2018-19 OVC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll

2018-19 All-OVC Preseason Men’s Basketball Team

2018-19 Preseason All-OVC Men’s Basketball Team

- In a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head men’s basketball coaches and communication directors,has been picked the preseason favorite for the 2018-19 season. It marks the fourth-straight year the Bruins have been tabbed preseason favorites.Belmont, who has won four of the past six OVC regular season championships, picked up eight first-place votes, to edge last year’s regular season and tournament championsby six points (227 to 221). The Racers led the way with nine first-place votes while, the 2017 OVC Tournament champions, picked up the other seven first-place votes and 211 total points in being picked third.was picked fourth (188) and followed by(135),(118),(116),(101),(82),(78),(77) and(30).A year ago Belmont compiled a 15-3 league record and advanced to the championship game of the OVC Tournament before falling to Murray State. This season, who enters his 33rd year at Belmont (he is one of just five Division I head coaches to be with the same program for 30 or more years), has six letterwinners returning including a pair of starters inand. Windler, the Preseason OVC Player of the Year, is one of the top all-around players in the league and a season ago averaged 17.3 points (fourth in the OVC) and 9.3 rebounds/game (tops in the OVC) while shooting 55.9 percent from the field (third in the OVC) and 42.6 percent from 3-point range (fourth in the OVC). Windler was one of three players nationally to record a 30-point, 20-rebound game during the season (the first OVC player to achieve that feat since 2016), when he had 36 points and 20 rebounds in a win over Morehead State. Last year marked the first as a starter for McClain, who responded by averaging 12.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists/game while knocking down 57 3-pointers. The Bruins have won four of the past six OVC regular season crowns but in search of its first tournament title since 2015.A year ago Murray State was 26-6 overall and 16-2 in OVC play as it captured its 25th OVC regular season and 16th OVC Tournament championships. The Racers earned a 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament where they came up short against West Virginia. This season fourth-year head coach, who became the eighth-straight Murray State coach to reach the NCAA Tournament, welcomes back three starters from that team, including sophomore guardMorant was one of the top freshmen in the nation a year ago, averaging 12.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists (15th nationally) per game. He recorded just the 17th triple-double in OVC history when he had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in a victory over Eastern Illinois and was named to the OVC All-Tournament team after averaging 13 points, four rebounds and 6.5 assists/game during the Racers run. Morant was named a Preseason All-OVC selection along with senior guard. In his debut season with MSU, Buchanan averaged 9.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals/game.In two years underJacksonville State has reached the 20-win plateau twice, including a school Division I record 23 victories a season ago. After winning the OVC Tournament Championship in 2017, the Gamecocks advanced to the semifinals a year ago and later advanced to play in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), just the second Division I national postseason tournament for the program. This year the Gamecocks return a pair of Preseason All-OVC selections in senior forwardsand. JSU also has Tennessee transferon the roster; Mostella averaged 10.5 points/game for the Volunteers during the 2016-17 season.In his debut season,was named OVC Coach of the Year after taking an Austin Peay team picked 11th out of 12 teams in the preseason poll to a 12-6 Conference record and third-place OVC finish (its top regular season finish since 2011). The team improved dramatically on defense, ranking 12th nationally in forced turnovers (16.15/game) and 50th in turnover margin (+2.1/game), and limiting opponents to just 71.9 points/game (after the team allowed 83.8 points/game the season prior). The Govs returnlast year’s OVC Freshman of the Year who averaged 15.6 points and 8.6 rebounds/game while hitting 54.1 percent from the field. Also returning is sophomore guard(10.3 points/game), senior guard(8.1 points, 2.3 assists/game) and senior(7.9 points, 4.4 rebounds/game).Tennessee Tech head coach, who enters his eighth year as head coach (and served as an assistant coach for nine seasons prior to that), has a group of 11 newcomers and just one returning starter this year. The Golden Eagles’ returning starter is senior forwardwho averaged 6.8 points and 7.9 rebounds/game while hitting 46.2 percent from the field in 33 contests. TTU’s roster is also bolstered by grad transfers(Northwestern) and(USF).First-year Eastern Kentucky head coachis one of two new coaches in the OVC this season. Hamilton inherited a roster that has nine returning players, including three-time first-team All-OVC selection. One of the most versatile players nationally, the 6’9” Mayo ranked second in the OVC in 3-point percentage (44.6%), third in scoring (18.0 points/game), fourth in blocked shots (1.5/game), fifth in free throw percentage (83.9%), eighth in field goal percentage (52.6%) and 10th in rebounding (6.7/game). He enters his final season just 250 points away from the EKU career scoring record.Eastern Illinois will welcome back fifth-year seniorwho missed most of last season with an injury and received a medical redshirt. Prior to his injury, Lewis became just the ninth player in OVC history to join the 1,000-point, 500-assist club. Lewis enters his final season with 501 career assists, 198 away from the OVC all-time record. He will be joined in the backcourt by sophomore, who was named to the OVC All-Newcomer Team a year ago. Smith averaged 12.4 points/game while connecting on 54 3-pointers and set the EIU freshman record for points in a game (31 against Tennessee Tech). Head coachenters his seventh year with the Panthers in 2018-19.Tennessee State coachis the other new addition to the OVC coaching ranks this season. Collins spent last year as an assistant coach at Illinois State, and also had stints at East Tennessee, Cumberland and Columbia State. At Columbia State he led the program to back-to-back NJCAA National Tournament appearance. Collins, a Nashville native who played collegiately at Belmont, was on the Tennessee State staff as a graduate assistant for Cy Alexander in 2007-08 and as the program’s Director of Operations a year later. Collins has a squad that includes six returning players from a year ago, including starter. Chaney started 29 games a season ago and averaged 7.8 points, 3.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds/game. The Tigers welcome nine newcomers this season, including four players who redshirted a season ago.Southeast Missouri fourth-year head coachhas a roster that includes a pair of returning starters and four seniors that will look to get the Redhawks back into the OVC Tournament field this year. Sophomorewas second on the Redhawks team in scoring last year, averaging 14.5 points (second among OVC freshmen) and 3.8 rebounds/game while knocking down a team-best 71 3-pointers. He is joined in the backcourt by now senior, who was third in the OVC and 47th nationally in assists/game (5.4).began his rebuilding process at Morehead State a year ago, as the Eagles finished the year with a 4-14 OVC record, although they did win their last two games of the season. This season the Eagles have several key returning players, including senior forwardwho is a Preseason All-OVC selection. Harris has improved his averages each season, finishing last season totaling 11.0 points and 6.0 rebounds/game while hitting a team-best 86.6 percent at the free throw line. Also back is senior guardwho ranked third in the OVC and 68th nationally in steals (1.76/gam), including a 2017-18 NCAA single-game best nine against UT Martin last year. Junior, who led the team in scoring at 12.2 points/game, also returns after starting all 29 team games in 2017-18.Third-year UT Martin coachreturns four letterwinners from last season’s squad, including leading returning scorer and rebounder(12.4 points, 7.3 rebounds/game), who was named to the Preseason All-OVC Team. Also returning is seniorwho led the OVC with a 1.9 steals/game average a season ago while adding 11.2 points/game, and seniorwho had an OVC-best 66.2 field goal percentage in Conference play. UTM also welcomes a pair of transfers who will see action after sitting out last year. They include(13.6 points/game over two seasons at Maine) and(17.4 points/game in 36 career games at The Citadel).SIUE earned a spot in the OVC Tournament field a year ago and this season returns four starters for fourth-year head coach. Among the returning players is seniorwho averaged 11.4 points/game, knocked down a team-high 61 3-pointers and led the OVC and ranked 10th nationally in free throw percentage (90.4%). Juniorenters his third season with the program and led the Cougars with 101 assists (3.4/game) while averaging 8.9 points and 4.5 rebounds/game.The 2018-19 season kicks off with an exhibition contest on October 25 while the first regular season games will be played on Tuesday, November 6. The 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament will be held March 6-9 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indian1. Belmont (8 first-place votes) – 227 points2. Murray State (9) - 2213. Jacksonville State (7) - 2114. Austin Peay - 1885. Tennessee Tech - 1356. Eastern Kentucky - 1187. Eastern Illinois - 1168. Tennessee State - 1019. Southeast Missouri - 8210. Morehead State - 7811. UT Martin - 7712. SIUE - 30The 2018-19 OVC Preseason Men’s Basketball Team is headlined by Belmont seniorwho was named OVC Preseason Player of the Year.Windler, a first-team All-OVC selection last year, is the third Belmont player to be named Preseason Player of the Year since the Bruins joined the League in 2012-13, joining Craig Bradshaw (2015-16) and Evan Bradds (2016-17).Overall, nine different schools were represented on the team with Belmont, Jacksonville State and Murray State leading the way with two selections apiece. Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri and UT Martin had one pick apiece. The squad featured four players who were first-team All-OVC selections a year ago and was comprised of nine seniors and three sophomores.A year ago Windler ranked 20th nationally in double-doubles (15), 32nd in rebounding (9.3/game) and 38th in field goal percentage (55.7%). He led the OVC in rebounding, was third in field goal percentage (55.9%) and fourth in scoring (17.3 points/game) and 3-point percentage (42.6%).Other returning All-OVC selections from a season ago included Eastern Kentucky forward(18.0 points, 6.7 rebounds/game), Murray State sophomore guard(12.7 points, 6.3 assists, 6.5 rebounds/game) and Austin Peay sophomore G/F(15.6 points, 8.6 rebounds/game).The Preseason All-OVC team is rounded out by Jacksonville State’s(11.2 points, 6.0 rebounds/game) and(7.7 points, 7.1 rebounds/game), Southeast Missouri’s(14.5 points/game, 71 3-pointers), Murray State’s(9.1 points, 3.9 rebounds/game), Morehead State’s(11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds/game), UT Martin’s(12.4 points, 7.3 rebounds/game), Eastern Illinois’(105 points. 4.7 assists/game) and Belmont’s(12.6 points, 3.8 rebounds/game).Shaq Buchanan, Murray StateLedarrius Brewer, Southeast MissouriJason Burnell, Jacksonville StateChristian Cunningham, Jacksonville StateLamontray Harris, Morehead StateFatood Lewis, UT MartinTerrell Lewis, Eastern IllinoisNick Mayo, Eastern KentuckyKevin McClain, BelmontJa Morant, Murray StateTerry Taylor, Austin PeayDylan Windler, BelmontDylan Windler, Belmont