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OVC Basketball: Morehead State star Mark Freeman may miss 2023-24 season

By Harry Schroeder

Nov 15, 2022; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Morehead State Eagles guard Mark Freeman (0) pauses before a foul shot during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2022; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Morehead State Eagles guard Mark Freeman (0) pauses before a foul shot during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /
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Reigning OVC Basketball Player of the Year and Morehead State guard Mark Freeman has been ruled out for the entire 2023-24 season.

Morehead State coach Preston Spradlin announced today that reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Mark Freeman is out for the season. A nagging wrist injury will cancel his season before it ever started. This breaking Ohio Valley Conference news could change the league’s balance of power.

Spradlin says Freeman injured the wrist during the offseason and it never fully recovered. Morehead’s training staff implemented a number of treatments that included significant periods of rest and at times the wrist improved.

After a recent set-back they conducted further tests and determined a procedure was necessary to correct his wrist damage and the recovery time will likely be more than four months.

Freeman was voted as the OVC’s preseason player of the year and Morehead was named the favorite to win its second straight league title. Freeman’s status had not been determined at the time of the OVC media day, but the need of the procedure became clear late last week.

Freeman, a fifth-year senior could return to Morehead next season due to a likely ‘medical’ redshirt. He previously played at Tennessee State, Illinois State and this would have been his second season with the Eagles. The covid-eligible season is available to the 5’11 guard.

Freeman averaged 15 points and 3.7 assists during Morehead’s championship season and has accumulated 1,275 career points and 444 assists. The Memphis native tallied 19 points in Morehead’s NIT upset win over Clemson.

Spradlin believes his team has enough depth and talent to contend for the OVC title. Pre-season all-OVC guard Drew Thelwell now becomes the team’s leading returning scorer. Spradlin’s offseason recruits include Xavier transfer Dieonte Miles, junior college star George Marshall and NAIA all-American Riley Minix. Returning guard Kalil Thomas led last year’s team with 64 three-point baskets and freshman recruit Eddie Ricks III looks like he can step right into Morehead lineup.

Next. Top 25 team backcourts for 2023-24 season. dark

The Eagles pride themselves on fundamentals and last season Morehead was the OVC’s best defensive team and most offensively efficient.

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