Austin Peay

OVC Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:40:15 -0500

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Conference Rank: 26th

10 year average: 22nd

All-OVC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Marquis Weddle	UTM	So
G	Lester Hudson	UTM	Sr
G	Mike Rose	EKU	Sr
F	Daniel Northern	Tenn. Tech	Sr
F	Drake Reed	Austin Peay	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Lester Hudson		Points: Lester Hudson 25.7 Rebounds: Daniel Northern 9.3 Assists: DeAndre Bray (JSU) 6.3

Ohio Valley Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

106	Murray State*	OVC	1	NCAA
162	Tennessee Martin	OVC	2
184	Austin Peay**	OVC	3
204	Tennessee St	OVC	4
215	Morehead State	OVC	5
286	Eastern Kentucky	OVC	6
304	SE Missouri St	OVC	7
322	Jacksonville St	OVC	8
328	Tennessee Tech	OVC	9
340	Eastern Illinois	OVC	10

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the OVC?

Other OVC Content

Conference Media Poll

Other

Top Shooting Guards: Lester Hudson

Rise & Fall: OVC

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the OVC?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:15:34 -0500

State of '08: Tennessee

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:22:22 -0400

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

TENNESSEE

MEMPHIS - Whatever blueprint John Calipari follows seems to work. In his eighth year at Memphis, the Tigers advanced to the National Title game after making back to back Elite Eights. At UMASS, it also took eight years for him to reach the Final Four.

TENNESSEE - The Vols are in the midst of a good run under Bruce Pearl, three NCAA Tournaments in a row including back to back Sweet Sixteen trips. Before Pearl arrived, Tennessee hadn't made the Tourney in five years.

VANDERBILT - Vandy has been a consistent winner the last five seasons under Kevin Stallings. There's been four 20-win seasons, 5 postseason trips, and a pair of Sweet Sixteen runs. After winning 26 games last year (the 2nd best in school history), the team's first round loss to Siena was a bit of a downer.

BELMONT - Long-time coach Rick Byrd is suddenly the leader of a mid-major power. Belmont has made three NCAA Tournaments in a row, and is once agan favored to win the Atlantic Sun in 08-09.

AUSTIN PEAY - Dave Loos is nearing 20 years at APSU, a time in which the Govs have consistently been one of the top teams in the OVC. In the last decade, there hasn't even been a sub-.500 finish in conference play. In the last six years, they've made 2 NCAA trips and one NIT.

6. MIDDLE TENNESSEE - Before Kermit Davis took over in 2002, MTSU was coming off a brutal season that included just 4 D1 wins. While Davis hasn't led the Blue Raiders to the Big Dance, the program has made amazing strides under his leadership. Last year, the team advanced to the Sun Belt finals, and many feel they are that league's team to beat in '09.

7. CHATTANOOGA - Just as Davidson is the current Southern Conference darling, Chattanooga was once the league's team to beat. The last decade has been a bit more pedestrian however, with just a lone tourney trip in 2005, though the team came close in '03 & '04 as well. The last few teams have been mediocre, with win totals boosted by playing an oddly high amount of D2 teams.

8. EAST TENNESSEE STATE - With the exception of a horrible 2005 campaign, ETSU has been one of the A-Sun's most consistent winners. In 2004, the Bucs won the league title, in 2007 they dominated the regular season before falling to Belmont in the finals, and they were solid once again in 2008.

9. TENNESSEE TECH - The Golden Eagles haven't won their conference tournament in over 40 years, but they've come close in the last decade. From 2000-2003, Tech was one of the best teams in the OVC but they couldn't get over the postseason hump. The last five years have been up and down however, and this year could be one of the downers.

10. LIPSCOMB - From 2002 to 2004, this was one of the country's worst program. But after those initial growing pains, this young program has made nice progress in the A-Sun. 2006 was the program's best season with 21 wins, a 143 RPI, and a close loss to Belmont in the conference title game. This year, expectations are a bit muted.

11. TENNESSEE STATE - In the early part of the decade, Tennessee State was one of the country's worst programs. But a lot of progress has been made, and last year was the first time in a decade that the Tigers won an OVC Tournament game. Not only did TSU win one game, but they made it to the conference championship.

12. TENNESSEE-MARTIN - Over the last 20 years, UTM has hovered between bad and worse, with only 2 winning seasons in that period. But last year was surprisingly mediocre with a 15-16 D1 record and 11-9 OVC finish. Now, there's suddenly high expectations for the first time, and some publications are projecting a league title.

* Note: An unfinished version of this article, with the wrong ranking (Lipscomb in 12th) was originally posted, but it has since been corrected.

Last: South Carolina - Next: Texas

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)

Bracket Tactics: Sunday's Tip of the Day

Jon Teitel — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:23:39 -0400

Leading up to the 2008 NCAA Tournament, we'll be presenting daily tips to help you fill in your bracket.

Today's Bracket Tactic

FACT: While #15 seeds are 4-88 in the 1^st round of the NCAA Tournament since 1985, and 0-4 in the 2^nd round, the 4 Cinderellas who did win a game each entered the tourney having gone 9-1 in their last 10 games, and had an overall winning percentage of 80% or less.

BRACKET TIP: American, Austin Peay, and UMBC each fit these criteria, while Belmont exceeds it by virtue of winning each of their last 13 games.

So, if you are feeling lucky, feel free to pick 1 of these 4 teams to wear the glass slipper in round 1, but under no circumstances should you pick any of them to advance to the Sweet 16.

- Archived Bracket Tactics

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- Sign up for the free CHN Tournament Challenge and win great prizes!

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: Austin Peay

Joel Welser — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:56:24 -0500

Austin Peay

OVC (24-10, 16-4)

Big Wins: 11/17 Belmont (71-56), 12/19 at Belmont (93-84), 2/23 Georgia Southern (80-72)

Bad Losses: 12/8 at Evansville (62-72), 1/26 at Samford (49-63), 1/29 at Southeast Missouri State (116-121)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2003, First Round loss to Louisville

Coach: Dave Loos (0-2 in 2 NCAA appearances)

Probable Starters:

Derek Wright, Senior, Guard, 11.7 ppg, 4.8 apg, 2.6 spg

Todd Babington, Senior, Guard, 11.6 ppg, 1.4 apg

Kyle Duncan, Junior, Guard, 6.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg

Drake Reed, Junior, Forward, 14.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg

Fernandez Lockett, Senior, Forward, 10.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Wes Channels, Sophomore, Guard, 11.0 ppg, 2.1 apg

Ernest Fields, Sophomore, Forward, 5.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:

Austin Peay is a decent shooting team from anywhere on the floor. While the frontcourt bolsters that number, the trio of starting guards certainly help with their solid outside shooting. Senior Todd Babington is a three-point specialist and rarely journeys inside the arc. He can score over 20 points a game when he is on, but Babington can find himself well under double-digits as well when the shot is not falling.

Defense has always been the mantra of Coach Dave Loos, and Derek Wright and Kyle Duncan are shut down defenders. Wright, a 5-9 point guard, averages 2.6 steals per contest and has developed into a solid floor leader for the Governors. His shot has also been coming around nicely and Wright can put up some big numbers in the scoring column. Duncan is a decent scorer and hits over 56 percent of his shots from long range, which would rank as one of the best in the nation if he had enough attempts.

Why They Can Disappoint:

Wright is 5-9 and the rest of the starters are listed at 6-5 or 6-6. That is good size on the wings, but not so good up front. Not surprisingly, Austin Peay has trouble in the rebounding department. Forwards Fernandez Lockett and Drake Reed are solid scorers, but the post offense is pretty much non-existent, especially against teams with a quality big man or two. Lockett can use his athleticism to get on the glass and Reed is a good offensive rebounder, but that will not help much against a 7-footer. The team as a whole gets outrebounded by over three boards per game and that number can get a lot worse against a team with some big men.

Who To Watch:

The Govs in essence only have a two man bench, but it is a pretty good two man bench. Wes Channels, a 6-3 guard, was the sixth man last year and has embraced that role again as a sophomore. He averages over 11 points per game and can instantly spark the offense. Sophomore Ernest Fields might just be the best rebounder on the team. He only plays 15 minutes, but still grabs over four boards per game. He should step into a starting role next year, but for now he is a solid option off the bench.

- More 2008 NCAA Tournament Coverage

- All 2008 Tournament Capsules

Five Minutes With a Star: APSU's Derek Wright

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:38:25 -0500

Five Minutes With Derek Wright .. Austin Peay's Star Guard

For the last four years, senior guard Derek Wright has been a starter and major contributor for APSU and will graduate as one of the school's all-time leaders in assists and steals. The Governors have won 6 of 7 games in large part to the solid play of their point guard, and are neck and neck with SEMO for the OVC title.

CHN) Win or lose, what's the best game your team has played so far?

DW) Against Belmont at their place (93-84).

CHN) Do you think the team has played as well as its capable of?

DW) At times we have but at other we haven’t so I would have to say no.

CHN) Is there any opposition player that you've been particularly impressed with?

DW) Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis)

CHN) Grading your own play from A to F, what would you give yourself and why?

DW) B-, because I feel is there is always room for improvement and something I could do better.

CHN) What are you most looking forward to in the 2nd half of the season?

DW) Winning. I want to go to the NCAA tournament.

CHN) Thanks for your time Derek, anything else?

DW) We appreciate our fans both at home and on the road, and we want them to keep coming out and supporting us!

- We'll be rolling out a series of daily Q&A's with top college basketball stars over the next few weeks. Check back tomorrow to see whose next!

Daily Poll: Who Will Win the Ohio Valley?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:10:30 -0400

2007-08 Austin Peay Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 10:57:00 -0400

Austin Peay Governors

Overall Rank: #90

Conference Rank: #1 OVC

2006-07: 21-12, 16-4, 1^st

2006-07 postseason: NIT

A few transfers hampered the Austin Peay off-season, but the Governors still return all five starters. The team dominated the regular season in 2006-2007, but lost in the conference tournament leaving one more step to be taken by this experienced squad. APSU has the talent to make some noise in March, but their lack of size will once again cause problems against better competition.

Who’s Out:

Landon Shipley is the main loss for the Governors. The guard only started two games, but played a big role off the bench in just about every contest. He is a quality long range shooter and ended the season averaging 8.8 points per game. Center J.P. Felder started the first eight games of the 2006-2007 season, but soon after saw his playing time drastically decrease. He was still a big body to come off the bench, but will look for more minutes elsewhere this year. Forward Grant Leaver is not returning to the program after seeing limited action in seven games as a sophomore.

Who’s In:

Coach Dave Loos does not need any of the newcomers to make an impact right away, but he is bringing in a nice trio to Clarksville. Power forwards John Fraley and Marcel Williams could use their size and rebounding abilities to work their way into the regular rotation. Fraley, a local product, will need to gain some strength and offensive skills before he is ready to contribute. Williams is a great athlete and will be a presence on the defensive end right away. Ideally, he is a small forward, but at 6-7, he can do some work in the paint. Caleb Brown played both guard positions at the high school level and could do the same at Austin Peay. He is a solid ballhandler and a good scorer and will add to the quality depth that the Governors have on the perimeter.

Who to Watch:

They may be undersized, but the strength is in the frontcourt. Drake Reed led the team with 15.8 points and added 6.0 rebounds. His partner in crime Fernandez Lockett averaged 11.9 points and 7.9 boards. With the duo now upperclassmen, this is the year they burst onto the national scene. Duran Roberson is the big guy off the bench and, at 6-8, is the tallest impact player. Ernest Fields is not much taller than the starters, but will give Reed and Lockett a rest when needed.

Final Projection:

The Governors were among the best in every major shooting category in the Ohio Valley Conference last year. A lot of that has to do with the interior play of Reed and Lockett, but the team has a host of quality perimeter players who definitely help out the shooting percentages. Todd Babington may be the best scorer of the group and the senior rarely ventures inside the arc. Wes Channels developed into a quality scorer off the bench and is a solid defender. Kyle Duncan is not a prolific scorer, but is a great defender and will help out on the glass. The most important perimeter player is Derek Wright, who averaged 4.1 assists and just 1.9 turnovers. Now a senior, the 5-10 point guard has been underappreciated throughout his career and he has steadily improved over his career. With another year of improvement, Wright will gain the recognition he deserves. He is not just a ballhandler and distributor though; Wright is an effective scorer and a shutdown defender.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Derek Wright, Senior, Guard, 8.2 points per game

Todd Babington, Senior, Guard, 9.2 points per game

Kyle Duncan, Junior, Guard, 4.3 points per game

Drake Reed, Junior, Forward, 15.8 points per game

Fernandez Lockett, Senior, Forward, 11.9 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview | Discuss the Preview

Joel Knows: Weekend Review

Joel Welser — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 12:05:48 -0500

Joel knows Austin Peay took a giant step towards winning the Ohio Valley Conference championship by beating second place Samford on the road 52-50. The Governors now have a three game lead on Samford with just four conference games remaining. Drake Reed and Fernandez Lockett scored 31 of the team’s 52 points and Austin Peay is just one win away from clinching a berth in one tournament or another.

Joel knows Central Connecticut State had a similar win against Quinnipiac. CCSU beat Quinnipiac for the second time in less than two weeks on Saturday and now stands 12-1 in Northeast Conference play. The Bobcats are in second place, but at 9-5 it will take a miracle for Quinnipiac to win the conference, or for Central Connecticut State to lose it.

Joel knows Ohio isn’t the best team in the MAC and Northern Illinois isn’t the worst, but that is what the RPI said heading into the weekend. Yet, when Northern Illinois headed to Athens, most still did not expect a close game. Despite committing 23 turnovers, the Huskies held off a late Ohio run to surprise the Bobcats 81-74.

Joel knows San Diego State isn’t out of the running yet. The Aztecs have already taken their lumps by losing to the top three teams in the conference on the road. They beat Air Force at home this week and have UNLV and BYU still to come. Not only can the Aztecs still get an NCAA Tournament berth, they can still win the Mountain West Conference title. With UNLV, Air Force and BYU all in the top 25 of the RPI, there are tons of opportunities for San Diego State to pick up some quality wins. And that means the MWC could end up with four teams dancing.

Joel knows it must be stressful being an Oklahoma State fan. The Cowboys went to double overtime against Texas Tech over the weekend, making it a total of eight overtime periods for the Cowboys on the season. It may be stressful, but it at least it ends well. Oklahoma State has won all four of their games that have gone to an extra session, or two, or three.

Joel knows Mississippi’s stay at the top of the SEC West could last longer than one would expect. Every team left on their schedule is beatable, but trips to Arkansas and Alabama could quickly turn back the tide on the Rebels. However, Ole Miss has beaten Arkansas and Alabama at home already this season and nothing in the SEC West can be considered surprising at this point.

Joel knows the Big Ten bubble teams didn’t help their cause on Saturday. The Big Ten really has five teams on the bubble (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue). Illinois, Iowa and Purdue all had good showings against the big three in the conference, but moral victories won’t get them into the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State took a much need weekend off and Michigan was the lone bubble squad to take on a lower level team. Yet, the Wolverines struggled to put away Minnesota on their home floor en route to a pedestrian 82-80 victory and they’ll need to play better to get wins with Michigan State, Indiana and Illinois coming up.

Joel knows Butler might not even win the Horizon. And with the second round and semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament at the #1 seed’s home court and the championship at the highest remaining seeds floor, the battle for the #1 seed is a big, big deal, well at least for Wright State. Wright State knocked off Butler 77-65 on Saturday to take a half game lead in the standings. Assuming both teams win out and finish at 14-2, and the schedule does favor WSU over Butler in that regard, the tie-breaker would come down to who is having a more disappointing season…Illinois Chicago or Wisconsin Milwaukee. The battle for seventh place has never been so interesting. The Horizon tie-breaker goes down the standings and compares the two tied teams with each team in order of finish. WSU lost to UWM and Butler lost to UIC, thus if UIC finishes ahead of UWM, Wright State gets the #1 seed, and if UWM finishes ahead of UIC, Butler gets the #1 seed. And there is more, if UIC and UWM tie in the standings, we go to the RPI. Confused yet? At the moment, UWM and UIC are both 5-8 and they do play each other on February 21st in Chicago...which is good news for Wright State. I think.

Joel knows not why anybody bothers to play in, or watch, the Pro Bowl. I miss football and all, but that won’t hit me until April. And college football starts just 150 days after the national championship game. That is 201 days from today if you are keeping track.