Murray State University Athletics
Racers tabbed as OVC favorite
10/14/2004 11:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
One thing that Murray State head coach Mick Cronin has understood since he joined the Racers is that there are normal expectations and then there are MSU expectations. Even though the Racers lost nine players from last year's squad that won 28 games, they are again the pre-season favorite in the Ohio Valley Conference.
In voting conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, the Racers received 19 of a possible 20 first-place votes. (OVC members cannot vote for their own teams.)
After the Racers,- who led the poll with 199 points, comes Tennessee State, voted second with one first-place vote and 166 points. Eastern Kentucky was picked third with one first-place vote and 148 points, while Tennessee Tech was picked fourth with one first-place vote and 137 points. Last year's regular-season champion, Austin Peay, was fifth with 123 points. The rest of the poll was rounded out by Tennessee-Martin, Jacksonville State, Southeast Missouri, Morehead State, Samford and Eastern Illinois.
"In our case, this vote to put us number one has more to do with our tradition," Cronin said. "I think having players (Trey Pearson, Keith Jenifer, Pearson Griffith) who were sitting out, now on the floor, was a reason why they picked us first, but I'd rather be picked first than last."
It's not often that a basketball program replaces nine players from one season to the next. The Racers have only two returning players who saw action last season. Senior Adam Chiles was picked to the All-OVC Pre-Season First Team and valuable reserve Shawn Witherspoon also returns for his sophomore season.
Cronin said this year's team will have more pure athletes, but will have to find the same chemistry and leadership.
"Right now, rebounding and inside scoring is a great concern," he said. "Last year, when we needed a basket, we'd just throw it in to Cuthbert Victor, but he's not here any more. We'll resemble last year's team in that we'll play just as hard, but we should be much deeper and more athletic."
With more bodies to throw to on the floor, look for the Racers to press and trap more than they did last season.
Murray State opens practice Saturday and plays two exhibition games this season, on Nov. 6 against VASDA and Nov. 11 at home against Christian Brothers. Both games begin at 7:15 p.m. at the Regional Special Events Center. The Racers' season opener is Nov. 20 against SIU-Edwardsville also at the RSEC at 7:15 p.m.
