• OVC Championship Central | Ford Center Clear Bag Policy | Bracket (PDF)
The field for the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Men's Basketball Championship Presented by TicketSmarter has been set on the final day of the regular season.
Murray State will be the No. 1 seed after becoming the sixth team in OVC history to go undefeated in league play (18-0) on its way to its 28th OVC regular season championship. The Racers are 28-2 overall and ranked in the Top 20 nationally. They earned a double bye to the semifinals and open play on Friday night.
Belmont is the No. 2 seed after finishing 15-3 in OVC action and 25-6 overall. The Bruins will also receive a double bye to the semifinals and open play on Friday night. It marks the seventh-straight year the Bruins have been a top two seed in the tournament.
Morehead State (13-5), the defending tournament champions, will be the No. 3 seed and earn a single bye to the quarterfinals, where they will open up play on Thursday night. The No. 4 seed, also earning a single bye, is Southeast Missouri. It marks the highest seed for the Redhawks program since they were the No. 2 overall seed in 2000.
The field is rounded out by No. 5 Tennessee State, No. 6 Austin Peay, No. 7 Tennessee Tech and No. 8 SIUE.
This year marks the fifth-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 2023.
This event marks the 59th 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 $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) or as part of a bundle with Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu ($13.99/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.
2022 OVC Men's Basketball Championship Presented TicketSmarter (Ford Center - Evansville, Ind.)
First Round - Wednesday, March 2
Game 1 - #5 Tennessee State vs. #8 SIUE, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 2 - #6 Austin Peay vs. #7 Tennessee Tech, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
First Round - Thursday, March 3
Game 3 - #4 Southeast Missouri vs. Winner of Game 1, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 4 - #3 Morehead State vs. Winner of Game 2, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Semifinals - Friday, March 4
Game 5 - #1 Murray State vs. Game 3 Winner, 7:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
Game 6 - #2 Belmont vs. Game 4 Winner, 9:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Championship - Saturday, March 5
Game 7 - Semifinal Winners, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2/Westwood One)
All Times Central