DEFENDING CHAMP RACERS ADD HORSEPOWER

There is a logical reason why Murray State's Racers are heavily favored to continue their Ohio Valley Conference domination during the 1997-98 basketball season.

Simply put, the Racers appear to be loaded. Not only do they return two of the league's premier players, they also boast a recruiting class that is considered the most talented in school history.

It's no surprise, then, that Murray State is a unanimous choice to win the conference. The Racers received the maximum 18 first-place votes during a preseason poll of the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

Murray State coach Mark Gottfried doesn't try to hide the fact that he believes his team should be extremely solid. But he also says nobody in the OVC can be overlooked.

"I think our team is going to be good. I don't know how good," he said. "I hope we're as good as we think we can be. In this league, every night you're in for a war. It's a very competitive league.

"It's nice to be picked No. 1. I hope we're there at the end."

The Racers generally are there at the end. They've won or shared nine of the past 10 OVC regular-season championships and last season won the OVC Tournament for the sixth time in 10 years.

Tennessee State earned the other two first-place votes (teams are not allowed to pick their own finish, so both of Murray State's votes went to the Tigers) and was chosen second in the OVC preseason poll.

Austin Peay, which shared the OVC regular-season crown with Murray State last year, was selected to finish third, with Middle Tennessee State picked fourth.

Eastern Illinois was tabbed for fifth, followed by Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee Tech, Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee-Martin at Morehead State.

Following is a brief look at all the OVC squads, in the order of how they were picked to finish. Last year's overall and conference records are in parentheses.

Murray State

(20-10, 12-6)

There are several reasons why the Racers once again figure to be the league's elite team, two of the main ones being senior guards DeTeri Mayes and Chad Townsend, who rank among the OVC's finest players.

Mayes earned first-team all-OVC honors and was the league's Newcomer of the Year last season when he averaged 21 points per game and drained a school-record 83 three-pointers. He is this year's preseason OVC Player of the Year.

Townsend was a second-team all-OVC selection and was MVP of the OVC Tournament last year. He contributed 13.3 points per game and a school-record 212 assists.

The Racers return several other players who contributed last season, including starting center Arnell Hamilton.

But the main reason why the Racers are so highly regarded -- other than Mayes and Townsend -- is a slam-bang group of newcomers led by 6-foot-8 junior Duane Virgil, who was regarded as one of the premier junior-college players in the nation last year.

"He should really help us," said Gottfried.

Other highly-touted Racer newcomers are former Alabama Mr. Basketball Issac Spencer, South Alabama transfer Michael Floyd, Rod Murray and Marvin Gay, a junior-college teammate of Virgil.

"The strength of our team is our guards," Gottfried said. "When you have two guys like Chad and DeTeri...it will be a matter of who emerges on the front line for us."

Tennessee State

(9-18, 7-11)

After several strong seasons, the Tigers dropped way down in the OVC standings last season. But people don't expect them to stay there.

Coach Frankie Allen molded a team of mostly new players a year ago. That experience should pay off this season as Allen welcomes back nine lettermen, including four starters who all averaged double figures in scoring.

TSU is led by one of the league's top centers, 6-9 Jason Johnson, who was among the OVC's top 10 in scoring (16.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.9) to earn second-team all-league honors.

Forward Keith Samuel (10.3 ppg) returns, as does a strong backcourt of Kareem Gilbert (13.1 ppg) and Kevin Samuel (11.7 ppg). Gilbert dished out 7.6 assists per contest to rank third nationally as he made second-team all-OVC.

The Tigers also return key sixth man Seth Huber (7.1 ppg) and will be counting on College of Charleston transfer Julian Bankston, a 6-10 center.

"We have some outstanding players back," said Allen. "But as you know, the preseason predictions don't mean much."

Austin Peay

(17-14, 12-6)

The Governors enter the new season riding the momentum of their first OVC regular-season title in 20 years and a run of three consecutive appearances in the OVC Tournament championship game.

Coach Dave Loos welcomes back eight lettermen and three starters, but he'll have to replace all-time leading scorer Bubba Wells (now with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks) and four-year starting point guard Colby Pierce.

Loos appears to have quite a bit of talent to build around, led by 6-8 center Reggie Crenshaw (13.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg), a second-team all-OVC pick last year.

Also back up front are returning regular Mike Witherspoon (8.2 ppg) and Jake Powers (5.5 ppg), who was the team's top reserve last year.

The backcourt is headed up by Joe Sibbitt (12.5 ppg), who hit a school-record 101 three-pointers a year ago.

The Governors will be counting on two transfers, forward Scott Combs from Missouri and point guard J.J. Halliburton from St. Louis.

Said Loos, "The question I've been asked most is what will life be like without Bubba Wells. Make no mistake, I'd rather play with Bubba than without him. But our cupboard is not bare. We've got some good players returning and the two transfers will help."

Middle Tennessee

(19-12, 11-7)

The Blue Raiders made major strides under first-year coach Randy Wiel last year, posting their highest conference finish since 1991-92 and falling just a game short of the regular-season championship.

Although three double-figure scorers are gone from that team, MTSU is still expected to be a factor in the OVC race.

MTSU's lone returning starter is point guard Richard Duncan (9.2 ppg, 4.5 apg).

No other returning player averaged more than 6.5 points a game. Being counted on in the backcourt are Freddie Martinez, K.J. Harden and Kent Ayer while Malachi Allen and Mantia Callender return up front.

A big key for the Raiders will be the return of forward Aylton Tesch, who was redshirted last season after knee surgery. He averaged 13.3 points and 8.6 rebounds two years ago.

"We really have to rebuild," Wiel said. "We had a senior group last year. Hopefully these guys will come through for us."

Eastern Illinois

(12-15, 9-9)

The Panthers were a first-year OVC team last season after leaving the Mid-Continent Conference but it didn't take them long to make an impact. They grabbed the lead in the conference standings in late January before faltering.

With 11 lettermen and all five starters back, coach Rick Samuels' Panthers hope to build on last year's debut season in the OVC.

EIU's strength is in the backcourt, where Rick Kaye and Chad Peckinpaugh form one of the league's top combinations.

Kaye, a second-team all-OVC pick last year, ranked in the top 10 in the league in scoring (16.8 ppg), assists (3.6 apg) and steals (2.0 spg). Peckinpaugh (10.4 ppg, 7.3 apg) was fifth in the nation in assists.

Also back are forwards Marc Polite (10.6 ppg) and Kurt Cuffle (8.9 ppg) along with center John Smith (7.0 ppg). Two other returners, forwards Conya Robinson and Idris Osei-Agyeman, both contributed about five points a game.

"The key to our program is we need good chemistry," said Samuels. "We're not as talented as some of the other teams."

Southeast Missouri

(12-18, 9-9)

New coach Gary Garner certainly brings impressive credentials to the Indians, having led Fort Hays State to a 63-2 record and a Division II national championship over the past two seasons.

Garner appears to have inherited some talent, with five lettermen and three starters returning, but he doesn't really know yet what kind of talent it takes to succeed in the OVC.

"I think we have some talent, but I don't know what it takes in this league," he said. "I don't know how good we'll have to be."

The Indians will build around 6-10 center Bud Eley, the conference's premier post player. Eley earned first-team all-OVC honors last year after ranking third in the league in scoring (17.9 ppg), second in rebounding (10.3 rpg) and fifth in field-goal percentage (53 percent).

Garner's two other returning starters are forwards Calvert White (13.0 ppg) and David Montgomery (7.9 ppg). White made the OVC All-Newcomer squad last season.

Other lettermen back are point guard Lakeo Keller (6.6 ppg) and forward Travis Smith.

Southeast will be counting on several newcomers, including point guard Kahn Cotton, an Idaho State transfer.

Others expected to challenge for starting spots or provide key depth are forward Demetrius Watson and guards Cory Johnson, DeWayne Saulsberry and Nathan Owen. Owen is the squad's lone incoming freshman while the other three are junior-college transfers.

"One of our biggest concerns is leadership within our team," Garner said. "If we get that, then I think we can compete."

Tennessee Tech

(15-13, 10-8)

The Golden Eagles had a solid fourth-place OVC finish last year, but most of the key players off that team are gone.

Coach Frank Harrell welcomes 10 new players to his roster. He feels this is his most athletic team in several years, so look for the Eagles to return to an up-tempo style.

Tech returns five lettermen, with most of the experience in the backcourt. Marc Glanton has been a starter at point guard for most of his career while Albert White is the top returning scorer (5.7 ppg).

Others back from last season are guard Ricky Cabrera, forward Charles Haney and center Eric Atkins. None averaged more than 3.3 points per game.

Several transfers are expected to bolster the squad.

"This is the most athletic team we've had in several years from top to bottom," said Harrell.

Eastern Kentucky

(8-18, 6-12)

Former Michigan assistant coach Scott Perry takes over the Colonels. Perry has some rebuilding to do, but EKU does return six lettermen, including its leading scorer.

Two starters are back in leading scorer and rebounder Daniel Sutton (14.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and Aaron Cecil (7.9 ppg). Both are forwards.

In the backcourt, EKU is hoping that Marty Thomas can recover from a back injury that sidelined him for most of last year. He averaged 12.7 points two seasons ago.

Chris Fitzgerald (6.2 ppg) and Jared Carpenter (5.9 ppg) have been key reserves the past two seasons and help solidify the backcourt.

Several newcomers are also expected to help the Colonels, who suffered a blow when 6-11 center Matt Simons decided to leave the team.

"We have a rebuilding task at Eastern," said Perry. "Twenty years ago Eastern had a great tradition. We have to get back to that."

Tennessee-Martin

(11-16, 8-10)

The Skyhawks were one of the OVC's hottest teams down the stretch last season but veteran coach Cal Luther has some major rebuilding to do. Only one of UTM's seven returning lettermen averaged more than 20 minutes a game a year ago.

UTM's strength appears to be up front, led by post players Joe Crumby (11.9 ppg) and Ryan DeMichael (8.1 ppg), who was mainly used off the bench last year.

The Skyhawks' other returning starter is forward Hamp Harper.

Art Castle, Robin Cude and Roger Castle have all been reserves in the backcourt who should challenge for starting berths while Luther will also be counting on several newcomers.

"We're really having to regroup completely, but I think we have an intangible quality," Luther said. "Last year we were also picked ninth but we didn't act like or play like a ninth-place team. I feel the same about this team."

Morehead State

(8-19, 6-12)

Former Kentucky All-American Kyle Macy makes his coaching debut with the Eagles this season. Macy has already created plenty of excitement, as witnessed by one of the more heralded recruiting classes in school history. The newcomers will join seven returning lettermen, including three starters.

The Eagles should be solid up front with forward Chris Stone (10.9 ppg, 8.7 rpg) and center Luke Lloyd (10.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg).

Forwards Jeremy Prater (8.3 ppg) and David Harrison (6.9 ppg) saw extensive action off the bench last year while point guard Ted Docks and fellow guard Hezzie Boone (10.3 ppg, 74 three-pointers) return.

Among the newcomers expected to contribute immediately is guard Brandon Davenport, who was chosen as Kentucky's Mr. Basketball last year.

"It has been kind of a drought at Morehead State the last few years, but we're looking on the bright side," said Macy. "We're not blessed with a lot of talent. We're trying to lay the foundation to be successful for years to come."