Ohio Valley Conference Preview
Sports writers, coaches and players can spend all the time in the world wondering who will be number one in the OVC by the end of the season, but the regular season hardly matters as much in a mid-major conference. Take the Austin Peay Governors, for example. The Govs stormed through the regular season undefeated, 16-0, and they still could not get an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament after falling to the Murray State Racers 66-60 in the OVC Championship. Where a team finishes in the regular season does have bearing as to the seed a team receives, but the OVC has not been awarded an at-large bid into the NCAA’s since Middle Tennessee State won the regular season title and lost in the tournament in 1987.
Teams in the conference are trying to boost their basketball programs by bringing in highly-regarded freshmen as well as numerous top junior college players. Eastern Kentucky finished last year’s OVC season in fourth place, which was their highest finish since the 1993-94 season when they also finished fourth. EKU stepped up their recruiting efforts in this year’s offseason and landed what HoopScoop.com rated their 31st best class in the nation. With a few returning starters and a recruiting class that has four junior college transfers and one freshman, look for the Colonels to finish higher that last season.
Morehead State will take the largest fall in the conference standings after seniors Ricky Minard and Chez Marks graduated. Minard and Marks were the Morehead State Eagles and without them it will be a long couple of years of rebuilding. The Austin Peay Governors will be far from perfection after losing five seniors and several key starters. However, head coach Dave Loos always has his team prepared to battle. It would not be a surprise to see this team in the top three at the end of the season, but a top five finish should be more likely.
The team everyone should be chasing this year at the top of the conference will be the Murray State Racers. Despite losing nine seniors the Racers reloaded with two transfers that sat out the 2003-04 season and seven recruits. The two transfers, Keith Jenifer and Trey Pearson both started at guards for the University of Virginia and Ole Miss two years ago. The Racers are explosive at the guard position, but their biggest concern will be inside scoring and rebounding. With at least nine guys that will get plenty of playing time, head coach Mick Cronin will employ the press he used last year more often.
Pre-Season All-OVC First Team
Willie Jenkins (Sr., Forward, Tennessee Tech)
Bruce Price (So., Guard, Tennessee State)
Matt Witt (Jr., Guard, Eastern Kentucky)
Jared Newson (Jr., Forward, Tennessee-Martin)
Anthony Davis (Sr., Guard, Austin Peay)
Pre-Season All-OVC Honorable Mentions
Roshaun Bowens (Sr., Forward, Tennessee State)
Adam Chiles (Sr., Guard, Murray State)
Josh Gomes (Jr., Guard, Eastern Illinois)
Derek Winans (Sr., Guard, Southeast Missouri State)
Pre-Season OVC Player of the Year
Willie Jenkins (Sr., Forward, Tennessee Tech)
Pre-Season OVC Freshman of the Year
Bryan Robinson (Forward, Morehead State)
Pre-Season OVC Newcomer of the Year
Trey Pearson (So., Guard, Murray State)
Pre-Season OVC Defensive Player of the Year
Walker Russell (Jr., Guard, Jacksonville State)
1. Murray State Racers (28-6, 14-2, 2nd)
Projected Starting Lineup
Trey Pearson, G, (6-2, So.)
Adam Chiles, G, (6-0, Sr.)
Shawn Witherspoon, F, (6-5, So.)
Issian Redding, F, (6-6, Jr.)
Pearson Griffith, C, (6-9, Sr.)
The Murray State Racers have been used to the top spot in the Ohio Valley Conference with its 19 conference championships, the most in league history. This year should offer more of the same as head coach Mick Cronin reloaded his squad for a run at the team’s first regular season title since 2000.
Although nine seniors graduated from last year, Cronin had several transfers waiting in the wings and a strong freshman class to pick up the slack. Among those seniors who departed was the conference player of the year last season, Cuthbert Victor. Victor was a reliable man in the inside that provided the Racers with an inside scoring threat and the best rebounder in the conference (10.2 rpg.). That inside presence could be sorely missed as Cronin will call on junior college transfer Pearson Griffith to rebound, block shots and score in the interior.
Two guards, Trey Pearson and Keith Jenifer, transfers from major conferences will also get the bulk of the playing time at their respective positions. They join the only senior on the roster, Adam Chiles, as a trio that could run circles around some conference foes. Cronin likes a fast-paced style and a three-guard lineup is not out of the question.
Cronin inked three freshmen in the offseason and thus far he has raved about LaSalle (Cincinnati) High School product Justin Orr. Orr has shown his team power and finesse at the forward position, and he could see a number of minutes even as a freshman.
With the debacle of last season’s arrests of two Murray State players, including Adam Chiles, the Racers are looking to Chiles for guidance as the senior on the team. In a recent article about Chiles, he talked about how he is completely focused for this season, and he will not be letting his past get in his way. Cronin, the team and the university do not need another black mark on the program this season.
Murray State is fully equipped to run away with the OVC regular season title as long as players stay out of trouble and leadership is found in Chiles. With a team that will go nine or 10 deep, Cronin will have the leisure to run teams to death with his pressing defense. The Racers should be standing on top of the conference with its 20th championship and the No. 1 seed in the OVC Tournament come March 1.
2. Eastern Kentucky Colonels (14-15, 8-8, 4th)
Projected Starting Lineup
Matt Witt, G, (6-0, 180, Jr.)
Ben Rushing, G, (5-11, 175, Sr.)
Michael Haney, F, (6-6, 221, Sr.)
Julian Mascoll, F, (6-5, 200, So.)
Mamadou Diakhate, F, (6-4, 220, So.)
After finishing eighth in the conference in the 2002-03 season, the Colonels made strides to finish fourth last season at 8-8. Head Coach Travis Ford was brought in five years ago to rebuild an Eastern Kentucky basketball team that was used to finishing in the lower tier of the OVC almost every season. Ford has succeeded thus far, and he will top last season’s fourth place finish.
The Colonels lost the team’s bruiser in the middle Jon Bentley to graduation and Ford will have a tough time replacing Bentley’s 13.4 points per game on 63 percent shooting. However, the Colonels will look to guard play to carry them towards the top of the OVC. Junior guard Matt Witt was named a preseason first team All-OVC member after he notched 15.6 points per contest and 5.5 assists per game. Witt trailed only Jacksonville State’s Walker Russell on the assist leaderboard. Even though EKU does not have much size the OVC usually is not a big-man’s conference, and that will help them through the season.
Five newcomers were signed by the Colonels, but the player who should have the most impact will be transfer Zach Ingles. Ingles rolled though last season with Pasco-Hernando Junior College in New Port Richie, where he averaged 25.5 points per game. Ingles could be in the starting lineup early into the season if not the beginning. His departure from junior college also helped Eastern Kentucky earn the 31st ranked recruiting class according to TheHoopScoop.com. Ingles joins four other junior college players to sign with Eastern Kentucky this season.
A challenging non-conference schedule that features Dayton, Florida and Louisville will test the Colonels and get them ready for the rigorous OVC season. The hardest battle will come when they start off conference play with four games on the road including games at Austin Peay, Murray State and Tennessee Tech. If the Colonels survive that road swing, they should be in prime position for a top three finish in the regular season.
3. Tennessee State Tigers (7-21, 6-10, 8th)
Projected Starting Lineup
Bruce Price, G, (6-3, 205, So.)
Wayne Arnold, G, (6-4, 190, Jr.)
Roshaun Bowens, F, (6-6, 190, Sr.)
Jeremy Jackson, F, (6-7, 200, Sr.)
Rod Flowers, C, (6-9, 240, Sr.)
Talk about a turnaround. Head Coach Cy Alexander in only his second year at Tennessee State has turned the Tigers program into one that could be making some noise this season. The Tigers won no conference games in 2002-03, which prompted the hiring of Alexander. In his first season, Tennessee State finished in eight place with a 6-10 conference record.
Two men responsible for that turnaround will be returning to the lineup once again, sophomore guard Bruce Price and senior forward Roshaun Bowens. Price was the OVC Freshman of the Year last season as he finished third in the league in scoring with 17.6 points per game. Bowens was not far behind Price as he finished fifth in scoring with 16.9 ppg. Price will be a major candidate for player of the year status, and a monster season or an injury to Tennessee Tech’s Willie Jenkins will result in him winning the award easily. The pair are as good as any, if not the best inside-out tandem in the league. They not only can shoot, but Price can dish the rock (4.0 apg.) and Bowens can clean up the glass (6.7 rpg.).
Part of the reason for Alexander’s success in such a short amount of time has been his recruiting. He signed five players this season including two junior college players. Junior guard Wayne Arnold will be a solid compliment to Price at the guard slots. Arnold is a former “Mr. Georgia Basketball,” and he played at the University of Georgia his freshman season. He then went to Los Angeles City College where he averaged 13 points per game. The junior will have his hands full trying to replace Garrett Richardson who led the Tigers in assists and the conference in steals with 2.3 per game.
This Tiger basketball team could be their best in a very long time. They have two potential first team All-OVC players that will handle the share of the scoring. These two could be compared to Morehead State’s Ricky Minard and Chez Marks last season, but unlike the Eagles the Tigers will have other guys that will be able to score some points. Tennessee State will be a hard team to beat in the OVC, and they should give fans a show each time they take the court.
4. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (13-15, 7-9, 6th)
Projected Starting Lineup
Keyon Boyd, G, (6-4, Jr.)
Milone Clark, G, (6-4, Jr.)
Willie Jenkins, F, (6-6, Sr.)
Ben Jacobson, F, (6-7, Sr.)
Derek Stribling, F, (6-6, Jr.)
Tennessee Tech has established itself in the past five years as a program always in the upper echelon of the conference, and this season they will have the preseason OVC Player of the Year to help carry on that tradition.
Senior forward Willie Jenkins will be the man at Tennessee Tech everyone will be watching after a spectacular introductory year to the OVC ending with him winning the Newcomer of the Year award. Jenkins averaged 19.5 points per contest and 7.2 rebounds per game, which was good enough for second and fifth in the league, respectively. Jenkins strong frame allowed him to manhandle post defenders in the league, and he should be able to dominate once again.
This time around Jenkins will not have Cameron Crisp at the guard position to rely on for outside scoring. Crisp was the Golden Eagles second leading scorer last season and seventh in the league with 15.4 per game. The two guard players will have ample experience as Milone Clark and Keyon Boyd both averaged 25 minutes a game and 10 points a game. Head Coach Mike Sutton will be able to breathe easy and hand over his offense to two players who know what is going on from the start.
After the starters, Sutton only has two upperclassmen available and the other six players are freshman. This could be a factor if players begin to get into foul trouble early in games. Sutton will have to use a couple new faces when this happens, and teams never know what they are going to get with freshmen.
Sutton also made a coaching move in the offseason by bringing in Saul Smith as an assistant coach. Saul played for his father Tubby at the University of Kentucky and won a national championship in 1998 while he started as a point guard. Sutton was an assistant coach on that Wildcat squad.
The Golden Eagles will improve on last season’s finish with a good starting lineup and potentially the league’s best player. However, the bench could be a concern, and I do not think Saul Smith has any eligibility remaining. It will be very tough for Tennessee Tech to crack the top three this season, but they should be able to open up the conference tournament with a home game.
5. Austin Peay Governors (22-10, 16-0, 1st)
Projected Starting Lineup
Anthony Davis, G, (6-3, 205, Sr.)
Maurice Hampton, G, (6-2, 180, Jr.)
Zac Schlader, F, (6-9, 235, Jr.)
Fernandez Lockett, F, (6-5, 205, So.)
Kareem Matthews, C, (6-10, 235, Jr.)
Last season was a tough one for Governor fans to take after watching their team run the table in the OVC season by going 16-0 only to lose to the Murray State Racers in the finals of the OVC Tournament. They not only lost that game, but they also lost a trip to the Big Dance as their perfect season fell to waste and was not good enough to impress the NCAA selection committee.
A year later the Governors will have lots of work to do even to assure themselves a first round home game in the conference tournament. They will not have to worry about trying to go undefeated because they have just one starter returning from last season’s team.
Senior guard Anthony Davis is that starter and now he has the task of leading a team that has only one other senior who averaged more than 10 minutes last season. Davis was Austin Peay’s second-leading scorer with 12.8 points per game. His play on the defensive end is some of the best in the league and that is key to a defense that allowed 60.5 points a game to the opposition. One thing about this Governor team, they will not be small. With three guys at 6-9 or above this is one of the biggest teams in the OVC.
The Governors lost their best scorer, best rebounder and best blocker, but they will still be expected to compete even in a rebuilding year. Head Coach Dave Loos stayed in Clarksville to land point guard Brandon Burney from Montgomery Central High School. Burney averaged 21.3 points, 5.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds during his senior year.
Loos also signed 7-foot center Tomas Janusauskas from Lithuania. Janusauskas played high school ball for Central Park Christian Academy in Birmingham, Ala. where he averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds a game his senior year.
It is always tough to follow up an incredible season, but Loos and his players returning from last season will have that chip on their shoulder after losing the OVC championship game to the Racers. The rivalry between the two schools has blossomed over the past few years, and it will be tough to tell the guys wearing Austin Peay uniforms that they won’t be able to hang with the Racers this year. Tell them that, and they just might.
6. Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks (10-18, 5-11, 9th)
Projected Starting Lineup
Earl Bullock, G, (6-1, 190, Sr.)
Jeremy Kelly, G, (6-5, 205, Sr.)
Justin Smith, G, (6-3, 190, Jr.)
Jared Newson, F, (6-5, 215, Jr.)
Cleve Woodfork, C, (6-9, 235, Jr.)
Plain and simple, this Skyhawk basketball team could be the biggest surprise of the season. While only at No. 6 in this preseason poll, Head Coach Bret Campbell has a team that has all the potential to make some noise in the OVC.
Going down the list of who played on last season’s Skyhawk team it appears that practically everyone is back to make up for what was an injury-plagued year. Senior guard Earl Bullock returns to action where he missed all but five games during the season. Bullock suffered a knee injury early in the season and was lost early on. In those five games Bullock averaged 10.6 points per game.
Probably the biggest blow to the Skyhawks roster last season was when guard Justin Smith ruptured an Achilles tendon. Smith was the leading scorer for Tennessee-Martin when the injury occurred about midway through the season.
With his two best guards down for the season, Campbell used senior guards Jeremy Kelly and Tyler George in a lot of minutes to make up for the losses. Kelly responded by averaging 13.8 points per game and George averaged 5.2 assists per game. The Skyhawks will be able to use four quality guards in and out of games to wear down opponents, and they will use Jared Newson and Cleve Woodfork in the inside to balance the attack. Newson wound up leading Tennessee-Martin in scoring with 14.4 points per game.
If the injury bug does not bite Tennessee-Martin again they could be in for a terrific season. The Skyhawks have yet to earn the respect of an Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech or Murray State, but this season could be the foundation of starting that reputation through the league. Do not be surprised to see the Skyhawks bolt up into one of the top four slots in the OVC. They are very dangerous when healthy, and that will be the key word for them: healthy.
7. Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (11-16, 4-12, 10th)
Projected Starting Lineup
Derek Winans, G, (6-2, 180, Sr.)
Mike Nelke, G, (6-0, 175, Sr.)
Dainmon Gonner, F, (6-6, 230, Sr.)
Reggie Golson, F, (6-7, 195, Sr.)
Ketshner Guerrier, F, (6-6, 215, Sr.)
Southeast Missouri State has a new mascot, new assistant coaches and Head Coach Gary Garner is hoping that all these changes will spell something good for his basketball team. After finishing a dismal 4-12 in the conference, the newly-named Redhawks will have more of a successful season.
The Redhawks lost center Brandon Griffin to graduation, but that was their only major loss from last season. Junior guard Derek Winans is the spark for this team as he led the team in scoring with 14.5 points per game. Opposing defenses also found out that he shot the house down if he was let open on screens as he buried 42 percent of his threes.
Junior forward Reggie Golson is also looking to have a breakout season as he scored 23.3 points per game over the Labor Day weekend in Canada. For three days, Golson tortured Canadian defenses as he is preparing himself to step into a scorer’s role to make up for Brandon Griffin’s inside presence.
Garner cleaned house and brought in three new assistants for the 2004-05 season. Ronnie Dean, Robert Guster and Toby Lane are the new assistants, and it could be that Garner needed fresh faces to get his kids’ minds clear of what happened last season. Garner also brought in seven new players to his team including five junior college players, one freshman and a transfer, Roy Booker from Montana, who will have to sit out the season due to NCAA regulations. With nine seniors on his roster, Garner had to bring in bodies this year so they could contribute next season.
One thing the Redhawks will not be short on is senior leadership. The middle pack of this OVC race should be an interesting one to follow. With all those seniors there should be no way this team falls out of the top eight and misses an OVC Tournament appearance.
8. Jacksonville State Gamecocks (14-14, 7-9, 5th)
Projected Starting Lineup
Walker Russell, G, (6-0, 170, Jr.)
B.J. Spencer, G, (6-4, 190, Jr.)
John Haynesworth, F, (6-6, 235, Jr.)
Addou Diame, F, (6-9, 235, Jr.)
Carlos Lumpkin, F, (6-6, 230, Jr.)
This Jacksonville State team remains a mystery to a lot of people as Head Coach Mike LaPlante had to bring in seven newcomers to a squad that lost four starters and a total of six lettermen.
The lone returning starter is junior guard Walker Russell who led the Gamecocks in assists with 6.5 per game. Having a seasoned veteran as your ballhandler is key in having a good season, and LaPlante should consider himself lucky that his only returning starter is his point guard.
Trent Eager, Scott Watson and James Denson all averaged double figures in points but will not be returning. Eager and Denson also were the two leading rebounders for the Gamecocks with 6.0 and 5.3 rebounds per game, respectively.
Jacksonville State will feature several junior college transfers that will thrown into the mix right away and be expected to win games. The JUCO players probably will not mind having Russell help break them into the league by dishing them the basketball.
Junior forward Addou Diame is the only other player to average over 10 minutes a game in the 2003-04 season. Diame will need to use his 6-9, 235 pound frame to move defenders around in the lane so that Russell can drive and pass the ball to wide open teammates.
The Gamecocks season will depend on if the newcomers can find their niche in the program. Russell has to be on the court for them to succeed and if he gets injured severely at any point of the season the Gamecocks will be hurting to make the postseason. Russell equals an appearance in the OVC Tournament.
9. Samford Bulldogs (12-16, 7-9, 7th)
Projected Starting Lineup
Jerry Smith, G, (6-1, 170, So.)
Anthony LoPiano, G, (6-1, 179, Jr.)
J. Robert Merritt, F, (6-6, 221, Jr.)
Jon Mills, F, (6-6, 230, Sr.)
Josh Hare, F, (6-6, 225, Sr.)
Samford University had a strong entrance to the OVC last season winning five of their first eight games, but suffered though an ugly exit going 2-6. Head Coach Jimmy Tillette uses a Princeton-style offense with lots of three-balls and backdoor cuts. Teams in the conference were burned early on, but telling by their last eight conference games it seems the league caught on.
The Bulldogs lost their two leading scorers, Phillip Ramelli and Eddie Harper and their leading three-point shooter Tyson Dorsey. This season junior forward J. Robert Merritt will be looked to for scoring and senior forwards Jon Mills and Josh Hare will be looked to for leadership. Merritt shot 40 percent on the season for three-pointers, and it will be no surprise if he launches up about 150 attempts.
Sophomore guard Jerry Smith led the team in assists with 3.4 a game and was fifth in scoring with 5.1 points per game. Smith will need to take a more assertive role in scoring if the Bulldogs want to win games.
Tillette signed three players for this season including Curtis West, who, of course, can shoot. West averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game at Redemptorist High School in Baton Rouge, La.
It is very safe to say that the Bulldogs live by the three and die by the three. The OVC will not be fooled this year in terms of the offense Samford runs. Teams will have an easier time shutting down the backdoor cuts, which in turn will lead to Samford mainly dying by the three this season.
10. Morehead State Eagles (16-13, 10-6, 3rd)
Projected Starting Lineup
Quinton Smith, G, (5-11, 170, Jr.)
Ramon Kelly, G, (6-4, 185, Sr.)
Chad McKnight, F, (6-7, 215, Sr.)
Cory Burns, F, (6-8, 230, Jr.)
Bryan Robinson, F, (6-7, 215, Fr.)
Morehead State has finished in the top three of the OVC in each of the past three seasons, but that streak will come to an abrupt halt as the Eagles have lots of work to do if they want to get back to the top fourth of the conference.
With the graduation of Ricky Minard and Chez Marks the Eagles are left stranded to figure out who will do all the scoring now. Those two alone accounted for just under 50 percent of Morehead State’s scoring last season. Minard even became the lone player out of the OVC to be drafted by the NBA when the Sacramento Kings took him in the second round.
Both guards, Quinton Smith and Ramon Kelly, played a considerable amount of minutes last season, but neither of them were relied on heavy enough for scoring. Smith, Kelly and senior forward Chad McKnight will have to step up and show they can carry this team without Minard or Marks being there. That will not be an easy task considering the abilities of both players, and how they led Morehead State to the top of the league for three straight years.
Head Coach Kyle Macy brought in five recruits and none will be bigger than forward Bryan Robinson. Robinson could be a starter right away as he averaged 19.7 points and 8.0 rebounds a game for London (Ohio) High School. He was a second-team All-Ohio selection and the situation that he is in could make him a strong choice for the Freshman of the Year award at the end of the year.
Macy will have his hands full trying to find his go-to-guy or guys for the first time in about four years. Morehead State will not be down in the bottom of the league for too long, but they could be in danger of missing the postseason if they don’t find their identity.
11. Eastern Illinois Panthers (6-21, 4-12, 11th)
Projected Starting Lineup
Josh Gomes, G, (6-2, 185, Jr.)
Emanuel Dildy, G, (6-0, 184, Sr.)
Jason Wright, G, (5-11, 190, Sr.)
Andrew Gobczynski, F, (6-5, 206, Sr.)
Aaron Patterson, F, (6-5, 220, Sr.)
After the school year for Eastern Illinois in May students went home, but the Panther basketball team traveled to Costa Rica for a summer tour. Head Coach Rick Samuels is going to wish he stayed in Costa Rica after this season is over.
The Panthers lost their second leading scorer, Jesse Mackinson, to graduation, but the thing was he only scored 9.9 points per game. Offense was a major problem for Eastern Illinois last season and it will remain a problem for them in the 2004-05 season.
The only bright spot in the lineup is junior guard Josh Gomes, who led the Panthers in scoring last year with 13.6 points per game. Gomes, however, will be a target for defenses as he will likely see lots of double and triple teams so that Eastern Illinois has to have other guys make baskets.
Rick Samuels did manage to sign four recruits in the offseason that will help him in the long run. He picked up two freshmen centers, Wes Wilkin and George Tandy, and Wilkin will be redshirting this season. Seven freshmen are on the Panther roster and there is a good mix of position players. Eastern Illinois will need another year or two to make strides and climb their way out of the OVC cellar.
Summing it all up
This year the OVC can be broken down almost into three parts. The top four teams are solid squads that should only jockey for position among the top four. The middle four teams and the bottom three teams are all the same way. However, the fact remains that conference play in the regular season only matters for seeding into the OVC Tournament. The league saw firsthand last season that you can still go undefeated in OVC play, lose the final of the conference tournament and still not be able to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tourney. It is sad, but true.
Murray State should find itself at a familiar spot once the season is over, at the top of the league. The program’s 20th OVC championship is their’s to lose. This season the OVC will see some unfamiliar faces at the top of the standings, and Tennessee-Martin could be the biggest surprise of them all by sneaking into the top three with a healthy season all the way around. The theme of this year’s OVC will be new teams earning respect throughout the league.
