NASHVILLE, Tennessee – On Tuesday, the Ohio Valley Conference held its annual Basketball Media Day at the Sheraton Music City Hotel featuring both head coaches from its 12 member schools.
The Tennessee State men’s basketball team was predicted to finish fifth in the OVC’s Eastern Division while Patrick Miller was selected to the league’s All-Preseason squad.
The Tigers will look to replace a trio of seniors who combined for nearly 45 points and 18 rebounds per game last season. The squad brought in four freshmen and two JUCO transfers that will try to match the departed players’ numbers.
Despite losing four starters overall, the team returns senior Patrick Miller who was a first-team All-OVC selection as a junior a year ago. Miller led the OVC in assists (5.8 per game) while also contributing 14.8 points (11th in OVC), 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game (8th in the OVC). The guard was also a key leader for the team when Robert Covington (who is now with the Houston Rockets) missed time with an injury during the middle of the season.
Another key returnee is redshirt junior forward M.J. Rhett, who pulled down 6.1 rebounds/game and blocked 32 shots a year ago.
Miller, Rhett and the rest of the Tigers will look to prove the predictions wrong when they start play at the University of Hawai’i on Nov. 8.
2013-14 OVC Predicted Order of Finish
East
1. Eastern Kentucky (18 first-place votes) – 128
2. Belmont (6) – 116
3. Morehead State – 74
4. Jacksonville State – 72
5. Tennessee State – 60
6. Tennessee Tech - 42
West
1. Southeast Missouri (13 first-place votes) – 117
Murray State (11) – 117
3. Austin Peay – 90
4. UT Martin – 66
5. Eastern Illinois – 58
6. SIUE - 44
6 points awarded for a first-place vote, 5 for second, etc. - Coaches and SID's could not vote for their own teams.
East
1. Eastern Kentucky (18 first-place votes) – 128
2. Belmont (6) – 116
3. Morehead State – 74
4. Jacksonville State – 72
5. Tennessee State – 60
6. Tennessee Tech - 42
West
1. Southeast Missouri (13 first-place votes) – 117
Murray State (11) – 117
3. Austin Peay – 90
4. UT Martin – 66
5. Eastern Illinois – 58
6. SIUE - 44
6 points awarded for a first-place vote, 5 for second, etc. - Coaches and SID's could not vote for their own teams.
2013-14 Preseason All-OVC Team
Travis Betran, Austin Peay
Glenn Cosey, Eastern Kentucky
Nino Johnson, Southeast Missouri
J.J. Mann, Belmont
Patrick Miller, Tennessee State
Tyler Stone, Southeast Missouri
Myles Taylor, UT Martin
Will Triggs, Austin Peay
Corey Walden, Eastern Kentucky
Brian Williams, Jacksonville State
OVC Preseason Player of the Year: Tyler Stone, Southeast Missouri
Travis Betran, Austin Peay
Glenn Cosey, Eastern Kentucky
Nino Johnson, Southeast Missouri
J.J. Mann, Belmont
Patrick Miller, Tennessee State
Tyler Stone, Southeast Missouri
Myles Taylor, UT Martin
Will Triggs, Austin Peay
Corey Walden, Eastern Kentucky
Brian Williams, Jacksonville State
OVC Preseason Player of the Year: Tyler Stone, Southeast Missouri
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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