GETTING INSIDE

The Governors usually contend for the Ohio Valley Conference championship. If it happens this year, it'll be one of the best coaching jobs of Dave Loos' long career.

Austin Peay's veteran coach had a roster of just 10 healthy players and one senior -- all-OVC pick Wes Channels -- on Halloween. The team's other senior, forward Ernest Fields, is out two months with a knee injury.

Whether it's because of Channels, who averaged 16.9 points and canned nearly 39 percent from the 3-point line, or because of Loos, the Govs are tabbed to threaten Murray State and Morehead State for the OVC crown.

Channels is one of the top five players in the league, but will need help. Last year's leading scorer, F Drake Reed, took his 21.9 points per game and 7.5 rebounds with him to a pro league in Germany. There's no one on the roster who can come close to equaling those numbers.

The hope has to be that the likes of Anthony Campbell (7.8 points per game, 37.6 3-pointers), Caleb Brown (5.1 points per game), Tyrone Caldwell (4.0 points per game, 40.6 3-pointers) and Marcel Williams (3.3 points per game, 29 blocked shots) can step up to fulfill larger roles.

If not, Austin Peay's offense might mimic a late-night TV watcher -- lots of Channels-surfing but not much else happening.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Swingman Anthony Campbell is the most likely player to offer Wes Channels scoring help. Campbell averaged nearly 8 points per game in a reserve role last year, hitting 50 percent from the floor and nearly 38 percent from the 3-point line.

--F Marcel Williams showed signs of being an intimidator inside last year, averaging nearly a blocked shot per game in just over 15 minutes per game.

--Defense will have to be a point of emphasis for the Governors until they find more scoring punch to aid Channels. Last year, AP allowed more than 74 points per game, a number which will get them beat this season more often than not.

LAST YEAR: 19-14 overall, 13-5 in the Ohio Valley.

HEAD COACH: Dave Loos (career 396-314); 20th year at Austin Peay (313-262).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "This is a schedule that produces a lot of revenue. We know the next few years are going to be tough and we believe we had to find additional revenue streams. This is one way you can do it." -- Coach Dave Loos on playing Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri in non-conference games.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Although the Governors are guard-heavy, coach Dave Loos will probably find minutes for 6-0 freshman Eric Mosley, who averaged 26.4 points per game as a senior for Moore High School in Louisville. AP also landed 6-5 wing Chris Reaves from Bolivar (Tenn.) Central, the same program which produced Tennessee C Wayne Chism and Memphis G Willie Kemp. Reaves averaged 19 points per game and 9 rebounds for a 28-win squad last year.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: This is a brutal schedule with a capital B. The Governors open at SEC East Division power Tennessee, then visit Akron and play North Carolina State on a neutral floor before November ends. December brings a key OVC game against Eastern Illinois, as well as guarantee games at Kentucky and Missouri. So this team will have been tested completely before it gets into conference play.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: It's going to be a bit of a down year, largely because it will be so tough to replace Blake Reed. But with Loos' stable hand guiding this program, it will stay competitive and might be able to contend for an OVC title even though the talent level isn't quite as high as past years.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Caleb Brown, SG Wes Channels, SF Anthony Campbell, PF Marcel Williams, C John Fraley.

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Ernest Fields (knee) is out for probably the first two months of the season. Fields isn't a big scorer, but can bang inside and is one of just two seniors on the roster, so his experience and grit will be missed.

--G James Harris was dismissed from the program a week into preseason practice for the ageless "violation of team rules." Harris played in just 16 of 33 games last year, averaging 1.1 points and 4.6 minutes per game.

--G Caleb Brown isn't a big scorer or much of a shooter, but is valuable to Austin Peay because he doesn't make many mistakes. He averaged nearly two assists for every turnover last year, committing just 46 turnovers in more than 700 minutes.

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EASTERN ILLINOIS

GETTING INSIDE

This is the year which coach Mike Miller's built to since he took the Panthers' program over five years ago.

Eastern Illinois returns four starters, including one of the nation's best pure shooters, and some key reserves who know their roles within Miller's system. And while the Panthers didn't recruit a lot of players, they did appear to get quality as they landed one of the best players out of the Chicago area.

The key guy is 6-foot-3 senior Romain Martin, who doesn't need a clean look to make a shot. Martin became the team's go-to man last year, averaging 15.4 points per game and moving up to fifth on the school's all-time list in made 3-pointers with 190.

Guard T.J. Marion added 9 points per game and led the team in assists with 105, while PG Tyler Laser contributed 11.4 points per game and converted 45 straight free throws at one point -- just one shy of the all-time OVC record.

Up front, 6-8, 250-pound C Ousmane Cisse proved to be a good rebounder and accurate shooter from point-blank range. He'll get help this year from 6-8 Shaun Pratl, who one magazine has projected as the OVC's Freshman of the Year.

If EIU plays up to its potential and gets a break or two along the way, it could put on dancing shoes in March.

NOTES, QUOTES

--G Romain Martin was named one of the college game's 50 best shooters by FoxSports.com. Martin is fifth on the Panthers' career made 3-pointers list with 190 and has led the team in scoring for three straight years.

--G Tyler Laser was fifth in the OVC last year in 3-point shooting percentage at 40.7 percent. Laser credits his older brother, Luke, who plays at Division II Saginaw Valley State (Mich.), for pushing him to improve as a player.

--For EIU to make the step from contender to champion, it has to win more consistently away from Lantz Arena. The Panthers were just 3-13 in road games last year, losing five of them by 3-to-6 points.

LAST YEAR: 12-18 overall, 8-10 in the Ohio Valley.

HEAD COACH: Mike Miller (career 122-160); 5th year at Eastern Illinois (35-81).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "For this group to take another step forward, we need more production from our entire roster." -- Coach Mike Miller on the key to Eastern Illinois becoming a winning team.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: While 89 percent of their scoring and 86 percent of their rebounding returns, the Panthers are still anticipating help from 6-8 freshman F Shaun Pratl, who averaged 20 points per game and 9.5 rebounds last year at Oak Lawn Richards High School and was named the Chicago Sun-Times Male Athlete of the Year. G Curry McKinney was an all-conference selection in junior college last year.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Eastern Illinois' schedule isn't terribly demanding, although it includes a trip to Rick Majerus' Saint Louis on Dec. 29 and a home-and-home series with long-time Atlantic Sun Conference power Belmont. There's also an OVC road trip in early December, taking the Panthers to Tennessee State and Austin Peay.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: EIU appears to have turned the corner and is headed up. How far up depends on what its four returning starters can do in a conference which truly appears to be anyone's game. Getting a highly-touted recruit like Pratl will give Miller and the Panthers something to build around for the next four years.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Tyler Laser, SG Romain Martin, SF T.J. Marion, PF Edin Suljic, C Ousmane Cisse.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Curry McKinney transferred from Los Angeles Trade Tech CC and will have two years of eligibility remaining. The 6-4 McKinney averaged 11.9 points per game last year as his team was good for 85.9 points per game.

--F James Hollowell is back after a stress fracture ended his freshman season following just four games. Hollowell, who was granted a medical redshirt and still has four years of eligibility left, played in high school with Los Angeles Clippers G Eric Gordon and Lipscomb C Adnan Hodzic.

--G Jay Smith has the bloodlines for basketball, as his father, James, played at Wisconsin. Jay played in 29 games last year as a reserve but struggled with his shot, canning just 14-of-70 from the 3-point line.

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EASTERN KENTUCKY

GETTING INSIDE

Most of the Colonels' starters are back, but one who isn't is the reason they aren't garnering much respect around the Ohio Valley Conference this preseason.

Eastern Kentucky has to replace G Mike Rose, a first team All-OVC pick last year after pumping in 20 points per game. While the Colonels return almost everyone else, they need to identify a go-to player.

The candidates appear to be Fs Josh Taylor and Justin Stommes, the top returning scorers from last year. Taylor averaged 10.9 points per game and hit 40 percent from the 3-point line, while Stommes used a late-season surge to finish at 10.1.

For Taylor to be a No. 1 option, he has to do a better job staying out of foul trouble. He was disqualified from five games last year and a team can't have its top scorer sitting out the late stages of games due to fouls.

Another possibility is G Papa Oppong (9.2 points per game, 5.3 rebounds), who was the team's second-best player early in the season before a shoulder injury hampered him.

A middle-of-the-pack pick in the OVC, EKU has the material to make that pick inaccurate. But it must find a way to make up for Rose's prodigious production.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Few teams in Division I have as good an assist-turnover ratio as the Colonels, who last year racked up 152 more helpers than miscues. EKU averaged just 10.9 turnovers per game last season, a big reason why it won 18 games.

--G Papa Oppong is the team's top returning rebounder at 5.3 per game, which is one reason why the Colonels have trouble against big, physical teams. They were outrebounded by 4.3 per game.

--G Joshua Jones treats the ball as though it were a Ming vase. Playing an average of 25.5 minutes in 31 games last year, Jones committed just 22 turnovers.

LAST YEAR: 18-13 overall, 10-8 in the Ohio Valley.

HEAD COACH: Jeff Neubauer (career 67-57); 5th year at Eastern Kentucky.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "He makes good decisions with the ball and shoots the ball extremely well. We are looking for quite a bit from him this season." -- Coach Jeff Neubauer on F Justin Stommes, who's expected to be a team leader.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: The Colonels added just two players to their roster -- G Willie Cruz and F Spencer Perrin. Cruz scored 20.5 points per game and pulled in 8.3 rebounds for his high school just outside of Detroit, once canning six 3-pointers in a game. Perrin transferred from Lake Land (Ill.) CC after averaging 12.2 points per game and 6.5 rebounds last year.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Eastern Kentucky's schedule has a couple of guarantee games -- at Pittsburgh Nov. 19, at Maryland Dec. 12 -- but is mostly manageable. The Colonels host a pre-Thanksgiving tournament that features Fairleigh Dickenson, UC Irvine and Texas-San Antonio, and also open Ohio Valley Conference play Dec. 3 with a big road game against Murray State. There's also a Nov. 28 game with Isiah Thomas' Florida International squad.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Steady is the word here, as EKU should again win more than it loses, even though it graduated its best player. The hope is that its experience and shooting ability can make up for a lack of physical strength. With Neubauer, a former John Beilein assistant, running the program, the Colonels will always be well-coached.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Dayvon Ellis, SG Joshua Jones, SF Papa Oppong, PF Justin Stommes, C Josh Taylor.

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Spencer Perrin transferred in from Lake Land (Ill.) CC and will have two years of eligibility remaining. Perrin is a local product and led his JUCO team in rebounding last year, even though he's just 6-5.

--F Jorge Camacho, who averaged 6.3 points per game as a freshman, has left the program. That could create a void off the bench as Camacho had looked like a pretty good player near the end of last season.

--G Robin Mestdagh is not only the lone lefthander on the team, he's also a rare Belgian player in Division I basketball. Mestdagh was 12-of-36 from the 3-point line last year in limited action off the bench.

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JACKSONVILLE STATE

GETTING INSIDE

Jacksonville State coach James Green has set himself for quite the expectations this year. In his previous stops, Green's second season has been the time for marked improvement: from 12-15 to 22-11 at Southern Miss, and from 9-19 to 18-16 at Mississippi Valley State.

Now the Gamecocks need to try to find the right chemistry as they head into Green's second season at the helm of the JSU program, hoping to repeat such improvements.

With just two starters back -- 6-foot-2 guard Jeremy Bynum and 6-9 forward Amadou Mbodji -- Green will need to use the preseason and early part of the schedule to work on his rotation, figuring out who needs to be on the floor at the beginning of the game and who's better coming off the pine.

Bynum, a sophomore, will have a little pressure on him to become the leader of the team from his guard position. As a freshman, Bynum averaged 12.9 points per game, and he could stand to up that production a little more.

Also being looked upon for more production will be swingman Nick Murphy, who started 10 games a year ago, averaging 10.0 points and 5.3 rebounds.

John Barnes, a 5-10 sophomore, will battle for time at the point guard slot, while 6-8 senior Jacques Leeds will have a good shot at a frontcourt starting slot.

But with so many new roles to be filled, there's nothing certain, which is why Green needs to try a number of different combinations in the early going so he can find the right chemistry for a major improvement.

NOTES, QUOTES

--G/F Trenton Marshall will join the JSU backcourt with plenty of accolades after transferring from Jones (Miss.) Community College, where he was second nationally in scoring a year ago (23.9 points per game).

--With his first blocked shot of the 2009-10 campaign, senior Amadou Mbodji will become Jacksonville State's all-time leading shot-blocker, breaking a tie at 114 with Dorien Brown atop the career blocks list.

--Searching for a starting lineup is nothing new: coach James Green used 11 different starting lineups in his first season at the helm of the Gamecocks, with all 10 players that saw action starting at least one game during the season.

LAST YEAR: 11-17 overall, 5-13 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

HEAD COACH: James Green (career 178-177); 2nd year at Jacksonville State (11-17).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Our returnees have been in the system for a year now, which obviously helps, and our newcomers were right there with them (in practice)." -- Coach James Green.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: After sitting out a year following his transfer from Nebraska, Jay-R Strowbridge will battle for the starting point guard spot. The 5-foot-11 junior started 19 games as a freshman for the Cornhuskers, hitting 46 percent from 3-point range, then averaged 4.8 points per game as a top bench player as a sophomore. Trenton Marshall is very strong at 6-5, 225 pounds, and can get his own shot inside as well as hit from the outside. He should get a chance to earn a lot of playing time early on to provide some firepower for the Gamecocks.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Gamecocks play eight of their first 10 at home, including a visit from UAB, which loses a lot from last year's NIT team. JSU could gain some attention by upsetting the Conference USA team, and it would give Jerry Green's squad a nice jolt of confidence as well. A Dec. 5 matchup with Tennessee Tech serves as JSU's OVC opener, despite being so early in the season. Losing a home league game early would put the Gamecocks a little behind before the season even gets into full swing.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: With James Green entering his second year, the optimism is high at JSU, with Green's record for turning teams around quickly helping to get everyone excited. Green will bring in a higher caliber player just because of his time at Southern Miss, and that should push the Gamecocks up into the thick of the OVC race.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Jay-R Strowbridge, G Jeremy Bynum, G/F Nick Murphy, G/F Trenton Marshall, F Amadou Mbodji.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Dominique Shellman was a late add to the Gamecocks' recruiting class when he reported with the team when classes started for the fall semester in September. Shellman, a 6-1, 180-pound sophomore guard out of Ridgeway High School in Memphis, transferred after one season at Motlow State Community College in Lynchburg, Tenn.

--The Gamecocks were a little surprised by the decision of Brandon Crawford, a 6-6 freshman who averaged 10.0 points per game a year ago, to transfer to Northwest Florida State (formerly Okaloosa-Walton C.C.). Crawford said part of his reasoning for transferring was he wanted to play at a more comfortable position.

--JSU also had forward Geddes Robinson decide to leave the program in the offseason. Robinson, a 6-5 1/2 redshirt freshman, averaged 8.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in 2008-09. His transfer plans weren't known.

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MOREHEAD STATE

GETTING INSIDE

It might not take the Eagles 25 years to get back to another NCAA Tournament.

With four returning starters, including the projected Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year, and most of the key reserves back, Morehead State figures to have a good shot at repeating as OVC champions.

Coach Donnie Tyndall assembled a tough, physical team which was able to overcome weaknesses in ballhandling and 3-point shooting with solid defense and a dominant inside presence.

That player, 6-foot-8 junior Kenneth Faried, has NBA prospect written all over him, and not because he's a pure shooter. Faried has Dennis Rodman's good qualities -- a quick, high leaper who pounds the boards relentlessly and never quits on a play.

Faried averaged 13.9 points per game and 13.0 rebounds, the latter figure good enough to finish second in Division I. He also rejected close to two shots per game and altered numerous other shots, preventing opponents from attacking the lane.

Other returning starters are 6-4 F Maze Stallworth (87 3-pointers), 6-3 G Brandon Shingles (5 points per game, 4 assists) and 6-4 G Demonte Harper (10.6 points per game, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists).

NOTES, QUOTES

--C Kenneth Faried grabbed 20 or more rebounds in a game three times last year and finished with at least 10 rebounds in 30 of 36 games. Faried grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in one game against Eastern Illinois.

--F Maze Stallworth has played in 96 games during his Morehead State career, starting 59. One of his best games was in the NCAA Tournament against Louisville, when he drilled four 3-pointers and scored 14 points.

--Assistant coach Joel VanMeter left the program in order to accept a teaching and coaching job at an Alabama high school. VanMeter's wife is from Alabama, a primary reason why he left his alma mater..

LAST YEAR: 20-16 overall, 12-6 in the Atlantic Sun.

HEAD COACH: Donnie Tyndall (career 77-54); 4th year at Morehead State (47-49).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We are really appreciative of Coach Calipari for allowing us to open our schedule with them at Rupp Arena this year." -- Coach Donnie Tyndall on Morehead State's season opener at Kentucky Nov. 13.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: The Eagles unearthed every possible stone to add to their talent level in the offseason. They went to the Canary Islands to sign 6-9 F Jason Beharie, who averaged 12 points per game and 10 rebounds as a high school senior. F Jamel Marshall averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per game for Olympia High School in Orlando. G Corey Clemens scored 19.2 points per game as a senior at Chrysler High in New Castle, one of Indiana's storied prep programs.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Morehead State opens the season at John Calipari's Kentucky on Nov. 13. That's followed by three straight home games, including a visit from Kent State. There's also a key Ohio Valley Conference game at Murray State Dec. 5. Before Christmas, Atlantic Sun champ East Tennessee State visits, followed by a trip to Utah State's tournament PROGRAM DIRECTION: Clearly pointing up, since the program made its first NCAA trip in 25 years and returns four starters. The Eagles are recruiting well and establishing pipelines internationally, so they have a chance to create a nice niche on the mid-major level for a number of years.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Brandon Shingles, SG Demonte Harper, SF Maze Stallworth, PF Steve Peterson, C Kenneth Faried.

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Steve Peterson averaged just 1.8 points per game, but made the biggest shot in the program's last 25 years with a baseline jumper in the second overtime that beat Austin Peay in the OVC tournament finals.

--G Sam Goodman transferred into the program from Northwest Florida State CC and has two years of eligibility remaining. Goodman should add depth to the backcourt and might earn playing time with a good preseason.

--F David Terrell was another JUCO pickup for Morehead State. The 6-5 junior from Houston's Worthing High School played the last two years at Midland CC.

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MURRAY STATE

GETTING INSIDE

All five starters return to a program with a tradition of winning, yet there is a sense this current group of Racers has something to prove.

Picked to win the Ohio Valley Conference last year, Murray State sputtered through most of the season, and then surged down the stretch before tripping up in the OVC semifinals against Austin Peay.

Now the Racers are again favorites in the eyes of some, largely because of their experience, talent and toughness on the defensive end.

The marquee returnee is G Danero Thomas, a senior who led the team in scoring last year at 12.6 points per game. Thomas is capable of going off for 30 when he gets in rhythm, but doesn't force a lot of shots.

PG Isacc Miles averaged 10.6 points per game and tied for the team lead in assists with 119 in his first season after transferring from Creighton. The frontcourt should be tough with Fs Jeffery McClain and Ivan Aska, as well as C Tony Easley.

If Murray State can get it going from the opening tip and not wait until February, it might be the OVC's best team this season.

NOTES, QUOTES

--G Isacc Miles recorded the first known triple double in school history on Feb. 23 against UT Martin with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Miles should have a big season now that he's established as the point guard.

--Former UT Martin coach Bret Campbell was hired by Murray State coach Billy Kennedy as the director of basketball operations. Campbell guided the Skyhawks to the OVC's regular season title last year but resigned in June amid charges of impropriety with his summer camp.

--To become a title team, the Racers must find a jump-shooter or two. They hit just 31.3 percent of their 3-pointers last year and the one good perimeter marksman, Tyler Holloway, graduated and took his 60 3s with him.

LAST YEAR: 19-12 overall, 13-5 in the Ohio Valley.

HEAD COACH: Billy Kennedy (career 158-165); 4th year at Murray State (53-39).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I like where we are in our program. We've gotten better each season. I expect a special year and look forward to the start." -- Coach Billy Kennedy on his feelings about the program's progress since he arrived in 2006.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: The Racers brought in three freshmen, including 6-foot-7 F Edward Daniel, who averaged 15.8 points per game and 11 rebounds as a senior for Woodlawn High in Birmingham, Ala. G Isaiah Cannon pumped in 24 points per game and dished out seven assists per game in Biloxi, Miss., where he was a finalist for Mr. Basketball. G Jordan Burge is a local product from Mayfield, Ky., who will add depth to the backcourt.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Murray State opens the season Nov. 9 with a trip to California, where coach Billy Kennedy was once an assistant coach under Ben Braun, to start the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Other key non-conference games include trips to NCAA qualifiers East Tennessee State and Western Kentucky, as well as a home date with Chattanooga. The Racers also have big OVC home games in December against Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: It's heading up with what should be the best team in coach Billy Kennedy's four seasons. Murray State has enjoyed 22 straight winning seasons and there's no reason to think this won't be No. 23. If the Racers can shoot a bit better, this season might end in the NCAA Tournament.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Isacc Miles, SG Danero Thomas, SF Jeffery McClain, PF Ivan Aska, C Tony Easley.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G Donte Poole (collarbone) is ready to go after rehabilitating his injury in the offseason. Poole, who was injured Feb. 12 against Tennessee Tech, averaged 5.8 points per game in 16 games.

--G Jewuan Long (knee) is back after suffering a season-ending injury last December at Morehead State. Long averaged 4 points per game as a freshman and still has three years of eligibility remaining, as he was awarded a medical redshirt.

--F Ivan Aska was the OVC's Freshman of the Year after averaging 10.3 points per game and 5.8 rebounds. Aska scored in double figures 16 times and converted nearly 53 percent of his field goal attempts.

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SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE

GETTING INSIDE

There's a whole lot of work to be done for Dickey Nutt in his first season as head coach at Southeast Missouri State.

Nutt takes over after interim coach Zac Roman coached the team in 2008-09 after Scott Edgar was forced out following NCAA violations. Roman coached the squad to a 3-27 record, which included a 0-18 mark in OVC play.

Now Nutt has just four players back from that team and 11 newcomers to put into the mix. Needless to say, this will be a building season.

But there is some talent, so if Nutt can get the team to get a little chemistry, the three-win mark could easily be passed.

Three of the four returnees were starters last year, including 6-6 junior Jajuan Maxwell (7.2 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game), the team's leading returning scorer.

"It's definitely a different chapter (this year)," Maxwell told the Southeast Missourian. "We came in with a winning attitude. We're leaving last year in the past and just looking forward."

Only four of the newcomers are true freshmen, with the other seven players coming from junior college.

In the early going, Nutt has been happy with how the players have all been ready to learn and try to meld themselves together into a team.

"I give them a lot of credit," Nutt said. "They're very hungry for direction. They're very open to what I have to say, what we have to say as a staff."

It will take a lot of teaching to get the Redhawks to a competitive level in the OVC, but Nutt is ready and the players are ready to prove that anything is possible.

NOTES, QUOTES

--The Redhawks enter the 2009-10 season with the nation's current longest losing streak at 19 games.

--F LaMont Russell returns to the fold as the Redhawks' leading returning rebounder (6.1 rpg) and top field-goal shooter (61.1 percent) from last year. The hope is that the 6-6 senior forward has bulked up a bit to be an even bigger force on the interior.

--Senior Israel Kirk and sophomore Rae-vonn Banks are the tallest members of the Redhawks this season, both measuring out at 6-8. Kirk is 230 pounds while Banks is 220.

LAST YEAR: 3-27 overall, 0-18 in Ohio Valley Conference.

HEAD COACH: Dickey Nutt (career 189-187); 1st year at Southeast Missouri State.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Leadership is going to have to be earned. I'm so proud of the four guys returning, but it's wide open. I've enjoyed the leadership from the returning guys and the new ones." -- Coach Dickey Nutt told the Southeast Missourian.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Coach Dickey Nutt will be using a number of newcomers since there are only four returning players on his roster. Of the 11 new faces, seven are listed on the as guards, giving Nutt a number of different options in a backcourt with only one returnee.

Junior Anthony Allison is quick at 5-11 and could provide a spark at the point, although freshmen Lucas Nutt (name sound familiar?) and Marland Smith could compete at the position. Juco forwards Rae-vonn Banks, Cameron Butler and Eric McCrary will provide some depth up front.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Considering the 19-game losing streak, you'd think the Redhawks would want to find a cupcake to schedule early and get that monkey off their back. Instead, SEMO will play just four home games in the first two months of the season, with road contests against Saint Louis, Northern Illinois, Memphis and conference rivals Austin Peay and Tennessee State, as well as playing in Illinois State's tournament. There are no easy games until a visit from Williams Baptist Dec. 12, which might be the date to circle for the first victory.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: There's really nowhere to go but up for the Redhawks, and coach Dickey Nutt has the patience to work hard at that getting the team doing in that direction. So many new faces are going to make it hard to make significant movement in the standings this year, but there should be a lot of experience returning for Nutt in 2010-11 when the Redhawks can really make a run at respectability.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Anthony Allison, SG Johnny Hill, F Jajuan Maxwell, F LaMont Russell, F/C Israel Kirk.

ROSTER REPORT:

--F Leon Powell, considered the Redhawks' top recruit, is more than likely out for the season due to a torn ACL suffered during a pickup game over the summer. Powell will still have two years of eligibility remaining if he misses the season.

--G Lucas Nutt should certainly be one of the more relied-upon newcomers, considering he's the coach's son. Nutt, who averaged 17.7 points per game as a senior at Jonesboro (Ark.) High School, will certainly be a coach on the floor whenever he gets some playing time.

--F/C Israel Kirk seems to be recovered from the stress fracture in his foot that slowed him down a bit last year. Kirk missed only two games a year ago but was definitely hindered by the injury, which shouldn't affect him this season.

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TENNESSEE STATE

GETTING INSIDE

John Cooper has paid his dues as an assistant coach in college basketball. He's been an assistant for 15 years, with jobs at Auburn, Oregon, South Carolina and Fayetteville State.

But for his first year as head coach at Tennessee State, he's got some work cut out for him. The Tigers finished 12-18 a year ago, with coach Cy Alexander let go during the season. Interim coach Mark Pittman coaxed a 6-2 finish to the season out of the Tigers, but that team has been fleeced, with only four players returning.

Junior forward Darius Cox and senior guard Jeremiah Crutcher are the only starters returning, but it helps to have Crutcher back at the point where he averaged 4.0 assists per game. Cooper will need to rely on him for leadership on and off the floor.

Crutcher and Lonnie Funderburke are the only seniors on the roster, which features five freshmen and four juco transfers, giving Cooper a lot of options on lineups in the early going.

Cooper certainly wants to get the Tigers competitive as soon as possible, but he's going to need to do some experimenting in the early going of the season, trying to find the right combination to make TSU as good as it can be.

NOTES, QUOTES

--The veterans of the TSU squad shouldn't feel weird with John Cooper doing some changing of the lineups early on. The Tigers started 12 different starting lineups during the 2008-09 season.

--F Darius Cox finished strong in 2008-09, scoring in double figures in nine of the Tigers' last 10 games, including setting his season high with 23 points in the regular-season finale against Eastern Illinois.

--G Jeremiah Crutcher led the Ohio Valley Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio in 2008-09 with a ratio of 2.2:1.

LAST YEAR: 12-18 overall, 9-9 in Ohio Valley Conference.

HEAD COACH: John Cooper; 1st year at Tennessee State.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "If you look at this team, they had some of the better talent in the league last year. What we have to do is establish some structure and toughness and get this to where it has been as a championship team." -- Coach John Cooper told ESPN.com.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: There are a number of newcomers that coach John Cooper will try to incorporate into the Tigers' rotation, including 6-8, 235-pound Marcus Cowan. The freshman is the closest thing to a space-eater that TSU has, and the Tigers coaches would love to see Cowan become a force down low. Juco transfers Josh Sain and Hamilton Nash are also expected to provide some depth on the front line. In the backcourt, Greg Holley and Erick Peguero are juco transfers that could make the guard rotation.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Tigers have one home game before a Dec. 3 matchup with Eastern Illinois, followed by a home contest with Southeast Missouri State two days later. To get into the OVC race, TSU must win at least one of these two contests or fall behind the pack before December is half done. Playing against Alabama A&M on Dec. 15 at home could provide another chance at victory after a tough early schedule of big conference members Northwestern, Iowa State and Northern Illinois.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Tigers seemed like a team on the rise after the run to the 2008 NCAA Tournament. But last year was a nigxmlare, with coach Cy Alexander relieved of his duties midway through the season. John Cooper will bring a fresh approach and a lot of experience of coaching in big-time conferences as he tries to make TSU a big-time program not just in the OVC but nationally as well. It might take a while, but it's easy to see why Cooper has been a hot commodity the past few years.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Jeremiah Crutcher; G Wil Peters; F Darius Cox; F Lonnie Funderburke; F Josh Sain.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Last year's leading scorer, Gerald Robinson Jr., gave the Tigers a tough loss when he decided to transfer to Georgia after the season.

--Head coach John Cooper filled out his coaching staff with Travis Williams, Sheldon Everett and Dana Ford.

--Cooper isn't sold on his starting lineup quite yet, as a mix of experienced guards could make the first-year head man to think about a three-guard lineup.

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TENNESSEE TECH

GETTING INSIDE

The 2008-09 season wasn't a typical one for coach Mike Sutton and his Golden Eagles.

Sutton never had a steady lineup and struggled to find the right chemistry as Tennessee Tech struggled to a 12-18 overall record and just six wins in Ohio Valley Conference play.

But Sutton is hoping to change that result with a much more experienced squad this time around, including three of the team's top four scorers from a year ago.

Seniors Frank Davis (10.0 points per game) and Will Barnes (9.8 points per game) give Sutton a very experienced backcourt, while sophomore Kevin Murphy (9.6 points per game) gives some scoring punch at the forward spot.

The biggest question entering the season is how the Golden Eagles replace the inside presence of Daniel Northern, who averaged 8.8 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game.

There isn't a lot of height on the roster, and Tech ranked ninth in the OVC in rebounds allowed even with Northern, so that's an area that must be addressed.

The turnaround isn't going to be easy, with Sutton and his staff needing to put in work to meld in the new players with the holdovers, but more than likely, at the end of the year, Sutton's squad will be right there.

NOTES, QUOTES

--The Golden Eagles ranked No. 1 in the Ohio Valley Conference in blocked shots per game at 5.3. Problem is, the team's top shot-blocker, Daniel Northern, graduated, leaving some big shoes to fill in the paint.

--G Frank Davis is the top returning three-point shooter in the Ohio Valley Conference after he hit 42.9 percent from beyond the arc last year. Davis ranked second overall to Eastern Kentucky's Mike Rose.

--G Will Barnes was named the Golden Eagles' top offensive player after the 2008-09 campaign, and Tech coaches are hoping he can improve on a season in which he averaged 9.8 points per game and ranked second on the team in assists with 82 and third in steals with 34.

LAST YEAR: 12-18 overall, 6-12 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

HEAD COACH: Mike Sutton (career 761-269); 8th year at Tennessee Tech (114-100).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We've always had a good schedule, but this could be the toughest of all. We have five very difficult games early in the schedule, including on the road at the No. 1 team in the country in Kansas and a couple of Top 10 or Top 20 teams in Memphis and Minnesota. Victories will be well-earned with this schedule as we could play really well and come up short against all of these teams, even at home." -- Coach Mike Sutton on the Golden Eagles' 2009-10 schedule.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: There are some solid players among the newcomers for the Golden Eagles, including athletic 6-7 forward Byron Pickens, a juco transfer. Pickens ranked nationally in blocked shots a year ago and could provide the inside defensive presence the Eagles feel they may be lacking. F Jud Dillard could also make an impact as a freshman after averaging a double-double as a senior in high school.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: The Golden Eagles certainly don't have it easy early on, opening with a road game at Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have coach Mike Sutton's old friend, Tubby Smith, at the helm. Smith and Sutton have coached together on five different coaching staffs. The first home game is against Oakland (Mich.), but otherwise November is all road games, including difficult contests at Memphis and Kansas.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Coach Mike Sutton had the Golden Eagles as solid contenders in the league for his first six years, then saw a bit of a drop-off last season. Most believe it was just a one-year fluke, but Sutton does need to gain some support back with a bounce-back season in 2009-10.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Will Barnes, G Frank Davis, F Kevin Murphy, F Byron Pickens, F Alfred Jones.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Associate head coach Steve Payne was recognized as one of the top 25 Mid-Major assistant basketball coaches in the nation, according to the website CollegeInsider.com. Payne was listed as No. 19 on the list, which listed 25 coaches plus another nine honorable mention picks. Payne was the only coach from the OVC to make the list.

--The Golden Eagles will get a boost in 2010-11 when Zac Swansey becomes eligible after transferring to Tech from Georgia. Swansey, a 6-1 point guard, was the Bulldogs' point guard in his two seasons in Athens.

--F Frank Davis has missed just one game in his first three years at Tennessee Tech, and the Golden Eagles' coaches are hoping that's the only one he'll be missing. Davis is a deadeye shooter who will be looked to for more scoring in 2009-10.

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TENNESSEE-MARTIN

GETTING INSIDE

The defending league champs had quite the tumultuous offseason, with head coach Bret Campbell resigning after an internal audit found he committed some improprieties with summer camp checks.

Enter former assistant Jason James, who takes his first head coaching job as the second youngest NCAA Division I head coach at the age of 31.

"I woke up ready to go," James said. "This has always been my goal, ever since I was 10. My dad introduced me to basketball and he always coached me and my brothers. He had such a joy in coaching that he made me want to coach and influence young men just like he did."

First on James' list of to-do items is figuring out how to replace two-time OVC MVP Lester Hudson, who was second in the nation in scoring a year ago.

Only two starters are back from last year's championship team in the backcourt of senior Delrico Lane (5.1 points per game, 4.6 rpg, 5.0 apg) and junior Marquis Weddle (13.9 points per game). Those two will be leaned on for leadership and production on the court.

Fortunately for James, the three starters that have departed were the only seniors on the squad, so there is a lot of experience to plug into the empty spots in the starting lineup.

James is hopeful that his experience with the team and the experience of the returning players can keep the Skyhawks near the top of the league standings, where anything can happen.

"I don't think we are going to face a lot of pressure to repeat as league champions," James said. "I think we will see a different set of pressures. We will feel the pressure to maintain the high level of play that we have shown over the past two seasons."

NOTES, QUOTES

--The Skyhawks were one of the most prolific scoring teams in the country last year, ranking 13th nationally in scoring at 78.8 points per game. Unfortunately, Lester Hudson, the nation's second-leading scorer at 27.5 points per game has departed.

--G Marquis Weddle scored eight points in the NIT loss to Auburn last year, making him the 14th member of the Tennssee-Martin 1,000-point club.

--G Delrico Lane led the Ohio Valley Conference in assists per game with 4.9 a contest. Lane is the only returnee among the top four in the category last year.

LAST YEAR: 22-10 overall, 14-4 in Ohio Valley Conference; lost in first round of NIT.

HEAD COACH: Jason James; 1st year at Tennessee-Martin.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "The challenge of this year's schedule excites me and our team. All of the non-conference teams that we play have experienced a great deal of success in the past few years. These games will help us see where we are as a basketball team and where we need to go." -- Coach Jason James on the 2009-10 schedule.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: F Ronald Spencer looks like he could provide some energy to the interior after he averaged 12.7 points, 12.2 rebounds and four blocks a game as a senior at Nia Prep in Newark, N.J. He'll be joined up front by Zach Jones as first-year players up front, although coach Jason James will certainly give them a chance to earn some playing time. Also fighting for time on the court will be freshman guards Zach Jones and Marquis Richardson, a pair of quick backcourt players who will provide depth from the get-go.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Things aren't easy at all for the Skyhawks, who hit the road for games against Southern Illinois and Missouri prior to a pair of home OVC games against Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky Dec. 3 and 5. UTM needs to have a good showing in those contests if it hopes to keep pace in the league standings. Also on the non-conference slate: Missouri State, Evansville and Florida State.

PROGRAM DIRECTION: Right after winning the OVC regular-season crown, everything came crashing down for the Skyhawks. But the program seems in good hands with Jason James, who is looking to keep the program near the top of the OVC. James will have to prove himself as a game coach, but he's certainly made all the right moves in the offseason to give confidence he'll keep the Skyhawks flying high.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Delrico Lane; G Marquis Weddle; G Benzor Simmons; F Ronald Spencer; C Dominique Mpondo.

ROSTER REPORT:

--G MJ Brown dealt with surgery in his left leg to repair a stress fracture in the middle of the season last year. The sophomore had a rod inserted during the surgery and came back to play the end of the season. Brown should be even better this year with the injury and surgery far behind him.

--Dylan Dudley was named as an assistant coach for the Skyhawks early in September, rounding out Jason James' first coaching staff. Dudley joins other new additions Cornelius Jackson and Jay Bowen on the staff.

--The Skyhawks are really hoping to see a lot of development from senior center Dominique Mpondo. The 6-11, 265-pounder got minimal minutes a year ago but will be given every opportunity to get on the floor on a full-time basis this season.