OVC Race Is Getting More Interesting

Road Losses by League Leaders

(St. Louis, MO) – Belmont and Tennessee State just made the Ohio Valley Conference race more interesting. When the Nashville based schools handed the league’s previously undefeated leaders their first losses of the season Thursday night, the door to the title flung more open.

After the Bruins and Tigers lost their games at Murray State and Austin Peay two weeks ago, most OVC observers believed the race was going to come down to those two squads. While Eastern Kentucky (12-12, 9-2) has hung close, very few believed the Colonels could catch the Racers and Governors.

That all changed Thursday night.

Top Dogs Lose In Nashville

It’s not shocking that the Bruins (17-7, 8-3) would win a home game against the MSU (17-6, 10-1), but it was mildly surprising that Tennessee State (15-9, 7-4) dropped APSU (16-8, 10-1). Those home wins narrowed the league race significantly.

EKU is one game back, Belmont two and TSU three.

Saturday Belmont and the Tigers swap opponents with the Bruins hosting the Governors and Tennessee State welcomes the Racers. Meanwhile Eastern Kentucky visits Southern Illinois Edwardsville.

By Saturday night there could be a three-way tie for first place with Belmont one game out.

The race is getting more interesting.

Saturday’s Key Games

Eastern Kentucky @ SIUE – 3:30 pm – ESPN+

The OVC’s surprise team has won six straight games and features the league’s most aggressive defensive unit. EKU is forcing over 15 turnovers per game and is led offensively by the explosive Jomaru Brown (21.8 ppg). Tre Kind and Ty Taylor both score in double figures and Brown, King and Jacquess Hobbs are among the league leaders in steals.

SIUE (5-19, 2-9) has dropped four straight games.

For more on EKU go to ‘Stealing Their Way Into Contention‘.

Austin Peay @ Belmont – 5:00 pm – ESPN+

The league’s two highest scoring teams collide. Austin Peay is also the OVC’s best defensive team. APSU’s Terry Taylor averages 21.1 points and a league-leading 11.1 rebounds per game. His freshman teammate Jordyn Adams is averaging 19.4 points per conference contest.

Belmont’s Nick Muszynski (15.7 ppg and 7.6 rpg) leads the Bruins in shooting percentage and blocked shots. Guard Grayson Murphy leads the OVC in assists and steals.

Murray State @ Tennessee State – 7:30 pm – ESPN+

The Racers are the OVC’s best shooting team and the best at keeping their opponents from converting shots. Tevin Brown (19.5 ppg) leads the OVC in triples per game (3.1).

TSU has won three straight games and are 9-1 at home. Carlos Marshall, Michael Littlejohn and Shakem Johnson are double digit scorers.

The OVC race is getting more interesting.

Do Good

 

Editor: Feature photo is courtesy of goracers.com – photographer Dave Winder.