Horizon League Basketball: Conference tournament preview and predictions

By John Parker | Mar 4, 2016

Dec 22, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Oakland Golden Grizzlies forward Jalen Hayes (4) high fives guard Sherron Dorsey-Walker (30) during overtime against the Michigan State Spartans at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Michigan State won 99-93 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mar 11, 2014; Dayton, OH, USA; Milwaukee Panthers celebrate after the championship game of the Horizon League tournament against the Wright State Raiders at the Nutter Center. Milwaukee won 69-63. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /

The Horizon League basketball tournament will feature one of the most well-known mid-major teams as well as one of the few mid-major players getting national attention.

The Horizon League features a team and a player that are both receiving unnatural amounts of attention from the national media, at least when it comes to a mid-major conference. Top-seed Valparaiso and Horizon League Player of the Year Kahlil “Kay” Felder have been bringing the Horizon League exposure that it hasn’t seen since Butler departed.

Valparaiso put itself into consideration for an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament with an impressive record and a win over potential NCAA tournament team Oregon State. The Crusaders are 26-5 overall and 16-2 in Horizon League play. The team certainly looks the part of an at-large candidate, though with only one win that will truly impress the committee and three losses that are likely to be looked down upon, the Crusaders will likely fall short of the Big Dance without the league’s autobid.

While Valpo was making its case for a tournament berth, Kay Felder was making his case for national awards. Felder is an electrifying guard who often put Oakland on his back to will them to impressive wins. He had an incredible run of 20+ point scoring performances that lasted from Oakland’s final game last year until a late January matchup with Milwaukee.

Felder’s Oakland team is the second team that figures to be a strong favorite to earn the league’s NCAA Tournament autobid. Both Valparaiso and Oakland should benefit greatly from the fact that the Horizon League rewards its top two seeds with trips straight to the league semifinals, but Oakland has an additional advantage over most of the rest of the field.

For the first time since 2002, the Horizon League tournament will take place at a neutral-court venue. During the offseason, the Horizon League reached a five year agreement with Joe Louis Arena to host its league tournament. That means that 2-seed Oakland — named after the county in Michigan, not the city in California — and 6-seed Detroit will be playing less than an hour from home.

Let’s check out how the teams look to finish in the Horizon League Tournament – (these teams are ranked in order by how far they are capable of making it in the tournament, not seeding).

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