Horizon League Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2018-19

By Bryan Mauro | Oct 19, 2018

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 20: A general view of basketballs before the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 08: Jordan Fouse #4 of the Green Bay Phoenix holds up the championship trophy after defeating the Wright State Raiders 78-69 in the championship game of the Horizon League Basketball Tournament at Joe Louis Arena on March 8, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

The Horizon League looks to be a competitive basketball conference this upcoming season. Who should be considered the favorites this time around?

Horizon League basketball is often overlooked by most of the nation. The landscape of this league has changed a lot during conference realignment. The conference was the former home of Butler and Valparaiso. Those two schools were the catalyst for the Horizon League’s NCAA Tournament wins. Butler made the National Championship game as a member of the league.

Times have changed when it comes to where the Horizon League fits in with the hierarchy of Mid Major basketball. The league is a long way from Final Four and Championship game appearances. With the glory days behind them and their two former powers moving on for other conferences. Many of the teams are the same, however the league has a new set of stars to go along with their new set of conference powers.

While the Horizon League struggles against the top conferences, the style of basketball is exciting and keeps fans on the edge of their seat. The teams in the league all have one legitimate star, to go along with a supporting cast. The league is very top heavy, and the national outlook shows that only two teams have a chance to the make the NCAA tournament.

The Horizon is now a one-bid league almost every year, going to the winner of the conference tournament. This does not appear to change this year, as the top two teams in the league do not appear to be strong enough to be very successful outside of the conference.