The Butler Bulldogs have been the dominant team in the Horizon League for years, but the Cleveland State Vikings have the upper hand this year, and can help end their run Friday night with a win in Indianapolis at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Cleveland State gets a rare national television audience againast Butler, as the game will be carried on ESPNU with a 7 p.m. tipoff. Cleveland State shares the Horizon League lead with Youngstown State and Milwaukee, as each team has only one league loss. Butler is only a game back at 3-2, making this a crucial game for both teams.
The other major game of the weekend comes on Sunday as Ohio State hosts Indiana in a critical Big Ten game. The Hoosiers already have one win over the Buckeyes, and both teams come in at 3-2 in the Big Ten, two games behind Michigan State for the league lead. Each team lost their mid-week game, so the loser will also have a two-game losing streak to deal with in addition to falling back in the Big Ten race.
For more on the Ohio State Buckeyes, check out Along The Olentangy. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NCAA Basketball hub at SBNation.com/NCAA-Basketball.