UT Martin’s Ryan Ridder and K.J. Simon @ OVC Media Day

Contending For the Top

(Evansville, IN) – UT Martin has been picked second in the Ohio Valley Conference official poll and has been picked to win the league by some other entities. It’s Ridder’s second season at UTM and his team will be contending for the top spot.

K.J. Simon was named as the league’s preseason ‘Player of the Year’ and will be joined in the Skyhawk backcourt by former UTM star and Indiana Hoosier Parker Stewart. This unparalleled backcourt talent sets Ridder’s team apart from every other OVC team. Stewart has the potential to win the postseason player of the year award. He is THAT good.

Stewart will be great on the floor, but the story of his return to UTM may be one of the best human interest stories in all of basketball.

Read our story on Parker’s return.

Simon (16.9 ppg) accumulated 41 blocked shots and 48 steals. He is a complete player.

Simon and Parker are roommates and have great chemistry already. Other returners Koby Jeffries, Chris Nix and K.K. Curry provide stability and Ridder has signed a very solid collection of talented transfer players. Jeffries led the team in assists and returns as the only Skyhawk to start every one of last season’s games

Two Troy transfers (Rifen Miguel and Desmond Williams), Jordan Sears (Gardner-Webb) and junior college transfer Jaylen Myers are expected to contribute. Both Ridder and Simon raved about the potential of Myers. The 6’8 sophomore ranked in the top five nationally in free-throw percentage and rebounds per game.

Here is our entire conversation with Ryan Ridder and K.J. Simon @ OVC media day.

 

 

While the Skyhawks have exceptional perimeter players, Miguel (6’8, 240 pounds) and 6’9 Chris Nix give the Skyhawks a solid interior presence. Nix led last year’s team in rebounding (5.2) and was fourth in the OVC in blocked shots. UTM has outstanding balance.

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