#HLMBB Weekly Notebook – January 13

#HLMBB Weekly Notebook – January 13

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INDIANAPOLIS – Week 5 of the #HLMBB begins on Friday highlighted by two of the top teams in the Horizon League squaring off on ESPNU as Wright State hosts Cleveland State at 7 p.m. ET.

HLMBB NEWS & NOTES
• This week’s #FridayisHLMBB matchup features a classic offense vs. defense showdown as Cleveland State holds the No. 1 scoring defense during HL play allowing opponents to just 63.8 points per game, while Wright State is second in scoring offense through the first four weeks of League action averaging 82.6 points per contest.

• Cleveland State is off to its best-ever start in Horizon League play at 8-0 thanks to its efforts on the defensive end as they also rank first in defensive field-goal percentage (39.3 percent), steals (9.3) and turnover margin (+2.5) in Horizon League play. CSU may slow the pace down offensively, but they are efficient from the floor shooting 47 percent during its eight League wins.

• Wright State, No. 17 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll, may have one of the most balanced offensive teams in the HL with five players averaging in double figures, but they are also great on the defensive side of the ball ranking 18th in the country in defensive field goal percentage at 38 percent from the floor and also fifth in the country in rebounding at 43.5 boards per game.

• The Horizon League has some of the top passers in the NCAA as three HL players rank in the top-25 in assists led by UIC’s Teyvion Kirk who is third in the country with 8.1 followed by Oakland’s Jalen Moore ranking 10th with 6.9 and Te’Jon Lucas of Milwaukee coming in 22nd with 6.0.

• #HLMBB boasts three of the top rebounders in the country led by IUPUI’s Elyjah Goss who is third in the nation with 11.8 boards per game. WSU’s Loudon Love is 10th in the country with 10.8 rebounds and Northern Kentucky’s Adrian Nelson is 19th at 10.3 and is also ninth in the nation averaging 4.2 offensive boards per contest.

• Purdue Fort Wayne earned its first weekend sweep of the season winning Friday’s game in overtime thanks to 41 points from Jarred Godfrey, the second-most points scored in a HL games this season. The second game the Mastodons won by 33, the largest margin of victory against a League opponent since 2014. The ‘Dons are a force offensive ranking second in scoring (78.1), first in field-goal percentage (51.0) and first in 3-point field-goal percentage (42.4).

• Youngstown State earned its second win on national television this season, this time on the road at WSU on ESPN2 as Garrett Covington’s layup as time expired gave the Penguins a 74-72 victory. Naz Bohannon had a terrific game finishing with 28 points, eight rebounds and the game-winning assist. Covington finished with 12 points, none bigger than his final two at the buzzer, and Michael Akuchie fell just shy of a double-double with 12 points and nine boards.

• Milwaukee sits at 4-1 during #HLMBB play after earning its first two home wins of the season over the weekend. Tafari Simms led the charge in game one with 32 points off the bench, while on Saturday Te’Jon Lucas continued his solid play with 15 points and four assists. As a team, the Panthers offensively are top-5 in scoring, field-goal percentage, 3-point field-goal percentage and rebounding, while defensively they are top-three in scoring, rebounds and field-goal percentage.

• Green Bay is riding a three-game winning streak thanks to a series sweep of the Golden Grizzlies at home as Josh Jefferson began the weekend with a career-high of 25 points on 80 percent shooting, followed by a 19-point outing as he finished the weekend shooting 73 percent from the floor. Both wins saw the Phoenix behind in the game as they trailed by four in overtime on Friday before winning 84-81 and GB was behind by as many as 12 in the second half before claiming a nine-point victory.

• RMU’s AJ Bramah continues to lead the Horizon League in scoring during HL play as the senior is averaging 23.7 points with 20-point performances in all three games played. Oakland’s Daniel Oladapo is the leading rebounder at 12.3 with League-leading five games of 10-plus rebounds and four double-doubles. There is a tie for the lead in assists in #HLMBB play between Oakland’s Moore and UIC’s Kirk at 8.3 per contest.

RESULTS
DATE GAME RECAP
Friday, Jan. 8 Milwaukee 94, IUPUI 70 Box Score
Green Bay 84, Oakland 81 (OT) Box Score
Purdue Fort Wayne 96, UIC 89 (OT) Box Score
Cleveland State 58, Northern Kentucky 44 Box Score
Youngstown State 74, Wright State 72 Box Score
Saturday, Jan. 9 Milwaukee 71, IUPUI 63 Box Score
Wright State 93, Youngstown State 55 Box Score
Purdue Fort Wayne 88, UIC 55 Box Score
Green Bay 87, Oakland 78 Box Score
Cleveland State 74, Northern Kentucky 71 (OT) Box Score

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
DATE GAME Time (ET) TV/Live Stream
Friday, Jan. 15 IUPUI at Northern Kentucky 6 p.m. ESPN3
Green Bay at Detroit Mercy 7 p.m. ESPN+
Purdue Fort Wayne at Milwaukee 7 p.m. ESPN+
Youngstown State at Oakland 7 p.m. ESPN3
Cleveland State at Wright State 7 p.m. ESPNU
RMU at UIC 8 p.m. ESPN3
Saturday, Jan. 16 Youngstown State at Oakland 3 p.m. ESPN3
Green Bay at Detroit Mercy 5 p.m. ESPN+
IUPUI at Northern Kentucky 6 p.m. ESPN3
RMU at UIC 6 p.m. ESPN3
Purdue Fort Wayne at Milwaukee 7 p.m. ESPN+
Cleveland State at Wright State 7 p.m. ESPN3