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Morehead State Basketball: 2023-24 season preview and outlook for the Eagles

By Harry Schroeder

CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 15: Head coach Preston Spradlin of the Morehead State Eagles looks on during a college basketball game against the Xavier Musketeers at the Cintas Center on December 15, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 15: Head coach Preston Spradlin of the Morehead State Eagles looks on during a college basketball game against the Xavier Musketeers at the Cintas Center on December 15, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) defends Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) defends Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

Morehead State’s Difficult Schedule

Spradlin has put together an incredible schedule. The Eagles open the season with Alabama and less than a week later they battle Purdue. Morehead’s gauntlet doesn’t get any easier. They’ll visit Penn State and Indiana before they ever get to conference play.

Why tangle with those elite programs? Spradlin jokingly says his team is contending for the ‘Big Ten South Division Title’. By playing the Big Ten’s first, fifth and eleventh ranked teams the Eagles, who defeated Clemson in last year’s NIT, will be battle-tested for any potential post season opposition.

Purdue boasts of the nation’s returning player of the year in Zach Edey and all four of his starting teammates. Matt Painter’s team is itching to get back on the floor after an early exit in last season’s NCAA Tournament.

All three of the Big Ten schools won at least 20 games last year and participated in March Madness. None of them made it past the second round.

Alabama’s Crimson Tide are a national power. Nate Oats’ team reached last year’s Sweet Sixteen and won 31 games. Alabama is a March Madness fixture and has put together three straight seasons where its final KenPom rating is under 30. They finished last season at number four.

The rest of the schedule is less daunting, but is still representative. Mercer, Bellarmine, Austin Peay, Chattanooga and North Alabama are worthy opponents. APSU is a former Ohio Valley Conference foe with a brand new coaching staff and roster. Corey Gipson parlayed his 22-win season at Northwestern State into a head coaching position at his alma mater.

Gipson brought his top three scorers with him to Clarksville, Tennessee. Demarcus Sharp, Ja’Monta Black and Isaac Haney played for Gipson (then an assistant) at Missouri State and last year at Northwestern State. Can you say ‘portal magic’?

Scott Davenport’s Bellarmine squad won just 15 games during an injury-plagued season. Chattanooga and North Alabama each won 18 games, with North Alabama playing in last year’s CBI tournament.

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