OVC Basketball outlook in 2021-22 after shakeup of members

Tennessee Tech

The Golden Eagles 20-21 season did not go as planned, having finished with a record of (5-22). John Pelphrey is entering his 3rd season as the head coach for Tennessee Tech. The Golden Eagles enter this 21-22 season with a young team, not having one true senior.  However, Tennessee Tech does have two graduate transfers.

Coach Pelphrey was able to get Shandon Goldman from UNI last year and John Pettway from South Alabama.  TTU’s best player from last season is back, as Jr. Clay is entering his junior season.  Clay recorded an average of 17.3 points per game.  Clay knocked down 58 3 pointers, while also dishing out 88 assists on the year.

UT Martin 

The Skyhawks are coming off of a tough season, finishing with a record of (8-16).  However, it was a tough season for more than one reason.  The Skyhawks are under the new direction of head coach Ryan Ridder. Ridder comes over from Bethune-Cookman, where he held the same position for four seasons.

Coach Ridder and UT Martin will be experiencing a complete rebuild, as not one player on the Skyhawks played in a game last season.  The Skyhawks team is built off of transfers for the 21-22 season and may take some time to work through some kinks.  Out of the transfers, 5 of the transfers saw time at a Division 1 school previously.

All in all, with AW Hamilton’s Eastern Kentucky Colonials and Ray Harper’s Jacksonville State Gamecocks having moved to the Atlantic Sun, there should be a lot more juggling for position inside the Ohio Valley Conference standings.  We also know there will be a new OVC POY this year, as Terry Taylor exhausted the record book with updates, over his career at Austin Peay. It’s unknown whether the OVC will add another team(s) in the coming years, but only time will tell.

College football is right around the corner, but I am looking forward to college basketball season starting. Should be a fun year inside the OVC for the 21-22 season!