After claiming a share of the Horizon League regular season title for the first time since 2006-07 last season and advancing to its second-straight tournament championship game, Wright State has been voted the preseason favorite to capture the 2019-20 Horizon League men’s basketball championship. Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis was tabbed the Preseason Player of the Year in voting by the League’s coaches, media and sports information directors. UW-Green Bay was picked to finish fifth in the balloting with the Phoenix’ JayQuan McCloud named to the pre-season all league second team.
Davis was named the Preseason Player of the Year coming off one of the best seasons by a first-year player in League history and claiming the HL’s Freshman of the Year honor. He broke the Horizon League’s freshman scoring record and was the first HL freshman to record over 700 points as he averaged 26.1 points per game, good for third in the country. Davis also broke Stephen Curry’s NCAA record for most 3-pointers in a season by a freshman, finishing with 128 triples. He ended the season first in Horizon League games in points at 26.0 per game and also first in 3-pointers per game at 4.0. Davis also became the first Horizon League freshman to earn a spot on the All-Horizon League First Team since Gordon Heyward of Butler in 2008-09.
Wright State captured 28 first-place votes to finish with 350 total points to claim first place in the poll for the second-straight season. WSU is led by Preseason All-League First Team selection Loudon Love, who averaged 15.1 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game last season, and Preseason All-League Second Team selection Bill Wampler, who finished last season averaging 15.0 points and over two 3-pointers per game.
2019-20 #HLMBB Preseason Poll ResultsPl. School (1st-place) – Votes1. Wright State (28) – 3502. Northern Kentucky (5) – 2953. UIC (1) – 2804. Oakland (1) – 2295. Green Bay – 2076. Youngstown State – 1867. Milwaukee – 1468. Detroit Mercy – 1339. IUPUI – 9210. Cleveland State (1) – 62
Preseason Player of the YearAntoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Preseason All-Horizon League First Team (alphabetical order by school)Antoine Davis, Detroit MercyJalen Tate, Northern KentuckyXavier Hill-Mais, OaklandTarkus Ferguson, UICLoudon Love, Wright State
Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team (alphabetical order by school)JayQuan McCloud, Green BayTyler Sharpe, Northern KentuckyMarcus Ottey, UICBill Wampler, Wright StateDarius Quisenberry, Youngstown State
