The 2012 Horizon League basketball tournament begins on Tuesday with four matchups on campus sites. These four matchups serve as the precursor to the main part of the tournament, which will be held this weekend at Valparaiso and next Tuesday at the highest remaining seed.
The schedule for the four first-round matchups in the Horizon League tournament is as follows (all times Eastern):
Tuesday, Feb. 28 (campus sites)
Game 1: No. 10 Loyola at No. 3 Detroit (7 p.m.)
Game 2: No. 7 Green Bay at No. 6 Youngstown State (7:05 p.m.)
Game 3: No. 9 UIC at No. 4 Milwaukee (8 p.m.)
Game 4: No. 8 Wright State at No. 5 Butler (7 p.m.)
The four winners will advance to the main part of the Horizon League tournament on Friday. That day, there are two games set to take place.
Friday, March 2 (Valparaiso)
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner (6 p.m., Horizon League Network, ESPN3)
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner (8:30 p.m., Horizon League Network, ESPN3)
Valparaiso, the top overall seed, and Cleveland State, the second overall seed, are waiting for the winners of the two games on Friday. By finishing as the top two seeds, they have double-byes and get to begin the Horizon League tournament in the semifinals, which are set to take place on Saturday.
Saturday, March 3 (Valparaiso)
Game 7: Game 5 winner vs. No. 2 Cleveland State (6 p.m., ESPN3, tape-delayed on ESPNU at 10:30 p.m.)
Game 8: Game 6 winner vs. No. 1 Valparaiso (8:30 p.m., ESPNU)
The winners of these two games will advance to the Horizon League tournament championship, which won't be played until a week from Tuesday. It will be hosted by the highest remaining seed.
Tuesday, March 6 (highest remaining seed)
Game 9: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner (TBD)
CBS Sports has a look at the full bracket for the tournament.
For more, check out SB Nation's college basketball hub.