Crazy Final Day on Tap for Ohio Valley

(St. Louis, MO) – A wild finish is in store for Ohio Valley Conference fans. Belmont and UT Martin have sown up the division titles, but every other play off spot is still up for grabs. Three teams (Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and Morehead State) are tied for third, fourth and fifth place with identical 10-5 records and Murray State is one game back.

The third and fourth place teams receive an opening round bye at Music City Madness.

The Racers better be looking over their shoulders because Eastern Illinois is only one game behind them. Meanwhile Eastern Kentucky and Autin Peay are tied for the last of eight playoff berths given out by the OVC. One of those two teams will sit out the festivities at next week’s conference tournament.

Suddenly the OVC is a league with multiple postseason possibilities. The red-hot Skyhawks of UT Martin have likely guaranteed themselves some postseason play whether they win the conference tournament or not. Head Coach Heath Schroyer has his team playing their best basketball at the right time. Their eight game win streak has catapulted them not only to a first place finish in the West, but to 18 wins and legitimate chance at playing basketball later in March and that looked impossible one month ago.

Tennessee State (19-9) and Tennessee Tech (18-10) have the look of CIT or CBI teams too. Obviously Belmont (20-9) will be playing beyond Nashville even if they miss out on the automatic bid to the ‘Big Dance’. Morehead State (17-11) could force there way into tournament consideration with a strong Nashville finish.

The OVC could be looking at tying last season’s league record of sending five teams into postseason play, so this weekend’s games have important implications for next weekend and beyond.

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