EKU’s McHale: “I don’t have seasoned vets.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – First-year head coach Dan McHale is jacked for the season.

EKU was picked to finish third in the East division behind Belmont and Morehead State.

That said, the Colonels are young on paper, and even for the older guys and returning players…there’s not a lot of game experience and production…so it will very much be a learn and grow type of season for Eastern.

Hear from McHale in the video and check out the EKU Athletics release below for more info.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team has been picked to finish third in the Ohio Valley Conference East Division, the league announced on Tuesday from its annual Media Day.

EKU received one first-place vote and 88 points to finish third in the preseason poll of league head coaches and media relations directors. Like in the Media Poll released last Friday, the Colonels were picked to finish behind Belmont and Morehead State in the East. Belmont – the 2015 OVC Tournament champion – was picked to win the East, receiving 22 first-place votes for a total of 134 points. Morehead State finished second in the poll with one first-place vote and 105 points.

Tennessee Tech (67 points), Jacksonville State (52 points) and Tennessee State (48 points) rounded out the East Division.

Murray State was picked to win the West Division with 15 first-place votes and 125 points. UT Martin, however, was not far behind with nine-first place votes and 115 points. Eastern Illinois (88 points), Southeast Missouri (72 points), Austin Peay (57 points) and SIUE (35 points) rounded out the West Division.

Belmont was also voted as the conference’s overall champion, and Bruins senior guard Craig Bradshaw was tabbed the Preseason Player of the Year.

EKU was picked to finish third in the OVC East at last year’s Media Day, but the Colonels went 11-5 in conference play and won the East before falling to Belmont, 53-52, in the semifinals of the OVC Tournament. Eastern finished the season 21-12 and reached the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.

First-year head coach Dan McHale returns a pair of starter’s from that squad in senior guard Ja’Mill Powell (8.2 points-per-game) and junior guard Isaac McGlone (5.5 points-per-game, 85 assists).

Four other Colonels bring solid game experience from last year: redshirt junior guard Jaylen Babb-Harrison (5.6 points-per-game), senior guard Tommy Matthews (one of only five Colonels to appear in all 33 games), senior guard Jonathan Hood (2.5 points-per-game) and sophomore guard Paul Jackson (started two games at point guard, 41 assists). Sophomore guard Daniel Parke is also back.

Joining those returners are five transfers – senior guard K.J. Bluford (Northeast CC), junior guard JaVontae Hawkins (South Florida), sophomore forward Greg King (Chipola College), senior guard Jarelle Reischel (Rhode Island) and junior guard Cam Williams (North Platte CC) – and three freshmen – forwards Nick Mayo and Anthony Pratt Jr. and guard Dujuanta Weaver.

EKU will host Union College in an exhibition on Sunday, November 8, before opening the regular season with Coppin State at home on Friday, November 13.

2015-16 OVC Preseason Men’s Predicted Order of Finish

(as selected by head coaches and media relations directors)

Overall Champion: Belmont (21 first-place votes)

East Division

1. Belmont (22 first-place votes) – 132 points
2. Morehead State (1) – 105
3. Eastern Kentucky (1) – 88
4. Tennessee Tech – 67
5. Jacksonville State – 52
6. Tennessee State – 48

West Division

1. Murray State (15 first-place votes) – 125 points
2. UT Martin (9) – 115
3. Eastern Illinois – 88
4. Southeast Missouri – 72
5. SIUE – 57
6. Austin Peay – 35

Preseason Player of the Year: Craig Bradshaw, Belmont