Busting Brackets
Fansided

OVC Basketball: Preseason preview for 2018-19

By Logan Butts

SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 16: The Murray State Racers mascot performs on the court in the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena on March 16, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 16: The Murray State Racers mascot performs on the court in the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena on March 16, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 20: The cheerleaders of the Belmont Bruins watch on against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Bob Leverone/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 20: The cheerleaders of the Belmont Bruins watch on against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Bob Leverone/Getty Images) /

After an exciting 2017-18 season, OVC basketball is back with a wide-open race for the upcoming season.

Austin Peay

2017-18 Record: 19-15 (12-6 in the OVC) 

Finish: Quarterfinal loss to UIC in the CIT 

Leading Returning Scorer: Terry Taylor – 15.6 

Top Non-conference Games: at Mississippi State, at South Florida, at Arkansas, vs Campbell

Austin Peay enters the season seemingly just outside the top-tier of a contender, but with 2018 freshman phenom Terry Taylor in tow, the Govs have a chance to jump into that group.

Belmont
2017-18 Record: 24-9 (15-3)

Finish: OVC Championship game loss to Murray State

Leading Returning Scorer: Dylan Windler – 17.3

Top Non-conference Games: at UCLA, at Purdue, vs Illinois State, vs Middle Tennessee, Home and Home with Lipscomb

The Bruins did not accept a postseason bid last season after losing to the Racers in the OVC title game. They were picked as the favorites in this year’s preseason poll, but Windler and Kevin McClain lead one of the more inexperienced Belmont squads in recent memory.

Eastern Illinois

2017-18 Record: 12-19 (7-11)

Finish: OVC quarterfinal loss to Austin Peay

Leading Returning Scorer: Mack Smith – 12.4

Top Non-conference Games: at Texas, at Iowa State, at Bradley

Terrell Smith’s return from injury after only playing eight games last season will be huge for a pretty middling EIU squad.

Eastern Kentucky

2017-18 Record: 11-20 (5-13)

Finish: No postseason 

Leading Returning Scorer: Dylan Windler – 17.3

Top Non-conference Games:

Nick Mayo will be looking to earn his fourth-consecutive First-Team All-Conference honor this season, which will be the best way to catapult EKU from the bottom of the OVC standings where they finished last season.

Jacksonville State

2017-18 Record: 23-13 (11-7)

Finish: CBI semifinal loss to North Texas

Leading Returning Scorer: Jason Burnell – 11.2

Top Non-conference Games: at Penn State, at Wichita State, at  West Virginia

The most likely team to disrupt Belmont and Murray’s two-man dance, the Gamecocks return four of last season’s starters, all of which are seniors. Expect this veteran-heavy squad to take a run at the conference crown.

Morehead State

2017-18 Record: 8-21 (4-14)

Finish: No postseason

Leading Returning Scorer: Jordan Walker – 12.2 

Top Non-conference Games: at Connecticut, at Syracuse, at Marshall, at Missouri 

The team’stop fourr leading scorers from last season all return, and all four scored in double figures, so an improvement on last season’s dead-last finish should be in order for the Eagles.