OVC at the Halfway Point

Ranking the Teams in Three Tiers

(St. Louis, MO) – We’re at the halfway point of the Ohio Valley Conference league schedule and eight teams have a legitimate shot at winning the regular season title. Three games separate those eight teams in the standings and virtually every game rearranges the hierarchy.

While three teams are out of that race and have only a whisper of a chance to climb into the eighth and final playoff spot, they still have much to play for.

We are ranking league members in three tiers. We list ‘championship contenders’, ‘solid competitors’ and ‘trailing the field’. All the teams in that second category could easily become championship contenders.

Our rankings are based on current records, looming injuries, ‘Monday Metrics’, their upcoming schedules and my confidence in how they will perform. Teams are listed within their categories in alphabetical order rather than their order within that category.

All statistics are ‘conference only’ in nature.

Halfway Point Championship Contenders

Morehead State Eagles – (11-10, 7-3 – Monday Metrics – 280.4

The Eagles have won three straight and seven of their last ten games, and enter a pivotal week with home games against Southern Illinois Edwardsville and Lindenwood. A home sweep would do wonders for their championship hopes.

Morehead State has one of the deeper OVC rosters. What they lack in size they overcome with numbers. Eight players average over four points per game and two of Jonathan Mattox’s top players come off the bench. Davion Cunningham has twice been the league’s newcomer of the week and he is yet to start a conference game.

Though only 6’7, Jon Carroll leads the league in rebounds and George Marshall is a scoring threat.

Southeast Missouri Redhawks – (11-10, 6-4) – Monday Metrics – 250

The reigning regular season champions seem to be figuring some things out. Brad Korn’s team has won two straight and guard Luke Almodovar has become the offensive leader. He’s reached double figures in eleven of the teams last twelve games.

The Redhawks are the OVC’s top defensive rebounding team and forward Brendan Terry has rebounded from a midseason slump. When he’s playing well the Redhawks are winning. Terry is among the league leaders in rebounds and assists and has regained his scoring touch.

Tennessee State Tigers – (13-7, 7-3) – Monday Metrics – 216.2

The Tigers may be the most talented team in the OVC. Travis Harper II, Aaron Nkrumah and Dante Harris could be the best set of triplets this league has. Harper (second) and Nkrumah (sixth) are explosive scorers. Harris is an outstanding point guard, and is the OVC’s second leading distributor (4.9 per game).

The Tigers play fast and lead the OVC in scoring and are last in scoring defense. Nolan Smith’s team is the league’s best shooting team and provide all kinds of defensive difficulties for their opponents.

UT Martin Skyhawks – (15-5, 7-2) – Monday Metrics – 205.6

UT Martin is the polar opposite of Tennessee State. They lead the league in points allowed, defensive field goal percentage, rebounding margin and blocked shots. Jeremy Shulman’s team prides itself on hard work and doing the ‘little things’ that produce winning margins.

Freshman star Matas Deniusas and forward Andrija Bukumirovic are the Skyhawks’ go-to offensive players. Bukumirovic is also the league’s third leading rebounder.

Solid Competitors

Eastern Illinois Panthers – (9-12, 5-5) – Monday Metrics – 304.2

EIU keeps it scrappy. The Panthers only score 66 points per game, but they only allow 67. Marty Simmons’ team is top three in scoring defense, defensive field goal percentage and in preventing the three. They are in virtually every game.

Simmons’ balanced offensive approach has worked and four Panthers average 9.7 or more points per game. Rebounding missed shots is a weakness and may be their Achilles’ heal.

Lindenwood Lions – (12-9, 6-4) – Monday Metrics – 237.8

Kyle Gerdeman’s team is on the verge of an historic season. They’ve already achieved their second most wins during a Division 1 season. They are four wins from the season record and their most ever league victories.

OVC leading scorer Anias Futrell and reigning ‘Freshman of the Year’ Jadis Jones are constant Lindenwood threats. Jones leads the league in shooting percentage, is fourth in scoring and sixth in rebounds. Dontrez Williams gives Gerdeman a third outstanding offensive option.

Little Rock Trojans – (9-11, 6-3) – Monday Metrics – 292.8

The preseason favorites started slowly, but have finally found a rotation that is working. Johnathan Lawson might be the best player in the league. He’s third in scoring (18.8), assists (4.4) and in three-point percentage.

Cameron Wallace and Tuongthach Gatkek give coach Darrell Walker significant frontcourt presence both on the glass and on the defensive end.

Southern Illinois Edwardsville Cougars – (13-8, 6-4) – Monday Metrics – 260.6

Brian Barone’s team lost their top two scorers, but have rebounded nicely after they took that hit. The Cougars have now won three straight behind the a cast of characters that are stepping into new and expanded roles.

What the Cougars keep doing is playing defense. While they shoot the three fairly well they are the OVC’s top team at defending the three point line and are second to UT Martin in points allowed and overall defensive field goal percentage. The emergence of big man Arnas Sakenis has made a huge difference during the current streak.

Trailing the Field

Southern Indiana – (5-15, 2-8) – Monday Metrics – 332.4

After starting the conference season with six losses, the Screaming Eagles have split their last four games. Two of their league losses have come in overtime. There are signs of life.

Ismail Habib and Cardell Bailey are solid scoring options and Tolu Samuels cleans the glass, but USI is the OVC’s worst shooting team.

Tennessee Tech – (7-14, 2-8) – Monday Metrics – 335.4

Tech is in the midst of its second, four-game OVC losing streak. The Golden Eagles are last in turnover margin and in three-point proficiency. It’s been a tough year.

There isn’t one Tennessee Tech player among the league leaders in scoring, rebounds or assists.

Western Illinois Leathernecks – (4-17, 0-10) – Monday Metrics – 359

WIU has one, Division 1 victory so far. During league play, their average margin of defeat is over twelve points per game.

Karyiek Dixon has been a bright spot, as he is fourth in the league in rebounds per game (8.1) and Lucas Lorenzen (16.7 ppg) has been a consistent scoring threat.

Monday Metrics

Our Monday Metrics are an amalgamation of the NET, Kenpom.com, Barttorvic.com, Warren Nolan’s RPI, EvanMiya.com and are tallied every Monday.

Do Good

 

Editor: Cover photo, courtesy of utmsports.com.