Busting Brackets
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Horizon League Basketball: 2021-22 power rankings entering league play

By Tristan Freeman

Nov 9, 2021; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Oakland Golden Grizzlies forward Jamal Cain (1) is introduced prior to their game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2021; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Oakland Golden Grizzlies forward Jamal Cain (1) is introduced prior to their game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /
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Northern Kentucky Norse guard Trey Robinson Purdu Fort Wayne Mastodons At Northern Kentucky Norse
Northern Kentucky Norse guard Trey Robinson Purdu Fort Wayne Mastodons At Northern Kentucky Norse /

4. Northern Kentucky Norse (2-3)

It’s hard to judge a team that has been in nearly every D-I matchup this season. Just a one-point win over Eastern Michigan but none of the other losses are truly bad. They also have some room for improvement, especially from leading scorer Trevon Faulkner (13.4 ppg), who has been on fire from three-point range to start out the season but inefficient from inside the arc.

But Faulkner does have a solid supporting cast overall, with four players averaging between 8.6-10.6 ppg and another three putting up at least 5.0 ppg. The depth is something many teams in the Horizon League don’t seem to have at the moment so for a 20-game marathon where injuries and inconsistent play will run rampant, the Norse will have an advantage there.

3. Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastodons (3-3)

The former Summit League program has a bunch of seniors and it has shown early on, being very competitive overall in non-conference play and landing a pair of solid wins over Southeast Louisiana and Austin Peay. Senior guard Jarred Godfrey is an early POY contender, leading the Mastodaons with 18.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 4.2 apg on the season. Guard Jaylon Pipkins and forward RA Kpedi each are putting up over 13.0 ppg as well, with grad transfer Damian Chong-Qui and junior Deonte Billups also providing some good production.

Purdue-Fort Wayne looks like the best offense in the Horizon League but more importantly, playing much better on the defensive end compared to its first season in the new conference. If that stays the same heading into league play, this team is well-positioned to make a big jump in the standings and compete for a top-4 spot.