Predicted Order of End:
Little Rock
Western Illinois
Morehead St.
Tennessee St.
SIU-Edwardsville
Southern Indiana
Jap Illinois
Southeast Missouri St.
UT-Martin
Lindenwood
Tennessee Tech
Preseason All-Convention Predictions:
KK Robinson, G — Little Rock
Ryan Myers, G — Western Illinois
Ray’Sean Taylor, G — SIUE
Dieonte Miles, C — Morehead St.
Jack Mielke, F — USI
Rob Martin, G —SEMO
Mwani Wilkinson, G — Little Rock
Brandon Weston, G —Tennessee St.
Nakyel Shelton, G — Jap Illinois
Massal Diouf, F — Western Illinois
Preview:
Little Rock Trojans
When KK Robinson took his identify out of the Switch Portal on July 12, the Trojans instantly went from a promising new workforce to the clear favourite within the convention. The senior guard averaged 15.8 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per outing final season on the way in which to All-OVC First Group honors. He’s the one returner from the primary workforce nonetheless within the convention.
Except for Robinson, coach Darrell Walker welcomes in switch guards Mwani Wilkinson (LSU) and Johnathan Lawson (Creighton) to bolster what already seems to be to be the strongest backcourt within the OVC, and the return of senior Jordan Jefferson simply provides to that.
So far as the frontcourt, the losses of Makhel Mitchell, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson and De’Antoni Gordon are going to harm, however the Trojans herald a plethora of gamers able to make a distinction. Redshirt sophomore Ante Beljan returns after redshirting final yr with an harm. The ahead out of Trogir, Croatia, began seven video games his freshman season and appears to be an element this season.
As for transfers, Little Rock brings in junior Charles Chukwu (Backyard Metropolis CC and Tulsa) and senior Tuongthach Gatkek (Texas St. and Florida) to assist bolster the large man positions. Whereas neither have carved out roles as most important scorers prior to now, they’re anticipated to be good alternatives for Robinson within the pick-and-roll.
Western Illinois Leathernecks
Final season the Leathernecks had been one of many prime defenses within the OVC with Drew Cisse holding down the center, and this season head coach Chad Boudreau has introduced in one other man to carry down the paint in ahead Massal Diouf. The 6-foot-9 junior out of the Netherlands is available in off two seasons for UTSA the place he performed a big function within the rotation in each seasons, now taking his abilities to Macomb.
Diouf joins returning guard Ryan Myers to make a scary duo for WIU. The senior out of Brooklyn, N.Y., is certainly one of two gamers who made All-OVC groups final season to return to the convention.
Senior guard Marko Maletic (from Toledo) and junior ahead Tay Knox are projected to be difference-makers on the court docket as nicely. Knox comes into his second season with the Leathernecks after a strong season final yr behind Drew Cisse.
Morehead State Eagles
Of all of the groups that had success final season within the OVC, the Eagles had been one of many groups ransacked most. Not simply by shedding head coach Preston Spradlin, but additionally by seeing all however certainly one of their most important rotational gamers head off to different faculties or skilled leagues. That one participant is Dieonte Miles, who’s staying for his graduate season. The 7-foot switch from Xavier was a stout rim protector final season.
The biggest query mark surrounding the workforce: who’s going to attain the ball?
Graduate guard Jalen Windham transfers in from Ball St however hasn’t performed since 2022-23. Senior ahead Kenny White Jr. averaged 6.6 factors per recreation for UT Martin final yr, so he’s an choice, however the two most important choices will seemingly be Bryant switch Tyler Brelsford and returning sophomore Trent Scott, who comes again after solely enjoying seven video games final season. With many slots to fill, first-year head coach Jonathan Mattox could have his arms full with this perennially-talented squad.
Tennessee State Tigers
Head coach Brian Collins has hit the Switch Portal laborious this offseason and brings in a plethora of impactful gamers which can be game-ready for the Tigers. The workforce has a strong 5 gamers which have all performed on a excessive degree earlier than.
Junior guard Brandon Weston, a 6-foot-5 switch from Rhode Island, began 10 video games for the Rams of the Atlantic-10 final season and has proven the power to be productive inside and outside.
Former USC Upstate ahead Ahmir Langlais can even be a most important contributor to the TSU offense. Langlais, a 6-foot-9 graduate pupil, is a constant double-double menace for the workforce to pair alongside the scoring prowess of Weston.
Except for the principle two, UT Martin switch Justus Jackson, former Center Tennessee large man Josh Ogundele and Tulsa import Carlous Williams give TSU a strong rotation. If the core can gel collectively, the Tigers will be contenders within the OVC.
SIU-Edwardsville Cougars
The return of graduate guard Ray’Sean Taylor to Edwardsville is large for the Cougars. Clearly, shedding Demarco Minor is a giant hit to the workforce, however with a strong returning backcourt alongside fellow graduate guard Desmond Polk, SIUE has itself an upside that many groups within the OVC don’t have: continuity.
On prime of that, it nonetheless maintains an OVC pattern: having a big group of transfers. The Cougars herald an extra quantity of non-DI transfers, however the principle focus is on Bradley junior switch Kyle Thomas and redshirt freshman Darrion Baker from Akron. Thomas, standing at 6-foot-10, will likely be a giant issue on the inside alongside Baker, who has but to play a university recreation, however spent a season on the bench for the Zips final yr.
Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles
An look within the convention match was the achievement of the Screaming Eagles season final yr after combating with the bottom-feeders of the convention to see who would come out on prime of that group of sub-par groups. This season, nonetheless, head coach Stan Gouard has the workforce in place to firmly set themselves into the month of March.
Returning ahead Jack Mielke leads a gaggle of massive males together with VMI switch Stephen Olowoniyi, UT-Rio Grande Valley switch Alex Horiuk and returner Nick Hittle. Within the backcourt, junior Jack Campion joins Alabama A&M switch Jayland Randall and returner Ryan Corridor to fill out what seems to be to be a deep roster.
The one reservation that retains the workforce from larger placement on the listing must be the query of scoring. No participant on the roster has proven up up to now a capability to be the principle scorer on a workforce.
Jap Illinois Panthers
The Panthers as soon as once more discover themselves proper the place they’ve been for a lot of their time within the OVC: the center. The return of two of the workforce’s prime three scorers final season headlines a squad that basically must be seen earlier than a real prediction will be made.
A lot of the roster is available in from conditions with little or no enjoying time, with Kansas Metropolis pickup Artese Stapleton being the one switch with a Division I begin beneath his belt. Senior guard Nakyel Shelton and graduate ahead Kooper Jacobi are anticipated to make leaps, however the lack of Tiger Booker from this workforce makes it laborious to position them any larger than they had been final season.
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
Two large returners in guards Rob Martin and Braxton Stacker characterize a workforce that appears similar to the squad that completed second-to-last within the OVC final season at 4-14. One additional yr of expertise beneath the belts of the juniors makes for a bonus that many groups can’t boast, however it’s laborious to have the ability to count on greater than a primary spherical exit in Evansville.
Texas A&M-CC switch Teddy Washington Jr. provides the workforce a robust group of guards to begin. Some promising JUCO transfers like Damarion Walkup from Olney Central give this squad the potential to exceed expectations.
UT Martin Skyhawks
With the unlucky circumstances that got here with the departure of head coach Ryan Ridder to Mercer, the Skyhawks now look to duplicate among the finest seasons at school historical past with a brand new squad. New head coach Jeremy Shulman begins from scratch with each single participant from final season’s workforce gone.
With the addition of simply two Division I transfers, Shulman has determined to take an strategy to his roster that few have tried, including a big group of worldwide gamers that are available in off profitable JUCO stints. The headline within the backcourt seems to be to be the duo of junior Tarence Gainyard from Florida St. School at Jacksonville and Josue Grullon from Dayton St. School. Each come off 20-point-per-game seasons at their respective faculties. Vladimir Salaridze, senior ahead from UC-Riverside, is anticipated to go up the frontcourt.
Lindenwood Lions
Because the Lions have joined Division I, this system has been trying to find a season that they will lastly come into their very own within the OVC. Whereas the workforce has made strides in direction of that in soccer, the basketball workforce has but to make that occur.
The return of junior Jeremiah Talton and senior Jaylon McDaniel, together with the switch of junior Reggie Bass to this system, maintain the workforce from being useless final within the convention.
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
Whereas the Golden Eagles have extra to work with than numerous groups above them, little has proven that they will do any greater than what they did final season. Dropping their prime three scorers, didn’t assist.
The addition of few transfers that may have the ability to make an impression makes it tough to see the squad being in rivalry for a spot in Evansville. Senior Rodney Johnson Jr. and junior Daniel Egbuniwe return to this roster that has little to work off from final yr.
