Oct. 25, 2011
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Ohio Valley Conference has announced its predicted order of finish for the upcoming basketball season. Based on a vote of the Conference's 11 head men's basketball coaches and sports information directors, the Cougars will assume the role of underdog when they embark on their first OVC schedule as they were picked to finish 11th this season.
The Cougars are eligible for the Conference's regular season title; however, they remain ineligible for postseason play, while completing full NCAA Division I certification.
SIUE finished last season 8-21 overall, including an 0-9 record against OVC opponents.
Austin Peay was picked as the preseason favorite with 185 total points--four points ahead of Tennessee Tech, who received eight total first-place votes. Defending regular season champion Murray State picked up three first-place votes and was picked third (169), Tennessee State was picked fourth (145), defending tournament champion Morehead State received the other first-place vote and was tabbed fifth (128), followed by Southeast Missouri (106), Eastern Kentucky (90), UT Martin (73), Eastern Illinois (67), Jacksonville State (40), and SIUE (27).
2011-12 OVC Predicted Order of Finish
1. Austin Peay (10 first-place votes) - 185
2. Tennessee Tech (8) - 181
3. Murray State (3) - 169
4. Tennessee State - 145
5. Morehead State (1) - 128
6. Southeast Missouri - 106
7. Eastern Kentucky - 90
8. UT Martin - 73
9. Eastern Illinois - 67
10. Jacksonville State - 40
11. SIUE - 27
10 points awarded for a first-place vote, 9 for second, etc. - Coaches and SID's could not vote for their own teams.
2011-12 All-OVC Preseason Team
Ivan Aska, Murray State
Anthony Campbell, Austin Peay &
Isaiah Canaan, Murray State *
Robert Covington, Tennessee State #
TyShwan Edmondson, Austin Peay *%
Jeremy Granger, Eastern Illinois
Kenny Moore, Tennessee State #%
Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech *
Leon Powell, Southeast Missouri #%
Zac Swansey, Tennessee Tech %
Preseason OVC Player of the Year: Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech
* - 1st team All-OVC team in 2010-11
# - 2nd team All-OVC team in 2010-11
% - OVC All-Newcomer team in 2010-11
& - 1st team All-OVC in 2009-10
*** - Campbell's stats are from 2009-10; he missed most of last season due to injury and received a medical redshirt
