Wright State tabbed preseason favorite in Horizon League; defending champion NKU voted second

NKyTribune staff

Wright State has been selected the preseason favorite to capture the 2019-20 Horizon League men’s basketball championship, while Northern Kentucky is picked second in the poll.

Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis was tabbed the preseason Player of the Year in voting by the Horizon League’s coaches, media and sports information directors.

Wright State, which posted a 21-14 overall record last season, received 28 first-place votes to finish with 350 total points. The Raiders are led by preseason All-Horizon League first-team selection Loudon Love, who averaged 15.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last season. Wright State also returns Bill Wampler, who averaged 15.0 points per contest.

NKU, the defending Horizon League champion, finished 26-9 last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Norse welcome back four starters, including Jalen Tate (13.7 ppg, 4.2 assists per game) and Tyler Sharpe (14.4 ppg).

Tate was tabbed a preseason All-Horizon League first-team selection, while Sharpe was named to the second team. Tate, a junior guard, is also a two-time All-Horizon League Defensive Team honoree. He enters this season with 645 career points.

Sharpe, a senior guard, ranked 73rd in the country in made 3-pointers with 90 and capped his season with a 23-point outburst against national runner-up Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament.

NKU also returns senior forward Dantez Walton (11.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and sophomore guard Trevon Faulkner (4.7 points, 2.5 rpg) to the lineup.

NKU plays Transylvania in an exhibition contest on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. The Norse begin the regular season Nov. 5 with a home game against UC Clermont at 7 p.m.

2019-20 Horizon League preseason poll
Pl. School (1st-place) – points
1. Wright State (28) – 350
2. Northern Kentucky (5) – 295
3. Illinois-Chicago (1) – 280
4. Oakland (1) – 229
5. Green Bay – 207
6. Youngstown State – 186
7. Milwaukee – 146
8. Detroit Mercy – 133
9. IUPUI – 92
10. Cleveland State (1) – 62

Preseason Player of the Year
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy

First Team
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Jalen Tate, Northern Kentucky
Xavier Hill-Mais, Oakland
Tarkus Ferguson, UIC
Loudon Love, Wright State

Second Team
JayQuan McCloud, Green Bay
Tyler Sharpe, Northern Kentucky
Marcus Ottey, UIC
Bill Wampler, Wright State
Darius Quisenberry, Youngstown State

(Information compiled from the Horizon League, NKU Athletics Communications and staff reports)