OVC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

7. Nick Mayo

Eastern Kentucky was far from the OVC’s most successful program during the last decade, especially since they left it in 2021. However, they did have Mayo, who would be one of the most productive frontcourt players in the league. A 6’9 forward from Oakland, Maine, he got to college in 2015 and put up some gaudy numbers across the next four seasons.

In his freshman season, Mayo was already making a big impact, averaging 14.5 points per game. While the Colonels didn’t win a ton of games during his career, he was a massive part of their offense, averaging just over 18 points per game in the next two seasons. Senior year under new head coach A. W. Hamilton was Mayo’s best campaign, averaging 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds on the year. That included a 40-point, 12-rebound effort in a road win at Chattanooga.

Even though Eastern Kentucky finished under .500 in all four of his seasons, Mayo earned First Team All-OVC honors for all four years. He was the OVC Rookie of the Year back in 2016 and became a reliable scorer, rebounder, and shot blockers for the Colonels across his entire career. Mayo was consistently great and was the best weapon at Eastern Kentucky from the moment he stepped foot on campus until his departure in 2019.