The 16th Horizon League men's basketball game to be within a possession in the final minute of regulation took place at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday night, with Cleveland State knocking off Butler, while Valparaios held Youngstown State at arm's length to collect a victory at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

Teams tied for second and fourth square off throughout the weekend, while Wright State and Green Bay will be featured on the Horizon League Network Game of the Week on Saturday, as the conference season enters its fourth week.

By the time Thursday night ended in Horizon League women’s basketball play, Green Bay, the preseason favorite, had firmly established itself as the team to beat, but the standings are tightly packed after the Phoenix as eight of the 10 teams in the league have at least two conference victories with no team playing more than five league games so far.

Entering Saturday, 14 of 22 Horizon League men's basketball games had been within a single possession during the last minute of regulation. Milwaukee and Green Bay made sure that trend continued, staging a thrilling finish to cap the evening in men's basketball.

ESPN kicks off its Friday night package of Horizon League games, while Loyola visits Cleveland State in the Horizon League Network Game of the Week, highlighting what has already been an exciting weekend of conference play.



After just 20 conference games, the Horizon League is shaping up to be one of the most competitive conferences in the nation. Already, 12 games have come down to the final minute of regulation or reached overtime, and several games this weekend shape up to be taut affairs.

Butler, UIC and Wright State all went on scoring runs late in their games to win going away in Thursday night action in Horizon League Women’s Basketball.

Just another night in Horizon League men's basketball, with another conference game coming down to the wire. At the Beeghly Center, Youngstown State scrapped past Loyola in overtime, while Cleveland State rolled past UIC.

Two of the teams near the top of the Horizon League ladder will attempt to fend off two opponents looking to climb the standings on Thursday night. UIC (5-9, 1-3 Horizon) meets Cleveland State (12-3, 2-1 Horizon), while Youngstown State (7-6, 2-1 Horizon) hosts Loyola (5-9, 0-4 Horizon). Both games are available on the Horizon League Network.

The first three weeks of Horizon League men's basketball play have provided plenty of excitement. Through the first 18 games of the year, 11 have come down to the final minute of regulation, with the average margin of victory being a scant 5.8 points. Saturday was no exception, as Butler, Detroit, Wright State, Valparaiso and Youngstown State all collected wins.

The Horizon League Game of the Week returns for the third straight year on Saturday, Dec. 31, with a rematch from the 2011 Horizon League Men's Basketball Tournament championship opening the year. Butler, who claimed the tournament title in March, hosts Milwaukee at 2 p.m. ET.