Grading the OVC – Part Two

(St. Louis, MO) – Expectations are high at the beginning of every basketball season. There are new recruits, growth of current players and typically no one is hurt. Now that the season is over, how did the Ohio Valley Conference teams fare?

We’re conducting our postseason report cards of each of the OVC teams. We completed our grading of the Missouri Valley teams and we’re one third of the way through the OVC. Our grade book has the teams listed in alphabetical order, and the teams are graded against preseason expectations.

Jacksonville State Gamecocks – D –

OVC insiders know the Gamecocks have been digging out of the academic dungeon for several years and that head coach James Green had been patiently building a team that could contend in the OVC. “Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook” picked JSU to finish second in the East Division.

With some proven commodities coming back and a highly touted recruiting class coming in, there was something of a buzz in Jacksonville, Alabama. Instead of contending for the title, the Gamecocks finished last in the East (8-13, 4-12) and weren’t really competitive. At the end of the season, the University and Green mutually parted ways.

Two returning starters JaQuail Townser and Malcolm Drumwright had very different kinds of seasons. Drumwright more than doubled his scoring average from his sophomore season (from 6.0 to 14.0), but Townser’s increases were much more modest (7.9 to 9.5). But it was the transfers and freshmen that fans and media were excited about.

Cameron Biedscheid was the preseason ‘newcomer of the year’ prediction and after sitting out the first semester, huge things were expected from the Cardinal Ritter and former Notre Dame player. Biedscheid played in three games (averaging 10 points) and vanished. He didn’t play, but wasn’t listed as injured. Our midseason attempts to reach out to the school proved pointless. After a time, Biedscheid, himself tweeted to me that he would be at JSU this coming season, but after the departure of Green and his staff, he has opted out of the program.

Lamar State transfer Erik Durham finished second to Drumwright in scoring with an 11.7 average, but only played in 21 JSU games. Other newcomers like Juco transfer Greg Tucker were expected to fill the void left by three graduating starters. Tucker averaged 9.9 ppg, and led the Gamecocks in free throw shooting (both makes and percentage).

JSU had the worst rebounding margin in the league, by yielding 5.5 more rebounds per game than they grabbed, and were second worst in ‘the O’ at shooting percentage and containing the shooting percentage of their opponents.

Their lack of size and the fact that Biedscheid, a top-50 player coming out of high school, never really showed up, doomed this team.

Morehead State Eagles – B +

Head Coach Sean Woods seems to be building something significant at Morehead State. After a 17 and 17 season in 2014-15, the Eagles were picked to finish fourth in the East Division, but finished tied for second and advanced to the finals of the College Basketball Invitational. They finished with a record of 23 and 14.

Woods seems to be the master of the ‘rent a player’ strategy. He brought in 10 new players this year, including SEVEN transfers. He also produces a ‘team first’ mentality. Six players averaged more than 7.5 points per game, but none averaged more than 11.0.

Leading scorer Corban Collins, who started his collegiate experience at LSU, was also second in assists. Senior holdover Brent Arrington was second in scoring and led the Eagles in assists. Collins and JUCO transfer Xavier Moon both shot the ball well from long distance, but what Morehead did very well, was come at the opposition in waves. Eight different players played 19 minutes or more per game.

There were interchangeable parts, like Lyonell Gaines and Anthony Elechi in the post. 6-6 wing man DeJuan Marrero led the team in rebounding and was second in steals.

The Eagles were athletic and tenacious. They led the OVC in rebounding margin (at + 5) and in steals (8.2) where they were 16th in the nation. How did the undersized squad prevail on the glass? They led ‘the O’ by a wide margin on the offensive window, by grabbing 14.6 second chance opportunities per game.

Unfortunately Collins is transferring for his senior season.

Murray State Racers – C +

Perhaps the expectations were too high for the Racers and new head coach Matt McMahon, but we do grade according to the preseason expectations. They were picked to finish first in the West and did, in fact, finish tied for the top spot, however accumulating less than 20 wins (17) for the first time in years was disappointing.

The early departure (to the NBA) by Cam Payne, while not unexpected, did damage to the continuity and transition of some the newer Racers.

Jeffery Moss’ senior year was a successful one. He raised his average to over 14 points per game and almost to 17 points per OVC contest while earning all-conference status.  Senior Wayne Langston seemingly came out of nowhere to lead the team in rebounding (6.1) and finish second to Moss in scoring (13.5).

JUCO transfer Bryce Jones was third in scoring and fourth in the whole OVC in assists.

The biggest issue for the Racers may have been the unrealistic expectations placed on Texas transfer Damarcus Croaker. Fans and media alike expected Croaker to take over Payne’s leading man role and rule the OVC. His season wasn’t bad (he averaged 9.6 points and 4.5 rebounds) but he wasn’t Payne. He led the team in scoring four times, including the first game of the season, which didn’t settle down the hype machine.

McMahon’s team held the opposition to an OVC low 67.5 points per game and were still successful at CFSB Center (10-4), and led ‘the O’ in attendance, but struggled on the road going just 4 and 8 outside of Murray, Kentucky.

SIUE Cougars – C

Jon Harris’ first year in Edwardsville wasn’t easy. They were picked to finish fifth in the West and did, but at times, there just wasn’t much hope for the Cougars. The team Harris inherited did not have the talent to compete.

They were last in scoring, last in field goal percentage, second last in 3-point shooting percentage, second last in assists, steals and turnover margin. The Cougars just weren’t good enough.

Harris wouldn’t allow them to give in as they were middle of the pack in rebounding margin and led the OVC in blocked shots.

SIUE’s signature wins (they were 6-22) included their first-ever victory over sister school Southern Illinois Carbondale, and two late conquests at Eastern Illinois and at Southeast Missouri.

Transfer Burak Eslik (14.0) was a pleasant surprise and freshman from nearby Alton, Illinois, Carlos Anderson (10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds) showed flashes of being those players Harris can build around. Eslik’s 40 point output against Morehead State was the highest scoring game by an OVC player this season.

A difficult schedule didn’t do the Cougars any favors. They played at Butler, at Northwestern and at USC. Even at the Vadalabene Center they hosted Milwaukee and Saint Louis University.

Eslik, Anderson and Yemi Makanjuola were the only players to start all 28 games. Expect more transition at SIUE this coming season.

Do Good