Music City Madness Tips

(St. Louis, MO) – In one of the most balanced seasons in recent Ohio Valley Conference history, “Music City Madness” tips off Wednesday in Nashville. While Belmont (14-2) and Murray State (13-2) were the class of the league, there is plenty of firepower available to make this a very interesting tournament.

One of the two pre-season favorites (Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri) could reach the semi-final against Murray and both of those teams are playing their best basketball. The Colonels (21-9 & 11-5) have won four straight and await the winner of the SEMO/Eastern Illinois game. Eastern Kentucky displays the stingiest defense in the OVC.

Dickey Nutt’s Redhawks have won four straight including a double overtime thriller against the Racers! SEMO is the highest scoring OVC team and their talent has been obvious all season. Tyler Stone and his cousin Jarekious Bradley earned first and second team all-conference honors respectively and Bradley was named to the all-newcomer team.

Belmont earned the right to play the easier side of the bracket, but don’t go to sleep on Morehead State!

The Bruins did dominate their division, winning by three games, and they swept Eagles (19-12 & 10-6) in the regular season, but Morehead is the league’s best rebounding team and when you win the battle of the boards, you win 80% of college basketball games.

No matter what happens, history will be made in first game of ‘Music City Madness’. The Cougars of SIUE (11-19 & 7-9) will be playing in their first ever OVC tournament game!  Head Coach Lennox Forrester’s squad is greatly improved and like a lot of struggling young musicians, they earned their way to Nashville. Tennessee Tech awaits. The Golden Eagles (16-15 & 9-7) won a hard fought, one point home decision over the Cougars and now they meet on a neutral floor.

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