OVC race is off to an unpredictable start

Most Ohio Valley Conference basketball teams — Southeast Missouri State included — played two early league games before taking a break from conference competition until next month.

Since all OVC squads have 18 league contests, it's way too early to judge how the race is going to turn out. But what happened in the opening round of conference action just might indicate that the OVC season is going to be wild, wacky and highly entertaining.

Take, for instance, what has transpired on the men's side.

Improving Morehead State, solid last year with a third-place OVC finish, was picked fourth in this year's preseason poll.

The Eagles already have knocked off the top two preseason picks in Murray State and Tennessee-Martin, who combined for 17 of the 20 first-place votes.

Granted, both victories were at home, but that doesn't diminish the accomplishment, especially after the Eagles started their season with six straight losses.

How about Jacksonville State, which finished last in the OVC a year ago and was predicted to finish in the basement again?

Rejuvenated under respected coach James Green, the Gamecocks posted a 16-point win at Tennessee Tech in their lone OVC game.

Jacksonville State arguably had the best resume entering OVC play, notching a victory at Massachusetts and routing a VMI squad that beat Kentucky.

The Gamecocks are 6-1, after winning seven games all of last season.

In addition, Eastern Illinois — picked to finish ninth in the 10-team league — split its first two OVC games, which is a strong start for a program that has struggled in recent years.

On the other end of things, preseason No. 2 UT-Martin lost its first two OVC games, although both were on the road, where it could be tough to gain wins in the conference this year.

Southeast also lost its first two OVC games at home. In fairness to the Redhawks, not much is expected of them this season, so their 0-2 conference start certainly is no surprise.

Then there is Austin Peay, which rolled to the OVC regular-season title the past two years but was picked just third this time around after losing three starters.

The Govs won their first two OVC games — on the road, no less — as they don't appear to have missed a beat.

If the early conference action is any indication, OVC fans are in for a treat when league play resumes in January.

The above also could hold true on the women's side, where preseason No. 6 Morehead State is off to a 2-0 start, including a win over Murray State — the defending OVC tournament champion and preseason No. 2.

The Eagles notched both those victories at home, where the supposedly friendly confines were not so friendly to Southeast's women.

Southeast, which won OVC regular-season titles in John Ishee's first two years as coach and is the preseason No. 3 choice, lost both its conference games at the Show Me Center.

Of course, the Redhawks played without star senior Sonya Daugherty, who was out with an injured knee.

Daugherty's return should boost the Redhawks' stock as they try to dig out of their early OVC hole.

I hate to come down too hard on the Missouri football team, because the Tigers have had two of the best back-to-back seasons in program history.

From where the Tigers came the past 30 years or so, this season's current 9-4 is still impressive.

But, based on the expectations following their breakthrough 2007 campaign, this year has been somewhat of a downer for the Tigers.

Still, MU can make it two straight 10-win seasons for the first time ever if the Tigers beat Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl. That wouldn't be too shabby.

The real challenge for Gary Pinkel and the MU program will come next season, when the Tigers will be in a transitional phase after losing 23 seniors, including star quarterback Chase Daniel.

Most people are going to expect a significant dropoff in the Tigers' record, especially with an inexperienced quarterback taking over for Daniel.

If the Tigers can get to nine or 10 wins again in 2009, then I'd say Pinkel really has MU's program at an impressive level.

No, not nearly on even footing with the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, USC and maybe a handful of other elite programs, but certainly among the next group of solid ones.

Congratulations to Barry Bernhardt, Southeast's exceptional band director who will conduct the halftime show at this year's BCS national championship game.

Bernhardt has traveled across the country to conduct the halftime shows at various bowl games over the years and this will be the fourth national title contest for him.

Also congrats to Cape Girardeau native and former Southeast basketball player Randy Carter for reaching a career milestone.

Carter recently notched his 400th win as the boys basketball coach at Jennings High School in St. Louis County, where he has directed the program since 1986.

Carter, a Central graduate, played at Southeast from 1973 to 1976.

Finally, a quick note regarding a time change for one of Southeast's upcoming men's basketball games: The Redhawks' Dec. 31 contest against SIU-Edwardsville at the Show Me Center has been changed to 5:30 p.m. from an original 7 p.m. tipoff.

That will let New Year's Eve revelers watch the game while still having plenty of time to get ready for the big night.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.