Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Racers Are West Favorites - Jones All-OVC Preseason
10/26/2016 10:22:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Murray State men's basketball enters the 2016-17 season with a team that has caused much optimism even though a game has yet to be played. The Racers were selected as the favorite for the Ohio Valley Conference West Division in a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors and senior guard Bryce Jones was named to the OVC Preseason Team. The OVC preseason predictions and preseason team were announced during annual media day activities at the Sheraton Music City Hotel (Oct. 25) in Nashville.
As the Racers begin their 92nd season of collegiate basketball and 69th in the OVC, they've been picked as the top team in the OVC West, ahead of Eastern Illinois, Austin Peay, UT Martin, SIUE and Southeast Missouri. Belmont was the top pick in the OVC East.
MSU Coach Matt McMahon enters his second season with the Racers as the team looks to have a successful season under the leadership of a trio of seniors and a reworked roster that has seven newcomers. The Racers went 17-14 (10-6 OVC) in 2015-16 and secured the program's 29th consecutive winning season, an impressive streak that is fourth in the nation and one that started with the 1987-88 season and has continued through eight different coaches.
MSU's Bryce Jones was named to the OVC Preseason Team after he had an outstanding junior campaign, his first with the Racers after a two-year stint at Jones County JC. Jones, from Brooklyn, N.Y., was the 19th leading scorer in the OVC (12.7 ppg) and the fifth-best assist man (4.2 apg). He was also an excellent free throw shooter, ranking first in the OVC and 24th nationally at 87 percent (122-of-140) and at one point, hit 23 in a row. Jones had his first double-double as a Racer at Houston (Dec. 2) with 14 points and 10 assists and flirted with a triple-double (March 3) against Eastern Illinois at the OVC Tournament when he helped the Racers win with 14 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
A challenging schedule awaits the Racers before they begin play in the rugged OVC. The Racers have games against South Dakota State, Middle Tennessee, Evansville, Ole Miss and Green Bay, Illinois State and Southern Illinois. All finished last season in the top-140 of the NCAA RPI and three (SDSU, MTSU & UWGB) were NCAA Tournament participants. The Racers travel to Bowling Green State (Nov. 19-21) to play three games in three days against Green Bay, UMKC and BGSU. The Racers open OVC play on New Year's Eve at home against Tennessee State. The 11 a.m. game will be televised by the CBS Sports Network. MSU has two home games on ESPNU including Belmont (Feb. 2) and SIUE (Feb. 16). And when March arrives, the Racers will be looking for their 16th OVC Tournament championship when the event is played at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville.
The Racers host Berry College (Nov. 3) in an exhibition game, before Illinois State visits the CFSB Center for the season opener (Nov. 11). MSU's first road game at at Middle Tennessee (Nov. 15).
2016-17 Preseason OVC Men's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
Overall OVC Champion: Belmont (16 first-place votes)
Other Teams Receiving Overall First-Place Votes: Tennessee State (6), Eastern Kentucky (1), Morehead State (1)
East Division
1. Belmont (16 first-place votes) – 126 points
2. Tennessee State (6) - 106
3. Morehead State (1) - 98
4. Tennessee Tech - 62
5. Eastern Kentucky (1) - 60
6. Jacksonville State - 40
West Division
1. Murray State (21 first-place votes) – 131 points
2. Eastern Illinois - 95
3. Austin Peay (2) - 88
4. UT Martin (1) - 82
5. SIUE - 54
6. Southeast Missouri – 42
2016-17 Preseason All-OVC Men's Basketball Team
Taylor Barnette, Belmont
Evan Bradds, Belmont
Antonius Cleveland, Southeast Missouri
Cornell Johnston, Eastern Illinois
Bryce Jones, Murray State
Aleksa Jugovic, Tennessee Tech
Wayne Martin, Tennessee State
Nick Mayo, Eastern Kentucky
Tahjere McCall, Tennessee State
Xavier Moon, Morehead State
Josh Robinson, Austin Peay
Preseason Player of the Year: Evan Bradds, Belmont
As the Racers begin their 92nd season of collegiate basketball and 69th in the OVC, they've been picked as the top team in the OVC West, ahead of Eastern Illinois, Austin Peay, UT Martin, SIUE and Southeast Missouri. Belmont was the top pick in the OVC East.
MSU Coach Matt McMahon enters his second season with the Racers as the team looks to have a successful season under the leadership of a trio of seniors and a reworked roster that has seven newcomers. The Racers went 17-14 (10-6 OVC) in 2015-16 and secured the program's 29th consecutive winning season, an impressive streak that is fourth in the nation and one that started with the 1987-88 season and has continued through eight different coaches.
MSU's Bryce Jones was named to the OVC Preseason Team after he had an outstanding junior campaign, his first with the Racers after a two-year stint at Jones County JC. Jones, from Brooklyn, N.Y., was the 19th leading scorer in the OVC (12.7 ppg) and the fifth-best assist man (4.2 apg). He was also an excellent free throw shooter, ranking first in the OVC and 24th nationally at 87 percent (122-of-140) and at one point, hit 23 in a row. Jones had his first double-double as a Racer at Houston (Dec. 2) with 14 points and 10 assists and flirted with a triple-double (March 3) against Eastern Illinois at the OVC Tournament when he helped the Racers win with 14 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
A challenging schedule awaits the Racers before they begin play in the rugged OVC. The Racers have games against South Dakota State, Middle Tennessee, Evansville, Ole Miss and Green Bay, Illinois State and Southern Illinois. All finished last season in the top-140 of the NCAA RPI and three (SDSU, MTSU & UWGB) were NCAA Tournament participants. The Racers travel to Bowling Green State (Nov. 19-21) to play three games in three days against Green Bay, UMKC and BGSU. The Racers open OVC play on New Year's Eve at home against Tennessee State. The 11 a.m. game will be televised by the CBS Sports Network. MSU has two home games on ESPNU including Belmont (Feb. 2) and SIUE (Feb. 16). And when March arrives, the Racers will be looking for their 16th OVC Tournament championship when the event is played at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville.
The Racers host Berry College (Nov. 3) in an exhibition game, before Illinois State visits the CFSB Center for the season opener (Nov. 11). MSU's first road game at at Middle Tennessee (Nov. 15).
2016-17 Preseason OVC Men's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
Overall OVC Champion: Belmont (16 first-place votes)
Other Teams Receiving Overall First-Place Votes: Tennessee State (6), Eastern Kentucky (1), Morehead State (1)
East Division
1. Belmont (16 first-place votes) – 126 points
2. Tennessee State (6) - 106
3. Morehead State (1) - 98
4. Tennessee Tech - 62
5. Eastern Kentucky (1) - 60
6. Jacksonville State - 40
West Division
1. Murray State (21 first-place votes) – 131 points
2. Eastern Illinois - 95
3. Austin Peay (2) - 88
4. UT Martin (1) - 82
5. SIUE - 54
6. Southeast Missouri – 42
2016-17 Preseason All-OVC Men's Basketball Team
Taylor Barnette, Belmont
Evan Bradds, Belmont
Antonius Cleveland, Southeast Missouri
Cornell Johnston, Eastern Illinois
Bryce Jones, Murray State
Aleksa Jugovic, Tennessee Tech
Wayne Martin, Tennessee State
Nick Mayo, Eastern Kentucky
Tahjere McCall, Tennessee State
Xavier Moon, Morehead State
Josh Robinson, Austin Peay
Preseason Player of the Year: Evan Bradds, Belmont
Players Mentioned
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