By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
The field for the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Championship Presented by United Fidelity Bank has been set on the final day of the regular season.
Morehead State will be the No. 1 seed after finishing the regular season 14-4 in OVC play to win its 10th OVC regular season championship. It was the first title for MSU since 2003 and the first outright crown since 1984. The team has 21 overall wins, the third-straight season they have reached that plateau (only the second time in program history that has been accomplished). The Eagles, who won the 2021 OVC Tournament, earned a double bye to the semifinals and open play on Friday night.
Tennessee Tech is the No. 2 seed after finishing 11-7 in OVC action. The Golden Eagles will also receive a double bye to the semifinals and open play on Friday night. It marks the first time in the merit-based format (since 2011) that Tech has earned the double-bye. It is the program’s highest seed since being No. 1 in 2005.
UT Martin (10-8) will be the No. 3 seed and earn a single bye to the quarterfinals, where they will open up play on Thursday night. The Skyhawks are back in the tournament field for the first time since 2019. The No. 4 seed, also earning a single bye, is Tennessee State (10-8). It is the highest seed for the Tigers since earning the No. 4 seed in 2016.
The field is rounded out by No. 5 Southeast Missouri, No. 6 SIUE, No. 7 Southern Indiana and No. 8 Lindenwood.
Lindenwood and Southern Indiana, who are reclassifying to Division I, are eligible to win the OVC Tournament Championship. Should either win the tournament title, the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament shall be awarded to the tournament runner-up. Should the tournament runner-up also be a transitioning school, the AQ representative shall be semifinalist that had the highest remaining seed going into the tournament.
This year marks the sixth-straight year the event has been held at the Ford Center, which opened in 2011 and is located in the core of Evansville’s downtown district. The event is scheduled to be at the venue through at least 2024.
This event marks the 60th time the OVC Men’s Basketball Championship has been held; it is the fourth-oldest Division I basketball championship tournament.
This year’s first round can be seen on ESPN+, the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer & International segment. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) or as part of a bundle with Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu ($12.99/month). ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices).
The semifinals will air live on ESPNU while the championship game will air live on ESPN2 and live nationally on the Westwood One Radio Network.
As part of an ongoing commitment to safety and security, aligning with the best practices at major entertainment and athletics venues, there is a “Clear Bag Policy” in effect at the Ford Center. Fans are encouraged to visit www.OVCSports.com/ClearBag for complete details on the policy.
2023 OVC Men’s Basketball Championship Presented United Fidelity Bank (Ford Center – Evansville, Ind.)
First Round – Wednesday, March 1
Game 1 – #5 Southeast Missouri vs. #8 Lindenwood, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 2 – #6 SIUE vs. #7 Southern Indiana, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
First Round – Thursday, March 2
Game 3 – #4 Tennessee State vs. Winner of Game 1, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 4 – #3 UT Martin vs. Winner of Game 2, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Semifinals – Friday, March 3
Game 5 – #1 Morehead State vs. Game 3 Winner, 7:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
Game 6 – #2 Tennessee Tech vs. Game 4 Winner, 9:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Championship – Saturday, March 4
Game 7 – Semifinal Winners, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2/Westwood One)
All Times Central
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information