Six Teams Fighting for First Place
(St. Louis, MO) – Six Ohio Valley Conference teams are fighting for first place! After Thursday’s victories by Lindenwood, Morehead State, Southern Illinois Edwardsville and Tennessee State, the top of the standings look like this.
There are five games left in the regular season and these six teams are separated by one game. They all face off this Saturday. While co-leaders UT Martin and Tennessee State are on the road at SIUE and Morehead State respectively, Lindenwood is entertaining Southeast Missouri. If each home team would prevail on Saturday, there would be a five team tie for first place with four games to play.
Reigning regular season champion Southeast Missouri saw a six-game winning streak snapped Thursday at SIUE. Now the Redhawks face the OVC’s other St. Louis area team, Lindenwood. The Lions spent Thursday night winning a nail-biter over UT Martin 75-74. That result created this incredible log jam.
Remember, the OVC’s top two teams receive a double-bye for the league’s postseason tournament. Teams three and four receive a single-bye into the quarterfinals. As SEMO coach Brad Korn told me, ‘every game feels like a conference tournament game‘.
During Korn’s five previous seasons in Cape Girardeau, he has guided the Redhawks to one conference tournament title (2023) and one regular season crown (2025). With five games left, his team is right where he wants them. The Redhawks are fighting for first place.
After SEMO dropped mid-January home games to Lindenwood and SIUE, he tells us that two things happened. Guard Luke Almodovar took a more active leadership role and forward Brendan Terry began to have a greater understanding of what he needed to do to be able to finish the season in strong fashion.
Terry’s scoring has skyrocketed, Almodovar’s production has increased and SEMO went on a six-game winning streak.
Our Entire Conversation
We asked the head coach about the race, the upcoming Lindenwood game and the nature of what he’s building at SEMO.
Our entire conversation can be heard at Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts.
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I haven't heard, nor do I know, how does this apply to the typical 'foreign' basketball player that is most often over 19?
Obviously, this is a sentimental and not a ‘spreadsheet’ notion, but would hate to see @MVCsports change the #ArchMadness format from the traditional ‘family reunion’ feel by cutting teams from the experience. #FatherHarry
Another nice @MVCsports basketball schedule announcement. #FatherHarry . .
Congrats to @ISURedbirdGolf. T.J. Barger sets a school record. Pietro Pontiggia records the Redbirds' second-ever top 20 finish at a regional. The team finishes tent in the region which is tied for the program's best regional finish! #FatherHarry
