2025 Barbasol Horizon League Men and Women’s Basketball Championships

Here is the schedule and stories for Monday, March 10, 2025, and Tuesday, March 11, 2025

2025 Barbasol Horizon League Women’s Conference Championship Semifinals

Game One:

Green Bay 67 Robert Morris 53

Phoenix rise in 2nd half to eclipse Colonials

story by: Steven Stremming/Excel H Sports/USBWA

photos by: Greg Flint/Excel H Sports

Like the legendary bird, the Phoenix rose, that would be the Green Bay Phoenix women’s team as they overcame a first quarter deficit to the Colonials of Robert Morris.

Green Bay entered the first semifinal game suffering only one setback in Horizon League play but ran into an inspired Colonial team from Robert Morris.

The Colonials took a first quarter lead 17 to 12 behind a combination of Jada Lee, Isys Grady and off the pines, Danielle Vuletich.

Once the Phoenix settled down, they showed why they are the favorite to land a berth in the NCAA D1 tournament.

Behind the duo of Natalie McNeal and Maddy Schreiber’s 23 points the Phoenix took a 33-to-22-point lead at the first half break at the Barbasol Horizon League game.

The Colonials fought back with a solid third quarter, in fact, outscoring the Phoenix 13 to ten. Key to the third quarter success was the resurgence of Mya Murray.

The fourth quarter, with a 43 to 35 Phoenix lead, the team showed why they are 29 and five over-all and finished 19 and one in the Horizon League as they pulled away and moved on to the 2025 Barbasol Horizon League Championship Monday night at Corteva Fieldhouse on ESPN.

Leading the Phoenix Natalie McNeal 20 points on five of fifteen shots, 10 of 10 at the free throw line and 12 rebounds.

Adding to the Green Bay win were Maddy Schreiber’s 16 on six of eleven from the field, Jasmine Kondrakiewicz’s 14 on six of ten from the field and Bailey Butler’s 12 points and six rebounds.

Robert Morris was led by Isys Grady’s 13, Mya Murray and Jada Lee with twelve each.

Green Bay shot 39.6% percent from the floor, four of eleven from behind the arc 36.4%, 21 of 22 from the charity stripe for 95.5%, 34 rebounds, 14 assists and 13 turnovers.

Robert Morris shot 35.6% on 21 of 59 from the field, 27.3% percent from behind the arc, 34 rebounds, 12 assists and 17 turnovers.

The following rosters are courtesy of ESPN

Green Bay Phoenix Women’s College Basketball Roster – ESPN

Robert Morris Colonials Women’s College Basketball Roster – ESPN

Game Two:

Purdue Fort Wayne 83 Cleveland State 65

story by: Steven Stremming/Excel H Sports/USBWA

photos by: Greg Flint/Excel H Sports

Mastodons Look Sharp Against Cleveland State

In what looked like a fight to the finish Purdue Fort Wayne outscored the Vikings 23 to 17 in the final quarter to claim victory and set up a game against the Green Bay Phoenix, Tuesday, March 11th at Noon.

After a fast paced and high scoring first half (48 to 34 PFW) the game turned into a third quarter heavyweight slugfest as Cleveland State and PFW scored 25 points in total heading into the final quarter.

The final stanza opened with back-to-back three-pointers from Mastodons’ Ameilia Bromenschenkel and Sydney Freeman to give the PFW team a little breathing room, up 66 to 48.

From there the game was PFW’s to lose and they did not.

This sets up a game Tuesday, March 11th at Noon against the top seeded Green Bay Phoenix for an automatic bid into the NCAA D1 tournament.

Ameilia Bromenschenkel led PFW with a brilliant effort as she hit on ten of sixteen shots from the field to lead the way with 23 points.

Lauren Ross was good on six of ten from long range and six of thirteen from the field for the game. Ross also assisted on five Mastodon made shots and handed out three assists.

Audra Emmerson added 14 points and handed out six assists in the win.

Sydney Freeman scored eleven points, Jazzlyn Linbo ten and Sydney Graber added six.

Mickayla Perdue had a night scoring 33 points on ten of twenty-six from the field, six of thirteen from behind the three-point line, seven of eight from the free throw line and six assists.

Destiny Leo was the other lone Viking in double scoring column with eleven.

PFW shot 52.4% percent from the floor on 33 of 63 shots, 53.6% percent from behind the arc, two of three from the line while recording 32 rebounds and a whopping 26 assists on those thirty-three made shots and turned the ball over only ten times.

The following rosters are courtesy of ESPN

Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Women’s College Basketball Roster – ESPN

Cleveland State Vikings Women’s College Basketball Roster – ESPN

2025 Barbasol Horizon League Men’s Conference Championship Semifinals

Game One: 

Robert Morris 79 Oakland 76

story by: Nick Jenkinson, Excel H Sports

photos by: Greg Flint, Excel H Sports

Top Seed Robert Morris Needs Overtime to Advance 

     The #1 Seed Robert Morris Colonials needed an extra five minutes on Monday Night to hold off the #6 Oakland Golden Grizzlies 79-76 in the Barbasol  Horzion League Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis. Robert Morris is 25-8 overall and advances to the Championship Game Tuesday Night at 7 PM.

     Oakland ends their season at 16-18. Robert Morris is looking for its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2015. The Colonials did win their conference tournament in 2020 and received a bid to the NCAA Tournament but that was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

      Kam Woods led the way with 23 points as Robert Morris put five in double figures. Alvaro Folguerias scored 12 points and DJ Smith scored 11 points. Josh Omojaro and Ismael Plet added 10 points apiece. Robert Morris went 28-64 from the field for 43%, 10-25 from three-point range for 40% and 13-18 from the free throw line for 72%.

    The Colonials pulled down 34 rebounds, dished out 21 assists, 7 blocks, 4 steals and committed 14 turnovers.

    Allen Mukeba led Oakland with 18 points as the Golden Grizzlies put four in double figures. Tuburu Naivaluara scored 13 points, Malcolm Christie added 12 points and DQ Cole scored 11 points.

The following rosters are courtesy of ESPN

Robert Morris Colonials Men’s College Basketball Roster – ESPN

Oakland Golden Grizzlies Men’s College Basketball Roster – ESPN

Game Two:

Youngstown State 56 Cleveland State 54

story by: Nick Jenkinson, Excel H Sports

photos by: Greg Flint, Excel H Sports

Youngstown State rallies to advance to the Horzion League Championship 

     The #4 Youngstown State Penguins knocked off the #2 Cleveland State Vikings 56-54 Monday Night in the Semifinals of the Barbasol Horzion League Tournament at the Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis.

     Youngstown State is 21-12 and advances to the championship game Tuesday Night at 7 PM to face the #1 Seed Robert Morris Colonials. Youngstown State has never made the Division I NCAA Tournament all their nine of their postseason appearances came in Division II with the last one coming in 1977. Cleveland State drops to 21-12.

      Youngstown State led 22-21 at halftime and outscored the Vikings 34-33 in the second half. Tevin Smith hit two free throws to put Cleveland State by two points with 1:08 to go at 54-52. Ty Harper drilled a three pointer with 44 seconds left to give Youngstown State a one-point lead 55-54. Harper made a free throw with 43 seconds left to give the Penguins the two point lead with 43 seconds left.

     Youngstown State missed two free throws with 27 seconds left as Cleveland State had chance to win the game as Tevin Smith missed two shots and Nico Galette stole the ball from Smith with two seconds left to give Youngstown State the victory.

      Siem Uijtendall led Youngstown State with 13 points as Nico Galette pulled down 12 rebounds and had 9 points. The Penguins were 18-50 from the field for 36%, 8-25 from three-point range for 32% and 12-23 from the free throw line for 52%. Youngstown State pulled down 34 rebounds, dished out 11 assists, 10 steals, 4 blocks and committed 12 turnovers.

  Tevin Smith scored 14 points to lead Cleveland State.

The following rosters are courtesy of ESPN

Cleveland State Vikings Men’s College Basketball Roster – ESPN

Youngstown State Penguins Men’s College Basketball Roster – ESPN