Horizon League Basketball Tournament: Preview of key quarterfinal matchups

Two quarterfinal games will be played Thursday Night in the Horizon League conference tournament that features teams from the state of Michigan.

Game Match Up

Teams and Records: Detroit Mercy 14-18 (9-11) at Youngstown State 23-8 (15-5)

Date: March 2nd

Time: 8 PM EST

Channel/Streaming: ESPN+

Detroit Mercy

Best Wins: At Purdue Fort Wayne (75-66), Charlotte (70-49), Ohio (88-74), at Tulsa (76-72), Robert Morris (87-75), Cleveland State (85-67), Purdue Fort Wayne (85-52), at Oakland (96-74), and Purdue Fort Wayne (81-68)

Notable Defeats: At Washington State (54-96), At Florida Atlantic (55-76), and at Boston College (66-70), at Charlotte (80-82), at Cincinnati (54-72), Youngstown State (79-84), at Robert Morris (77-85), at Youngstown State (63-73), at Milwaukee (89-94), Northern Kentucky (64-67), and Wright State (82-71)

KenPom Ranking: 201

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 194

Sagarin Ranking: 215

Net Ranking: 211

Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero

Quadrant 2 Victories: Zero

Quadrant 3 Wins: Three

Youngstown State

Best Wins:  Cleveland State (85-71), Oakland (77-73), Detroit Mercy (73-63), at Purdue Fort Wayne (81-72), Robert Morris (78-56),  Wright State (91-89), Milwaukee (87-58), at Wright State (88-77), and at Detroit Mercy (84-79)

Notable Defeats:  At Notre Dame (81-88), at Navy (67-80), at Northern Kentucky (73-77), Ohio (79-81), at Cleveland State (78-81), and at Milwaukee (75-88)

KenPom Ranking: 118

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 107

Sagarin Ranking: 132

Net Ranking: 112

Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero

Quadrant 2 Victories: Zero

Quadrant 3 Wins: Three

Rivalry History and Game Prediction

Last 10 games of this rivalry: Youngstown State has won six out of the previous ten games against Detroit Mercy.

Current Win Streak: The Penguins have won the last three games between these two schools, having a three-game winning streak in this rivalry.

The last meeting between both schools: Youngstown State defeated Detroit Mercy at home by a final score of 73-63.

Prediction: Youngstown State 81 Detroit Mercy 73

Game Match Up

Teams and Records:  Oakland 13-18 (11-9) at Northern Kentucky 19-12 (14-6)

Date: March 3rd

Time: 7 PM EST

Channel/Streaming: ESPN+

Northern Kentucky

Best Wins: Cincinnati (64-51), Youngstown State (77-73), Wright State (78-64), Detroit Mercy (78-76), Cleveland State (57-56), at Purdue Fort Wayne (63-50), at Oakland (78-69), and at Detroit Mercy (67-64)

Notable Defeats: Milwaukee (74-75), at Florida Atlantic (52-67), at Washington State (47-68), Toledo (69-82), Kent State (57-79), at Wright State (65-83), at Youngstown State (56-74), Oakland ( 63-64), and at Cleveland State (63-64)

KenPom Ranking: 177

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 158

Sagarin Ranking: 170

Net Ranking: 174

Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero

Quadrant 2 Victories: Zero

Quadrant 3 Wins: Four

Oakland

Best Wins: Milwaukee (83-61), at Northern Kentucky (64-63), at Wright State (75-73), Robert Morris (69-65), at Detroit Mercy (76-67), Cleveland State (92-89), and Wright State (75-68)

Notable Defeats: Youngstown State (69-85), at Michigan State (54-67), at Boise State (57-77), at Syracuse (66-95), Missouri State (64-76), San Jose State (67-80), at Toledo (90-112), Oklahoma State (62-91), at Youngstown State (69-85), at Robert Morris (63-68), at Milwaukee (77-80), Northern Kentucky (69-78), and Detroit Mercy (74-96)

KenPom Ranking: 275

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 258

Sagarin Ranking: 265

Net Ranking: 272

Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero

Quadrant 2 Victories: Zero

Quadrant 3 Wins: Three

Rivalry History and Game Prediction

Last 10 games of this rivalry: Northern Kentucky has won seven out of the previous ten games against Oakland.

Current Win Streak: The Norse have won the last game between these two schools, having a one-game winning streak in this rivalry.

The last meeting between both schools: Northern Kentucky defeated Oakland on the road by a final score of 78-69.

Prediction: Oakland 76, Northern Kentucky 74