Keifer Sykes
The Horizon League men’s basketball tournament field is down to four teams. The semifinals are on tap tonight in Valparaiso, Indiana.
The top seeded Valparaiso Crusaders will take on Cleveland State in one semifinal tonight after the Vikings knocked off Detroit 70-53 last night.
The 2nd-seeded Green Bay Phoenix will face Illinois-Chicago in the other semifinal after UIC ousted Oakland 72-69.
Green Bay will be trying to reach the Horizon League Championship game for the first time since 1998. The Phoenix lost in the semifinals last season to UW-Milwaukee when Green Bay entered the field as the top seed. Green Bay has gone 9-16 in the Horizon League tournament since its last title game appearance.
Senior guard Keifer Sykes is hoping to make the NCAA tournament field for the first time in his career.
AUDIO: Sykes hoping to make the NCAA field :18
Green Bay will be trying to change the fortune of the number-2 seed. The last three tw0-seeds have lost their first game. Over the last ten years, the 2-seed has managed to go 6-9, advancing to the title game 5-times.
The No. 1 seed has captured the conference tournament just once in the last four years.
It’s likely that the Horizon League Tournament champion will be the only team in the NCAA Tournament Field. Green Bay’s credentials were better last season when they won the regular season title but lost in the tournament semifinals and did not receive an at-large bid from the selection committee.
That scenario will likely take place again this season.
If Valparaiso wins tonight, they’ll host the title game on Tuesday night. If the Crusaders lose, then the highest remaining seed would host the championship game.