• OVC Women's Basketball Preseason Release
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - In a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head men’s basketball coaches and communication directors, Little Rock has been picked the preseason favorites for the 2024-25 season.
The Trojans, who were one of three teams who shared last year’s regular season championship (along with Morehead State and UT Martin), picked up 20 of 22 first-place votes (teams could not vote for themselves) to receive 200 total points.
Western Illinois was picked second (receiving 172 points) while SIUE picked up the other two first-place votes and 151 points in being picked third. Tennessee State was tabbed fourth (134 points) and followed by Morehead State (131), Eastern Illinois (87), Southeast Missouri (86), Southern Indiana (79), Lindenwood (67), UT Martin (52) and Tennessee Tech (51).
The League once again includes 11 teams. This year those teams will play a 20-game Conference schedule, up from 18 games a season ago.
The season will conclude with the 2025 OVC Basketball Championships presented by United Fidelity Bank (March 5-8), which will be held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana for the eighth-straight season.
2024-25 OVC Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
1. Little Rock (20 first-place votes) - 200 points
2. Western Illinois - 172
3. SIUE (2) - 151
4. Tennessee State - 134
5. Morehead State - 131
6. Eastern Illinois - 87
7. Southeast Missouri - 86
8. Southern Indiana - 79
9. Lindenwood - 67
10. UT Martin - 52
11. Tennessee Tech - 51
2024-25 OVC Men’s Basketball Players to Watch
Each team selected two "Players to Watch" to represent their team.
Eastern Illinois
Nakyel Shelton - G, Sr., Washington, Missouri
Kooper Jacobi - F, Grad., Sellersburg, Indiana
Lindenwood
Markeith Browning II - G, Grad., Ypsilanti, Michigan
Jeremiah Talton - G/F, Jr., Quincy, Illinois
Little Rock
KK Robinson - G, Grad., Little Rock, Arkansas
Jordan Jefferson - G, Sr., Marietta, Georgia
Morehead State
Dieonte Miles - F, Grad., Walton, Kentucky
Trent Scott - G, R-So., Tampa, Florida
Southeast Missouri
Teddy Washington Jr. - G, Sr., Blytheville, Arkansas
Rob Martin - G, Jr., St. Louis, Missouri
SIUE
Ray’Sean Taylor - G, Grad., Collinsville, Illinois
Desmond Polk - G, Grad., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Southern Indiana
Stephen Olowoniyi - F, So., Melbourne, Australia
Jayland Randall - G, Jr., Detroit, Michigan
Tennessee State
Ahmir Langlais - F, Grad., Atlanta, Georgia
Justus Jackson - G, Jr., Surprise, Arizona
Tennessee Tech
Daniel Egbuniwe - F, Jr., Memphis, Tennessee
Rodney Johnson Jr. - F, Sr., Bryan, Texas
UT Martin
Vladimer Salaridze - F, R-Sr., Tbilisi, Georgia
Josué Grullon - G, Jr., Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Western Illinois
Ryan Myers - G, Sr., Brooklyn, New York
Sean Smith - G, Sr., Louisville, Kentucky