The Horizon League men's basketball conference tournament is held annually at the end of the men's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1980. The winner of the tournament is designated the Horizon League tournament champion and receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The finals of the tournament are typically among the first held before the field for the NCAA tournament is announced.
History and tournament format Through 2002, the entire tournament was hosted at a single venue. From 2003 through 2015, all first-round matches were played at the home court of the higher-seeded team involved. Hosting rights for the quarterfinals and semifinals were awarded to the winner of the regular season championship. The championship game was played at the home arena of the higher remaining seed. This format rewarded the regular-season champion and runner-up with a double-bye into the semifinals. The regular-season champion received the added benefit of home-court advantage in the semifinals, plus a home-court final if it won its semifinal.
Beginning in 2009, the Horizon League secured an entitlement sponsorship of its men's and women's basketball tournaments with Speedway SuperAmerica, a major gas and convenience store chain throughout the midwest United States, officially changing the name of the tournaments to "The Speedway Horizon League Men's/Women's Basketball Championship".
From 2016 to 2019, the Horizon League tournament was held in Detroit under a five-year deal, beginning at Joe Louis Arena, adding the women's tournament in 2017 (with both events marketed under the title Motor City Madness), and moving to the newly opened Little Caesars Arena beginning in 2018.
However, the contract with Detroit was ended a year early; the league reopened bidding for the men's and women's tournaments in 2018, with the new contract taking effect with the 2019–20 season. On January 25, 2019, the conference announced that Indianapolis would host the men's and women's semifinals and final from 2020 to 2022, with Indiana Farmers Coliseum, now known as Corteva Coliseum, as the venue. In 2022, the deal was extended through 2026.
On August 20, 2025, the Horizon League announced a new format for the 2026 tournament. Instead of a traditional eleven-team single elimination bracket, the new format included reseeding after each round. The event started on campus sites with a play-in round for the bottom two teams (by conference record), followed by a ten-team first round. The five remaining teams then advanced to the final three rounds held at Corteva Coliseum. The bottom two teams by seeding played in the second round, while the other three teams were forwarded into the semifinals, with those winners advancing to the final.
On March 12, 2026, the Horizon League announced that the men's and women's tournaments would move their final three rounds to Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile in Noblesville, Indiana, beginning in 2027, with the contract extending through 2031.
Horizon League Tournament results 1980 2 103–93 1 , Oral Roberts Roberts Municipal Stadium – Evansville, IN 1981 Oklahoma City 2 82–76 1 , Xavier Opening round: campus locationsSemifinals: Frederickson Fieldhouse – Oklahoma City, OKChampionship: Riverfront Coliseum – Cincinnati, OH 1982 Evansville 1 81–72 3 , Evansville Mabee Center – Tulsa, OK 1983 Xavier 2 82–76 1 , Loyola Roberts Municipal Stadium – Evansville, IN 1984 1 82–76 3 , Oral Roberts UIC Pavilion – Chicago, IL 1985 Loyola 1 89–83 3 , Loyola Mabee Center – Tulsa, OK 1986 Xavier 1 74–66 2, Xavier Market Square Arena – Indianapolis, IN 1987 Xavier 3 81–69 4 1988 Xavier 1 122–96 Detroit Mercy 6 1989 Xavier 3 85–78 Evansville 1 , XavierUniversity of Dayton Arena – Dayton, OH 1990 Dayton 2 98–89 Xavier 1 , Dayton 1991 Xavier 1 81–68 3 , Xavier 1992 Evansville 2 95–76 3, Evansville Riverfront Coliseum – Cincinnati, OH 1993 Evansville 2 80–69 Xavier 1 Market Square Arena – Indianapolis, IN 1994 Detroit Mercy 4 72–63 2 , Evansville Hinkle Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN 1995 Green Bay 3 73–59 Wright State 8 , Green BayNutter Center – Dayton, OH 1996 Northern Illinois 3 84–63 Detroit Mercy 5 , Northern Illinois 1997 Butler 1 69–68 UIC 3 , Butler 1998 Butler 3 70–51 Green Bay 4 , Butler Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena – Green Bay, WI 1999 Detroit Mercy 1 72–65 2 , DetroitUIC Pavilion – Chicago, IL 2000 Butler 1 62–43 Detroit Mercy 3 , Butler 2001 Butler 1 53–38 Detroit Mercy 2 , Butler Nutter Center – Dayton, OH 2002 UIC 6 76–75 (OT) Loyola 5 , UIC CSU Convocation Center – Cleveland, OH 2003 Milwaukee 2 69–52 Butler 1 , Milwaukee Opening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals onwards: U.S. Cellular Arena – Milwaukee, WI 2004 UIC 2 65–62 Milwaukee 1 , UIC Opening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals, Semifinals: Hinkle Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, INChampionship: U.S. Cellular Arena – Milwaukee, WI 2005 Milwaukee 1 59–58 Detroit Mercy 3 , MilwaukeeOpening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals onwards: U.S. Cellular Arena – Milwaukee, WI 2006 Milwaukee 1 87–71 Butler 2 , Milwaukee 2007 Wright State 1 60–55 Butler 2 , Wright State Opening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals onwards: Nutter Center – Dayton, OH 2008 Butler 1 70–55 Cleveland State 2 , ButlerOpening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals onwards: Hinkle Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN 2009 Cleveland State 3 57–54 Butler 1 , Cleveland State 2010 Butler 1 70–45 Wright State 2, Butler 2011 Butler 2 59–44 Milwaukee 1 Opening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals onwards: U.S. Cellular Arena – Milwaukee, WI 2012 Detroit Mercy 3 70–50 Valparaiso 1 , DetroitOpening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals onwards: Athletics–Recreation Center – Valparaiso, IN 2013 Valparaiso 1 62–54 Wright State 3 , Valparaiso 2014 Milwaukee 5 69–63 Wright State 3 , Milwaukee Opening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals, Semifinals: Resch Center – Green Bay, WIChampionship: Nutter Center – Dayton, OH 2015 Valparaiso 1 54–44 Green Bay 2 , Valparaiso Opening round: campus locationsQuarterfinals onwards: Athletics–Recreation Center – Valparaiso, IN 2016 Green Bay 4 78–69 Wright State 3 , Green BayJoe Louis Arena – Detroit, MI 2017 Northern Kentucky 4 59–53 Milwaukee 10 , Northern Kentucky 2018 Wright State 2 74–57 Cleveland State 8 , Wright State Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI 2019 Northern Kentucky 2 77–66 Wright State 1 , Northern Kentucky Opening round: campus locationsSemifinals, Championship: Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI 2020 Northern Kentucky 2 71–62 UIC 4 , Northern Kentucky Opening round: campus locationsSemifinals, Championship: Indiana Farmers Coliseum/Corteva Coliseum – Indianapolis, IN 2021 Cleveland State 1 80–69 Oakland 3 , Cleveland State 2022 Wright State 4 72–71 Northern Kentucky 3 , Wright State 2023 Northern Kentucky 4 63–61 Cleveland State 3 , Northern Kentucky 2024 Oakland 1 83–76 Milwaukee 6 , Oakland 2025 Robert Morris 1 89–78 Youngstown State 4 , Robert Morris2026 Wright State 1 66–63 Detroit Mercy 3 , Wright StatePlay-in and first round: campus locationsSecond round onwards: Corteva Coliseum – Indianapolis, IN 2027 First round: campus locationsSecond round onwards: Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile – Noblesville, IN
Horizon League tournament champions Butler 7 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011 Xavier 6 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991 Milwaukee 4 2003, 2005, 2006, 2014 Northern Kentucky 4 2017, 2019, 2020, 2023 Wright State 4 2007, 2018, 2022, 2026 Evansville 3 1982, 1992, 1993 Detroit Mercy 3 1994, 1999, 2012 Oral Roberts 2 1980, 1984 UIC 2 2002, 2004 Valparaiso 2 2013, 2015 Green Bay 2 1995, 2016 Cleveland State 2 2009, 2021 Oklahoma City 1 1981 Loyola Chicago 1 1985 Dayton 1 1990 Northern Illinois 1 1996 Oakland 1 2024 Robert Morris 1 2025 Duquesne 0 IU Indy 0 La Salle 0 Marquette 0 Purdue Fort Wayne 0 Saint Louis 0 Youngstown State 0
Notes Current conference members in bold. Future conference member in italics.
Horizon League Tournament all-time standings Current members Through 2026 tournament finals
School Record WinningPercentage Championships Detroit 40–42 3 Wright State 33–28 4 Green Bay 25–30 2 Milwaukee 29–25 4 Northern Illinois 5–2 1 Cleveland State 25–28 2 Northern Kentucky 18–7 4 Oakland 12–12 1 Youngstown State 11–25 0 Purdue Fort Wayne 3–6 0 Robert Morris 6–5 1 IU Indy 0–9 0
Former members School Record WinningPercentage Championships Butler 31–26 7 Loyola 25–34 1 Xavier 24–10 6 UIC 24–26 2 Evansville 15–12 3 Valparaiso 10–8 2 Oral Roberts 7–6 2 Saint Louis 7–8 0 Dayton 5–4 1 Oklahoma City 5–4 1 Duquesne 1–1 0 Marquette 0–2 0 La Salle 0–3 0
Postseason appearances Horizon League members past and present have made several Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final Four appearances. Charter member Loyola also won the 1963 NCAA tournament.
Current tournaments SeasonNCAA TournamentNational Invitation TournamentCollege Basketball InvitationalTeam (seed)FinishTeam (seed)FinishTeam (seed)Finish1980 LoyolaFirst round Tournamentnotheld1981 1982Evansville (10)First roundOral RobertsFirst round1983Xavier (12)Preliminary round1984Oral Roberts (11)First roundXavierQuarterfinals1985Loyola (4)Sweet 16ButlerFirst round1986Xavier (12)First round1987Xavier (13)Second roundSt. LouisSecond round1988Xavier (11)First roundEvansvilleFirst round1989Evansville (11)Second roundSt. LouisRunner-UpXavier (14)Second round1990Xavier (6)Sweet 16St. LouisRunner-UpDayton (12)Second roundMarquetteFirst round1991Xavier (14)Second roundButlerFirst round1992Evansville (8)First roundButlerFirst round1993Xavier (9)Second roundEvansville (14)First round1994 XavierQuarterfinalsEvansvilleFirst round1995Green Bay (14)First roundXavier (11)First round1996Green Bay (8)First roundNorthern Illinois (14)First round1997Butler (14)First round1998UIC (9)First roundDetroit (10)Second roundButler (13)First round1999Detroit (12)First roundButlerQuarterfinals2000Butler (12)First round2001Butler (10)First roundDetroitSemifinals2002UIC (15)First roundButlerSecond roundDetroitFirst round2003Butler (12)Sweet 16UICFirst roundMilwaukee (12)First round2004UIC (13)First roundMilwaukeeFirst round2005Milwaukee (12)Sweet 162006Milwaukee (11)Second roundButler (8)First round2007Butler (5)Sweet 16Wright State (14)First round2008Butler (7) Second roundCleveland State (6) First roundValparaiso (4)Second round2009Butler (9) First round Green Bay (2)First roundCleveland State (13)Second round2010 Butler (5) Nat'l Runner-Up Green Bay (3)Second round2011Butler (8) Nat'l Runner-UpCleveland State (2)Second round Milwaukee (5)First round2012 Detroit (15) First round Cleveland State (6) First round Butler SemifinalsValparaiso (7)First roundMilwaukeeFirst round2013Valparaiso (14)First roundDetroit (6) First roundWright State Semifinals2014 Milwaukee (15)First round Green Bay (4)First round2015 Valparaiso (13) First round Green Bay (5) First round2016 Green Bay (14) First round Valparaiso (1) Runner-Up2017 Northern Kentucky (15) First round Oakland (7)Second round Green BayFirst roundValparaiso (7)First roundUICFirst round2018 Wright State (13) First round Northern Kentucky (7) First round 2019 Northern Kentucky (14) First round Wright State (7) First round 2020 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021 Cleveland State (15) First round 2022Wright State (16)First roundCleveland State (7)First roundPurdue Fort Wayne (16)First round2023Northern Kentucky (16)First roundYoungstown State (8)First roundCleveland State (9)First roundMilwaukee (11)Quarterfinals2024Oakland (14)Second roundCleveland State (9)Quarterfinals2025Robert Morris (15)First roundCleveland StateRunner-up2026Wright State (14)First round
Defunct tournaments