Big Head-to-Head Matchups in the OVC

One Preeminent Game Every Day

(St. Louis, MO) – The Ohio Valley Conference has a brilliant race going on for the league’s regular season title and for its four OVC Tournament byes. This week there are four big head-to-head matchups. OVC fans will remember there was a three-way tie for first place last year and this season is looking eerily similar.

Little Rock, UT Martin and Morehead State tied for the title last season with identical 14-4 records. Western Illinois was one game back at 13-5. Tie-breakers awarded UT Martin and Little Rock the top two seeds and double byes in last year’s tournament. Morehead was third and WIU fourth with single byes.

The Eagles came from that third position to win the tournament and in Preston Spradlin’s final season, another trip to the NCAA Tournament.

While there are six games remaining for each OVC squad, this is a critical week. Big head-to-head matchups are here. Southern Illinois Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri and Little Rock are locked in a three-way tie at 10-4. Morehead State is one game back (9-5) and Tennessee Tech and red-hot Tennessee State are each 8-6.

Head-to-Head Tuesday Night

SEMO and Little Rock tangle Tuesday. The Trojans won the first encounter (73-71) in Cape Girardeau. LR’s Johnathan Lawson’s game-winner came with one second left. Since that game the Redhawks have won six of their last seven games to force themselves into title contention.

Little Rock has won eight of its last ten games and three-in-a-row. Jordan Jefferson’s return from injury has helped lengthen Darrell Walker’s bench and Lawson is in the ‘player of the year’ conversation with SIUE’s Ray’Sean Taylor. Playing in Little Rock’s Stephens Center would seem to give the Trojans the edge, but they have been a pedestrian 3-2 in home conference games Brad Korn’s Redhawks are 5-2 on the OVC road.

Game time on ESPN+ is set for 7 pm.

Head-to-Head Thursday Night

The Trojans are right back at it on Thursday. Tennessee Tech is trying to climb into the ‘bye conversation’ and at 8-6, just one game back of Morehead State. No matter who wins the Tuesday game between the Trojans and the Redhawks, John Pelphrey’s Golden Eagles will be breathing down their backs. Tech is 5-3 in OVC road games.

Little Rock won the first meeting (77-71) in Cookeville.

A Trojan sweep of these two games would virtually guarantee them a bye in Evansville.

Game time in Little Rock is set for 7 pm and can be seen on ESPN+.

Head-to-Head Saturday

Tech moves from its encounter with Little Rock to a face-off with Southeast Missouri. If the Golden Eagles sweep, they are right in the mix for a regular season title! SEMO won the first meeting (77-70) at Tennessee Tech. The Redhawks have great scoring balance with five players averaging more than nine points-per-game.

Should Tech lose both these games, their title hopes would be over and their bye opportunities would be slipping away.

Game time is set for 3:45 on ESPN+.

One of the OVC’s hottest teams is Tennessee State. The Tigers have won two straight games and six of their last seven. Their only two losses in their last nine games have come in overtime. Getting Ronald Jessamy, Travis Harper and Ahmir Langlais healthy has made a huge difference for Brian ‘Penny’ Collins’ team.

They travel to Southern Illinois Edwardsville. The Cougars won a double-overtime thriller in Nashville as the Taylor Cousins (Brian and Ray’Sean) combined for 44 points. SIUE is 10-1 at home and a perfect 6-0 at First Community Arena during league play. Ray’Sean Taylor is the league’s leading scorer and is closing in 1,800 career points.

Neither SIUE, nor SEMO has ever won an OVC regular season title. Brian Barone has put SIUE on the league map. The program had never won more than 14 regular season games and now Barone’s squads have won at least 17 games in three straight seasons. The program record 19 wins is within view.

This is the last of the head-to-head matchups and it features two red-hot teams tipping at 3:30 on ESPN+. SIUE has won ten of its last 12 games.

There will be more head-to-head matchups next week, but this week is a critical stretch.

Do Good

 

Editor: Cover photo of Johnathan Lawson’s game-winning shot against SEMO, courtesy of lrtrojans.com.