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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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 21: Head coach Brian “Penny” Collins of the Tennessee State Tigers (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

6. Tennessee State Tigers

2019-20 record: 18-15 (9-9 in OVC)

In the second season under Penny Collins, the Tennessee State Tigers doubled the win total that the team achieved in Collins’ inaugural season, finishing last year at 18-15 and 9-9 in Ohio Valley play. But with four of the team’s top six scorers, including three of the Tigers’ four double-digit scorers having graduated, this year’s team is bound to look a little different.

Carlos Marshall, Jr. does return for his junior season after leading the team in scoring last season (11.4) as does a breakout candidate in the conference Mark Freeman. The 5’10 Freeman led the Tigers in assists last season with 4.2 per contest and added 6.5 points and 2.8 rebounds as a freshman. The veteran leadership should come from senior forward Shakem Johnson who shot over 60% from the field last season for nine points and 5.3 boards per game.

Freeman will be joined in the backcourt by Amorey Womack a redshirt sophomore, Marcus Fitzgerald a 6’0 freshman from Pearl-Cohn High School in Nashville where he was ranked as the top point guard in the state according to 247sports, and Shakwon Barrett who played last season at Northwest Florida State where he netted 8.7 points per game.

Things went well for Collins and the Tigers in his second season, but this year he won’t have as much experience to rely on so how well Tennessee State does will depend on how often that inexperience manifests itself.