Multiple contenders exist for this season’s Ohio Valley Conference championship. While Southeast Missouri is the reigning regular season champion and Southern Illinois Edwardsville claimed last season’s tournament title, Little Rock is the ‘favorite’ in most people’s eyes.
But don’t overlook Tennessee State.
This league has five returning all-league players and just one new coach in TSU’s Nolan Smith. While transition is in the air as Little Rock and Tennessee Tech prepare to leave the conference next season, this basketball campaign is one of stability and some ‘known qualities’.
Those five returning all-OVC players include two from Little Rock and one each from each of the top contenders. Little Rock’s Johnathan Lawson and Tuongthach Gatkek are the most accomplished teammate duo in the league. Tennessee State’s Aaron Nkrumah is one of three returning Tigers that score in double figures.
Since the league didn’t announce a preseason ‘player of the year’, we will. LR’s Lawson returns after finishing the season fifth in scoring (15.4 ppg), sixth in assists (3.6 per game), fifth in steals (1.8) and fourth with 79 made three-pointers.
Reigning ‘Freshman of the Year’ Jadis Jones is Lindenwood’s marquee player and Southeast Missouri brings back all-league forward Brendan Terry.
You can see while pollsters picked Little Rock first and SEMO, SIUE and the Tigers all in the top four. We’ll explain why those pollsters are just a little off.
After years of transition and coaching changes, Smith is the only new head coach. The former Duke University star joins an eleven-man fraternity that’s longest tenured members is Tennessee Tech’s John Pelphrey and SIUE’s Brian Barone.
Pelphrey and Barone have each been at his present post for six seasons. Little Rock’s Darrell Walker has led the Trojans for seven seasons, but just three in the OVC.
Ranked as the twenty-sixth best Division 1 conference by Kenpom.com, OVC coaches were very effective during the most recent transfer portal season. Nine of the nation’s top 150 junior college players ended up at OVC institutions.
Staying healthy and protecting the home floor will be the key components to one of these teams claiming this year’s OVC title.