UT MARTIN MEN’S HOOPS SELECTED FIFTH IN OVC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
10/18/2019 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Select media members who cover the Ohio Valley Conference tabbed the University of Tennessee at Martin to place fifth in the men's basketball race, the league announced today.
The OVC media poll is in its sixth year as 15-person media panel predicts the league's outcome. The OVC will release its official predicted order of finish – voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors – as part of its annual Media Day festivities in Evansville, Ind. on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Belmont topped the OVC media poll with 11 out of 15 first-place votes and 176 overall points. Murray State came in second with three first-place votes and 165 points while Austin Peay earned one first-place vote and was chosen third with 138 points. Jacksonville State (126) and UT Martin (125) were separated by just one point for fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Eastern Illinois and Morehead State each received 90 points and are tied for sixth place. Tennessee State came in eighth place with 74 points while Eastern Kentucky (ninth, 63), Tennessee Tech (10th, 53), SIUE (11th, 37) and Southeast Missouri (12th, 33) rounded out the poll.
Skyhawk head coach Anthony Stewart returns five players and three starters from last year's squad, who won six of nine games down the stretch – including an OVC Championship first round victory over Eastern Illinois. UT Martin combined for six OVC Newcomer of the Week honorees and established a new program benchmark for free throw percentage (.754, 398-of-528) in 2018-19.
Returning starters for the Skyhawks include All-OVC second teamer Quintin Dove (13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds per game) as well as the backcourt duo of Craig Randall (16.3 points, 2.7 three-pointers made per outing) and Derek Hawthorne, Jr. (9.7 points, 4.8 rebounds per contest).
UT Martin begins its 69th season of men's basketball on Tuesday, Nov. 5 when it plays host to St. Louis College of Pharmacy at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. Tipoff time is set for 7 p.m.
The OVC media poll is in its sixth year as 15-person media panel predicts the league's outcome. The OVC will release its official predicted order of finish – voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors – as part of its annual Media Day festivities in Evansville, Ind. on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Belmont topped the OVC media poll with 11 out of 15 first-place votes and 176 overall points. Murray State came in second with three first-place votes and 165 points while Austin Peay earned one first-place vote and was chosen third with 138 points. Jacksonville State (126) and UT Martin (125) were separated by just one point for fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Eastern Illinois and Morehead State each received 90 points and are tied for sixth place. Tennessee State came in eighth place with 74 points while Eastern Kentucky (ninth, 63), Tennessee Tech (10th, 53), SIUE (11th, 37) and Southeast Missouri (12th, 33) rounded out the poll.
Skyhawk head coach Anthony Stewart returns five players and three starters from last year's squad, who won six of nine games down the stretch – including an OVC Championship first round victory over Eastern Illinois. UT Martin combined for six OVC Newcomer of the Week honorees and established a new program benchmark for free throw percentage (.754, 398-of-528) in 2018-19.
Returning starters for the Skyhawks include All-OVC second teamer Quintin Dove (13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds per game) as well as the backcourt duo of Craig Randall (16.3 points, 2.7 three-pointers made per outing) and Derek Hawthorne, Jr. (9.7 points, 4.8 rebounds per contest).
UT Martin begins its 69th season of men's basketball on Tuesday, Nov. 5 when it plays host to St. Louis College of Pharmacy at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. Tipoff time is set for 7 p.m.
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