COLLEGE BASKETBALL: GOVS ELECTED PRESEASON FAVORITE IN OVC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Having a potential first-round NBA draft pick is a good start.

Throw in three other returning regulars -- two of them regarded as among the better players in the league -- from a team that won 18 games and it's probably no surprise that Austin Peay is the preseason Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball favorite.

Austin Peay was the overwhelming choice of the OVC's coaches and sports information directors during the league's media day Wednesday at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

The Governors, led by the sensational Trenton Hassell who was named the league's preseason player of the year Wednesday received 14 of a possible 16 first-place votes (teams are not allowed to pick their own finish).

Murray State, which has won or shared the last seven OVC regular-season championships, nabbed the other four first-place votes and was picked second.

Southeast Missouri State, which captured its first OVC regular-season (tying with Murray State) and tournament titles last season, was chosen to finish third.

"We're pleased to be picked high, but I'm a little smarter than I look," said Austin Peay coach Dave Loos. "I know it means absolutely nothing, but we return a good basketball team.

"It's a nice honor (being picked No. 1). It creates some excitement and sells some tickets. But it doesn't mean anything. It will be settled on the court."

The 6-foot-5 Hassell is no doubt among the top talents the OVC has produced in recent years. A do-it-all guard/forward, he was the only player in the nation last season to rank among the top five in his conference in scoring (18.1 points per game), rebounds (7.4) and assists (5.2).

Hassell has been selected to Playboy magazine's 10-player preseason All-America team and is highly regarded by NBA scouts.

"Trenton is a very talented player," said Loos. "He does a lot of things for our team and makes the people around him better."

Also back for the Govs are second-team all-OVC pick Nick Stapleton at guard and third-teamer Joe Williams at center. That pair was placed on the league's preseason second squad Wednesday, giving Austin Peay three players regarded as among the top 10 in the conference.

But Loos was quick to point out that the Govs still have plenty to prove. Despite going 18-10 last season, they lost in the first round of the OVC Tournament for the second year in a row.

"Like I said, we have to do it on the court," he said.

Murray State, 23-9 last year, has won or shared 12 of the last 13 OVC regular-season titles and has appeared in 11 straight league tourney championship games. The Racers lost standout guard Aubrey Reese last season's OVC Player of the Year and return just two starters, but one of them is two-time all-OVC first team forward Isaac Spencer.

"We have nine new players with no Division I experience. It's almost a new team," said Racers' coach Tevester Anderson. "But I'm happy to have a guy like Isaac Spencer back."

Southeast had its best-ever Division I season last year, going 24-7 and making the NCAA Division I tourney for the first time. The Indians lost three starters but return perhaps the league's premier backcourt in Michael Stokes and Antonio Short. Stokes is a preseason all-OVC first-team pick at point guard while shooting guard Short made the honorable mention list.

"I feel like we have the best backcourt in the league," said Southeast coach Gary Garner.

Garner believes Austin Peay should have been picked to win the conference, but he thinks several other teams could contend -- including the Indians.

"Austin Peay deserves to be picked No. 1, and I think Murray State should be No. 2," he said. "But the race should be very interesting. I think us, Tennessee Tech and Eastern Illinois could all be in the race."

Tennessee Tech (16-12 last year) was picked to finish fourth in the nine-team league, with Eastern Illinois (17-12) fifth and fast-improving Tennessee-Martin (10-19) sixth. Morehead State (9-18) and Tennessee State (7-22) tied for seventh in the voting, with Eastern Kentucky (6-21) bringing up the rear.

Tennessee Tech forward Larrie Smith and Eastern Illinois guard Kyle Hill joined Hassell, Spencer and Stokes on the all-conference preseason first team.

The OVC has two new head coaches and both are somewhat familiar names. Tennessee State's Nolan Richardson III assisted his father at Arkansas the past several seasons while Eastern Kentucky's Travis Ford started his college playing career at Missouri before finishing up as an all-Southeastern Conference guard at Kentucky.

OVC MEN'S POLL

Predicted order of finish for the Ohio Valley Conference men's teams as picked by league coaches and sports information directors with number of first-place votes in parentheses followed by total points:

1. Austin Peay (14) 124

2. Murray State (4) 113

3. Southeast Missouri 100

4. Tennessee Tech 84

5. Eastern Illinois 78

6. Tennessee-Martin 56

7. Morehead State (tie) 33

7. Tennessee State (tie) 33

9. Eastern Kentucky 27