The Horizon League tournament has reached the semifinals, which means Saturday night will be the first time that top-seeded Valparaiso and second-seeded Detroit will enter the fray. The tournament schedule was altered to this weird format because the conference only has nine teams after longtime power Butler — holder of many of the conference’s records — departed for the Atlantic 10 this offseason.
Horizon League Basketball Tournament schedule and bracket: Detroit, Valparaiso on track for final showdown
The nine-team Horizon League holds its semifinals Saturday night, and after two rounds, the top-seeded Valparaiso and Detroit will play for the first time.
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Saturday, Valparaiso will face Wisconsin-Green Bay after the Phoenix beat Illinois-Chicago on a last-second three-pointer by Sultan Muhammad. Valpo is the tournament host and the top seed after going 24-9, and they're trying to win their first-ever Horizon League title after joining the conference in 2007. They play at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Preceding that game will be reigning champion Detroit against Wright State, the third seed, which defeated Youngstown State, 66-59, in the quarterfinals. Detroit still has the best player in the conference in Ray McCallum, Jr., who is averaging 19.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Detroit and Wright State play at 6 p.m. ET.
A full bracket is available here.
Semifinals, March 9
Wright St. vs. Detroit, 6 p.m. ET
Green Bay vs. Valparaiso, 8:30 p.m. ET
Championship, March 12
TBD, 9 p.m. ET
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