OVC Preseason Poll – Belmont is the Media Pick

Taylor is Preseason Player of the Year

Editor: The following is part of a press release from ovcsports.com.

(Nashville, TN) – For the sixth year in a row the Ohio Valley Conference has conducted a Preseason basketball media Poll prior to the start of the season. In total 15 voters from around the league cast a ballot on whom they thought would be the 2019-20 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 22 during the league’s annual Media Day in Evansville.

The media panel picked the Belmont as the preseason favorite. In addition, Austin Peay junior guard/forward Terry Taylor and Belmont was tabbed the OVC Preseason Players of the Year.

In the men’s voting, Belmont was one of three teams to pick up first-place votes, picking up 11 votes and 176 points to be tabbed the preseason favorite. Two-time defending tournament champion Murray State received three first-place votes and 165 points while Austin Peay picked up the other first-place vote and 138 points. Jacksonville State was tabbed fourth (126) and followed by UT Martin (125), Eastern Illinois and Morehead State (90 apiece), Tennessee State (74), Eastern Kentucky (63), Tennessee Tech (53), SIUE (37) and Southeast Missouri (33).

Pollsters for the 2019-20 OVC Media Poll included: Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; Wes Chandler, Eastern Kentucky Sports Network; Patrick Engel, Journal Gazette & Times-Courier; Edward Marlowe, Paducah Sun; Mike Organ, The Tennessean; Harry Schroeder, ValleyHoopsInsider.com; Greg Stotelmyer, Eastern Kentucky Sports Network, Rich Tiner, Belmont Radio Network; Kevin Weaks, Union City Messenger

2019-20 Media OVC Preseason Men’s Predicted Order of Finish
1. Belmont (11 first-place votes) – 176 points
2. Murray State (3) – 165
3. Austin Peay (1) – 138
4. Jacksonville State – 126
5. UT Martin – 125
6. Eastern Illinois – 90
Morehead State – 90
8. Tennessee State – 74
9. Eastern Kentucky – 63
10. Tennessee Tech – 53
11. SIUE – 37
12. Southeast Missouri – 33

Preseason Player of the Year: Terry Taylor, Austin Peay