We are two-thirds of the way through the Horizon League schedule and there is much yet to be decided. The conference standings for the regular season are more important in a mid-major conference like the Horizon League, compared to a power conference like the Atlantic Coast Conference because usually only one team will come out of the conference and make the tourney.

It has been a season full of surprises, with Cleveland St., at one point, leading the way in the conference at 7-0. The team that looks to be in the driver’s seat to claim the regular season title is the Butler Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs were the preseason favorite and got off to a shaky start with two early losses in the conference, but have since given themselves a cushion with only two away games remaining, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Illinois-Chicago, respectively. Two of the four remaining home games are against the bottom teams, Youngstown State and the University of Detroit.

Look for the Bulldogs to claim the No. 1 seed and home court advantage for the conference tournament. After the Bulldogs, the fight for the No. 2 seed, and a bye into the conference tournament semifinals, is like finding a needle in a haystack. Six teams find themselves within a few games of each other.

Having the two seed compared to the three seed is a major difference, because the number three seed has to play four games in order to win the tournament compared to two games that the one and two seeds play.

The teams that look to be in the best position to take second are Wright State, Cleveland State, and UWM.

Wright State plays three of their last five games at home. The Raiders are capable of winning their final three home games versus Detroit and Loyola and UIC, the last two both from Chicago. If the Raiders are able to split the two road games left against Butler and Valparaiso they will most likely claim the two seed.

Cleveland State is still alive, thanks to their fast start in the league. They do have a fairly tough schedule left with games at Valparaiso, Butler and Youngstown. The Vikings also have two tough home games left against UW-Green Bay and UWM.

UWM may be the other team that could lock up the No. 2 seed, if they can handle their business at home. The Panthers finish up with five of their last six conference games in the Cell against quality foes Butler, Valparaiso, UWGB and the two Chicago schools. The Panthers only road game takes them to Cleveland St. If they can pull out four of the six games they may be the two seed.

The next teams who still have a shot are UWGB, Valparaiso and UIC, but the forecast for them looks to be on the bad side, due in large part to their schedules.

UWGB finishes with two tough road games at Cleveland and UWM. The Phoenix also play at Youngstown. Their two home games are against UIC and Loyola.

Valparaiso still has three road games against quality opponents UWM, UIC and Loyola. The Crusaders also have four home games left with two of them against Cleveland State and Wright State.

UIC finishes the conference schedule out, with four of the six remaining games taking place on the road. Three of them are against No. 2 seed candidates UWM, UWGB and Wright State. They also have two treacherous home games remaining against Butler and Valparaiso. The Flames seem to have the toughest schedule remaining so it will take a miracle for them to take the No. 2 seed.

Loyola is pretty much out of the running because they play road games at UWGB, UWM and Wright State. Youngstown and Detroit are also finished.

I believe Butler will wrap up the regular season title and I think it’s going be either Wright State or the Panthers that will grab the all important two seed.

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