Horizon League announces formula to seed teams for tournament

Semifinals and finals of men’s, women’s events set for March 8, 9 in Indianapolis
Wright State's Jada Roberson (3) against Oakland earlier this season at the Nutter Center. Joseph Craven/Wright State Athletics

Wright State's Jada Roberson (3) against Oakland earlier this season at the Nutter Center. Joseph Craven/Wright State Athletics

The Horizon League announced on Thursday the brackets for the 2021 Horizon League Basketball Championships.

All men’s and women’s teams will compete in this year’s tournament. The top four men’s and women’s teams will advance to Indiana Farmers Coliseum on March 8 for the semifinals. The championship games are set for March. 9.

In the men’s bracket, the top four teams teams in the regular season will earn a bye into the quarterfinals and a home game on March 2. Teams finishing fifth through 12th will face off in the first round at campus sites on Feb. 25.

In the women’s bracket, the top five seeds will receive a bye to the quarterfinals and seeds six through 11 will play first-round games on Feb. 25.

Every game of both tournaments will be carried on ESPN networks.

Due to the unbalanced league schedule this season due to COVID-19, teams will be seeded using a formula that considers four factors: league winning percentage, strength of schedule, road wins vs. home wins and number of league games played.

The HL will provide weekly updates on seeding and announce the final seeding after the end of the regular season on Feb. 20.

First-round and quarterfinal games will be played without fans at campus sites. The league board of directors will determination on fan attendance for the semifinals and championship games in Indianapolis in late February.

The Wright State men (11-4 overall, 9-3 HL) host Robert Morris at the Nutter Center for a pair of games this weekend -- 9 p.m. Friday (ESPNU) and Saturday at 5 p.m. (ESPN+).

The WSU women (9-5 overall, 9-3 HL) travel to Purdue Fort Wayne for games Friday (3:30 p.m.) and Saturday (2 p.m.). Both games will be on ESPN3.

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