2024 Preview
Superlatives:
Best Overall Team: Purdue-Fort Wayne
Best Overall Player: AJ McKee, MIL
Best Shooter: Alex Huibregtse, WSU
Best Defenseman:
Sleeper Team (Conference): Cleveland State
Sleeper Team (March): Purdue-Fort Wayne
Purdue Fort Wayne guard Corey Hadnot II; PWF Basketball/Instagram
1. Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons
2023 Record: 23-13
The Mastodons finished with the league’s second best overall record yet were seeded seventh in the Horizon League Tournament and were ousted by eventual champion Oakland prematurely in 2023. Retaining four starters and three-fourths of its production in 2024 will hopefully produce a different result in coach Jon Coffman’s eleventh year at the helm. The league’s top two scorers both return to Fort Wayne in Jalen Jackson and Rasheed Bello, stars that will be aided by contributors Eric Mulder, Quinton Morton-Robinson and Corey Hadnot II as the Mastodons hunt for an elusive NCAA Tournament bid.
2. Milwaukee Panthers
2023 Record: 20-15
Bringing back three of its top four scorers pits Milwaukee in a good spot following a Horizon League championship game appearance in 2023. Forward Faizon Fields will step into a spotlight role for the Panthers and transfer guard AJ McKee will take the reigns as the floor commander along with backcourt weapons Erik Pratt, Kentrell Pullian and Themus Faulks. Milwaukee was the leagues top rebounding team last season and returns a bulk of its production from 2023 down low as coach Bart Lundy seeks his first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade.
3. Northern Kentucky Norse
2023 Record: 18-14
Two key returning players will aid one of the league’s top overall teams historically as NKU aims to dethrone Oakland atop the Horizon League. Sam Vinson — ACL — missed a decent chunk of last season which zapped most of the Norse’s offensive production, and with the return of reigning Horizon League DPOY Trey Robinson in Highland Heights, Northern Kentucky will be primed for another deep conference tournament run. Finding a stroke from behind the arc will be vital for a Norse offense looking to get back to its 2022 form.
4. Wright State Raiders
2023 Record: 18-14
Brandon Noel returns as a potential Player of the League candidate as the Raiders gear up for another run at a conference title. Despite the loss of three starters and its head coach, the two returning pieces in Noel and Alex Huibregtse warrant optimism for new head man Clint Sargent. Wright State was one of the nation’s most efficient offenses in 2023 (33rd in Adj. OE per KenPom) but struggled tremendously on defense and especially with the three. The Raiders did shoot nearly 60% from two-point range and will seek to continue its consistency ahead of 2024.
5. Cleveland State Vikings
2023 Record: 21-15
The Vikings return just one starter from a 20-win team in 2023 and will turn towards homegrown talent to take over under coach Daniyal Robinson. Dylan Arnett will be a key piece early as the Vikings look to rebuild the backcourt from the ground up. Guard Tevin Smith is a name to keep an eye on as a primary guard and the return of former starter KJ Debrick will provide a decent mix of options offensively.
6. Oakland Golden Grizzlies
2023 Record: 24-12
Last year’s tournament darling returns little to no production as most offensive weapons went portal hopping or were NBA-bound. Tennessee Tech transfer Jaylen Jones will be the substitute at point guard as the Golden Grizzlies look to continue its high-volume-high-efficiency shooting numbers that aided them to the NCAA Round of 32. Returning starters DQ Cole and Isaiah Jones will be the primary options early as a bevy of transfers look to acclimate to Greg Kampe’s system in Rochester.
7. Robert Morris Colonials
2023 Record: 10-22
NC State transfer Kam Woods will head the offensive attack for the Colonials as lone returning starter Justice Williams seeks a new firing partner in the backcourt in Moon Township. There is plenty of returning reserves on the wing but RMU lacks a defensive presence down low and will be in search of its frontcourt identity early. Robert Morris finished in the bottom three of adjusted offensive and adjusted defensive ratings in 2023, numbers needing to improve to see a jump in wins.
8. Youngstown State Penguins
2023 Record: 22-10
The Penguins started off 2023 17-6 but went 5-5 down the stretch and were eliminated in its first conference tournament game by Cleveland State. All five starters and its head coach left in the off season leaving YSU in a tough spot as the bench accounted for just 28% of game minutes in 2023. Youngstown State patched the holes with three more fifth-year seniors including the all-productive Siem Uijtendaal. The Penguins will model last year’s number one ranked conference defense as the up-tempo offense is bound to have growing pains early.
9. Green Bay Phoenix
2023 Record: 18-14
The Phoenix rebounded from its dreadful 3-29 2022 campaign with 18 wins in 2023. Gone, however, are four starters and a bulk of its offensive production as Green Bay turns to polarizing Doug Gottlieb to lead the charge in his first true-coaching job. GBU struggled to rebound offensively in 2023 but was one of the more efficient teams from inside the arc in the Horizon League. With under 30 points per game back for Gottlieb, he will have to hope experience rubs off on key reserves and incoming freshman such as top-150 recruit Jeremiah Johnson. Finding a presence down low will be paramount for the Phoenix.
10. IUPUI Jaguars
2023 Record: 10-24
The Jaguars pried themselves out of the Horizon League’s last place standing in 2023 by winning double-digit games for the first time in four years. Bad news — nobody is back from that building block team. All five starters and reserves departed through the portal or graduation after the coaching staff turned over, meaning former D-II coach Paul Corsaro will be working with his former players to build a lineup early in Indianapolis. Only two players on the roster have prior D-I experience as IUPUI will have to take the brunt of inevitable growing pains early.
11. Detroit-Mercy Titans
2023 Record: 1-31
New head man Mark Montgomery tapped the Michigan recruiting trail and even dipped into the transfer portal to patch together a roster returning just three players from 2023. Eastern Michigan transfer Orlando Lovejoy will be the central piece early as Detriot-Mercy looks to return to its glory days after falling on hard times as of late.