Busting Brackets
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OVC Basketball: Belmont, Murray State favorites for 2019 conference tournament

By Logan Butts

AUBURN, ALABAMA - DECEMBER 22: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers goes up for a dunk against the Auburn Tigers at Auburn Arena on December 22, 2018 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
AUBURN, ALABAMA - DECEMBER 22: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers goes up for a dunk against the Auburn Tigers at Auburn Arena on December 22, 2018 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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RICHMOND, KY – FEBRUARY 16: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers talks to a referee during the game against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at CFSB Center on February 16, 2019 in Murray, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
RICHMOND, KY – FEBRUARY 16: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers talks to a referee during the game against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at CFSB Center on February 16, 2019 in Murray, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Players to Watch

Ja Morant – Murray State – 24.1 Points, 10.3 Assists

What else is there to say? Morant might be the most exciting (healthy, word to Zion) player in the entire nation. He’s probably the best point guard in the country.

He’s set to go in the top three of the draft, he does everything for Murray State, and he’s an electrifying athlete. Check him out as a Racer while you still can.

Dylan Windler – Belmont – 21.1 points, 10.3 rebounds

Windler would pretty easily be the player of the year in 99 percent of mid-major conferences. He’d probably be the player of the year in most OVC seasons. He just happened to run into a Morant buzzsaw this season.

Similarly to Morant, Windler is the crux of the Bruins attack. His 55-43-84 shooting splits speak to how efficiently he scores at a high clip. Windler is the glue that holds the talented trio of Belmont freshmen together.

Terry Taylor – Austin Peay – 20.6 points, 8.8 rebounds

Taylor gives Austin Peay a more than fighting chance to reach the OVC finals. He has scored in double-figures in all but two games this season (and scored eight in both of those!), and poured in 30 or more six times.

If the Govs are to make a surprise run to the NCAA’s, it will be because Taylor has a similiar run to the one Chris Horton had in 2016 in leading the eighth-seeded Govs to the crown.

Jason Burnell – Jacksonville State – 17.0 points, 9.6 rebounds

Burnell sets the tone for an experienced JSU squad. He could spell trouble for Murray or Belmont in the paint, considering he put up double-doubles in all three games against them in the regular season.

Burnell has produced all season. He collected 15 double-doubles total and was one rebound short in four others.