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Unfortunately, no Horizon League basketball will be played until Thursday this week, but there are still plenty of great games on the weekly slate. Both expected and unexpected contenders are continuing to stay near the top of the standings, as both the preseason favorites and defending champions are looking to get there. Below is an updated look at the league standings and five key games to watch in the shortened week.
League Standings
1. Wright State (6-1)
2. Green Bay (5-2)
Oakland (5-2)
4. Purdue Fort Wayne (5-3)
Northern Kentucky (5-3)
6. Milwaukee (4-3)
Detroit Mercy (4-3)
8. Robert Morris (3-4)
9. Youngstown State (2-5)
10. Cleveland State (1-6)
11. IU Indianapolis (0-8)
Key games
Detroit Mercy (7-9, 4-3 Horizon League) at Northern Kentucky (13-6, 5-3 Horizon League)
Thursday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m. ET, on ESPN+
Detroit Mercy won eight games the entire 2024-25. It has a chance to match that total in just its eighth Horizon League contest on Thursday. The job Mark Montgomery is doing deserves its flowers as very few people expected the Titans to be above .500 in the league, even just under halfway through the conference schedule. The one knock on the record thus far is the quality of the four conference wins. With wins over Cleveland State twice, IU Indianapolis and a struggling Youngstown State, Detroit Mercy hasn’t had that marquee win yet, but this contest is a great opportunity to do so. Orlando Lovejoy has been extremely consistent for the Titans as of late and boasts all the experience necessary to lead a key win on the road. The task will be tall, as Donovan Oday, Dan Gherezgher and Kael Robinson can all fill the scoring column in bunches for Northern Kentucky which has been consistently in the upper echelon on the conference all season. The Norse will be the favorite in this game, but a hungry Detroit Mercy team could be dangerous on the road.
Oakland (9-9, 5-2 Horizon League) at Milwaukee (8-10, 4-3 Horizon League)
Thursday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m. ET, on ESPNU
Since Seth Hubbard went down for the season, the question around Milwaukee has been can it still compete for a championship? This game against Oakland will give much needed insight to answer that question. Who will be available up front for Bart Lundy is a question with both Faizon Fields and Danilo Jovanovich having missed games recently. Any absences in the frontcourt could become major issues against the Oakland trio of Tuburu Naivalurua, Michael Houge and Isaac Garrett. With Josh Dixon filling the point guard role for the Panthers, the opportunity for the freshman to go head-to-head with Brody Robinson is a critical opportunity for growth from the young guard. It’s possible that the Hubbard injury, amongst others, will prevent Milwaukee from competing for a championship as it hoped, but it has stayed afloat, and if it can hang tight or knock off the Golden Grizzlies, the Panthers will be in a much better position to live up to preseason expectations.
Robert Morris (11-7, 3-4 Horizon League) at Northern Kentucky (13-6, 5-3 Horizon League)
Saturday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m. ET, on ESPN+
The defending champions have struggled as of late but still have plenty of talent to get back in the championship conversation. DeSean Goode and Nikolaos Chitikoudis have been fairly consistent in the frontcourt all season, but backcourt production has been what’s held the Colonials back at times. Ryan Prather Jr. has been a consistent scorer and assist-man for Andy Toole, but Robert Morris will need more perimeter creation if it wants to get back to the NCAA Tournament. Thankfully for the Colonials, a matchup with Northern Kentucky is a perfect game for growth in that area. Donovan Oday and Dan Gherezgher are as tough as any backcourt in the league, meaning the Robert Morris guards will have to produce to win this game. Will the defending champs find something and grab a big road win, or will the Norse continue to take care of business? Watching this game for an answer to that question is worth the time.
Oakland (9-9, 5-2 Horizon League) at Green Bay (10-8, 5-2 Horizon League)
Sunday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m. ET, on ESPN+
In a matchup between the two teams which enter the week tied for second, Doug Gottlieb’s team has another chance to make a huge statement and Oakland will be looking for another win against a top-team in the conference. Green Bay has not just been beating bottom-feeders in conference play, but this would be by far the best win of the season for the Phoenix. This game features a fun, old-school point guard matchup between two of the top three assist leaders in the conference. Brody Robinson and Preston Ruedinger each do a phenomenal job commanding their respective offenses, but can also have a scoring explosion if necessary. The challenge for Green Bay will be competing on the glass and in the frontcourt. The Phoenix play a relatively-small lineup and don’t go super deep into their bench. The lack of size could become an issue against the three talented bigs for Oakland. Gottlieb has been no stranger to doubt, however, so it will be interesting to see how he gameplans for the size disadvantage.
Milwaukee (8-10, 4-3 Horizon League) at Purdue Fort Wayne (11-8, 5-3 Horizon League)
Sunday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m. ET, on ESPN+
As if a matchup with the league’s top frontcourt, potentially shorthanded, wasn’t difficult enough, Milwaukee will also play one of, if not the best backcourt in the league to close the week. Corey Hadnot II is leading the league in scoring, and Mikale Stephenson and DeAndre Craig Jr. have aided the potential player of the year in backcourt responsibilities. Once again, the freshman Josh Dixon will be tested as he continues to find his footing in the college game. Amar Augillard has scored double figures in every game since Dec. 21, so if he can remain hot and Josh Dixon holds up against a top-tier backcourt, the Panthers should have a chance for a big win.
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