NKyTribune staff
Northern Kentucky University has been picked to finish third in the Horizon League men’s basketball preseason poll.
Wright State is the preseason favorite, followed by Youngstown State and NKU. The Norse are the two-time defending champions of the Horizon League, but NKU must replace three starters this season.
NKU defenders Trevon Faulkner (12) and Bryson Langdon (right) trap Midway’s Kaleb Britt. (Photo by Jeff McCurry)
Wright State captured 37 first-place votes to finish with 517 total points. The Raiders posted a 25-7 overall record last season but were eliminated in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament. Wright State’s Loudon Love (17.8 points per game, 10.2 rpg) is the preseason Player of the Year in the Horizon League.
NKU welcomes back junior guard Trevon Faulkner, who averaged 11.9 points per game. Faulkner also collected 41 steals and is considered one of the top defenders in the Horizon League.
Also returning for NKU is junior forward Adrian Nelson, who averaged 6.3 rebounds per contest. The 6-foot-7 Nelson also shot 68.4 percent from the field. Junior point guard Bryson Langdon is also back after dishing out 101 assists and scoring 7.6 ppg.
Horizon League men’s basketball preseason poll
1. Wright State (37) – 517
2. Youngstown State (3) – 423
3. Northern Kentucky (4) – 413
4. Robert Morris – 345
5. Illinois-Chicago – 312
6. Oakland – 288
7. Cleveland State – 283
8. Green Bay – 253
9. Detroit Mercy – 185
10. Milwaukee – 172
11. Purdue Fort Wayne – 127
12. IUPUI – 114
Preseason Player of the Year
Loudon Love, Wright State
Preseason All-Horizon League First Team
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Amari Davis, Green Bay
Marcus Burk, IUPUI
Loudon Love, Wright State
Darius Quisenberry, Youngstown State
Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team
Algevon Eichelberger, Cleveland State
Te’Jon Lucas, Milwaukee
Rashad Williams, Oakland
A.J. Bramah, Robert Morris
Naz Bohannon, Youngstown State
MURRAY STATE, APSU TABBED CO-FAVORITES IN OVC: Murray State (10 first-place votes and 226 points) and Austin Peay (nine first-place votes, 226 points) tied for the top spot in the Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball preseason poll, while Belmont (five first-place votes, 214 points) checked in at No. 3.
EKU junior guard Jomaru Brown averaged 18.4 points per game last season. (EKU photo)
Eastern Kentucky received 173 points in the poll, finishing ahead of No. 5 Eastern Illinois (153), No. 6 Tennessee State (139), No. 7 Jacksonville State (124), No. 8 Morehead State (87), No. 9 Tennessee Tech (84), No. 10 UT Martin (80), No. 11 SIUE (48) and No. 12 Southeast Missouri (30).
EKU juniors Jomaru Brown and Tre King, meanwhile, were named to the preseason All-OVC team. Brown, a 6-foot-2 guard, was a first team All-OVC selection last year after averaging 18.4 points per game. That ranked fourth in the OVC and 12th among all sophomores in the country.
Brown poured in a career-high 41 points versus in-state rival Western Kentucky last November at McBrayer Arena. That was the most points scored by an OVC player last season, and it tied for the fourth-most points ever scored by a Colonel in a single game.
King, a 6-foot-9 forward from Lexington, was voted second team All-OVC last season after posting 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball preseason poll
1. (tie) Murray State (10 first-place votes) – 226
1. (tie) Austin Peay (9 first-place votes) – 226
3. Belmont (5) – 214
4. Eastern Kentucky – 173
5. Eastern Illinois – 153
6. Tennessee State – 139
7. Jacksonville State – 124
8. Morehead State – 87
9. Tennessee Tech – 84
10. UT Martin – 80
11. SIUE – 48
12. Southeast Missouri
(Information compiled from NKU, EKU, the Ohio Valley Conference and staff reports)
