10/23/2018 10:18:00 AM | Women's Basketball
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 2018-19 Ohio Valley Conference basketball season officially kicked off on Tuesday with the league's annual Media Day held in Evansville, Indiana, site of the OVC tournament for the second consecutive year.
Last year's inaugural season the tournament was held inside Evansville's Ford Center, saw Jacksonville State's women's basketball program return to postseason action for the first time in three seasons. The Gamecocks weren't just there for a visit, winning their first postseason game since 2014 after earning the No. 4 seed following a 12-6 league record.
On the heels of a 19-12 overall season in 2017-18, which tied JSU's Division I school record for wins in a single season, the Gamecocks have caught the attention of the rest of the conference. It was announced at Tuesday's basketball media day that Jax State was predicted to finish third in the preseason OVC poll voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. It marks the highest JSU has ever been selected in the preseason predicted order of finish in the coaches' poll. The Gamecocks were tabbed third in the 2015-16 media poll, but fourth by the coaches that season.
In third place, JSU was slotted just behind Belmont and UT Martin, the two programs that have combined to win each of the last five OVC titles. Belmont received 20 of the 24 first-place votes tallying 240 points. UT Martin was voted runner-up with 204 points and three first-place votes, followed by the Gamecocks with 180 points. Morehead State, who JSU beat in all three meetings a season ago, including the first round tournament matchup at the Ford Center last March, was voted fourth just one point behind JSU with 179. Southeast Missouri rounded out the top five, followed by SIUE who received the one final first-place vote.
JSU returns seven players that played pivotal roles in last year's breakout season, including sophomores Taylor Hawks and Kiana Johnson, along with low post threat Rayven Pearson. Fellow senior Brianna Perry, redshirt-junior Chloe Long, redshirt-sophomore McKenna Lawrence and sophomore Jayla Walker also saw considerable time as the Gamecocks won 12 conference games for the first time.
This season's depth is also strengthen by Destiney Elliott and Jessie Day who both sat out last season after transferring from other Division I institutions. Five newcomers joins the squad with junior college transfer Brittany Webster, and true freshmen Regan Dargan, Yamia Johnson, Karleigh Sledge and JuToreyia Willis.
2018-19 OVC Women's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
(Selected by OVC Head Basketball Coaches and Sports Information Directors)
Order of Finish Points
1. Belmont (20 first-place votes) 240
2. UT Martin (3) 204
3. Jacksonville State 180
4. Morehead State 179
5. Southeast Missouri 154
6. SIUE (1) 149
7. Tennessee Tech 112
8. Tennessee State 93
9. Austin Peay 86
10. Eastern Kentucky 62
11. Eastern Illinois 60
12. Murray State 58
Last year's inaugural season the tournament was held inside Evansville's Ford Center, saw Jacksonville State's women's basketball program return to postseason action for the first time in three seasons. The Gamecocks weren't just there for a visit, winning their first postseason game since 2014 after earning the No. 4 seed following a 12-6 league record.
On the heels of a 19-12 overall season in 2017-18, which tied JSU's Division I school record for wins in a single season, the Gamecocks have caught the attention of the rest of the conference. It was announced at Tuesday's basketball media day that Jax State was predicted to finish third in the preseason OVC poll voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. It marks the highest JSU has ever been selected in the preseason predicted order of finish in the coaches' poll. The Gamecocks were tabbed third in the 2015-16 media poll, but fourth by the coaches that season.
In third place, JSU was slotted just behind Belmont and UT Martin, the two programs that have combined to win each of the last five OVC titles. Belmont received 20 of the 24 first-place votes tallying 240 points. UT Martin was voted runner-up with 204 points and three first-place votes, followed by the Gamecocks with 180 points. Morehead State, who JSU beat in all three meetings a season ago, including the first round tournament matchup at the Ford Center last March, was voted fourth just one point behind JSU with 179. Southeast Missouri rounded out the top five, followed by SIUE who received the one final first-place vote.
JSU returns seven players that played pivotal roles in last year's breakout season, including sophomores Taylor Hawks and Kiana Johnson, along with low post threat Rayven Pearson. Fellow senior Brianna Perry, redshirt-junior Chloe Long, redshirt-sophomore McKenna Lawrence and sophomore Jayla Walker also saw considerable time as the Gamecocks won 12 conference games for the first time.
This season's depth is also strengthen by Destiney Elliott and Jessie Day who both sat out last season after transferring from other Division I institutions. Five newcomers joins the squad with junior college transfer Brittany Webster, and true freshmen Regan Dargan, Yamia Johnson, Karleigh Sledge and JuToreyia Willis.
2018-19 OVC Women's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
(Selected by OVC Head Basketball Coaches and Sports Information Directors)
Order of Finish Points
1. Belmont (20 first-place votes) 240
2. UT Martin (3) 204
3. Jacksonville State 180
4. Morehead State 179
5. Southeast Missouri 154
6. SIUE (1) 149
7. Tennessee Tech 112
8. Tennessee State 93
9. Austin Peay 86
10. Eastern Kentucky 62
11. Eastern Illinois 60
12. Murray State 58
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballMonday, March 30
Saturday, March 07
Saturday, February 21
Saturday, February 07
