Horizon League Basketball: 2021 Conference Tournament preview, predictions
By Ryan Kay
1st Round Predictions
No. 8 seed Milwaukee at No. 9 seed IUPUI
Winner: IUPUI
In their two most recent previous meetings, Milwaukee defeated IUPUI on the road 73-68 but IUPUI defeated Milwaukee at home 83-76. Very early in the season, the Panthers swept the Jaguars in early January as well. IUPUI can score in bunches and they have a good chance to pull the slight upset on the road by defeating the Panthers.
IUPUI has won five of their last eight games and their three losses during this span were all by single digits. Milwaukee is playing at home and is a solid all-around team but they have lost five of their last six games. Yes, the Panthers have beat IUPUI three out of four times this season but to beat them four out of five times will be an extremely difficult task.
They have played good competition the last three weekends and they may win this game and advance to the next round but the Jaguars win this game due to senior guard Marcus Burk leading them to victory.
Prediction: IUPUI 78, Milwaukee 76
No. 10 Purdue Fort Wayne at No. 7 Green Bay
Winner: Green Bay
This is arguably the most intriguing match-up of the first-round games. Even though Purdue Fort Wayne has lost nine of their last ten games, the Mastodons have played well against No. 1 seed Cleveland State this past weekend beating the Vikings in one of their two games. Purdue Fort Wayne lost to Youngstown State by two on the road before they beat Cleveland State as well.
Green Bay however swept the Mastodons at home about a month ago and match up well with them. The Phoenix’s have won three of their last five games and their three guards in Davis, Jefferson, and Pipes will be able to have Green Bay outscore Purdue Fort Wayne in a high-scoring game.
Prediction: Green Bay 88, Purdue Fort Wayne 79
No. 11 UIC at No. 6 Youngstown State
Winner: Youngstown State
Even though this may seem like an upset special and close match-up in terms of UIC looking to pull off a shocker, this may be the biggest difference in terms of point differential. No disrespect to the Flames but with the exception of Oakland who they swept very early in conference play, UIC has not played well as of late.
The Flames do not match up very well with Youngstown State as even though the Flames split their series with the Penguins, Youngstown State was without their star player Quisenberry who was injured at the time the two teams played one another.
The Penguins have four players who can score and now that Youngstown State is fully healthy, they have a very strong one-two combo in Bohannon and Quisenberry, and being at home, the Penguins should be able to advance to the next round easily.
Prediction: Youngstown State 79, UIC 61
No. 12 Robert Morris at No. 5 Detroit Mercy
Winner: Detroit Mercy
It will be a difficult task for the Titans to defeat the Colonials three times in seven days. However, even though Robert Morris has been competitive with Northern Kentucky and Wright State losing by only single digits and even defeating Oakland once, the Colonials have lost to Detroit Mercy by double-digits both times and gave up 80 or more points in their two games against the Titans this past weekend. Maybe Robert Morris puts up a fight and only loses by single digits but Davis and Detroit Mercy win this game and advance.