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 Head Coach Darrell Walker of the Little Rock Trojans (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

8. Little Rock Trojans – Head Coach Darrell Walker

2022-23 record: 10-21 overall, 5-13 in the OVC

Little Rock’s first Ohio Valley Conference season was not a successful one and nearly 73 percent of last year’s roster is also gone. Head coach Darrell Walker is beefing up the Trojan roster by adding multiple players with Division 1 experience and hoping to improve the OVC’s worst defensive team.

DeAntoni Gordon and Jordan Jefferson are Walker’s top two returners. The 6’8 Gordon led the Trojans in scoring (13.7 ppg) and minutes played (31.6) and was the team’s second leading rebounder (5.7). Jefferson (8.0 ppg) is Walker’s only reliable returning three-point shooter (.387).

The most experienced of the transfers is Makhel Mitchell. The 6’10 forward averaged 13 minutes and over three points and three rebounds per game during Arkansas’ run to the Sweet Sixteen. South Florida transfer Jamir Chaplin (7.4 ppg) has 97 D1 games under his belt and has scored nearly 600 career points.

Guards K.K. Robinson (Texas A&M) and Pavle Kuzmaanovic (Boise State) played sparingly at their previous schools. Junior college veterans Bradley Douglas and Cougar Downing are D1 ready. Each has been a prolific junior college scorer and producer.

Two highly decorated freshmen are the promise of ULR’s future. 6’8 forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson was one Texas’ top 50 prep players and averaged a double-double for Warren High School. Another 6’8 rookie has great Arkansas name recognition. Creed Williamson is the son of 1994 Arkansas national champion star Corliss Williamson. The younger Williamson spent last season at emerging prep school power Link Year Academy.

While Gordon was last year’s leading scorer, the Trojans’ best player, Myron Gardner has used up his eligibility after becoming ULR’s first-ever all-OVC player. The 6’6 OVC second-teamer was the OVC’s second leading rebounder (9.1) while averaging 13.2 points per game. He was the OVC’s fifth leading assist producer (3.6 per game). His overall game will be missed, but Walker hopes greater depth will allow his team to play better defense and climb in the OVC standings.

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