#HLMBB Weekly Notebook - January 22

#HLMBB Weekly Notebook - January 22

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#HLMBB Standings | #HLMBB Statistics | #HLMBB Weekly Release

INDIANAPOLIS – There is a new leader in the #HLMBB standings as Northern Kentucky is in first-place heading into Week 5 of League play, with Oakland and Detroit Mercy just one game behind as we get closer to the midway mark of the HL schedule.

#HLMBB NEWS & NOTES
• Northern Kentucky improved to 6-1 in #HLMBB play after a pair of road wins last week in Northeast Ohio. Drew McDonald averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Norse as he has now collected his League-leading 10th double-double. The Norse are receiving votes in the College Insider Mid-Major top-25 poll as they return home this week where they are a perfect 11-0 at home this season.

• Oakland won the first Metro Series rivalry game against Detroit Mercy on Saturday, 79-73, as both teams are now tied for second place with identical 5-2 HL records. Jaevin Cumberland netted 24 points on six 3-pointers and is averaging 20.6 during League games, while Xavier Hill-Mais scored 22 points to raise his scoring average to 21.0 per game.

• Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis has already set the program’s freshman scoring record with 517 points through just 19 games. He is just the third Horizon League’s freshman scoring list to surpass 500 points in a season. UIC’s Dikembe Dixson (2015-16) holds the HL freshman scoring mark at 594.

• Wright State and Milwaukee each picked up two wins last week and are now tied with Green Bay for fourth place in the #HLMBB standings at 4-3. The Raiders will welcome both the Phoenix and the Panthers to the Nutter Center this week.

• Detroit Mercy’s Davis is second in the country in scoring at 27.2 points per game as he leads all of Division I with 91 total 3-pointers. Oakland’s Xavier Hill-Mais is also top-30 in the country in scoring at 21.0 points and is the only other HL player to average over 20 points per game. Hill-Mais and Cumberland are the only teammates in the League who both rank top-5 in points per game.

• UIC’s Tarkus Ferguson and Green Bay’s Cohen are the only two players in the Horizon League that rank in the top-10 in points, rebounds and assists. Ferguson is second in the League in assists at 5.2, while Cohen is second in steals with 2.0. In addition, Cohen and Ferguson are also top-10 in blocks and minutes played.

• Detroit Mercy’s Davis, Wright State’s Loudon Love and Northern Kentucky’s McDonald were selected to the 2018-19 Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List, presented annually to the nation’s top mid-major player in Division I College Basketball.

• McDonald has also been selected to the Naismith Hall of Fame’s Karl Malone Award Watch List, presented to the nation’s top power-forward and one of 30 of candidates for the Senior CLASS Award. He has moved into the top-25 all-time in Horizon League scoring with 1,812. McDonald is one of only 14 active players to record 1,500 points and 600 rebounds and among active Division I players ranks fifth in double-doubles, 10th in rebounds and 20th in points.

• #HLMBB have been prolific from long range this season as eight out of 10 teams are ranked in the top-100 in total 3-point field goals made per game with Oakland pacing the HL with 10.7, good for seventh in the NCAA. The HL ranks third among all conferences in 3-point field goal percentage and fourth in 3-pointers made.

• Oakland has proved to be one of the best in the nation at holding on to the ball and also sharing it. The Golden Grizzlies are 17th in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.47, 10th in assists per game at 17.8.

RESULTS

DATE GAME RECAP
Thursday, Jan. 17 Northern Kentucky 91, Cleveland State 76 Box Score
Wright State 80, Youngstown State 74 Box Score
Milwaukee 81, UIC 69 Box Score
IUPUI 76, Green Bay 70 Box Score
Saturday, Jan. 19 Green Bay 90, UIC 85 Box Score
Northern Kentucky 82, Youngstown State 74 Box Score
Wright State 89, Cleveland State 66 Box Score
Oakland 79, Detroit Mercy 73 Box Score
Milwaukee 64, IUPUI 57 Box Score

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

GAME OF THE WEEK
Green Bay at Northern Kentucky, Thursday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+
It’s a classic offense vs. defense matchup this week as the top-scoring offense in the League takes on the top-scoring defense in the HL. The Phoenix come into Thursday’s matchup averaging almost 85 points per contest by forcing a League-best 16 turnovers per game. The Norse are allowing only 67.3 points per contest and are one of the best at defending the arc as opponents are shooting less than 30 percent from 3-point range. Green Bay will also be looking to put the first blemish on NKU’s perfect 11-0 record at home this season.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

DATE GAME Time (ET) TV/Live Stream
Thursday, Jan. 24 Oakland at IUPUI 11 a.m. ESPN+
Green Bay at Northern Kentucky 7 p.m. ESPN+
Milwaukee at Wright State 7 p.m. ESPN+
Detroit Mercy at UIC 8 p.m. ESPM+
Saturday, Jan. 26 Detroit Mercy at IUPUI 1 p.m. ESPN+
Youngstown State at Cleveland State 1 p.m. ESPN+
Oakland at UIC 4:12 p.m. ESPN3
Milwaukee at Northern Kentucky 7 p.m. ESPN+
Green Bay at Wright State 7 p.m. ESPN3