• OVC Men’s Basketball Report – February 16 (PDF)
This Week’s Schedule
Tuesday, February 17
*Southeast Missouri at UT Martin, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Thursday, February 19
*UT Martin at Little Rock, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Morehead State at Eastern Illinois, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Lindenwood at Tennessee State, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
*SIUE at Tennessee Tech, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Southern Indiana at Western Illinois, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday, February 21
*SIUE at Tennessee State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
*Southeast Missouri at Little Rock, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Lindenwood at Tennessee Tech, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Southern Indiana at Eastern Illinois, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Morehead State at Western Illinois, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
OVC Players of the Week
PLAYER
Johnathan Lawson, G • 6-7, 190, R-Sr. • Memphis, Tenn. • Little Rock
Lawson netted just the 27th triple-double in OVC history (and third in Little Rock history) in a road victory at Western Illinois last week. The senior had 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists while adding two blocks and a steal without committing a turnover in 39 minutes of action. Two days later he continued to fill up the stat sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists at Eastern Illinois. Lawson is one of 21 players nationally to record a triple-double in 2025-26. The senior ranks first in the OVC 3-pointers made/game (2.7), third in assists (4.2/game), fourth in scoring (16.3 points/game), fifth in free throw percentage (81.6%) and sixth in steals (1.7/game).
Others Nominated: Kooper Jacobi, Eastern Illinois; Jon Carroll, Morehead State; BJ Ward, Southeast Missouri; Arnas Sakenis, SIUE; Cardell Bailey, Southern Indiana; Travis Harper II, Tennessee State; Dani Pounds, Tennessee Tech; Andrija Bukumirovic, UT Martin; Lucas Lorenzen, Western Illinois.
NEWCOMER
Jon Carroll, F • 6-7, 215, Jr. • Tallahassee, Fla. • Morehead State
Carroll, a transfer from North Central Missouri College, led Morehead State to a 2-0 week (the only OVC team unbeaten during the week) by averaging 20.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals/game while hitting 72.7 percent (16-of-22) from the field and 80 percent (8-of-10) from the free throw line. Coming off the bench, he matched his career-high with 22 points while adding 10 rebounds against Tennessee Tech. In that game Carroll hit 9-of-12 field goals. He followed that with 18 points, nine rebounds and three steals against a Tennessee State team that entered the day tied for first place. In that contest he was 7-of-10 from the field. Carroll ranks fourth in the OVC in rebounding (7.7/game).
Others Nominated: Meechie White, Eastern Illinois; Milos Nenadic, Lindenwood; Tyler King, SIUE; Dani Pounds, Tennessee Tech; Lucas Lorenzen, Western Illinois.
FRESHMAN
Pedro Santos, G • 6-7, 195, R-Fr. • Porto, Portugal • UT Martin
Santos averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 steals, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists/game while hitting 50 percent (8-of-16) from the field and 100 percent (6-of-6) at the free throw line as UTM split a pair of road games. In Saturday’s come-from-behind win at SIUE, Santos had 15 points, three steals, three rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes of action. He opened the week with nine points, a career-best five steals, three rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes of action at Lindenwood. Santos is the third different UTM player to win the Freshman of the Week award this season, joining Matas Deniusas (10 times) and Damien King (once) in the 15 weeks of the season so far.
Others Nominated: none
Other Notable Performances
Below are other notable performances from the past week.
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Travis Harper II (G, R-Sr.), Tennessee State. Averaged 26.0 points/game, hitting 8-of-14 (57.1%) in two road games. Had 30 points at Morehead State, his second 30-point outing of the year.
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Lucas Lorenzen (G, Jr.), Western Illinois. Helped WIU to its first OVC win of the season with 24 points and eight rebounds against Eastern Illinois. Added 19 versus Little Rock.
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BJ Ward (G, Jr.), Southeast Missouri. Paced SEMO with an 18.5 points/game average while dishing out 3.0 assists/contest. Had 17 in road win over Lindenwood.
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Andrija Bukumirovic (G/F, Jr.), UT Martin. Had 19 points and nine rebounds in road win over SIUE. For the week, he hit 12-of-18 (66.7%) from the field.
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Arnas Sakenis (C, Sr.), SIUE. Averaged 15.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks/game while hitting 58.8 percent from the field. Had career-best 16 rebounds in win over SEMO.
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Kooper Jacobi (F, Grad.), Eastern Illinois. In two home games he averaged 14.5 points and 11.0 rebounds/game while hitting 61.9 percent (13-of-21) from the field.
Notes From Around the League
OVC Overview/This Week’s Highlights: UT Martin split a pair of games last week and still holds a one-game lead in the OVC standings with two weeks (four game) to play ... Morehead State (the only OVC team to go 2-0 last week), Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State are one game back, while Lindenwood and SIUE are just two games back ... The top eight teams make the OVC Tournament field; Southern Indiana and Western Illinois have been eliminated from contention ... UTM reached the 20-win mark on Saturday for only the sixth time in its NCAA Division I history (since 1992); the Skyhawks also won at least 20 decisions in 2023-24, 2016-17, 2015-16, 2014-15 and 2008-09 ... UT Martin’s 12 OVC victories are the third-most in program history, trailing only the 14 wins from both the 2023-24 and 2008-09 squads ... Little Rock’s Johnathan Lawson recorded the 27th triple-double in OVC history last week with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists at Western Illinois ... TSU’s Travis Harper II had 30 points at Morehead State last week; he is one of two OVC players (Lindenwood’s Anias Futrell being the other) to score 30 or more points in a game twice this season ... Harper’s teammate, Aaron Nkrumah, has the most 20-point games this season (11) ... Harper (17.6 ppg) and Nkrumah (17.5 ppg) rank No. 1 and 2 in the OVC in scoring ... Lindenwood (16 overall and 10 OVC wins) is one victory away from reaching its most overall and Conference victories of its Division I era ...Southeast Missouri has won seven of its last eight games ... Nationally, UT Martin is fifth in scoring defense (63.5%), sixth in field goal defense (38.7%) and 3-point defense (28.6%), 17th in rebounding margin (+8.2/game) and 19th in rebounding (40.67/game), SIUE is ninth in field goal defense (39.0%) and 14th in scoring defense (65.0 points/game), Tennessee State is 13th in steals (9.3/game) and 17th in fastbreak points (15.9/game), Lindenwood is 11th in fastbreak points (17.2/game) and 19th in steals (9.1/game) and Tennessee Tech is 20th in bench points (32.19/game) ... Individually, Tennessee State’s Aaron Nkrumah is third in steals (2.81/game), Lindenwood’s Dontrez Williams is sixth in steals (2.65/game) while teammate Jadis Jones is 18th in field goal percentage (62.4%), SIUE’s Arnas Sakenis is 13th in blocks (60) and Little Rock’s Johnathan Lawson is 13th in minutes played (36:37/game).
Lawson Records 27th Triple-Double in OVC History: Little Rock senior guard
Johnathan Lawson recorded the 27th triple-double in OVC history on February 12 when he had 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over Western Illinois. It was the first triple-double by an OVC player since December 2024 when WIU’s Sean Smith had two in the same week (December 4 and December 6). There has been at least one triple-double by an OVC player in each of the past six seasons.
All Teams Eligible for Postseason Play: Lindenwood and Southern Indiana have completed their reclassification to Division I and are now eligible to earn to compete in NCAA sanctioned postseason play (NCAA and NIT Tournaments).
Recent Postseason Success: 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), but a new streak began with Murray State winning a NCAA Tournament game in 2022 and continued with Morehead State winning a NIT game in 2023.
OVC Basketball Championships Set For Ford Center in Evansville For Ninth Consecutive Year: The OVC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be held March 4-7 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. It marks the ninth-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. In October 2025 an agreement was reached to extend the partnership through the 2032 Championship.
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.
OVC Players in the NBA: Seven former OVC players started the 2025-26 season on NBA rosters (an eighth, Cam Payne, joined the list in February). That included three players who were drafted last year, Johni Broome (Morehead State), Will Richard (Belmont) and Taelon Peter (Tennessee Tech). 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).
• Johni Broome, Philadelphia 76ers (Morehead State)
• Myron Gardner, Miami Heat (Little Rock)
• Riley Minix, Cleveland Cavaliers (Morehead State)
• Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies (Murray State)
• Cameron Payne, Philadelphia 76ers (Murray State)
• Taelon Peter, Indiana Pacers (Tennessee Tech)
• Will Richard, Golden State Warriors (Belmont)
• Ben Sheppard, Indiana Pacers (Belmont)
Three in 2025 NBA Draft: Three players who played in the OVC were selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. That included Johni Broome (Morehead State/Auburn - Philadelphia 76ers), Taelon Peter (Tennessee Tech/Liberty - Indiana Pacers) and Will Richard (Belmont/Florida - Golden State Warriors). It marked the first time since 1987 that three OVC players were selected in the Draft, and first time since 1971 that three players were selected in the first two rounds of the Draft.
OVC to Produce Linear Television Package with ESPN: As part of its newly signed multi-year media deal with ESPN, the OVC will once again produce a national television package in 2025-26 that will include eight men’s basketball games that will air on the ESPN Family of Networks. The regular season games and the men’s tournament semifinals will air on ESPNU; 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.
Select OVC Games to Simulcast on Gray Media Stations: As part of the Conference’s new multi-year contract with ESPN, this season select men’s and women’s basketball games will simulcast in 20 Gray Media TV markets in five states (in addition to airing on ESPN+). That includes markets in Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, Peoria, Quincy, Rockford, Evansville, Ft. Wayne, South Bend and Lexington. Prior to each game a listing of the stations that will broadcast each game will be made available at OVCSports.com.
Little Rock Picked as OVC Preseason Favorites: In a vote of OVC head men’s basketball coaches and communication directors, Little Rock was picked the preseason favorites for the 2025-26 season. It marks the second-straight year the Trojans have been tabbed the favorites. The Trojans picked up 12 of 22 first-place votes to receive 188 points. Southeast Missouri, last year’s regular season champions, picked up six first-place votes and 177 points, while SIUE (163 points) and Tennessee State (135 points) each picked up a first-place point and were tabbed third and fourth respectively. Lindenwood and Morehead State (100 points) tied for fifth place, Tennessee Tech (80) was seventh, UT Martin (79) eighth and Southern Indiana (67) received the other two first-place votes and were picked ninth. The poll was rounded out by Eastern Illinois (63) and Western Illinois (57).
The Season is Here: The 2025-26 season marks the 78th of competition for the Ohio Valley Conference. Over the previous 77 years, 14 different teams have claimed an OVC regular season championship.
ESPN+/ESPN Unlimited: The OVC signed a new multi-year media rights agreement with ESPN ahead of the season that continues the long-standing partnership to air games on the Family of Networks. 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). For the first time ever, ESPN now offers its full suite of 12 networks and services directly to fans within an enhanced ESPN App that integrates game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, commerce, multiview options, a synchronized two-screen experience, a vertical video feature called Verts and a personalized SportsCenter For You. Designed to give fans more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, these new features and functionality are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a traditional pay TV package. Bundling options available for fans include a special offer at launch for the ESPN DTC Unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99/month for the first 12 months.