Belmont Picked to Win Again

(Nashville, TN) – For the third year in a row the Ohio Valley Conference has conducted a Preseason Men’s and Women’s Media Poll prior to the start of the season. In total 14 voters from around the league cast a ballot on whom they thought would be the 2016-17 basketball favorites and preseason players of the year.

The OVC will release its preseason poll and All-OVC team, as voted on by league head coaches and sports information directors, on Wednesday, October 26 during the league’s annual Media Day in Nashville.

The media panel picked the Belmont men’s and women’s teams as the preseason favorites. Belmont senior forward Evan Bradds was tabbed the OVC Men’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year while Eastern Kentucky senior forward Jalen O’Bannon and Murray State junior forward Ke’Shunan James shared OVC Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year honors.

In the men’s voting Belmont picked up nine of the 14 first-place votes in the overall regular season champions category while Murray State (3) and Morehead State (2) received the others. The Bruins also accumulated 12 of a possible 14 first-place votes in being tabbed the favorite in the East Division, a title they have claimed each of the past four years. Belmont earned 82 total points to finish ahead of Tennessee State who had 64 points and Morehead State who picked up the other two first place votes and netted 62 points. The East Division was rounded out by Eastern Kentucky (35), Tennessee Tech (32) and Jacksonville State (19). Murray State received all 16 first-place votes (84 total points) to be named the West Division preseason favorites. Defending tournament champion Austin Peay was tabbed second (60 points) and followed by Eastern Illinois (56), UT Martin (45), Southeast Missouri (28) and SIUE (21).

In the women’s voting it was defending tournament champion Belmont who picked up 10 of the 14 first-place votes and 164 total points in being tabbed the preseason favorite. Three-time defending regular season champion UT Martin received the other four first place vote and 151 points to be tabbed second while Eastern Kentucky (136 points) and SIUE (124) were also close in the voting.

Pollsters for the 2016-17 OVC Media Poll included: Catlin Bogard, OVC Ball; Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; David Loos, Austin Peay Radio; Edward Marlowe, Paducah Sun; Mike Organ, The Tennessean; Brian Rives, Austin Peay Radio; Justin Rust, Journal Gazette/Times-Courier; Harry Schroeder, ValleyHoopsInsider.com; Greg Stotelmyer, Eastern Kentucky Radio; Rich Tiner, Belmont Radio.

2016-17 Media OVC Preseason Men’s Predicted Order of Finish
Overall Champion: Belmont (9 first-place votes)

East Division
1. Belmont (12 first-place votes) – 82 points
2. Tennessee State – 64
3. Morehead State (2) – 62
4. Eastern Kentucky – 35
5. Tennessee Tech – 32
6. Jacksonville State – 19

West Division
1. Murray State (14 first-place votes) – 84 points
2. Austin Peay – 60
3. Eastern Illinois – 56
4. UT Martin – 45
5. Southeast Missouri – 28
6. SIUE – 21

Preseason Player of the Year: Evan Bradds, Belmont

Editor: This is a www.ovcsports.com release