Like MU this year, West Virginia barely got out of their only trip to a Horizon League foe last year - but went onto go to the Final Four. Wisconsin failed to win their one trip to a Horizon League foe last year, but still went onto a 24-9 mark and won an NCAA game.
Here are the results of the six games in which a Big 10 or Big East team has gone to a Horizon League gym the last three seasons:
Marquette 75, at UWM 72
West Virginia 80, at Cleve St 78
at Green Bay 88, Wisconsin 84
at Butler 74, Ohio State 66
at Butler 57, Northwestern 53
DePaul 67, at Ill-Chic 63
So no Big 10 or Big East team has gotten out of a Horizon gym with more than a 4-point win in the last three seasons, and MU got out with a 3-point win. It is the Super Bowl for a Horizon League team to get a Big East or Big 10 team in their gym – MU feel asleep with the big lead but still got out of the gym with the win.
+1
Excellent post, and nice research. Again, this win is not the end of the world.
Getting riled up about a win, just because it's close, is ridiculous.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu-lPDZoF60
Agree that Horizon League is a competitive league with some good teams.
Why the hell are we playing UWM in their gym? We don't have to.
I actually like doing one trip like that early, rather than have the new kids first road experience be in WVU or someplace else in the BEAST. Let them fight through a road win against a team that is not as good, but not a pure creampuff. Helps the RPI by counting as 1.4 wins (rather than 0.6 wins like a home win does). Obviously I mean I like it provided we don't actually lose the game like UW did at Green Bay last year.