By: Nathanial Barbee, USI Athletic Communications
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball had two representatives – senior guard
Kaden Brown and junior guard
Ari Gooch – named to the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Players to Watch list as announced by the league office on Thursday.
Brown, who spent the second half of the 2025-26 season recovering from injury, is one of three returners for USI. Before his injury, the senior guard made 12 starts in 13 games, averaging 11 points per contest. Brown posted a season-best 20 points against Kentucky State. The Grand Rapids, Michigan, native was named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll for his academic achievements.
Gooch, a transfer from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, will be a key piece to USI's roster. Last season for the Blazers, Gooch played in 17 games off the bench and played 10 or more minutes in six games. The junior from Minnesota tallied 15 steals and snagged 22 boards to pair nicely with 10 assists.
In conjunction to the announcement, the OVC released the predicted order of finish as voted on by the team's head coaches and communicators, with the Screaming Eagles earning 44 points for seventh. Reigning OVC Champion Tennessee State University is projected to finish first after earning 13 first-place votes for 125 points. Southeast Missouri State University claimed the second spot with two first-place nods and 107 points, while Morehead State University, who had three first-place votes, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and University of Tennessee at Martin were in a three-way tie for third with 86 points. Rounding out the poll was Lindenwood University, USI, Eastern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University.
The Screaming Eagles are eager to bounce back from last season's 7-23 record and being left out of the OVC Tournament. Head Coach
Stan Gouard enters his seventh season at the helm and will start the 2026-27 campaign with 299 career wins in 19 seasons as a head coach. Gouard and the Screaming Eagles take flight on Monday, November 2 when they travel to Nashville, Tennessee, for the season opener against Belmont University, then promptly return to Liberty Arena for the home opener against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College on Wednesday, November 4.
2026-27 OVC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Tennessee State (13) - 125
2. Southeast Missouri (2) - 107
3. Morehead State (3) - 86
SIUE - 86
UT Martin - 86
6. Lindenwood - 61
7. Southern Indiana - 44
8. Eastern Illinois - 37
9. Western Illinois - 17
Returning All-OVC Players
Tyler King, SIUE
Players to Watch (
Each team was able to select two "Players to Watch" to represent its team.)
Markus Blackwell, Eastern Illinois
Jaden Miller, Eastern Illinois
Xavier Spencer, Lindenwood
Kellen Robinson, Lindenwood
Chase Dawson, Morehead State
Vince Dawson III, Morehead State
Marqueas Bell, SEMO
Landren Blocker, SEMO
Darrion Baker, SIUE
Jordan Pickett, SIUE
Kaden Brown, USI
Ari Gooch, USI
Christian Alston, Tennessee State
Aaron Bradshaw, Tennessee State
Davi Remagen, UT Martin
Kaan Onat, UT Martin
Danny Stephens, Western Illinois
Jack Riley, Western Illinois
