ST. LOUIS – University of Evansville redshirt junior Ryan Taylor was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason All-Conference Second Team prior to the league's basketball tipoff on Tuesday in St. Louis.
Taylor finished last season as the #7 scorer in the league, totaling 14.1 points per game. He is the fourth-leading returner in that category this year. The 6-1 guard played in all 33 games last season and was a 2-time conference Newcomer of the Week.
His top outing came against Norfolk State as he drained 38 points while hitting 13 shots. In a home win over Drake in league play, Taylor had his best MVC effort, recording 25 points.
The annual preseason poll was also released with the Purple Aces being chosen to finish 9
th in the conference in 2017-18. UE received 88 points. Evansville went 16-17 a season ago while posting a 6-12 MVC mark, but carried momentum late in the year, going 5-2 in the last seven regular-season contests. The full poll and preseason all-conference teams are listed below.
| Place |
School (First-Place Votes) |
Total |
| 1 |
Missouri State (30) |
381 |
| 2 |
UNI (8) |
337 |
| 3 |
Loyola (1) |
321 |
| 4 |
Illinois State (1) |
256 |
| 5 |
Southern Illinois |
226 |
| 6 |
Valparaiso |
214 |
| 7 |
Bradley |
182 |
| 8 |
Indiana State |
116 |
| 9 |
Evansville |
88 |
| 10 |
Drake |
79 |
| FIRST TEAM |
Pos |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Hometown (High School) |
| *Alize Johnson, MSU |
F |
6-9 |
Sr. |
Williamsport (Pa.) St. John Neumann High |
| Donte Ingram, LUC |
G/F |
6-6 |
Sr. |
Chicago (Ill.) Simeon |
| Brenton Scott, INS |
G |
6-1 |
Sr. |
Fort Wayne (Ind.) Northrup High |
| Bennett Koch, UNI |
F |
6-10 |
Sr. |
Ashwaubenon (Wis.) High |
| Reed Timmer, DU |
G |
6-1 |
Sr. |
New Berlin (Wis.) Eisenhower |
| Aundre Jackson, LUC |
F |
6-5 |
Sr. |
Kennedale (Texas) High |
|
|
|
|
|
| SECOND TEAM |
|
|
|
|
| Thik Bol, SIU |
F |
6-8 |
Sr. |
Omaha (Neb.) Iowa Western CC |
| Darrell Brown, BRAD |
G |
5-10 |
So. |
Memphis (Tenn.) Germantown |
| Klint Carlson, UNI |
F |
6-7 |
Sr. |
Waverly (Iowa) Waverly-Shell Rock |
| Phil Fayne, ILS |
F |
6-9 |
Jr. |
Elk Grove (Calif.) Franklin High |
| Ryan Taylor, UE |
G |
6-6 |
Jr. |
Gary (Ind.) St. John's Northwestern Military |
| Tevonn Walker, VALPO |
G |
6-2 |
Sr. |
Montreal (Quebec) Vanier College |
*pre-season MVC Player of the Year
Voting by coaches, sports information directors and a media panel
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