Horizon

Detroit Frustrates Green Bay

While three leagues begin conference tournament play on Tuesday there's also plenty of things to be settled in conferences who won't start their tourneys until next week. Florida and Illinois are two teams that look to be in good shape as of right now but both are faced with ranked opponents who would vault them into the Big Dance for sure were they to win. The Gators host Vanderbilt, a team that's still got designs on the SEC's overall title, in a game they can win provided guards Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton make sound decisions with the basketball.

Billy Shepherd is Butler University's all-time leading scorer, a former Indiana Mr. Basketball, and former professional who got to play with Dr J & George Gervin. CHN's Jon Teitel was lucky enough to spend some time with this Indiana basketball legend:

Jon Teitel: You played at Carmel High School for your father: what was it like to play for your dad, and what did you learn from him?

INDIANAPOLIS -- It is Saturday night in the Horizon League, the crowd is big, ESPN2 is televising the game and the first and second place teams are playing.

For a college basketball fan it doesn’t get much better than this and watching this all happen in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, almost guarantees a good night for all the 8528 fans that came out to enjoy the action.

They got quite a show as Butler shot an incredible 67.5 percent (27-40) for the game to beat Wright State 74-62.

Butler, with legitimate Elite Eight aspirations, should be the dominant force in the Horizon. An infusion of Juco talent and returning injured players should help the quality of play throughout the league.

Atlantic 10

Colonial

Conference USA

Horizon

MAAC

MVC

MWC

Sun Belt

WAC

WCC

 

Overall Rank: #11

Conference Rank: #1 Horizon League

 

Butler

Cleveland State

Milwaukee

Wright State

Other (Green Bay, UIC, Valpo, etc)

Overall Rank: #57

Conference Rank: #2 Horizon League