(St. Louis, MO) – Ohio Valley Conference fans are watching a season for the history books. There are some very good teams, and they will accomplish outstanding things, but the OVC observers may have never seen a season like the one we’re watching now.
Three transformative players are on display. It may never look like this again. Seniors Dylan Windler and Nick Mayo are putting the finishing touches on historic careers and Murray State sophomore Ja Morant is so outstanding that many are suggesting this will be his last collegiate season.
Preseason POY
While Windler is one of a long line of four-year Belmont players to roll through Nashville, Mayo is a ‘once in a generation’ type of player at Eastern Kentucky. The two senior forwards are climbing career statistical ladders, but their senior seasons are nothing short of sensational.
We’ve come to expect outstanding play from the 6’8, left-handed Windler and the 6’9 right handed Mayo, but this season is getting ridiculous.
Windler has topped 30 points three times in seven games and he’s recorded three double-doubles. He’s averaging a career high 21.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game and has produced back-to-back 31-point performances. Belmont (6-1) is integrating ten new players, including three freshmen starters and Windler’s importance to the young Bruins goes beyond points and rebounds.
But he does score points. His 1,133 points are seventeenth in Bruin history. Windler is 28 points from sixteenth and will likely finish in Belmont’s top eight all time scoring list. This is a rare, inside/outside threat for a ‘mid-major’ program. He drains the three (.426 rate last season) and has often been the Bruins’ only inside presence.
With the recruitment of 6’11 freshman Nick Muszynski, Windler has been able to move back to his more natural wing position in Belmont’s ‘one in, four out’ offense.
Coach Rick Byrd says Windler is the kind of athlete who can excel at any sport. He was a highly decorated high school golfer and is a three-time member of the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Byrd says many ‘high major’ programs wish they had paid attention to Windler in high school.
Windler has collected 701 career rebounds and connected on 131 three-point baskets.
Four Year Star
Mayo is hitting career highs in scoring and rebounding and is second in the OVC in scoring (25.4 ppg), third in rebounding (9.3) and second in free throw percentage (.919). His game winning three-pointer defeated High Point and in that game the three-time all OVC performer reached thirty points for the second time this year. Mayo’s scoring average is sixth best nationally.
There’s only one way to truly experience @1nmay0’s buzzer beater … and that’s obviously with it set to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” #CelineAScene @SportsCenter #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/HxBe5dOMFI
— EKUHoops (@EKUHoops) December 2, 2018
Mayo is the second leading scorer in Colonel history (1,785) and is 47 points from Matt Witt’s 1,832. The 250-pound senior opened the season with a 40-point performance and has recorded three double-doubles. His 637 career rebounds rank fifteenth in EKU (4-4) history and is nine caroms away from fourteenth.
Mayo’s head coach A.W. Hamilton believes his senior star is destined to be a draft choice in next Summer’s NBA draft.
Sophomore Sensation
Morant is simply spectacular. The 6’3 point guard leads the OVC in scoring (27.2) and assists (8.4) and is sixth in rebounding (8.2). His dunks are becoming legendary and he possesses eye-popping explosiveness.
His second career triple-double was a master piece against Missouri State. Morant’s 29 point, 13-rebound, 12-assist performance included playing all 40 minutes of the Racers’ 77-66 win. By-the-way, Morant leads the OVC in minutes played too. While his three-point shooting hasn’t been great yet, the rest of his game is stunning.
Morant’s freshman year ended with him scoring over 400 points and accumulating over 200 rebounds and 200 assists. Morant is currently third in the national scoring race and second in assists. When adding in his other two double-doubles, Morant has turned that trick three times in just five Murray State games.
He is a threat from anywhere on the floor and is positioned to be one of the youngest drafted players next year. He is just 19.
Head coach Matt McMahon told me to expect a greater scoring contribution from Morant and what we’re seeing is nothing short of amazing.
This season for the history books will come into full focus when these elite talents compete during the regular season. Eastern Kentucky plays both Belmont and Murray State twice while MSU competes with Belmont just once.
Do Good
Twitter Feed
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.
