MSU Basketball Picked First In OVC Men's Preseason Poll - Danero Thomas On Preseason Team

The Murray State Men's Basketball team was selected first in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll Tuesday in voting conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.

"It is an honor to have been recognized by our peers as favorites in the OVC," MSU Head Coach Billy Kennedy said. "My players and coaches have worked hard to garner this respect. Our goal is to "finish" the season as champions. We are excited about the challenge."

The Racers had 11 first place votes and 149 total points. UT Martin was a close second in the poll with six first place votes and 142 points. Austin Peay had 129 points with two first place votes to get the third spot, while Morehead State was fourth with 118 points and one first place nod. Tennessee State was fifth with 108 points, with Tennessee Tech (77) in sixth, Eastern Kentucky (59) seventh, and Southeast Missouri (57), Eastern Illinois (35), and Jacksonville State (26) getting spots eighth through 11th.

The Racers received 11 of 20 first place votes and are coming off back-to-back seasons in which they finished second in the OVC each time with a 13-7 record. MSU returns four starters from the team that finished 18-13 in the 2007-08 season, the program's 21^st straight winning season.

MSU junior Danero Thomas was named to the All-OVC Preseason team. Thomas scored 12.3 points per game last season and pulled down 4.9 rebounds per game.

"Danero has worked hard the last two years," Kennedy said. "I'm happy for him being recognized. He's one of the best all around players in the league."

Murray State opens the 2008-09 season with an exhibition game at the Regional Special Events Center Nov. 11 against Bethel. The regular season opener is at the RSEC Nov. 15 against Lyon.

MSU has won the OVC regular season title 20 times, and the OVC Tournament 13 times. The Racers won the regular season and tournament championship in 2005-06.

2008-09 OVC Preseason Poll
Rank	Team (First-Place Votes)	Total Points
1.	Murray State (11)	149
2.	UT Martin (6)	142
3.	Austin Peay (2)	129
4.	Morehead State (1)	118
5.	Tennessee State	108
6.	Tennessee Tech	77
7.	Eastern Kentucky	59
8.	Southeast Missouri	57
9.	Eastern Illinois	35
10.	Jacksonville State	26

Preseason All-OVC Team
Player, School	Pos.	Year
Leon Buchanan, Morehead State	F	SR.
Kenneth Faried, Morehead State	C	SO.
Jerrell Houston, Tennessee State	F	SR.
Lester Hudson, UT Martin	G	SR.
Daniel Northern, Tenn. Tech	C	SR.
Gerald Robinson, Tennessee State	G	SO.
Mike Rose, Eastern Kentucky	F	SR.
Drake Reed, Austin Peay	F	SR.
Danero Thomas, Murray State	F	JR.
Marquis Weddle, UT Martin	G	SO.

Murray State University Athletics

MSU Basketball Picked First In OVC Men's Preseason Poll - Danero Thomas On Preseason Team

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