Each of the last four years, the Horizon League has succeeded at sending its best team—its regular season champion—to the NIT. It’s a feat no other league has achieved, and while you might scoff at the importance of the HoLo (as we call it in the biz), just remember that those Horizon League NIT participants have gone 5-4 in their nine NIT games over the span (Valpo went on a nice run back in 2016).
The road to the fifth straight automatic bid is treacherous. Presumably possessed by the devil, or pressured by the NCAA (same thing, am I right?) the HoLo changed its conference tournament format this year, adding a degree of difficulty for NIT hopefuls. Now, the league champion will only have a maximum of two chances to lose if it wants to qualify for the most prestigious tournament in the land. Still, with Wright State and Northern Kentucky so evenly matched at the top of the league, and both having proven they can lose to middle-tier teams like UIC and Green Bay, the streak’s hopes are very much alive.
Tonight’s a big night for this quest, because tonight, the Horizon League anoints the young men tasked with carrying on the proud tradition. Yes, Wright State and Northern Kentucky are playing again. And this time, it’s at BB&T Arena.
You may remember that the last time these foes met, Wright State dog-walked the Norse, triumphing 95-63 over their hapless guests. Of course, there was a green-out that night in the Nutter Center, so the playing field was certainly tilted, but still—a thorough shellacking.
Things have changed since then. We’ve accepted that NKU isn’t all that good (their loss to UIC was by 30, and they only scored 43 that day), as opposed to believing them to be simply held back by injuries. We’ve also realized Wright State isn’t all that great (in their last two games, the Raiders have a point differential of negative eleven against the fifth and probably eighth-place teams in the league).
In other words, this isn’t your daddy’s HoLo. Valpo’s gone. Butler’s gone. Loyola’s gone. Cleveland State’s still around, but man, that program is a mess. And in the best non-Joey Gallo story of the week, Detroit Mercy’s out here lying about having sent an appeal to the NCAA! Wild times.
Nevertheless, in the midst of it all, the league has persevered. And tonight, we enjoy what’s become an annual feature of the last few campaigns. All noses towards Highland Heights, Kentucky. All ears towards HoLo headquarters in Indy. All eyes on BB&T Arena.
