{"id":178446,"date":"2026-03-02T16:15:36","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T21:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=178446"},"modified":"2026-03-04T11:13:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T16:13:30","slug":"2026-horizon-league-tournament-can-wright-state-make-return-to-ncaa-tournament-as-conference-changes-format","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/03\/02\/2026-horizon-league-tournament-can-wright-state-make-return-to-ncaa-tournament-as-conference-changes-format\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Horizon League Tournament: Can Wright State Make Return To NCAA Tournament As Conference Changes Format"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Horizon League kicks off the 2026 NCAA<\/a> men’s basketball March Madness.<\/a> The Horizon League, the first conference to begin the tournament this year, will use a new format. Can Horizon League regular-season champion Wright State return to the podium for the first time since 2022? Or can Robert Morris or Oakland become the first non-No. 1-seeded team in three seasons to represent the conference at the NCAA tournament?<\/p>\n

2026 Horizon League Tournament: Can Wright State Make a Return to the NCAA Tournament as the Conference Changes Format<\/h2>\n

The Horizon Leagu<\/a>e is one of the top low-major Division I college basketball<\/a> conferences, and as a result, the league usually produces one of the most exciting tournaments. However, the Horizon League’s regular-season champion has claimed the conference tournament title in each of the last two years. Instead of using a traditional single-elimination bracket, the Horizon League, ranked as the 19th-best conference in the nation<\/a>, will reseed after each round.\u00a0 Six of the 11 teams finished with a winning record — Detroit Mercy and Youngstown State can as well.<\/p>\n

The 2026 Horizon League tournament will begin on March 2 with 11th-seeded IU Indy travelling to 10th-seeded Cleveland State. The winner will advance to the second round to face Wright State at the Ervin J. Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. Wright State claimed its first regular-season title since the 2020-21 season, finishing the conference with a 15-5 record. Overall, the top five seeds will get home games in the first round (March 4).<\/p>\n

The second round gets confusing as this is where the reseeding takes place. The five remaining teams then advance to the final three rounds held at Corteva Coliseum. The bottom two seeded teams play in the second round, while the other three advance to the semifinals, with the winners advancing to the final. The second round through the finals will be played in Indianapolis at the Corteva Colliseum.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Reseeding throughout the bracket and Second Round byes for the top remaining teams in Indy rewards regular season success and aims to protect our top seeds, best positioning the League during March Madness,” per the Horizon League Statement<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a9 Jordan Prather, Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Horizon League Preview<\/h3>\n

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1. Wright State Raiders (19-11, 15-5 Horizon)<\/h3>\n

After struggling last year in coach Clint Sargent<\/a>‘s first season, the Raiders have bounced back nicely this year to claim their first Horizon League crown since 2021. The Raiders enter the conference tournament on a two-game winning streak following their road victory on Saturday over Northern Kentucky. The Raiders have won five of their last eight overall.<\/p>\n

Wright State is second in the Horizon in scoring at 81 points and fourth in scoring defense at 75.6.\u00a0 The Raiders are also second in shooting percentage (49.2%), and they get to the line 24 times a game, shooting at 76.7% clip. Defensively, they defend the 3-point line well, they lead the conference with 4.6 blocks while asl not fouling. Additionally, the Raiders own a +3.5\u00a0 rebound margin.<\/p>\n

Freshman Michael Cooper<\/a> leads four players in double-figures at 13.2 points. Six-foot-7 senior forward Michael Imariagbe<\/a> (11.8 points, 7.0 boards) is the team’s top rebounder. Sophomore TJ Burch<\/a> averages 11.6 points while adding 106 assists and 79 steals. Six-foot-9 freshman Kellen Picket<\/a> and 6-6 sophomore Andrea Holden<\/a> are the Raiders’ top rim protectors.<\/p>\n

Strengths: Well-balanced offensively and perimeter defense<\/p>\n

Weaknesses: No Go-to-scorer; offense can get bogged down if the pace is slowed.<\/p>\n

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2. Robert Morris Colonials (21-10,13-7)<\/h3>\n

Robert Morris looks to win its second straight Horizon League conference title after breaking through for their first conference crown since moving from the NEC. Bobby Mo enters the conference tournament as the league’s hottest team, having won six straight, including victories over Oakland and Wright State.<\/p>\n

Robert Morris is fifth in the Horizon in scoring at 79.1 points and is third in points allowed at 75.1.\u00a0 RMU, led by 16th-year coach Andrew Toole<\/a>, is a good-shooting team with shooting splits of 47.4\/38.8\/72.1.\u00a0 The Colonials are an outstanding offensive rebounding team and move the ball well around the perimeter, but they don’t create many fouls.<\/p>\n

Defensively, the Colonials’ strength is defending the 3-point line. However, they do their best work on the backboards, outrebounding their opponents by nearly seven boards a game. Junior guard Ryan Prather Jr.<\/a> leads three players in double-figures with 15.6 points and 2.5 three-pointers. Prather and 6-8 sophomore forward DeSean Goode<\/a> (15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds) give the Colonials one of the Horizon’s best 1-2 scoring punches. Additionally, Prather, Darius Livingston<\/a>, and Albert Vargas<\/a> form one of the conference’s top backcourts.<\/p>\n

Strengths: Defense and outstanding on the backboard.<\/p>\n

Weaknesses: Not an elite offensive squad.<\/p>\n

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3. Detroit Mercy Titans (15-14, 12-8)<\/h4>\n

Detroit Mercy gets the Horizon’s No. 3 seed as the Titans split their two games with Wright State. Meanwhile, Green Bay and Oakland both lost to the Raiders.<\/p>\n

Detroit’s 15 wins are the program’s most since 2015-16 — the Titans won a combined nine games over the previous two campaigns. Also, their 12 Horizon League victories set a school record. Moreover, the Titans are playing good basketball and are 7-2 in their last nine.<\/p>\n

The Titans were a middle-of-the-pack team in the conference on both ends of the floor, with just a +0.8 scoring margin. The Titans led the league in three-point percentage (40.1%) and were second in free throw percentage (79%) despite not shooting many shots in either category. Orlando Lovejoy<\/a> leads a guard-oriented Titan squad with 15.4 points a game.<\/p>\n

The Titans defend well, holding opponents to 44.5% from the field (second in the Horizon) and 33.2% from 3-point range (first). They are also a solid rebounding team with a +3.0 rebound margin.<\/p>\n

Strengths: Physical defensive team that does an outstanding job pressuring the ball.<\/p>\n

Weaknesses: Inconsistent shooting and turnover-prone.<\/p>\n

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4. Oakland Golden Grizzlies (16-15, 12-8)<\/h4>\n

Oakland dropped to the fourth seed in the Horizon following its 95-89 home loss to Detroit Mercy. The Golden Grizzlies edged out Green Bay for the higher seed, going a combined 3-1 against Milwaukee and Youngstown State. However, the Grizzlies are just 7-7 in their last 14. They last won the Horizon League conference title in 2024, though it was their first tournament title since 2011.<\/p>\n

Oakland leads the conference with 82.8 points and is a very good shooting team at 47.6%, though the Grizzlies struggle from the three-point line. The Grizzlies get to the charity stripe often and are a good passing squad, as they don’t turn the ball over.<\/p>\n

Oakland struggles on the defensive end. The Grizzlies allow 79.5 points a game, which is the third most in the league.\u00a0 The Grizzlies do a decent job of limiting their opponents from the 3-point line, and despite being very active, they don’t foul much. However, they get outrebounded by 1.6 rebounds per game.<\/p>\n

Brody Robinson,<\/a> who leads the conference in minutes and assists, tops five players in double-figures with 17.0 points and 6.8 assists. Isaac Garrett<\/a> and Tuburu Nawalrua<\/a> combine for 13 rebounds and two blocks a game.<\/p>\n

Strengths:<\/strong> Pace, spacing, and perimeter confidence.<\/p>\n

Weaknesses: Defense<\/p>\n

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5. Green Bay Phoenix (18-14, 12-8)<\/h4>\n

Green Bay showed significant improvement in Doug Gottlieb<\/a>‘s second season. While the Phoenix have won six of their last eight, they went 2-4 against Wright State, Milwaukee, and Youngstown State. Green Bay advanced in the Horizon League Tourney with a 64-56 victory over IPFW.<\/p>\n

Green Bay is an outstanding shooting team, compiling shooting splits of 49.4\/39.5\/81.4 during conference play. The Phoenix don’t turn the ball over much, though they are just ninth in scoring (75.8) because of their slow pace. Guard CJ O’Hara<\/a> and forward Marcus Hall<\/a> are the Phoenix’s top players, combining to average 28 points and 10 rebounds.<\/p>\n

Defensively, Green Bay held its opponents to a league-low 74.7 points a game. While the Phoenix defended the paint well, they struggled guarding on the perimeter.<\/p>\n

Strengths: Shot-selection and half-court execution.<\/p>\n

Weaknesses: Not deep and needs to control pace as they struggle when the speed picks up.<\/p>\n

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6. Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (17-15,11-9)<\/h4>\n

Purdue Fort Wayne has guaranteed themselves its fifth straight winning campaign. However, the Masterdon are just 3-6 in their last nine.<\/p>\n

IPFW is not a great shooting team, though the Mastodons love launching 3-pointers, averaging 9.6 threes (second in the conference) and ranking fifth in 3-point percentage (36.7%). The Masterdons only turn the ball over 9.2 times a game in conference play, tops in the league, and force 11.6 turnovers, third most.\u00a0 Junior guard Corey Hadnot II<\/a> is the Horizon’s leading scorer at 20.9 points and one of the league’s top two-way players.<\/p>\n

3.5 points per contest outscored IPFW during Horizon League play. The Masterdons don’t foul a lot, but they struggle to defend the 3-point line and on the glass, getting outrebounded by nine.<\/p>\n

Strengths: Guard play, spacing, and turnover creation.<\/p>\n

Weaknesses: Interior defense and rebounding.<\/p>\n

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7. Northern Kentucky Norse (18-13, 10-10)<\/h4>\n

NKU just missed upsetting Wright State last night, falling 92-91 after being outscored by 19 over the final 20 minutes. Before the loss to Wright State, the Norse had won four of their last five. It is the Norse’s seventh straight winning season under Darrin Horn.<\/a><\/p>\n

Northern Kentucky averages the third-most points in the conference at 80.7, despite not being a great-shooting team. The Norse play fast, and turnovers are an issue. Guards Donovan Oday<\/a> (18.7 points) and Dan Gherezgher Jr<\/a>. (15.5) lead four players in double-figures.<\/p>\n

NKU gets after on the defensive end. The Norse defends the paint well and forces turnovers.<\/p>\n

Strengths:\u00a0 Half\u2011court defense, discipline, and coaching.<\/p>\n

Weaknesses: Don’t get much scoring production fromthe bench.<\/p>\n

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8. Milwaukee Panthers (12-19, 8-12)<\/h4>\n

Milwaukee snapped a two-game losing streak last Wednesday with a victory over Youngstown State. The Panthers have lost 13 of their last 17.<\/p>\n

Milwaukee, which has athletic wings, is one of the worst teams offensively in the conference. The Panthers have been without Seth Hubbard<\/a>, who was leading the team in scoring, since mid-November due to a season-ending shoulder injury. Since Hubbard’s injury, the Panthers have gone with an offense-by-committee approach, led by Amar\u00a0Augillard<\/a>, as four players have averaged double figures during conference play. Turnovers are a huge problem for the Panthers. <\/span>Meanwhile, the Panthers are in the middle of the pack defensively as they have wildly inconsistent.<\/p>\n

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9. Youngstown State Penguins (15-16, 8-12)<\/h4>\n

Youngstown State has been very streaky this season. The Penguins, who are 7-7 in their last 14, will likely see their program-best winning streak end at six straight campaigns. They finished four games below the .500 mark in conference play, marking the first time they had finished lower than fourth in the Horizon since 2021-22.<\/p>\n

YSU was solid defensively and on the backboards, leading to a +2.1 scoring margin in conference play. But they don’t have much offensive firepower outside of seniors Cris Carroll<\/a> and Bryson Dawkins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the other end of the floor, YSU plays a physical brand of defense. The Penguins do a good job at protecting the rim and forcing turnovers. They are a good rebounding team, outrebounding their opponents by three in conference play.<\/p>\n

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10. Cleveland State Vikings (11-21, 6-14)<\/h4>\n

Cleveland State is going through its first losing season since 2019-20 as the Vikings. The Vikings have struggled on both ends of the court, as they are the conference’s worst-shooting and defensive teams. The Vikings, who had won 19 or more games in five straight seasons, are young and under the direction of first-year coach Rob Summers<\/a>. They have lost seven straight.<\/p>\n

CSU is an elite 3-point shooting team, averaging nearly 11 threes a game at a 37.4% clip. While forward David Nessah<\/a> leads CSU in scoring at 15.5 points a game, Jaden Lipscomb<\/a> and Tre Beard<\/a> are dangerous 3-point snipers as they drain a combined six treys a contest.<\/p>\n

Cleveland State will play hard and is a slight favorite over IU Indy in the 10-11 play-in game as they are home. But the Vikings are small up front and vulnerable against teams with a strong interior game and on the backboard; 6 caroms per contest outrebound them.<\/p>\n

Update: Cleveland State defeated IU Indy 101-92<\/p>\n

No. 11 IU Indianapolis Jaguars (7-25, 3-17)<\/h4>\n

IU Indy continues to struggle and is in another rebuild under first-year coach Ben Howlett<\/a>. The Jaguars, who have recorded double-digit wins just once in the last seven seasons, struggle with efficiency on both ends of the floor. The Jaguars have lost six in a row and eight of nine.<\/p>\n

IU Indy is athletic and likes to push tempo. Junior Kyler D’Augustino<\/a> (18.1 points per game) can put the ball in the basket, and freshman Maguire Mitchell<\/a> is a high-volume 3-point shooter. The Jaguars don’t have much depth overall, and turnovers are a common theme for them. Plus, they allow nearly 85 points in conference play.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Horizon League Game Schedule and Results<\/h3>\n

March 2 Play-In Game (campus site)<\/p>\n

No. 11 IU Indy at No. 10 Cleveland State, ESPN+<\/span><\/p>\n

Cleveland State defeated IU Indy 101-93.<\/p>\n

First Round \u2013 Wednesday, March 4, <\/span>Campus Sites, All Games On ESPN+<\/span><\/p>\n

Cleveland State\u00a0 at No. 1 Wright State<\/span><\/p>\n

No. 9 Youngstown State at No. 2 Robert Morris\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

No. 6 Purdue Fort Wayne at No. 5 Green Bay<\/span><\/p>\n

Gteen Bay defeated IPFW 64-56.<\/p>\n

No. 8 Milwaukee at No. 3 Detroit Mercy<\/span><\/p>\n

No. 7 Northern Kentucky at No. 4 Oakland<\/span><\/p>\n

Second Round, Corteva Coliseum (Indianapolis), March 8, ESPNU<\/h3>\n

Reseeded: Second-worst First Round winner vs. Worst First Round winner (based on results\/seeds)<\/span><\/p>\n

Semifinals, Corteva Coliseum (Indianapolis), March 9, ESPN2<\/h3>\n

Semifinal 1: Best First Round winner vs. Second Round winner<\/span><\/p>\n

Semifinal 2: Second-best First Round winner vs. Third-best First Round winner<\/span><\/p>\n

Championship, Corteva Coliseum (Indianapolis), March 10, ESPN<\/h3>\n

Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Horizon League kicks off the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball March Madness. The Horizon League, the first conference to begin the tournament this year, will use a new format. Can Horizon League regular-season champion Wright State return to the podium for the first time since 2022? Or can Robert Morris or Oakland become the first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3146,"featured_media":179725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,773,3],"tags":[50386,3051,4184,3380,2935,2964,2910,3016],"class_list":["post-178446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-college-basketball","category-news","tag-detroit-mercy-titans","tag-horizon-league","tag-horizon-league-tournament","tag-northern-kentucky-norse","tag-oakland-golden-grizzlies","tag-robert-morris-colonials","tag-wright-state-raiders","tag-youngstown-state-penguins"],"modified_by":"Daniel Benjamin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=178446"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178446\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":179955,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178446\/revisions\/179955"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/179725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=178446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=178446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=178446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}