Southeast men picked for 8th place in preseason poll

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Gary Garner did not expect his peers to think too highly of the Redhawks since they lost their top three scorers and top two rebounders from last year.

So Garner was not surprised that the Redhawks finished tied for eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference's preseason poll announced Wednesday at the league's media day.

"I'm not surprised at all," Garner said. "You look at what we lost, and what we have coming back, and I thought we'd be picked anywhere from sixth to eighth."

Not that Garner is about to concede such a low finish in the 11-team conference. The Redhawks tied for seventh in last year's preseason poll, but wound up in a deadlock for fifth, then upset Murray State in the first round of the OVC Tournament to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1999-2000.

Despite losing the OVC's leading scorer (Dainmon Gonner) and leading rebounder (Reggie Golson) -- and returning just two starters in guards Terrick Willoughby and Paul Paradoski, along with only two other players -- Garner believes the Redhawks have the potential to challenge for an upper-division finish.

Montana transfer Roy Booker is expected to add plenty of scoring at guard after practicing with the team last year, and Garner will be counting on contributions from most of his six other newcomers.

"I really like our kids. We've really improved our athleticism, and hopefully that will help us defend better and rebound better," said Garner, whose squad was 15-14 overall and 9-7 in the OVC last year. "We were in so many close games last year. If we win just a couple more of them, we probably tie for the championship.

"I think it will be the same thing this year. We're going to be in a lot of close games. The keys will be how we blend together, and how we do in those close games."

Southeast, which begins practice Friday, received 35 points in voting by the league's coaches, the same total as Tennessee-Martin.

For the second straight year, Murray State is a commanding preseason favorite -- and this time, coach Mick Cronin feel it's a bit more justified.

Last season, the Racers were counting heavily on 12 newcomers after they returned just one starter, who was dismissed from the team prior to the first game.

That inexperience showed often, as the Racers (17-11, 11-5 OVC last year) finished tied for second and failed to reach the conference tournament semifinals for the first time since 1986-87.

Now, the Racers return all five starters -- led by junior guard Trey Pearson, the league's preseason player of the year who was a first-team all-conference selection last year.

"We have a little more legitimacy to it this year," Cronin said. "We have nine returning players. Last year we had two, one all-conference, and I kicked him off before the first game.

"I think Trey and the rest of the returning guys have shown a bigger commitment to winning."

Murray State received nine of 11 first-place votes and 99 points. Garner was not surprised.

"They deserve it," he said. "I don't think they'll run away with it [the title], but they have that potential.

"They're probably the only team that can run away with it. But if they don't, I think the league will be a dogfight again, just like last year."

Defending OVC tournament champion Easter Kentucky (22-9, 11-5), which tied for second in the regular season last year and set a school record for wins, received one first-place vote and 80 points.

The Colonels, led by preseason first-team all-OVC pick Matt Witt, a senior guard, have one of the league's two new head coaches in Jeff Neubauer, an assistant at West Virginia last year. He will work with three returning starters.

"Murray is the team to beat, so I don't really feel pressure," Neubauer said of trying to continue last year's success.

Defending regular-season champion Tennessee Tech (18-11, 12-4) was picked third with 78 points, followed by Samford (15-13, 10-6), which received the remaining first-place vote.

Tennessee Tech, which returns four starters but lost OVC player of the year Willie Jenkins, continue to deal with the absence of coach Mike Sutton.

Sutton, last season's conference coach of the year, is still recovering after being stricken in the spring with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves.

"Coach is going through a difficult time," said associate head coach Steve Payne, who is handling the program's day-to-day duties. "But he is very involved, and he's getting stronger every day. It won't be long until he's back."

Samford, which finished fourth last season, welcomes back three starters, led by senior forward J. Robert Merritt, a returning first-team all-OVC performer who is also a first-team preseason selection.

"I see the league as being very balanced," Bulldogs coach Jimmy Tillette said. "Probably Murray State should be picked first and Eastern Kentucky second because of their returnees, but I can see a lot of close games again.

"It was a heck of a league last year."

Tennessee State (14-17, 9-7) was picked fifth, followed by Austin Peay (13-19, 9-7), Eastern Illinois (12-16, 7-9), Southeast, Tennessee-Martin (6-21, 3-13), Jacksonville State (7-22, 2-14) and Morehead State (11-16, 5-11).

"I don't think there's a lot of difference between the No. 1 team and the No. 11 team in this league," Tennessee State coach Cy Alexander said. "Last year, there were six, seven, eight teams that could have won the league, and I think it'll be the same this year."

Eastern Illinois has the league's other new head coach in Mike Miller, an assistant at Kansas State last year.

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Preseason poll

Predicted finish Pts

1. Murray St. (9) 99

2. Eastern Kentucky (1) 80

3. Tennessee Tech 78

4. Samford (1) 72

5. Tennessee St. 70

6. Austin Peay 60

7. Eastern Illinois 38

8. (T) Southeast Missouri 35

8. (T) Tennessee-Martin 35

10. Jacksonville St. 21

11. Morehead St. 17

Preseason all-conference

First Team

F--J. Robert Merritt, Samford

G/F-- Jared Newson, Tennessee-Martin

G--Trey Pearson, Murray St.

G-- Josh Gomes, Eastern Illinois

G--Matt Whitt, Eastern Kentucky

Preseason Player of the Year: Pearson

Second Team

F--Derek Stribling, Tennessee Tech

C--Zac Schlader, Austin Peay

G--Walker D. Russell, Jacksonville St.

G--Maurice Hampton, Austin Peay

G--Bruce Price, Tennessee State