Ohio Athletic Conference

John Carroll Predicted to Finish First in OAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

11/8/2024 12:00:00 AM

WESTERVILLE, Ohio - John Carroll has been picked to finish first in the Ohio Athletic Conference this season, as voted on by the league men's basketball coaches.

John Carroll received 81 points and nine first-place votes, followed by Mount Union with 73 points and one first-place vote. Otterbein received 73 points, Marietta received 57 points and Heidelberg rounds out the top half of the conference with 46 points.

The Blue Streaks are led by Peter Moran, who enters his eighth season as the head coach of the men's basketball program. Last Season, John Carroll earned both the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships and advanced to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Streaks finished the season 26-3 overall and 17-1 in the OAC, and were ranked #1 in the D3Hoops.com weekly polls on two separate occasions. Ahead of this season, the Streaks are ranked third in the D3Hoops.com Preseason Top-25 poll.

John Carroll is returning four of the five starters from last year's team, including standouts Luke Chicone and Luke Frazier. Last year, the duo combined for an average of 37.6 ppg and ended the season with a long list of awards including Chicone being named an NABC Second Team All-American as well as NABC First Team All-District, and Frazier being named to the NABC All-District 2nd-Team. The two were both named to the D3Hoops.com Preseason All-America team entering the upcoming season.

The Blue & Gold open the season on Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10 with matchups against Albertus Magnus and Penn State Harrisburg in Middletown, PA at the Penn State Harrisburg Tip-Off Classic. 

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