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IUPUI Jaguars 2020-21 Season Preview

John Parker
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IUPUI Jaguars 2020-21 Season Preview

Much-needed stability might not keep Jaguars out of last place

In a strange way, a year full of uncertainty looks like it actually provided some stability for IUPUI. After it initially looked like a search was underway for Byron Rimm’s replacement, the athletic department opted to keep him for another year. Focus then shifted to a number of talented upperclassmen who seemed likely to have bigger opportunities available to them, but most opted to stay put.

Of the team’s four 2020 starters with eligibility remaining, three opted to stay with the team. Jalen Minnett, Marcus Burk and Elyjah Goss will all exhaust their eligibility at IUPUI. Better yet for the Jaguars, the three returning starters were the team’s three leading scorers and included every player to be honored with a Horizon League Postseason award. Losing pass-first point guard Grant Weatherford creates a pretty significant question mark for the team, but with so many players that would seem appealing to stronger teams on the roster it’s far from the worst-case scenario.

Newcomers

Bobby Harvey – Harvey was the second-leading scorer for 21-11 Wabash Valley College last year. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 11.9 points per game while knocking down 36 percent of his 3-pointers for the year.

Azariah Seay – Byron Rimm went back to his Texas roots to secure a commitment from Blinn College guard Azariah Seay. Seay was third in scoring for Blinn with 13.5 points per game. Like Harvey, the 6-foot-4 guard will be vying for minutes on the wing this season.

Bakari LaStrap – LaStrap averaged 16 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds for The Woodlands Christian Academy on his way to being named the All-Greater Houston Private School Player of the Year by the Houston Chronicle. With only one true point guard on the roster, LaStrap may be a player that could contend for early minutes despite a logjam at guard.

Dimitri Georgiadis – The Romanian big man joins IUPUI after a season at State Fair Community College, where he averaged 3.9 points and 5.6 rebounds while making seven starts. Georgiadis stood out as a member of the Romanian U-18 National Team in 2017, averaging 15.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He played one season at The Citadel out of high school, averaging 1.5 points per game in six contests.

Dimitar Pandev – Bigs with shooting touch were clearly a priority for Byron Rimm this offseason. Pandev knocked down 33% of his three-pointers this season at Clarendon College, where he averaged 3.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He’s another player with international experience prior to his time with the Jaguars. He averaged 2.6 points and 2.2 rebounds for the North Macedonia U20 team in 2018.

Lineup

Mike DePersia – If Byron Rimm opts to keep Minnett and Burk off-ball, DePersia is the natural fit to fill in for Grant Weatherford. The pure point guard has good vision and an aggressive style that fits well with what could be even more of a perimeter oriented IUPUI attack this year. If the team decides to let returning star Jalen Minnett act as the primary ballhandler, expect newcomers Bobby Harvey and Azariah Seay to battle for the third backcourt spot.

Jaylen Minnett – After winning the Horizon League Sixth Man of the Year in 2019, Minnett stepped up into a featured role as a junior. Minnett averaged 16.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 2020. Despite the lack of team success for IUPUI, Minnett’s production was enough to be a HoriZone Roundtable Third Team All-League pick.

Marcus Burk – Burk averaged an efficient 21.3 points per game on his way to a Second Team All-League selection for the Jaguars last season. Burk’s return was definitely the most surprising of the potential departures. With Minnett as the team’s only other consistent offensive option, the fact that Burk was able maintain such efficiency speaks volumes about his talent.

Isaiah Williams – Prior to a season-ending injury, the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 18 games last year. Williams took a little while to get into a groove, but scored in double figures in six of his final twelve games before injury after failing to hit 10 points in his first six games. If fully recovered, he should start and be a valuable asset for the Jaguars this year.

Elyjah Goss – Goss made the Horizon League All-Defensive Team as a junior while leading the league in rebounds with 11.5 per game. Retaining the double-double machine for his fifth and final year of eligibility was a fortunate turn of events for IUPUI, which lacks front court depth even with him on the roster.

Outlook

IUPUI’s fortunes improved dramatically when three of the four players who would’ve been attractive on the transfer market opted to stay. Still, the Jaguars were a distant last-place finisher in 2020, so even significant improvement may not keep the Jaguars from finishing at the bottom of the league standings.

Prediction: 12th Place

Miss anything from Preview Week(s)? Check it all out below:

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • Preseason All-League Teams
If we had an All-Newcomer Team… • All-Freshman Team Picks

Team Previews
Wright State • Youngstown State • Robert Morris • Cleveland State
UIC • Oakland • Northern Kentucky • Detroit Mercy
Green Bay • Purdue Fort Wayne • Milwaukee

If we still had an All-Newcomer team…

John Parker
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If we still had an All-Newcomer team…

A number of talented newcomers look ready to burst onto the Postseason All-League teams this year

This morning, the HoriZone Roundtable Preseason All-Horizon League Teams were released. While we selected just two All-League teams, the additions of Purdue Fort Wayne and Robert Morris bring the Horizon League to 12 teams and could make the 2020 decision to add a third All-League team permanent.

If that’s the case, we clearly missed five players who will earn All-League honors. Even if it’s not the case, transfers are regularly overlooked when determining Preseason All-League teams. In either case, there are several players who clearly have the pedigree of previous All-League picks who failed to garner much interest for our 10-player list.

Here are several of the strongest candidates:

Teyvion Kirk – If there’s a player who seems to be a blatantly obvious candidate for this list, it’s Kirk. Not only has he already shown in his two years at Ohio that he’s capable of being a highly productive player, but UIC lost four starters to graduation and doesn’t have an established go-to-guy.

Kirk averaged 15.3 points per game as a freshman at Ohio, leading the team and earning himself a spot on the All-MAC Freshman Team. The 6-foot-4 guard finished his first year at Ohio second on the team in rebounds (6.1), assists (3.1), and steals (1.4) per game.

Kirk’s numbers dipped as a sophomore in part due to Jason Carter’s addition to the roster and in part due to shooting woes. Still, he was a productive enough player that it’s easy to see him translating into a star in the Horizon League. He was second on the team with 14.1 points and 2.5 assists per game, and third on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game. A big reason for the scoring dip was something that Kirk could potentially rectify easily: his free throw shooting dropped almost 15 percentage points. Given that Kirk frequently scores by attacking the basket and drawing contact, this meant a significant number of points were left on the court. Kirk’s 3-point shooting percentages also took a nosedive, from 40.0% as a freshman to 21.3% as a sophomore, but 3-point shooting wasn’t a huge part of his game and that amounted to 6 less made shots as a sophomore.

Kirk left Ohio for Colorado State following Saul Phillips’ firing, but transferred to UIC before ever playing a game for the Rams.

Even if Teyvion Kirk is unable to fix his shooting percentages from the free throw line and beyond the arc, his production in 2019 would likely put him on most voters’ short lists to be named one of the 15 best players in the Horizon League. Don’t be shocked to see him garner All-League honors this year.

Taurean Thompson – While he’s clearly a completely different player the Detroit Mercy big man’s pre-Horizon League resume compares favorably to Te’Jon Lucas and Sandy Cohen, a pair of former high-level recruits who had modest Power Conference production before transferring into the league and becoming stars.

The 6-foot-11 center was a consensus Top 100 recruit who committed to Syracuse out of high school. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game as a freshman, starting 21 of the 34 games he played for the Orange.

After a very promising freshman year, Thompson opted to transfer closer to home to play at Seton Hall. The experience didn’t go very well, as his production dropped across the board. He averaged just 4.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game as a sophomore. Thompson played in just one game during his junior year after reports of tampering resulted in Seton Hall Head Coach Kevin Willard and former assistant Shaheen Holloway being suspended.

A major reason Thompson struggled to get more minutes at Seton Hall is that although his offensive skills were superb, he wasn’t a good defender. That resulted in him getting lost on the Pirates’ depth chart. Still, 4.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in less than 11 minutes per game indicate he could be a wildly productive player for the Titans.

Unlike playing at an NCAA Tournament-bound Big East school, Thompson isn’t going to get lost on the depth chart with Detroit Mercy. Returning forward Willy Isiani logged only 18 minutes per game for the Titans, and the only other post player currently eligible is Bul Kuol, who consistently battled injuries at Cal Baptist prior to joining the Titans as a graduate transfer.

Defensive struggles are also less likely to be an issue in the Horizon League. Outside of HoriZone Roundtable Preseason All-League picks Loudon Love, Al Eichelberger and AJ Bramah; the most proven post players are 6-foot-6 Naz Bohannon and 6-foot-7 Daniel Oladapo. Thompson’s size is something none of the other top post players in the league have, which should help him mitigate some of his defensive struggles.

While the road to get there has been a little rockier, don’t be surprised if Thompson’s final season lands him on the All-League team like a number of previous high-profile transfers.

Carlos Hines – While he didn’t come to college as a standout recruit, what Carlos Hines has done since beginning his NCAA career indicates he could be a standout for Northern Kentucky this year.

The 6-foot-4 guard was thrust into a point guard role at Northern Arizona and performed admirably. He was the NICKNAME assist leader with 4.0 assists per game. He posted a 1.38 assist-to-turnover ratio that’s pretty respectable for a player forced into the role. Hines was also able to up his production across the board and averaged 12.9 points 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 2019.

As is the case with Teyvion Kirk, much of the potential for Hines to become a Horizon League star comes from the fact that he’s a proven productive NCAA player who is coming to a team looking to replace a lot of production. Without Tyler Sharpe, Jalen Tate and Dantez Walton; Northern Kentucky will be looking for at least one or two players to step into starring roles this year. Hines and returning player Trevon Faulkner look like two of the best candidates to rise to the occasion.

D’Moi Hodge – Cleveland State Head Coach Dennis Gates landed a massive recruiting haul when he convinced the 6-foot-4 guard to follow him up from Florida to play for the Vikings this year.

Hodge averaged 25.2 points per game for the State College of Florida last year on his way to being named one of the best Junior College prospects in America. The Vikings won many games on the defensive side of the ball last year, so an incredibly gifted offensive player on the perimeter will be a welcome addition. Adding a volume scorer who can deliver from the perimeter seems likely to open things up for All-League forward Al Eichelberger in the paint.

If Hodge’s scoring abilities translate from the Junior College level to Division I, he’ll be a star in the league. In the process he’ll fill a significant need on Cleveland State’s roster, boost the team’s finish in the league standings and further his case for an All-League spot.

Jalen Moore – Oakland struggled in 2019 despite having arguably the best front court in the Horizon League. The struggles were likely in large part due to the team not having a true point guard all season, and Head Coach Greg Kampe worked hard to rectify that issue. Jalen Moore joins the Oakland roster after being named a Third Team Junior College All-American last year. Moore averaged 19.3 points and 7.4 assists per game at Olney Central College.

While his the 5-foot-10 guard undoubtedly had a number of potential suitors scared off by his 155 pound frame, but a lack of size obviously hasn’t been something that scared off Greg Kampe in the past. Most notably, 5-foot-9 Kay Felder was the Horizon League Player of the Year and an All-American after averaging 24.4 points and a NCAA Division I best 9.3 assists per game for the Golden Grizzlies in 2016.

Given how the team struggled without a true point guard even when it had a standout post presence like Xavier Hill-Mais, it seems likely that Oakland will try to play Moore as many minutes as possible. Moore’s demonstrated scoring ability combined with his talents as a floor general could allow him to post some gaudy statlines this year. If that helps Oakland get back into the top half of the league, don’t be surprised if some league recognition comes along with it.

Zion Young & Jordan Lathon – Young (Oakland via Western Illinois) and Lathon (Milwaukee via UTEP) currently have waivers for immediate eligibility pending and could be instant impact players for their teams, though at this time neither is definitively eligible for 2021. Given how the Rashad Williams saga played out last year, we’ll leave these two as a footnote for now.

Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:

HoriZone Roundtable All-Horizon League Teams

John Parker
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HoriZone Roundtable All-Horizon League Teams

Love picked to repeat as Player of the Year

Returning Horizon League Player of the Year Loudon Love has been selected as the HoriZone Roundtable’s preseason pick to win the award again in 2021 in a poll of our writers and podcast staff. The senior led 2020 regular season champion Wright State with 15.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. The rest of the first team consists of Youngstown State junior Darius Quisenberry, Detroit Mercy junior Antoine Davis, IUPUI senior Marcus Burk and Green Bay sophomore Amari Davis.

Robert Morris made a strong first impression on HoriZone Roundtable voters. In addition to being selected third in the HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll; the Colonials placed both Senior AJ Bramah and junior Dante Treacy on the All-League Second Team. The RMU duo is joined by Oakland junior Rashad Williams, Milwaukee senior Te’Jon Lucas and Cleveland State senior Al Eichelberger on the second team.

All seven returning selections from last year’s three All-League teams were preseason picks, as was 2020 Second Team All-NEC pick Bramah. The only player who earned some sort of league-wide recognition last year and failed to earn a spot on the teams was Purdue Fort Wayne’s Jarred Godfrey, who missed the Summit League’s two All-League teams but was an honorable mention selection.

UIC and Northern Kentucky were the only schools besides Purdue Fort Wayne who failed to have a player selected. The most likely explanation for each of last year’s Horizon League Championship participants seems to be the same. Both the Flames and the Norse lost their top three scorers from last year, and both look like they may be led by incoming transfers this year. Given that the league generally overlooks transfers in its preseason polls, it makes sense that those two schools were left off.

First Team Second Team
* Loudon Love, F, Wright State (Senior) Rashad Williams, G, Oakland (Junior)
Antoine Davis, G, Detroit Mercy (Junior) Te’Jon Lucas, G, Milwaukee (Senior)
Darius Quisenberry, G, Youngstown (Junior) AJ Bramah, G, Robert Morris (Senior)
Marcus Burk, G, IUPUI (Senior) Al Eichelberger, F, Cleveland State (Senior)
Amari Davis, G, Green Bay (Soph.) Dante Treacy, G, Robert Morris (Junior)
* HoriZone Roundtable Player of the Year

Loudon Love led Wright State to a 15-3 record and a Horizon League Regular Season Championship in 2020 on his way to being named the league’s Player of the Year. Love averaged 15.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game despite sharing the workload with Second Team All-League selection Bill Wampler, Third Team All-League selection Cole Gentry and All-Freshman Team selection Tanner Holden last year. With Wampler and Gentry graduating, Love could add more statistical production this year.

Antoine Davis went through a sophomore slump last year as his shooting numbers dropped across the board, resulting in an overall drop in scoring. Still, Davis’ 24.3 points per game was good enough for fourth in the NCAA and a First Team All-Horizon League selection in 2020. The 6-foot-1 junior’s numbers are some of the most eye-popping that anyone in the league has put up in the Horizon League recently, but if he’s going to overtake Love for the top spot he’ll need more team success.

Darius Quisenberry tested the NBA Draft waters after being selected First Team All-Horizon League last year. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game as a sophomore while helping Youngstown State to a fourth place tie in the Horizon League. Quisenberry eventually took his name out of NBA consideration, a decision that has many projecting the Penguins for an all-time best year in Division I.

Marcus Burk earned Second Team All-Horizon League honors in 2020 after managing to put up an efficient 21.3 points per game on an IUPUI team that leaned heavily on him and teammate Jaylen Minnett for offensive production. Like Quisenberry, he tested the NBA waters before opting to return this year. Climbing out of last year’s distant last place finish would go a long way toward Burk being a potential first team selection this season.

Amari Davis won the Horizon League’s Freshman of the Year and earned a Third Team All-League spot in 2020. With the graduation of JayQuan McCloud and several high-quality role players, Davis’ usage should skyrocket this year. If he’s able to maintain a high level of efficiency, HoriZone Roundtable pollsters might be underestimating what the 6-foot-3 guard is capable of this season.

Rashad Williams missed much of his sophomore campaign due to a controversial waiver denial and prolonged appeal, but when he finally took the court for Oakland he was an immediate impact player. Williams averaged 19.5 points per game with outings of 37, 34, 29 and 28 points. Considering players who are made eligible mid-season sometimes don’t get into a rhythm until their first full season, it’s easy to see how HoriZone Roundtable voters see Williams becoming a star in the league.

Te’Jon Lucas earned Second Team All-League honors with Milwaukee in his first season after transferring from Illinois. Lucas averaged 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game. With Darius Roy’s graduation, Lucas may wind up an even bigger part of the offense this season. If that’s the case, don’t be surprised to see his counting statistics improve across the board.

AJ Bramah was a Second Team All-NEC pick and a member of the All-NEC Tournament team as a junior at Horizon League newcomer Robert Morris last year. The 6-foot-7 Bramah averaged 13.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the Colonials. With leading scorer Josh Williams out of eligibility, Bramah will likely be the focal point of the offense this season. The senior should be a walking double-double in the Horizon League this year.

Al Eichelberger was the centerpiece of Cleveland State’s surprisingly competitive 2020 campaign, and figures to be a pivotal player again this year. The 6-foot-8 senior averaged a team-leading 14.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game a year ago. Highly touted incoming shooters D’Moi Hodge and Alec Ogelsby could open up space for Eichelberger to operate and be an even more productive player this year.

Dante Treacy is expected to continue his upward trend after being named the 2020 Northeast Conference Tournament MVP. Treacy averaged 8.7 points and 4.5 assists per game as a sophomore. With leading scorer Josh Williams graduating, it’s clear voters believe Treacy will pick up a significant amount of the scoring slack.

Miss anything from Preview Week(s)? Check it all out below:

Predictions
HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll • If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
• All-Freshman Team Picks

Team Previews
Wright State • Youngstown State • Robert Morris • Cleveland State
UIC • Oakland • Northern Kentucky • Detroit Mercy
Green Bay • Purdue Fort Wayne • Milwaukee • IUPUI

HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll

John Parker
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HoriZone Roundtable Preseason Poll

For the second season in a row, Wright State is the HoriZone Roundtable’s overwhelming favorite to win the league according to a poll of our writers and podcast staff. The defending regular season Horizon League champion won the league by two games last year, and suffered less roster turnover than its three biggest competitors.

Youngstown State secured the second spot, seemingly because it’s the next best team that returns most of its key players from last year. League newcomer Robert Morris and last year’s biggest surprise Cleveland State are next. The Colonials were supposed to be a top team in the NEC before making the jump to the Horizon League, while voters expect Dennis Gates’ team to jump into the top half of the league in his second year on the job.

Despite moving on from Head Coach Steve McClain and losing four senior starters, there’s a lot of optimism for UIC team this year. Proven Division I transfer Teyvion Kirk and a number of long, athletic players gave voters confidence to pick the defensive-minded Luke Yaklich’s team fifth.

Oakland, Northern Kentucky and Detroit Mercy were tightly packed in the final poll. While Oakland finished in this range by virtue of consistent mid-pack predictions, a wide degree of variation of opinions on NKU and Detroit Mercy is how they wound up in these slots.

The league’s second newcomer Purdue Fort Wayne finished seventh in the nine-team Summit League last year, and the expectation is that the team will wind up in a fairly similar spot in the bottom third of the league as a first year Horizon League member. Green Bay wound up near the bottom of the league projections thanks to a massive offseason overhaul that sees the Phoenix returning two players that played consistent minutes in 2020.

Despite the brutally long offseason Milwaukee’s season-ending slump is apparently still fresh in voters’ minds. The Panthers were picked to finish in eleventh place after finishing in a tie for seventh place last year. Finally, the crazy circumstances going on outside of sports seem to have created some unexpected stability at IUPUI but didn’t do enough to convince voters that the Jaguars would be able to climb out of last place.

PlaceTeam
1Wright State
2Youngstown State
3Robert Morris
4Cleveland State
5UIC
6Oakland
7Northern Kentucky
8Detroit Mercy
9Green Bay
10Purdue Fort Wayne
11Milwaukee
12IUPUI

Wright State lost Second Team All-League pick Bill Wampler and Third Team All-League pick Cole Gentry to graduation, but still suffered less turnover than the other top teams from last year. The biggest key for Wright State is the return of Horizon League Player of the Year Loudon Love. If he stays healthy, Love gives the Raiders an imposing force that no returning player in the league has proven they can stop. Add in All-Freshman Team honorees Tanner Holden and Grant Basile and the Wright State frontcourt is going to be a headache for opponents this year. The biggest question mark by far is the point guard position.

With All-Horizon League Third Team pick Cole Gentry and backup Jordan Ash out of eligibility, Trey Calvin will need to take on a much bigger role this season while also transitioning into the team’s primary ballhandler. If Wright State finishes anywhere but first, it’s likely due to either injuries or the lack of a true floor general.

Youngstown State finished tied for fourth place last season and brings back its top four scorers from last year. Darius Quisenberry opted to return to school after initially putting his name into the NBA Draft following his First Team All-Horizon League selection as a sophomore. Naz Bohannon was the league’s third leading rebounder and a nightly threat to post a double-double as a junior last year. Seniors Michael Akuchie and Garret Covington round out the Penguins veteran core that has set the expectation at a level the team has never achieved in the Horizon League.

Robert Morris was considered the likely favorite to win the Northeast Conference this year prior to the school’s decision to join the Horizon League. The Colonials were set to represent the NEC in the NCAA Tournament prior to its cancellation. Second Team All-NEC wing AJ Bramah and NEC Tournament MVP Dante Treacy are expected to star for Robert Morris this year.

Dennis Gates won Horizon League coach of the year — with the HoriZone Roundtable serving as the tie-breaking vote — after leading Cleveland State to an unexpected middle-of-the-pack finish in 2020. With NJCAA All-American D’Moi Hodge providing a perimeter scorer to the Vikings’ tough group, Cleveland State should take another step forward in Gates’ second season.

UIC moved on from Head Coach Steve McClain after failing to contend for the Horizon League or make the NCAA Tournament with a senior-laden lineup. Despite losing starters Tarkus Ferguson, Marcus Ottey, Godwin Boahen and Jordan Blount to graduation; expectations for the Flames aren’t all that how the team performed last year.

Transfer Teyvion Kirk — who sat out last year at Colorado State after being one of Ohio’s top players for the first two years of his career — gives UIC an obvious go-to guy. Michael Diggins, Braelon Bridges and Iowa State transfer Zion Griffin have length and athleticism that Luke Yaklich will love to have at his disposal this year.

Oakland had trouble early last year before Rashad Williams became eligible and provided an instant boost for a Golden Grizzlies team that desperately needed help at guard until then. Now a team that relied heavily on post play last year seems like it’s one Zion Griffin waiver away from shifting to a heavily backcourt-dominant team this season. The biggest concern for Oakland will be replacing First Team All-Horizon League forward Xavier Hill-Mais. Daniel Oladapo should lessen the blow, but it’s possible that losing it’s best player will have a similar effect to having its second best player Williams ineligible for half the season.

Northern Kentucky went from finishing near the top of the league last year to the bottom half in our projections. NKU lost All-League players Tyler Sharpe, Dantez Walton and Jalen Tate. Northern Arizona transfer Carlos Hines should help Darrin Horn’s team tremendously. Hines averaged 12.9 points and a team-leading 4.0 assists per game as a sophomore at Northern Arizona in 2019. The Norse boast a strong backcourt with Hines, Trevon Faulkner, Bryson Langdon, Adham Eleeda, Paul Djoko and a slew of promising newcomers. Questions for the Norse will be almost entirely in the frontcourt, where Adrian Nelson is the only proven player.

Detroit Mercy brings back Antoine Davis for his third season. While year two saw a bit of a sophomore slump as his shooting percentages were down, the team added several pieces that could help him rebound this season. Taurean Thompson was outstanding as a Freshman at Syracuse in 2017 before 28 underwhelming games at Seton Hall. Still, his production at Seton Hall is good enough that it’s clear he should be in the running for an All-League spot at the end of the year. Idaho graduate transfer Marquell Fraser could provide the team a second option at point guard that could give Antoine Davis some time off-ball.

Green Bay stunned many when it fired Head Coach Linc Darner after a 20-win season where the team outperformed preseason expectations and finished third in the Horizon League. The senior-heavy Phoenix was already facing a rebuild before post players Tank Hemphill and Manny Patterson transfer out of the program. Will Ryan was hired after a year at Wheeling University where he overachieved in a manner similar to 2020 Horizon League Coach of the Year Dennis Gates. While Ryan faces a massive rebuild with the Phoenix, he’ll have 2020 Horizon League Freshman of the Year Amari Davis to help him through it.

Purdue Fort Wayne lost its second and third leading scorers from last year’s seventh place Summit League team, but brings back star Jarred Godfrey and 2020 Summit League All-Newcomer Team pick Deonte Billups. The Mastadons brought in a number of newcomers with range out to the 3-point line to address one of the team’s biggest issues from 2020.

Milwaukee spent much of last year in contention for the third seed in the Horizon League before a late-season collapse resulted in an 8-seed and an opening round road loss in the Horizon League Tournament. With no clearcut replacement for leading scorer Darius Roy at this time, voters were apprehensive about the Panthers’ chances to bounce back despite having four of last year’s five starters from the team’s horrendous finish back this year.

IUPUI struggled in 2019 after a tumultuous offseason that saw head coach Jason Gardner resign and standout Camron Justice transfer to Western Kentucky. The Jaguars went 3-15 in Horizon League play, with nine losses coming by double-digits. After speculation that Interim Head Coach Byron Rimm would be replaced and several rising seniors would transfer, Rimm was retained and only point guard Grant Weatherford opted to leave the team. While IUPUI was so far behind the rest of the league that a major jump seemed unlikely, an offseason with stability has the Jaguars projected to not only close the gap with the rest of the league but to surpass a team.

Miss anything from Preview Week(s)? Check it all out below:

Predictions
Preseason All-League Teams • If we had an All-Newcomer Team…
All-Freshman Team Picks

Team Previews
Wright State • Youngstown State • Robert Morris • Cleveland State
UIC • Oakland • Northern Kentucky • Detroit Mercy
Green Bay • Purdue Fort Wayne • Milwaukee • IUPUI

Horizon League official with the power to give John a vote toward the Postseason Awards? Click here to get the ball rolling.

On the D1 Docket

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Charles Pipkins, who runs the popular Twitter account @TheD1Docket, joins Bob and Matt to talk about scheduling for the 2020-21 basketball season, which is fraught with uncertainties because of the pandemic. They discuss the impact the NCAA rulings have had on buy games and MTEs, as well as the conference schedules, particularly mid-majors like the Horizon League

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Bonus: The End of an Era

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Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone will be stepping down and replaced by deputy commissioner Julie Roe Lach at the beginning of 2021, and Bob and Matt, with guest John Parker, discuss LeCrone’s tenure in the conference and what to expect in Roe Lach’s term. Plus, Bob reads what can only be described as LeCrone’s smiting of an incorrigible young man (read: Bob in 2001).

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A Blue Ribbon Discussion

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Bob and Matt are joined by Blake Lovell (@theblakelovell), the associate editor for Blue Ribbon and the contributing editor the the Horizon League part of the annual college basketball yearbook. They talk about how Blue Ribbon ranked the conference from top to bottom, along with some discussion on players who could make an impact.

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Wright State to compete in University of Illinois MTE

Nick Lorensen
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Wright State to compete in University of Illinois MTE

On Tuesday afternoon, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander announced that Wright State will compete in a MTE ran by the University of Illinois. This will replace their original plans of playing in Nashville for the Music City Shootout.

Wright State will play the likes of Illinois, NC A&T, and Ohio from November 25th until November 27th. The games on the 27th might be pushed back to the 28th due to Illinois’ football schedule.

The Raiders will have a first-time opponent in the Fighting Illini. Illinois finished 30th in the KenPom rankings last year, and return the likes of All Big-Ten Second Team player Ayo Dosunmu, All-Freshman Team player Kofi Cockburn, and longtime stronghold of the program, Giorgi Bezhanishvili. The Illini finished in fourth of the Big Ten last season, their best finish since 2010-11.

Wright State will also play the Ohio Bobcats, who they are 2-9 against all-time. This is the first matchup between the two since a dominating 82-54 win by Ohio at the Nutter Center in December of 2011.

The Bobcats return their top two scorers from last season in Jason Preston (16.8) and Ben Vander Plas (15.7). Ohio finished in seventh place during their 2019-20 MAC campaign.

For the third time ever, Wright State will face NC A&T. This season is the Aggies last year in the MEAC, where they finished second last season. This season, NC A&T brings in two SEC transfers.

Wright State and NC A&T had a home and home series during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. They split the series.

Due to the Raiders trip to Urbana-Champaign, they won’t participate in the Music City Shootout in Nashville. They would’ve played Georgia State, Towson, and Valparaiso.

This new opportunity gives new Raider, Tim Finke, a chance to play in his hometown of Urbana-Champaign.

The Scheduling Conundrum

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As the season approaches, Bob and Matt discuss what’s already known about non-conference schedules for schools around the conference. They also talk about the uncertainty of how many Horizon League games will be played and in what format. Plus, they recognize a pair of Oakland alumni making a splash in the pros (not just basketball), along with other former league players.

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2020 Fall Fan Forum, Part 2

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In the second part of the annual Fall Fan Forum, fans from around the Horizon League discuss their team’s prospects for the upcoming season.

Participants:

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This episode is sponsored by
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