Skyhawks open OVC tourney; Racers to tip off MVC event

Both UT Martiin teams  will open the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament today, while the Murray State men will help tip off the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday.

The Skyhawk men are seeded eighth and tip off tonight at 6 against No. 5 seed Tennessee Tech.

UTM’s women are seeded sixth and play No. 7 Western Illinois today at 3 p.m.

Both OVC events are being held at the Ford Center in Evansville.

Murray State is seeded seventh overall and will play No. 10 Evansville 6 p.m. in St. Louis.

The women’s MVC Tournament will be played next week in Evansville.

OVC MEN

The field for the 2025 Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Championship Presented by United Fidelity Bank was set on the final day of the regular season.

Southeast Missouri finished the OVC season 15-5 to win its second OVC regular season championship and first since 1999-2000 (and first outright).

Before falling in the season finale, the Redhawks had put together a stretch of 10-straight wins, which was the longest winning streak of its Division I history.

The Redhawks, who won the OVC Tournament two years ago but failed to make the field a season ago, earned a double bye to the semifinals and open play on Friday night.

SIUE topped Little Rock on the final day of the regular season to finish OVC play 13-7 and earn the other double bye to the semifinals as the No. 2 seed.

It is the highest seed for the Cougars who were seeded No. 6 each of the past two years.

The 13 OVC wins are the most for the Cougars, who started playing a league schedule in 2011-12.

Tennessee State started OVC play started 1-4 but finished by winning 10 of its final 13 games to finish at 12-8 and earn the No.3  seed.

It is the highest seed for the Tigers since being No. 2 in 2012. As the No. 3 seed the squad has earned a bye to the quarterfinals on Thursday. 

TSU has won at least one game in the Tournament in three of its last four appearances.

Little Rock, the No. 1 seed a year ago, dropped to the fourth seed after a loss on the final day of the regular season.

As the No. 4 seed they earned a single bye to the quarterfinals. The Trojans advanced to the OVC championship game a season ago, in what was the program’s first OVC Tournament appearance.

The field is rounded out by No. 5 Tennessee Tech, No. 6 Lindenwood, No. 7 Morehead State and No. 8 UT Martin.

Lindenwood, who is reclassifying to Division I, is eligible to win the OVC Tournament Championship.

Should the Lions win the tournament title, the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament shall be awarded to the tournament runner-up.

OVC WOMEN

Tennessee Tech claimed the OVC regular season championship and the No. 1 seed after finishing 18-2. It is the 19th title in program history and the first since 2012-13. The Golden Eagles produced a 24-5 overall record and earned a double bye to the semifinals, opening play on Friday afternoon.

Lindenwood is the No. 2 seed after finishing 16-4 in OVC action. The Lions and Southern Indiana, who are reclassifying to Division I, are eligible to win the OVC Tournament.

Should either win the tournament title, the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament shall be awarded to the tournament runner-up or highest seed eliminated in the semifinals if both teams reach the finals.

Eastern Illinois (15-5) will be the No. 3 seed and earn a single bye to the quarterfinals, where it will open play on Thursday afternoon. The No. 4 seed, also earning a single bye, is Little Rock (12-8).

The field is rounded out by No. 5 Southern Indiana, No. 6 UT Martin, No. 7 Western Illinois and No. 8 Tennessee State, those four teams opening the tourney today.

MVC MEN

With its overtime win at UNI on Feb. 23, Drake secured its ninth all-time regular-season MVC crown in men’s basketball (and first since 2019).

Drake’s nine regular-season crowns are the most among active members. The Bulldogs — outright MVC champs — finished the regular season with a 27-3 overall record and 17-3 in the MVC to secure the No. 1 seed for the 2025 State Farm MVC Tournament, Thursday through Sunday, in St. Louis at Enterprise Center.

There were two ties in the standings that utilized the NET to break the tie.

Illinois State and UIC tied for fifth place at 10-10 in league play, ISU winning the tiebreaker for the No. 5 seed.

There was a three-way tie for eighth place (at 8-12).

Southern Illinois earns the No. 8 seed, Indiana State is No. 9 and Evansville takes the No. 10 seed.