guard 1: Tyler Laser (Eastern Illinois)
Laser earned a lot of my respect last season in Nashville, and that of the OVC coaches as well with his stellar performance in the conference semi-final against Murray State. Laser only scored eight points, but he is very good with the basketball and had zero turnovers, helping EIU get close. The Panthers lost the game 55-51, but Laser's performance as well as those from the rest of his teammates gave them some hope for this season. EIU is not going to win the OVC, but they can get lucky and go deep into the OVC once again. Laser is going to be a big part in the Panthers turning things around.
Vital Stats: 13.9 ppg, 32 mpg, 84% free throw percentage.
Forward 1: Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech)
Murphy is one of the guys in the OVC who will fly under the radar just because of the team he plays on. Truth be told, Murphy is one of the most dominant post players in the conference, and when the Golden Eagles come to the Vadalabene Center, he will be the guy underneath the basket giving the Cougar big men fits all night. He averaged 20 points against Murray State last year. That's huge. He is not necessarily a rebounder at 6-6, but he is a great shooter and can score inside. For a forward, he is solid distributing the basketball, and finished second in the conference is assists per game.
Vital Stats: 15.3 ppg, 2.1 apg, 44 % field goal percentage
Guard 2: Nick Murphy (Jacksonville State)
Jacksonville State has a long way to go before they take over the top spot in the OVC. I have them projected somewhere around 8th. Outside of Morehead and Murray, the OVC is a forward dominated league, and Murphy is one of the few guards, along with Laser capable of making a big impact for his team. He was one of the best scorers in the league last season, and his rebounding ability at 6-4 is an added plus. He is the biggest asset by far the Gamecocks have at their disposal.
Vital Stats: 14.4 ppg, 7 rpg
Forward 2: Mark Yelovich (SIU Edwardsville)
Yelovich was voted All-Independent for the third straight season. Technically, this isn't his category or conference, but Yelovich is one of the most solid scoring forwards in the league. Yelovich had to take on a large portion of the offense last season, simply because SIUE didn't have the pieces around him to compete at a level like Murray State where six different players averaged in double-figures. After a solid freshman year, Yelovich only got better, and that trend will continue this year. He has to take smarter shots and rely on those around him a little bit more. If he gets the help he needs he can be even more deadly for the Cougars.
Vital Stats: 16.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 34 points at North Dakota
Forward 3: Ivan Aska (Murray State)
Aska was another huge part of Murray State's run last year. He rebounded the basketball and scored. There really isn't much more Murray could ask of Aska. His rebounding went down a little bit from his freshman season, but Billy Kennedy is going to push him more inside the paint this year. Aska is so dangerous because there are so many different players teams have to key on when playing Murray State. He is quiet in comparison to some of the teams guards, and that makes him a dark horse. He is a very consistent force inside.
Vital Stats: 10. 2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 48% field goal percentage
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