Ohio Valley Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

DAYTON, OHIO - MARCH 19: Kevin McClain #11 of the Belmont Bruins celebrates with teammates during the second half against the Temple Owls in the First Four of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 19, 2019 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 17: Head coach Ray Harper of the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

11. Jacksonville State Gamecocks

2019-20 record: 13-19 (8-10 in OVC)

In 2017 they represented the Ohio Valley in the NCAA Tournament and in the next two seasons they reached the semifinals of the conference tournament, but last season the Jacksonville State Gamecocks finished just 13-19. The team’s fifth-year head coach Ray Harper is entering unchartered territory in his time with the Gamecocks as he had won 20 or more games every season prior to last season.

Unlike those previous seasons, Harper has a very depleted roster entering the 2020-21 season. The Gamecocks return just two of their top nine scorers, with leading scorer Jacara Cross and sophomore De’Torrion Ware transferring to Morgan State, senior guard Kayne Henry is the only player on the roster who scored more than five points per game, at 10.9.

They will have the services of two graduate transfers, Brandon Huffman is a 6’10 center who began his career at North Carolina, and guard Darian Adams who scored 12 points per game for Troy last season. Power forward Amanze Ngumezi will be eligible to play in the second semester after the 6’9 245lb. Ngumezi transferred from Georgia.

Jay Pal is a 6’9 guard that was a top-100 recruit in the Junior College ranks, playing at Clarendon College and Demaree King is a 6’0 guard who averaged over 19 points per game and shot over 46% from three-point land at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa.

For Jacksonville State to return to their successful ways they have to do some obvious things, score the ball and defend. Two years ago, they were top-55 in the country in scoring, field goal percentage, defensive field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and steals per game. But last season they fell to 129th or worse in each of those categories.