Four Conference Openers This Week
(St. Louis, MO) – Earlier than normal conference games get started this week in the Ohio Valley Conference. The combination of more league games and a shorter season has moved up the launching of the conference season.
One team, Tennessee State, hasn’t played a game so their conference opener is also their season opener. Brian ‘Penny’ Collins’ team faces live bullets for the first time against defending league champion Belmont.
Tonight – Morehead State (1-3) @ Eastern Kentucky (3-1)
The first head-to-head match up of OVC teams since the conference tournament takes place tonight in Richmond, Kentucky. Morehead’s record is deceiving. Their losses have come at the hands of Kentucky, Richmond and Ohio State.
This is the 195th meeting between the schools. While EKU holds a 109-85 series edge, MSU coach Preston Spradlin is 5-3 against the Colonels.
EKU’s only loss came in overtime to Xavier. Recently honored OVC ‘Player of the Week’ Tre King and ‘Co-Freshman of the Week’ Curt Lewis are currently the team’s top two scorers.
The game tips at 6:00 p.m. CST on ESPN+
Tuesday – Co-Champions In Action
Tennessee State (0-0) @ Belmont (3-1)
Belmont was supposed to open conference play at Tennessee State last week, but that game was postponed and the two tip Tuesday at the Curb Center. Four Bruins are scoring in double digits, led by last week’s OVC ‘Newcomer of the Week’ Luke Smith (19.5 ppg).
The Bruins tied Murray State for the regular season crown with a record of 15-3, TSU was fifth at 9-9.
Austin Peay (3-1) @ Murray State (2-1)
These two typically battle near the end of the season in high stakes encounters. Instead, they open their OVC seasons against one another. This will be the 136th meeting between the two rivals. APSU finished third to Murray and Belmont last season, at 14-4.
Preseason ‘Player of the Year’ Terry Taylor is second in the OVC in scoring (19.5 ppg) and first in rebounding (12.0). Murray’s preseason first-team all OVC guard Tevin Brown leads in assists (6.0) and Saturday scored his 1,000th MSU point.
Game time from the CFSB Center is 7:30 on ESPN+
Saturday’s scheduled game at UT Martin between the SkyHawks and the RedHawks of Southeast Missouri has been postponed.
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As we near the closing of the portal window, we've reached 1900. Some of them never to play college basketball again, earn a college degree and some to play at a much lower level than they did last season.
I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
