2011-2012 Preview: Talking OVC Basketball With Catlin Bogard

In preparation for the start of the 2011-2012 regular season on November 7, we’re running a series here on Busting Brackets where we talk with other writers about their team or conference. You can check out all of the pieces in our preview series by clicking here. Our series rolls along with a discussion with Catlin Bogard of OVC Ball, who talks in-depth about what we can expect to see in the Ohio Valley Conference this season.

Be sure to check out Catlin’s work at OVCBall.com and follow him on Twitter @OVCBall.

BustingBrackets.com: Let’s begin with the strength of the conference as a whole as compared to a year ago. Will this be a down year for the OVC?

Catlin: No, I don’t think it’s going to be a down year. Don’t get me wrong, no one in the league is likely to match the ability of Kenneth Faried, but in leagues like the OVC, it’s usually experienced teams, not the teams with the most talented player, that succeed. As a reminder, Morehead State actually came in 2nd in the regular season standings last year. I think there’s going to be a shift in power a little this year, but there are still at least 4 good teams at the top of the conference.

BB: Speaking of conference strength, and I know we’re still a year away on this, but Belmont is set to enter the league in 2012. What has been the general reaction to this move by OVC fans?

Catlin: It seems to be a mix of excitement and worry. They’re excited because Belmont is a team that can help raise the OVC to higher mid-major status, but worried because it’s a team that has dominated it’s own conference over the past few years. Personally, I can’t wait. Bring on the Bruins!

BB: Last year’s regular season champions, Murray State, will have a new man in charge as Steve Prohm takes over for Billy Kennedy. Can Prohm keep the momentum going for that program?

Catlin: Every Racer fan I’ve talked to is very excited about this season. Prohm appears to have not only taken the reigns, but the saddle as well from Kennedy. There will likely be some changes in how the Racers play, as Prohm has said that he wants to get out and run more, something Kennedy rarely, if ever, did. I think this is an excellent opportunity for Steve Prohm to really shine in his first head coaching job.

BB: Donnie Tyndall enters the post-Kenneth Faried phase at Morehead State, leaving a lot of question marks for this team. Who has to step up for them to be successful this season?

Catlin: That’s a really loaded question because not only is Faried gone, so is their top guard from last year, Demonte Harper, who I think was overlooked quite often because he played on the same team as Faried. This year’s success is going to be determined by their two senior guards, Terrence Hill and former Notre Dame player Ty Proffitt. They do have a 3-star rated recruit, Angelo Warner, who will also be given a good chance to shine in his freshman year.

BB: As for the OVC title picture this season, is it a four team race between Murray State, Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech, and Tennessee State?

Catlin: I think so. I would give a slight edge to Tennessee Tech, as I think their offense will be unmatched in the league this year, and everyone knows Austin Peay is always a team to beat. Tennessee State isn’t a team you’re usually talking about in the conference title race, but this team led the conference at the halfway point last year, and return every player from last year’s team. Murray State has the most questions surrounding their team after a disappointing season last year, but they still have a lot of talent and I think made the absolute right decision for their head coach.

BB: How about a sleeper team? Which team could exceed their preseason expectations this year in the OVC?

Catlin: Once you get past the top 4, it could be just about anyone. Two teams I’m high on, though, are SEMO and UT Martin. The Redhawks have probably the best big man in the conference in Leon Powell, and a 6′ 8″ 3-star rated freshman, Nino Johnson. The Skyhawks are still very young, but made a great run at the end of the season, and seem to be coming along ahead of schedule under now third year coach Jason Jones. But you can’t look past EKU, as the 3-point friendly offense of Jeff Neubauer always pulls off a fair amount of wins.

BB: SIU-Edwardsville officially enters the conference this season, although they won’t be eligible for the conference tournament until next year. Are they pretty far back from the rest of the pack or could they make some noise in that bottom half?

Catlin: They’re going to cause some trouble, but I doubt they will affect the race for teams that can qualify. They went 0-9 against the OVC last year, surprisingly putting forth their best effort against the conference champ Racers, but didn’t play either of the bottom two teams in the conference. They did have 3 Division-I wins last year, but all three teams were ranked in the RPI between 316 and 320. (Yes, that close) But, Jacksonville State’s RPI was in the 330’s, and they have 11 new faces this year.

BB: Talk a little about the OVC Player of the Year race. A few names that come to mind for me are Tyshwan Edmondson at Austin Peay, Kevin Murphy at Tennessee Tech, and Isaiah Canaan at Murray State. Who stands out in that group and are there any others we should throw into the mix?

Catlin: I think it’s Edmondson’s to lose. He’s one of the most dynamic scorers in the conference, and he’s going to be helped by the return of Anthony Campbell from an ACL injury. I’ll be curious to see how Canaan responds this year. The Racers usually don’t have a standout leader like they do this year with Canaan. I like SEMO’s Leon Powell but if you’re looking for a big man to enter this race, I think Robert Covington is going to help take Tennessee State to the next level.

BB: To wrap things up, how do you see things shaking out 1-11 in the conference this season?

Catlin: Tennessee Tech is my (and many others) pick to win the conference. I like what I’m seeing and hearing out of Murray, so the Racers are #2, just ahead of Austin Peay and Tennessee State at 3 and 4. As I said before, what happens behind the top 4 could go almost any direction, but as I have them now, #5 is UT Martin, #6 Morehead State, #7 SEMO, #8 Eastern Illinois, #9 Jacksonville State, #10 Eastern Kentucky, and #11 SIU Edwardsville.

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