Murray State University Athletics
Remington earns pre-season honor, Lady Racers picked sixth in OVC
10/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Senior guard Rebecca Remington was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Pre-Season Second Team in voting conducted by league coaches and sports information directors.
The pre-season teams and predicted order of finish were announced at today's OVC Basketball Media Day, held at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville, Tenn.
Murray State -- coming off of a 13-15 season and fifth-place tie at 9-7 in the OVC last year -- was picked to finish sixth in the 11-team league.
Tennessee Tech (18-11 last season, 12-4, second OVC) was the pre-season favorite with nine of the 22 first-place votes and 180 total points. (Teams earned 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second, etc. Coaches and sports information directors could not vote for their own team.)
Jacksonville State (18-10, 11-5, third OVC) was second in the pre-season poll with six first-place votes and 176 points, while Austin Peay (23-8, 14-2, first OVC) was third with four first-place votes and 162 total points and Eastern Kentucky (15-15, 9-7, fifth-tie OVC) was fourth with three first-place votes and 156 total points.
Southeast Missouri State (16-13, 10-6, fourth OVC) was fifth with 135 points, followed by Murray State's 108 points, Tennessee-Martin (11-16, 8-8, seventh OVC) with 71 points, Morehead State (10-18, 7-9, eighth OVC) with 70, Eastern Illinois (8-19, 5-11, ninth OVC) with 68, Samford (10-17, 3-13, 10th OVC) with 64 and Tennessee State (1-25, 0-16, 11th OVC) with 20.
"We return two starters from last year, and have seven new players," said MSU head coach Joi Felton. "We are real excited for the opportunities. Our newcomers bring with them athleticism and perimeter talent. We're looking to play more up-tempo. We have a great group of young ladies, and we look forward to getting started."
Asked about the difference between her debut season last year and the upcoming season, Felton said the mindset has changed.
"The players feel like they have an opportunity to win every time they step on the floor," she said. "With that kind of confidence, we'll be able to push the tempo a little more. We've got kids who can create shots for other players.
"Now, I've got a year under my belt, and the players have a year where they got to know me better. They know me, and I know them. They know what the expectations are and now, can relay that to the new players. Last year, they were all new."
Murray State opens the 2004-05 calendar with two exhibition games, taking on St. Louis Goldstar on Nov. 6 and Blue Chip All-Stars on Nov. 13. The Lady Racers open the regular season at DePaul (ranked 20th pre-season by Athlon Magazine), and play their first home game on Nov. 23 against Northern Iowa.
