• 2024-25 OVC Men's Basketball Report - Final (PDF)
OVC Overview/This Week’s Highlights: SIUE finished the regular season with a 13-7 OVC record (the most OVC wins in program history and the team’s first-ever winning record in league play) and earned the No. 2 seed for the OVC Tournament ... The Cougars topped No. 3 seed Tennessee State and No. 1 seed Southeast Missouri to claim its first OVC Tournament Championship and earn its first Division I NCAA Tournament berth (the team was in the NCAA Elite Eight in 2005-06) ... The team first became eligible for NCAA Division I postseason play in 2011-12 ... SIUE’s 22 overall wins were the most for the program at the Division I level ... SIUE’s Desmond Polk has played in 145 games at SIUE, the most of any current OVC player with one team ... Graduate guard Ray’Sean Taylor, the OVC Player of the Year, became the program’s all-time leading scorer during the OVC Tournament Championship Game; he finished his career with 1,962 career points ... Southeast Missouri finished the year with a 15-5 overall record to win the OVC Regular Season Championship; it was the second overall title for the Redhawks (first since 1999-00) and the first outright crown ... SEMO’s 15 OVC wins were tied for the most in program history (with the 1998-99 squad) with its +11 win increase (from 9-22 to 20-11) is the best one-year turnaround in program history (the 2015-16 team went from 5-24 to 15-18) ... Prior to a loss in the regular season finale, the Redhawks had a 10-game winning streak for the first time in 35 years (they won 11 in a row in 1989-90) ... Lindenwood set Division I era records for most wins (16) and OVC wins (10); overall its 16 wins are the most for the program since 2018-19 ... Tennessee State won 10 of its final 13 regular season games to earn the No. 3 seed, its highest seed since being No. 2 in 2012 ... On January 15 the NCAA Division I Council adopted a proposal that requires schools moving into Division I to meet objective measures that focus on the student-athlete experience and support a school’s successful transition to Division I and would change the timeline from four to three years; current reclassifying teams Lindenwood and Southern Indiana can use the new timeline
IF they meet all other criteria and could potentially be eligible for NCAA postseason play next year.
Recent Postseason Success: Following the 2024-25 season, OVC teams have won at least one national postseason game in 13 of the past 16 postseasons. Morehead State won a NCAA game in 2009, Murray State won in the NCAA Tournament in 2010, Morehead State won in the NCAA’s in 2011, Murray State won in the NCAA’s in 2012, Eastern Kentucky won in the CIT in 2013, Belmont (NIT) and Murray State (CIT) won games in 2014, Eastern Illinois (CIT), Eastern Kentucky (CIT), Murray State (NIT) and UT Martin (CIT) scored victories in 2015 (the four different teams to record a victory in the single postseason was an OVC record), Morehead State (CBI) and UT Martin (CIT) won in 2016, Belmont (NIT) and UT Martin (CIT) scored wins in 2017, Austin Peay (CIT) and Jacksonville State (CBI) won in 2018 and Belmont and Murray State in 2019 (NCAA) before no postseason was held in 2020. A streak of 11-straight years ended in 2021 (when only one team made the reduced postseason), and in 2022 Murray State won in the NCAA Tournament, followed by Morehead State winning in the NIT in 2023. No OVC team won a game in 2024 or 2025.
OVC Teams in the NCAA Tournament: Following the 2024-25 year OVC teams are 27-76 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, having won at least one game in two of the past six tournaments (2019, 2022). After going 20 years (1990-2008) without a win, OVC teams won games in four-straight year from 2009-12 (the longest stretch in league history) and in 2019 the OVC not only put two teams in the field (for the second time ever) but also won two games (the first time two different teams had won NCAA games in the same postseason). In 2022, Murray State topped San Francisco in the First Round.
SIUE Wins 2025 OVC Tournament: SIUE was winless in its first six OVC Tournament appearances before winning a game in 2023 and 2024. This season the Cougars earned the No. 2 overall seed and a double bye to the semifinals; it was the highest seed ever for the team. The Cougars topped No. 3 seed Tennessee State and No. 1 seed Southeast Missouri to claim its first OVC Tournament Championship and earn a bid to its first-ever NCAA Division I Championship.
Southeast Missouri Wins OVC Regular Season Championship: With a 15-5 record Southeast Missouri won the 2024-25 OVC Regular Season Championship. It is the second overall title (first outright) and first for the Redhawks since 1999-00 (they shared that crown with Murray State).
OVC Award Winners: SIUE graduate guard
Ray’Sean Taylor was named the 2024-25 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year, Southeast Missouri’s
Brad Korn earned OVC Coach of the Year honors, Little Rock senior
Tuongthach Gatkek was tabbed OVC Defensive Player of the Year while Lindenwood newcomer
Jadis Jones was named the OVC Freshman of the Year in voting by league head coaches and communications directors. For only the second time in league history (and first since 1950-51), the All-OVC first and/or second-teams included zero repeat selections from the previous year. This year’s first and second-team All-OVC squads included 16 players from 10 different OVC schools. OVC Champion Southeast Missouri led the way with three selections, while Lindenwood, Little Rock, SIUE and Tennessee State had two apiece. The first and second-teams included three graduate students, four seniors, eight juniors and one freshman.
OVC Basketball Championships Held at Ford Center in Evansville For Eighth Consecutive Year: The OVC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships presented by United Fidelity Bank was held March 5-8 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. It marked the eighth-straight season the event will be held in the building. The Ford Center, which opened in 2011, is an 11,000-seat arena located in the core of Evansville’s downtown district. The 290,000-square foot facility serves as home of the University of Evansville’s men’s basketball team and the Evansville Thunderbolts of the Southern Professional Hockey League. The Ford Center also serves as host to numerous sporting events and concerts on an annual basis. It was announced in March 2023 the event was extended through 2026 with an option for 2027.
OVC Tournament Championship Format: Once again the OVC Tournament will include a merit-based format. The format, which began in 2011, has the top eight men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the tournament. The No. 1 and 2 seeds will receive two byes to the semifinals while the No. 3 and 4 seeds will receive one bye into the quarterfinals. The first round will include the No. 5 seed against the No. 8 seed and the No. 6 seed against the No. 7 seed. The women’s bracket also uses a merit-based bracket. This marks the 14th year the format has been used (it was not used in 2021), and teams with a double bye (e.g. No. 1 or 2 seed) have won the tournament seven times. The No. 1 seed has won five times, the No. 2 seed twice, the No. 3 seed three times, the No. 4 seed once, the No. 5 seed once and the No. 8 seed once (Austin Peay in 2016).
All Teams Eligible for OVC Tournament: Both reclassifying teams, Lindenwood and Southern Indiana, were eligible to compete and win the OVC Tournament Championship this season. Should a transitioning school win an OVC Tournament Championship, the AQ 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.
Division I Council Adopts New Reclassification Criteria: On January 15 the NCAA Division I Council adopted a proposal that requires schools moving into Division I to meet objective measures that focus on the student-athlete experience and support a school’s successful transition to Division I. The change reduces the reclassification period from four to three years for Division II schools and four years for Division III schools. Members currently in the reclassification process (Lindenwood and Southern Indiana) can use the new timeline
IF they meet all other criteria. Progression through the process is dependent upon meeting each year’s benchmarks. If the benchmarks are met, teams would be eligible for NCAA postseason events in the 2025-26 school year.
Lindenwood Sets OVC Record For Free Throw Percentage in a Game: In its OVC Tournament First Round victory over Morehead State (March 5), Lindenwood hit 28-of-28 free throws to establish a new OVC single-game record. It broke the previous record for makes without a miss of 24 accomplished by Murray State in 1965-65. Lindenwood had entered the game with a team free throw percentage of 67.1 percent, which ranked 327th nationally.
Lindenwood’s Bass Sets OVC Tournament Record for Free Throw Percentage: In Lindenwood’s OVC Tournament victory over Morehead State (March 5), Lindenwood guard
Reggie Bass was 17-of-17 at the free throw line which established a new OVC Tournament record. He broke the previous mark of .938 (15-of-16) done by each WKU’s Clem Haskins (1966) and UTM’s Jordan Sears (2023). The Lindenwood team was 28-of-28 in the victory.
Tennessee Tech Earns OVC Team Sportsmanship Award: Tennessee Tech men’s program and the SIUE women’s program are the recipients of the 2024-25 Team Sportsmanship Awards for men’s and women’s basketball. Voted on by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports, the team awards are bestowed upon the Conference squads deemed to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the OVC and NCAA. Included in the areas for evaluation are the conduct of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators and fans.
Taylor Finalist for Lou Henson Award: SIUE graduate guard
Ray’Sean Taylor is among 35 basketball student-athletes to be named a Finalist for the Lou Henson Award. The Lou Henson award is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball and honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons. The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
Washington Finalist for Riley Wallace Award: Southeast Missouri guard
Teddy Washington, Jr. was among the 30 finalists for the 2024-25 Riley Wallace Award presented annually to the most impactful transfer in division I college basketball by CollegeInsider.com. The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
Barone Finalist for Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award: SIUE men’s basketball head coach
Brian Barone has been named a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award by CollegeInsider.com. The award honors those who not only achieve success on the basketball court but who display moral integrity on and off it as well. The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
Collins Finalist for Ben Joe Award: Tennessee State head coach
Brian “Penny” Collins has been named a finalist for the 2024-25 Ben Jobe award, as announced by CollegeInsider.com. The award is presented annually to the top minority head coach in division I college basketball. The Ben Jobe Award is named in honor of one of the most iconic coaches in the history of basketball at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
Mattox Finalist for Joe B. Hall Award: Morehead State head coach
Jonathan Mattox has been named a finalist for the CollegeInsider.com Joe B. Hall Award. The award is presented annually to the top first-time head coach in Division I college basketball. The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee consisting of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
WIU’s Smith Records 25th and 26th Triple-Double in OVC History: Western Illinois senior guard
Sean Smith recorded the 25th triple-double in OVC history on December 4 against St. Ambrose. Smith had 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the victory. Two days later in a victory over East-West University, Smith had another triple-double, this time with 10 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. He is only the third player in OVC history to have multiple triple-doubles in the same season (UT Martin’s Lester Hudson and Murray State’s Ja Morant are the others) and the first to do it in back-to-back games. Nationally, there are six players to have a triple-double this season and Smith is the only one with two. There has been at least one triple-double by an OVC player in each of the past five seasons.
Shelton Named Lou Henson National Player of the Week (March 3): Eastern Illinois senior guard
Nakyel Shelton was named the Lou Henson National Player of the Week on March 3 following his two-game performance. Shelton helped lead EIU to a pair of wins at home over Little Rock and Southeast Missouri as EIU ended the year on a four-game win streak. He averaged 26.5 points per game for the week closing out his career with 28 points against OVC regular season champion Southeast Missouri after tossing in 25 in a win over Little Rock.Shelton shot 57.7 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from 3-point range (7-of-11). He was 16-of-20 at the foul line (80 percent) averaging 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 3.0 steals per game for the week.
Guinyard Named National Player of the Week (December 17): UT Martin junior guard
Tarence Guinyard was named one of five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week award winners by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) on December 17. He averaged 31.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists/game while hitting 65.6 percent (21-of-32) from the field, 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from 3-point range and 78.9 percent (15-of-19) at the free throw line in a pair of games. At Alabama State, he helped UT Martin overcome a 23-point deficit with 6:59 to go in regulation to force overtime, scoring 29 of the Skyhawks’ final 52 points over a stretch of 17:57. In that game he added seven rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench. Four days later against Champion Christian, he delivered career-highs in points (31), rebounds (8) and assists (5) in just 22 minutes of playing time. In that game he hit 11-of-15 field goals (including 4-of-4 3-pointers) and was 5-of-5 at the free throw line.
Smith Named National Player of the Week (December 10): Western Illinois senior guard
Sean Smith was named one of five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week award winners by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) on December 10. Smith recorded two triple-doubles during the week, with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 rebounds against St. Ambrose and 10 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over East-West University. For the week he averaged 17.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists/game while hitting 52 percent (13-of-25) from the field, 40 percent (4-of-10) from 3-point range and 100 percent (4-of-4) at the free throw line.
Foreign Connections: Every single OVC men’s basketball program has at least one player who lists their hometown in a foreign country. Overall there are 33 players on OVC men’s basketball rosters who list their hometown as not from the United States.
OVC Players in the NBA: Four former OVC men’s basketball players were on National Basketball Association (NBA) Opening Night rosters for 2024-25. In 2021, Cameron Payne helped Phoenix advance to the NBA Finals. In 2020 Ja Morant was named the NBA Rookie of the Year, making him one of three players from a non-Power 5 Conference to win the award since 1983-84 (joining Damian Lilliard of Weber State in 2012-13 and Larry Johnson of UNLV in 1991-92). Riley Minix, the 2023-24 Player of the Year and OVC Male Athlete of the Year, is a rookie with the Spurs this season.
• Riley Minix, San Antonio Spurs (Morehead State)
• Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies (Murray State)
• Cameron Payne, New York Knicks (Murray State)
• Ben Sheppard, Indiana Pacers (Belmont)
OVC to Produce 9-Game Linear Television Package and Use “Wild Card” Selections: The OVC will once again produce a national television package in 2024-25 that will include eight men’s basketball games and one women’s basketball contest that will air on the ESPN Family of Networks. The regular season games will all air on ESPNU, as will the OVC Tournament semifinals. The Men’s Championship game will air on ESPN2. Each of the regular season games will be “wild card selections” with the matchup picked approximately two weeks ahead of the game.
Little Rock Picked as OVC Preseason Favorites: In a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head men’s basketball coaches and communication directors, Little Rock was picked as the preseason favorites. The Trojans, who were one of three teams who shared last year’s regular season championship (along with Morehead State and UT Martin), picked up 20 of 22 first-place votes (teams could not vote for themselves) to receive 200 total points. Western Illinois was picked second (receiving 172 points) while SIUE picked up the other two first-place votes and 151 points in being picked third. Tennessee State was tabbed fourth (134 points) and followed by Morehead State (131), Eastern Illinois (87), Southeast Missouri (86), Southern Indiana (79), Lindenwood (67), UT Martin (52) and Tennessee Tech (51).
The 2024-25 Season: The 2024-25 season marks the 77th year of competition in the OVC. Over the previous 76 years, 14 different teams have claimed an OVC regular season championship.
ESPN+: The OVC has a media rights deal with ESPN to air games on ESPN+, the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer & International segment. This season over 200 men’s and women’s basketball regular season Conference games and non-conference games will be streamed on ESPN+. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for $11.99 a month (or $119.99 per year) or as part of a bundle with Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu ($16.99/month). ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). More information can be found at
www.OVCSports.com/ESPN.