CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 16. Up next: The OVC Tournament.
Only eight teams make the Ohio Valley, or OVC Tournament, meaning that Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois, and South Indiana won’t have the opportunity to dance. The OVC Tournament is a true four games in four days tournament, with the top two seeds getting an automatic bye to the semifinals.
SE Missouri, or SEMO, earned the regular season title honors, winning the regular season by a comfortable two games. Morehead State, last year’s conference tournament winner, will have some work to do if they want to repeat, finishing the regular season 10-10 in conference play.
This conference tournament has been dominated by Morehead State, Murray State, and Belmont. The trio has won six of the last seven conference tournaments. However, with two of those teams in the Missouri Valley, and Morehead State having a down year, this opens the door for a first-time team to win the tournament.
Tournament play starts March 6th and ends March 10th. All games are played at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
2025 OVC Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Ray’Sean Taylor, SIUE
Freshman of the Year: Jadis Jones, Lindenwood
Transfer of the Year: Johnathan Lawson, Little Rock
Coach of the Year: Brad Korn, Southeast Missouri
First Team:
- G: Johnathan Lawson, Little Rock (15.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG)
- G: Teddy Washington Jr., SEMO (14.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.9 SPG)
- G: Ray’Sean Taylor, SIUE (19.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 2.0 SPG)
- G: Brandon Weston, Tennessee State (16.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.4 SPG)
- G: Jaylon Johnson, Tennessee Tech (14.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.5 SPG)
Second Team:
- G: Rob Martin, SEMO (14.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.0 SPG)
- G: Tarence Guinyard, UT Martin (16.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG)
- G: Nakyel Shelton, Eastern Illinois (17.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.6 SPG)
- G: Mwani Wilkinson, Little Rock (12.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.5 BPG)
- F: Ring Malith, SIUE (11.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.7 BPG, 0.9 SPG)
2025 OVC Tournament Simulation
First Round – Wed., Mar. 5
5. Tennessee Tech (15-16, 10-10) vs. 8. UT Martin (13-18, 9-11) – 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+
These two teams played twice, and both times, the game went to overtime. As a college basketball fan, let’s hope we get another overtime thriller. This game could go either way, but it’ll be hard for Tennessee Tech to beat this team three times, considering how evenly matched they are.
Ariel’s pick: 8. UT Martin
6. Lindenwood (15-16, 10-10) vs. 7. Morehead State (15-16, 10-10) – 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+
This is as equal a game as it gets. Both teams have the same record. Both teams have the same conference record. The two teams are separated by one spot in Kenpom standings. Morehead State went 6-3 in January, 0-7 in February, and 1-0 in March. This program’s DNA has winning in March in it, and they’ll add another one in this game.
Lindenwood, who is ineligible to win this tournament due to transition rules, will have to wait one more year for their first conference tournament win.
Ariel’s pick: 7. Morehead State
Quarterfinals – Wed., Mar. 6
4. Little Rock (18-13, 12-8) vs. 8. UT Martin – 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+
The first time these two teams played, Little Rock came back and won by one on the road. The next time, it was all Little Rock. Expect this one to be all Little Rock as well.
Ariel’s pick: 4. Little Rock
3. Tennessee State (18-13, 12-8) vs. 7. Morehead State – 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+
Can Morehead State pull off the upset? It’s possible. This team beat Tennessee State by six at home early in the season. The big question is whether Brandon Weston plays. The team has actually played well without their leading scorer, going 5-2 since his last game. It is uncertain if they can win the whole tournament without him, but they should be able to win this one.
Ariel’s pick: 3. Tennessee State
Semifinals – Thu., Mar. 7
1. Southeast Missouri (20-11, 15-5) vs. 4. Little Rock – 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU
Southeast Missouri entered March on a ten-game win streak before losing to Eastern Illinois to close out the season. They have elite guard play and completely shut down Little Rock in their last matchup, holding them to 45 points. However, Little Rock’s guard duo of Jonathan Lawson and Mwani Wilkinson are even better.
This is easily the best game of the tournament, and expect it to come down to the last shot.
Ariel’s pick: 4. Little Rock
2. SIUE (20-11, 13-7) vs. 3. Tennessee State – 9:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU
The best player in this conference isn’t going to go one and done. Plus, Tennessee State is 4-10 away from home this season. That’s not a winning combination, especially if Weston is out.
Ariel’s pick: 2. SIUE
Championship – Fri., Mar. 8
2. SIUE vs. 4. Little Rock – 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2
The two best players in the conference in Taylor and Lawson face off in a battle between the two teams that received preseason first-place votes. Little Rock made the final last year, but couldn’t get it done. Now they have a chance to change that. These two teams faced off in the final game of the regular season. SIUE won 73-65 at home.
Lawson and Wilkinson combined for just 15 points in that one, but don’t expect that to happen again. This game will come down to the wire, but Little Rock will get its revenge and raise the banner for the first time since 2016.
Ariel’s pick: 4. Little Rock