After two full weeks of Horizon League play, if anyone claims to know what will happen the rest of the way, they are lying. Cleveland State knocked off previously unbeaten Detroit to cap Saturday, while Valparaiso notched its second road win in the Horizon League and Green Bay defended its home court.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Defending champions Green Bay and UIC were unanimous picks to repeat their men’s and women’s Horizon League Tennis Championships, respectively, in voting of the League’s coaches.

A week ago, it would have been hard to argue against either Chicago team being the biggest surprise in Horizon League men's basketball. Now, however, Loyola and UIC have both lost a home conference game. Wright State, meanwhile, is 3-0 and atop the Horizon League standings despite being picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll.

Horizon League Women's Basketball Scoreboard (Jan. 9)
Cleveland State 73, UIC 69 (OT)

It's too early in the conference season to begin declaring "it all comes down to this" but the three Horizon League men's basketball games scheduled for tonight can still have a major impact on the standings.

It’s become apparent that road wins will be at a premium in Horizon League play. Both Wright State and Green Bay dominated in their respective venues on Wednesday night, while Valparaiso was able to collect a key road win.

Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters commented after Friday night’s loss that his young team would play like All-Americans in practice but could not translate the effort to games. The Vikings certainly struggled at times in Monday’s Horizon League home opener, but found some of the effort Waters wanted in a 60-50 victory over UIC at the Wolstein Center.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Youngstown State junior guard Kendrick Perry (Ocoee, Fla./Edgewater) has been named the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, while UIC senior forward Josh Crittle [Bellwood, Ill./Hales Franciscan (Central Florida)] has been named the Newcomer of the Week, for the week of Jan. 1-6.

Horizon League Women's Basketball Scoreboard (Jan. 5)
Green Bay 61, St. Bonaventure 42
Loyola 64, Eastern Michigan 54
Valparaiso 54, Northern Illinois 49
Butler 84, UIC 61
Memphis 109, Wright State 68
 

If there is a singular lesson to be taken from non-conference play during the 2012-13 men's basketball season, it's one that has been written already and will be written again but still bears repeating: the demise of the Horizon League is, in fact, a greatly exaggerated falacy. Once again, the Horizon League has proven itself on a national level. Now, the four teams in action tonight -- Youngstown State, UIC, Loyola and Valparaiso -- must prove themselves to each other.