings have played close games against some very good competition including a two-point loss to West Virginia and a seven-point loss on the road at Detroit. One more loss is probably on the way as the Vikings play at Kansas State on Tuesday before opening league play.

7. Milwaukee - Yes, the Panthers are 8-5, but their best win is over Miami (OH). Milwaukee only managed to get a split during the opening series of Horizon League games while playing at home. The Panthers lost to Loyola. Still, the Panthers limit the second chances of opponents and don't turn the ball over much, so this team will always be competitive. Besides a 20-point loss to Marquette, Milwaukee has been in every game.

8. Youngstown - A tough schedule has resulted in a lot of losses and not
many wins for the Penguins to hang their hats on. Of the 5 victories
none of the teams are ranked higher than 248th in the Pomeroy Ratings.
The only team ranked lower in the Horizon League is #10 UIC. It might
be a long season senior DeAndre Mays, who leads the team at 12.2 points
per game.  
9. UIC - The Flames have shown some life lately with back-to-back victories over Oregon State and Northern Illinois. Both of those games were at home and that's where UIC is at its best. The Flames have really struggled with energy on the road this season and that's resulted in some ugly losses. The team has some productive young centers in Kyle Robbins and Louis Green, plus Robo Kreps is one of the best shooters in the league. A close loss at Milwaukee may come back to haunt the Flames later in the season. One more warm-up games against Toledo should give the team a nice boost and then expect UIC to pull a few upsets at home this season at the Pavilion. 

10. Valparaiso - The Crusaders also spent the past few months taking
beatings from talented teams. Valparaiso played North Carolina,
Michigan State and Purdue, plus a conference game against Butler,
already this season. There are no moral victories though this far down
in the standings are thus far the Crusaders haven't beaten a team
ranked higher than 302nd in the Pomeroy Ratings and there have been
some chances. Will close losses, like the one to UIPU- Fort Wayne, be a
hallmark of this season? They'll need some wins in order to stay out of
the cellar.