FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Despite returning just six players to the 2012-13 squad, the Tennessee Tech men’s basketball team still managed to earn some respect from the rest of the Ohio Valley Conference Tuesday morning at the league's annual Media Day. The Golden Eagles who lost a total of eight players from last year’s team were picked to finish third in the newly developed East division.

The Ohio Valley Conference will introduce divisional play for the first time in 2012-13, a move made following the addition of Belmont to the conference over the summer. The two divisions, the East and the West, are comprised of six teams. The preseason voting for both predicted order of finish and preseason All-OVC was performed by the OVC head men’s basketball coaches and sports information directors. Coaches and SID’s were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players.

Competing in the East Division, in order of predicted finish, will be preseason favorite Belmont, who earned 21 first-place votes, Tennessee State (3 first-place votes), Tennessee Tech, Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky. Jacksonville State, the sixth and final member of the East Division, is ineligible for the OVC and NCAA Tournaments this season due to an NCAA APR penalty, therefore, they were not included in the preseason voting.

Murray State, the defending OVC regular and tournament champions, led the West Division in voting, garnering 22 of 24 first-place votes. Following the Racers was Southeast Missouri with the other two first-place tallies. The West was rounded out by Austin Peay, SIU Edwardsville, Eastern Illinois, and UT Martin.

2012-13 OVC Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
Selected by OVC Head Basketball Coaches and Sports Information Directors

Order of Finish                                            Points

East
1. Belmont (21 first-place votes)                      131
2. Tennessee State (3)                                    109
3. Tennessee Tech                                            87
4. Morehead State                                            77
5. Eastern Kentucky                                          56
– Jacksonville State                                          N/A

West
1. Murray State (22)                                         132
2. Southeast Missouri (2)                                  108
3. Austin Peay                                                    92
4. SIU Edwardsville                                            73
5. Eastern Illinois                                               49
6. UT Martin                                                      38

6 points awarded for a first-place vote, 5 for second, etc. – Coaches and SID’s could not vote for their own teams

Note: Due to a NCAA APR penalty, Jacksonville State is not eligible for the OVC or NCAA Tournaments and was not ranked.