Editor: The following is part of a press release from ovcsports.com.
For the fourth 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 12 voters from around the league cast a ballot on whom they thought would be the 2017-18 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 Tuesday, October 24 during the league’s annual Media Day in Evansville.
Jonathan Stark – goracers.com
The media panel picked the Belmont men’s and women’s teams as the preseason favorites. Murray State senior guard Jonathan Stark was tabbed the OVC Men’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year.
In the men’s voting, defending regular season champion Belmont picked up eight of the 13 first-place votes and 148 total points in being picked the preseason favorite. Murray State (1), defending OVC Tournament champion Jacksonville State (2), Tennessee State (1) and Eastern Kentucky 91) all received first place votes.
Pollsters for the 2017-18 OVC Media Poll included: Catlin Bogard, OVC Ball; Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; Rob Calhoun, Eastern Illinois Radio; Edward Marlowe, Paducah Sun; Mike Organ, The Tennessean; Justin Rust, Journal Gazette/Times-Courier; Harry Schroeder, ValleyHoopsInsider.com; Greg Stotelmyer, Eastern Kentucky Sports Network.
Editor: ValleyHoopsInsider.com was pleased to contribute to this poll. Here were our votes.
- Belmont
- Murray State
- Jacksonville State
- UT Martin
- Tennessee State
- Eastern Illinois
- Eastern Kentucky
- SEMO
- Tennessee Tech
- Morehead State
- SIUE
- Austin Peay
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Flooding, lightning strikes, etc. have cost @RacersHoops two home games. Had to play 'neutral site' tonight instead of at home and Wednesday's goes from home to away. Tough break for the Racers, and the whole area has been hit with difficulties. #FatherHarry
Murray State's scheduled home game Wednesday vs. Southern Illinois being moved to Banterra Center in Carbondale. #ValleyHoops
Gigantic game for @BradleyUMBB today in Des Moines. If they have a chance to catch @DrakeBulldogsMB, they have to win today. The Bulldogs can basically win the title today. @BustingBrackets breaks it all down. #FatherHarry https://bit.ly/3EGiVgi
Not rooting for any particular @ValleyHoops, but chaos is always fun. If things break certain ways, after today there could be a six-way tie for fifth place.
Fun to listen to @MLBLarry on the @SIU_Basketball/@BelmontMBB game tonight. Good job brother. #FatherHarry
