NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech and the other basketball teams
around the league learned Tuesday exactly what the rest of the
league thinks about them when the Ohio Valley Conference hosted its
annual Media Day at the Music City Sheraton Hotel.
In a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head basketball coaches and
sports information directors, Murray State has been picked the
preseason favorite for the 2014-15 men's race while Belmont is the
top choice to win the title in the women's race. The Tech men are
picked fourth in the OVC East Division, while the Golden Eagle
women are pegged for fourth palce overall. The women's race was not
determined by divisions this year.
Men's Race
Murray State, who has won a league-best 23 OVC regular season
championships, picked up 15 of 24 first-place votes in being picked
the overall regular season champion. The Racers were also tabbed
the West Division favorites, picking up 22 of 24 first-place votes
in that category, while two-time defending regular season champion
Belmont was picked the East Division favorites.
Tennessee Tech begins year number four under head coach Steve Payne and also got the benefits of a summer foreign tour when the Golden Eagles played five games in the Dominican Republic (compiling a 4-1 record). The team welcomes seven newcomers this season but has experience back in senior center Dwan Caldwell, who led the team in scoring (10.7/game) and blocks (33) a season ago, and senior swingman Javon McKay who is the program’s most experienced player, having played 91 games in a Golden Eagle uniform.
The 2014-15 Golden Eagle season kicks off with an exhibition
contest on Thursday, Nov. 6 against Bluefield College in Eblen
Center.
[Photo at left: Jim Davis talks with TV reporters,
including Rudy Kalis of WSMV TV]
Women's Race
Belmont has been picked to win the 2014-15 Ohio Valley Conference
women's basketball title in the preseason poll. The Bruins earned
224 points, including 14 first-place votes, while UT Martin is
selected to finish second with 203 points garnering three-first
place nods. Jacksonville State picked up two first-place votes and
189 points for a predicted third place finish. Tennessee Tech is
selected to finish fourth with 169 points.
The Golden Eagles are in their third season under veteran head
coach Jim Davis. Tech features seven returnees and will be
bolstered by five talented newcomers who could have an immediate
impact on the lineup. Among the reteunees are forward T'Keyah
Williams (9.2 ppg/5.9 rpg) and center Candace Parson (10.4 ppg/6.4
rpg) in the frontcourt. The backcourt returns Hannah Goolsby (9.0
ppg) and Catherine Taylor (4.6 ppg).
The women's season also kicks of on Thursday, Nov. 6, with an
exhibition game against Tennessee Wesleyan in Eblen Center,
beginning at 5:30 p.m. It's the first of eight doubleheaders on the
2014-15 Tech schedule.
2014-15 Preseason OVC Men’s Basketball Predicted
Order of Finish
Overall OVC Champion: Murray State (15 first-place
vote)
East Division
1. Belmont (16 first-place votes) – 125 points
2. Morehead State (4) – 103
3. Eastern Kentucky (4) – 102
4. Tennessee Tech – 71
5. Jacksonville State – 52
6. Tennessee State - 40
West Division
1. Murray State (22 first-place vote) – 132 points
2. Southeast Missouri (2) – 109
3. SIUE – 77
4. Austin Peay – 70
5. Eastern Illinois – 64
6. UT Martin 40
2014-15 Preseason All-OVC Men’s Basketball
Team
Preseason OVC Player of the Year: Cameron Payne,
Murray State
NAME,
SCHOOL
Jarekious Bradley, Southeast Missouri
Craig Bradshaw, Belmont
Reece Chamberlain, Belmont
Chris Horton, Austin Peay
Cameron Payne, Murray State
T.J. Sapp, Murray State
Myles Taylor, UT Martin
Corey Walden, Eastern Kentucky
Angelo Warner, Morehead State
Jarvis Williams, Murray State
2014-15 Preseason OVC Women’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
1. Belmont (14 first-place votes) - 224
2. UT Martin (Three first-place votes) - 203
3. Jacksonville State (Two first-place votes) - 189
4. Tennessee Tech - 169
5. SIUE - 152
6. Tennessee State (Two first-place votes) -
144
7. Eastern Kentucky (Three first-place votes) - 138
8. Eastern
Illinois
- 92
9. Murray State - 83
10. Southeast Missouri - 73
11. Austin Peay - 71
12. Morehead State – 40
2014-15 Preseason All-OVC Women’s Basketball
Team
Preseason OVC Player of the Year: Jordyn Luffman,
Belmont
NAME,
SCHOOL
Jordyn Luffman, Belmont
Sabina Oroszova, Eastern Illinois
Candace Morton, Jacksonville State
Almesha Jones, Morehead State
Chelsea Hudson, Tennessee State
Ashia Jones, UT Martin
Destany McLin, Jacksonville State
Tiasha Gray, Austin Peay
Keiona Kirby, Murray State
Tierny Austin, SIUE
