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: A general view of basketballs before the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans 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 Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 20: A general view of basketballs before the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans 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 Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Tennessee State

2017-18 Record: 15-15 (10-8)

Finish: First round OVC Tournament loss to EIU 

Leading Returning Scorer: Kamar McKnight – 8.5

Top Non-conference Games: at Kentucky, at Memphis, at Vanderbilt, vs Lipscomb 

The always competitive but rarely top-tier Tigers should be closer to the bottom half of the league than the top after losing four of five starters from last season.

Tennessee Tech
2017-18 Record: 19-14 (10-8)

Finish: OVC quarterfinal loss to Jacksonville State 

Leading Returning Scorer: Courtney Alexander – 6.8 

Top Non-conference Games: vs North Carolina, vs Michigan State, at Tennessee, at Memphis 

Similar resume to TSU (usually competitive but not upper tier of the conference, lost four of five starters), but with a more positive outlook thanks to transfers from Northwestern (Johnnie Vassar) and South Florida (Malik Martin).

UT-Martin

2017-18 Record: 10-21 (5-13)

Finish: No postseason 

Leading Returning Scorer: Fattod Lewis – 12.4

Top Non-conference Games: at Fresno State, vs Chattanooga, vs UNC Asheville 

It will take some stellar performances from Lewis to drive the Skyhawks out of the OVC cellar.

Next. ASUN Preseason Rankings. dark

The OVC is more wide open than usual this year, but I’m taking Murray State and Ja Morant as my tentative favorites early on.