OVC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2023-24 season

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Preston Spradlin of the Morehead State Eagles speaks with Mark Freeman #0 in the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on November 07, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

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OVC Basketball Southeast Missouri State Redhawks head coach Brad Korn Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

Suddenly, OVC Basketball is one of the most stable in college basketball. After some turbulent years, the league didn’t lose any teams and did add one. While there has been significant player movement, there were no coaching changes at any of last year’s ten teams.

Newcomer Western Illinois needed to replace the departing Rob Jeter, but merely promoted his associate head coach Chad Boudreau.

Several coaches were given contract extensions and the league is growing older. The transfer portal door swings both ways and OVC teams were able to sign numerous talented players and to get older, more quickly than normal.

Regular season champion Morehead State won a postseason game and OVC Tournament champion Southeast Missouri snapped a 25-year postseason drought. Southern Illinois Edwardsville and Tennessee Tech experienced break through seasons and newcomers Lindenwood and Southern Indiana proved they belong in Division 1.

Each of the transitioning (from Division 2 to D1) teams qualified for the Evansville-based conference tournament.

Reigning ‘Player of the Year’ Mark Freeman returns for a fifth season and four of last year’s all-newcomer’ team members are back. Top newcomer Kinyon Hodges is back, but with a different OVC squad.

This should be a season where the league’s collective KenPom ranking will improve. Top contenders will be solid and have plenty of returners and those that finished near the bottom of the league standings should be much better. Western Illinois will be at least a mid-level team and adds strength and stability to the 76-year-old conference.

SIUE brings almost every player back from its 19-win season. Tennessee State coach Brian ‘Penny’ Collins has a loaded roster and Morehead State has stacked three straight 20-win seasons. UT Martin and SEMO have the talent and coaching to fight for one of the league’s top four spots.

Competition for the eight conference tournament spots becomes more intense with eleven teams in the mix and the battle for those top four spots will be equally competitive.

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