#HLMBB Weekly Notebook - January 8

#HLMBB Weekly Notebook - January 8

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INDIANAPOLIS – Heading into Week 3 of the #HLMBB season, the Phoenix are the only undefeated team remaining, with Northern Kentucky, Oakland and Detroit Mercy just one game behind.

#HLMBB NEWS & NOTES
• It’s a rivalry game on ESPN2 as Wright State and Northern Kentucky battle this Friday. The game pits the two best defensive teams in the League against each other as NKU allows a League-best 66.5 points per game, followed by WSU at 69.4. This game will also showcase two of the best big men in the HL as Preseason Player of the Year Drew McDonald (18.6 ppg, 10.0 rpg, eight double-doubles) will go up against reigning Freshman of the Year Loudon Love (13.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, seven double-doubles).

• Green Bay is the only undefeated team remaining in #HLMBB play after a pair of exciting home games last week over Youngstown State in overtime and Cleveland State thanks to a buzz beater off the glass by Sandy Cohen III as time expired. The Phoenix lead the League in scoring at 86.0 points per game.

• Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis put on an historic performance against the Raiders on Thursday as he scored 48 points and hit 10 3-pointers. He was one point away from tying the school’s single-game point record and he tied his own record for triples in a game. The 48 points was the third-highest scoring outburst in NCAA Division I this year, and the most against a Division I opponent. It was also the fourth highest game in conference action in Horizon League history and the most since LaSalle's Kareem Townes had 52 against Loyola (Ill.) in 1995.

• IUPUI picked up its first #HLMBB win of the season at UIC last Friday on ESPNU, 66-64, as Camron Justice went for 30 points on six 3-pointers, while Jaylen Minnett added 12 points.

• NKU is receiving votes in the College Insider Mid-Major top-25 poll.

• Detroit Mercy’s Davis is second in the country in scoring at 27.3 points per game as he leads all of Division I with 81 total 3-pointers. Oakland’s Xavier Hill-Mais is also top-25 in the country in scoring at 22.1 points, while IUPUI’s Camron Justice is the only other #HLMBB player to average 20 points a game at 20.8 for the Jags.

• UIC’s Tarkus Ferguson and Green Bay’s Cohen are the only two players in the Horizon League that rank in the top-10 in points, rebounds and assists. Ferguson leads the League in assists at 5.4, while Cohen is tied for the HL-lead in steals with 2.1.

• Wright State’s Loudon Love and Northern Kentucky’s Drew McDonald were selected to the 2018-19 Lou Henson Award Watch List, presented annually to the nation’s top mid-major player in Division I College Basketball.

• McDonald has also been selected to the Naismith Hall of Fame’s Karl Malone Award Watch List, presented to the nation’s top power-forward and one of 30 of candidates for the Senior CLASS Award. McDonald is one of only 12 active players to record 1,500 points and 600 rebounds and among active Division I players ranks seventh in double-doubles, 10th in rebounds and 19th in points.

• #HLMBB have been prolific from long range this season as eight out of 10 teams are ranked in the top-100 in total 3-point field goals made per game with Oakland pacing the HL with 10.8, good for seventh in the NCAA. The HL ranks third among all conferences in 3-point field goal percentage and fourth in 3-pointers made.

• Oakland has proved to be one of the best in the nation at holding on to the ball and also sharing it. The Golden Grizzlies are 17th in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.48, 12th in assists per game at 18.1.

RESULTS

DATE GAME RECAP
Thursday, Jan. 3 Detroit Mercy 79, Wright State 58 Box Score
Oakland 76, Northern Kentucky 74 Box Score
Milwaukee 83, Cleveland State 76 Box Score
Friday, Jan. 4 IUPUI 66, UIC 64 Box Score
Saturday, Jan. 5 Wright State 89, Oakland 73 Box Score
Northern Kentucky 95, Detroit Mercy 73 Box Score
Green Bay 90, Cleveland State 89 Box Score
Youngstown State 76, Milwaukee 51 Box Score

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

GAME OF THE WEEK
Wright State at Northern Kentucky, Friday, Jan. 11, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
It’s a rivalry game on national television between the top-two defensive teams in the HL this week as Wright State heads to Northern Kentucky on Friday. NKU is the defending regular-season champions and are off to a 3-1 start in #HLMBB play already this season as they are holding opponents to 66.5 points per game. Preseason Player of the Year Drew McDonald leads the League in rebounding at 10.0 boards per game and is also fourth in scoring at 18.6. WSU is the reigning tournament champions and is also holding its opponents to under 70 points per contents. The Raiders come into Friday’s matchup looking to get over .500 in League action with a win led by last season’s Freshman of the Year Loudon Love, averaging 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and Billy Wampler, registering 15.0 points per contest.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

DATE GAME Time (ET) TV/Live Stream
Thursday, Jan. 10 Milwaukee at Oakland 7 p.m. ESPN+
Green Bay at Detroit Mercy 7 p.m. ESPN+
Cleveland State at IUPUI 7 p.m. ESPN3
Youngstown State at UIC 8 p.m. ESPN3
Friday, Jan. 11 Wright State at Northern Kentucky 7 p.m. ESPN2
Saturday, Jan. 12 Youngstown State at IUPUI 1 p.m. ESPN3
Milwaukee at Detroit Mercy 1 p.m. ESPN+
Green Bay at Oakland 3 p.m. ESPN+
Cleveland State at UIC 4:12 p.m. ESPN+