Where is the 2026 OVC Tournament being played?

For the ninth consecutive year, the tournament will be held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, from March 4 through March 7, 2026.

How can I watch the 2026 OVC Championship?

Early rounds and quarterfinals are streaming on ESPN+. The semifinals will air on ESPNU, and the 2026 OVC Championship game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2 on Saturday, March 7.

Does the OVC winner get a March Madness bid?

Yes, the winner of the OVC Tournament earns an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.

2026 OVC Tournament Bracket: Schedule, Final Seeds & Championship TV Info

The 2026 OVC Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket officially begins on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. Tennessee State has earned the No. 1 overall seed and its first regular-season title since 1995, securing a double-bye straight to the semifinals alongside No. 2 seed Morehead State. The tournament concludes with the Championship Game on Saturday, March 7, at 8:00 PM CT on ESPN2, where the winner will punch the first ticket to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

2026 OVC Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule

The OVC men’s basketball tournament schedule uses a merit-based “stepladder” format where the top two seeds receive a double bye and the No. 3 and 4 seeds receive a single bye. Here’s the updated schedule with TV broadcasts assigned.

Round	Matchup	Date	Time (CT)	TV
First Round	No. 5 SIUE vs. No. 8 Eastern Illinois	March 4	6:00 PM	ESPN+
First Round	No. 6 Lindenwood vs. No. 7 Little Rock	March 4	8:30 PM	ESPN+
Quarterfinals	No. 4 UT Martin vs. Winner Game 1	March 5	6:00 PM	ESPN+
Quarterfinals	No. 3 Southeast Missouri vs. Winner Game 2	March 5	8:30 PM	ESPN+
Semifinals	No. 1 Tennessee State vs. Winner Game 3	March 6	7:00 PM	ESPNU
Semifinals	No. 2 Morehead State vs. Winner Game 4	March 6	9:30 PM	ESPNU
Championship	Semifinal Winners	March 7	8:00 PM	ESPN2

Expert Note from the Sports Brackets Analyst: Tennessee State enters Evansville as the hottest team in the league, having won seven of their last eight games under coach Nolan Smith. However, watch out for No. 3 seed Southeast Missouri (SEMO). The Redhawks closed the season winning 10 of their final 12 games and are looking to “crash” the final for a second straight year. In a tournament where the top two teams only need two wins to reach the Big Dance, the rest factor in Evansville is the single biggest advantage.

Key 2026 OVC Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule Details

Here are the key 2026 OVC Men’s basketball tournament schedule details for you.

Venue: Ford Center (Evansville, IN) – Modern arena with great sightlines and central Midwest location.
Format: 8-team single-elimination bracket (top 8 seeds qualify; typical OVC structure).
- First Round: Wednesday, March 4 (lower seeds battle).
- Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 5.
- Semifinals: Friday, March 6 (likely on ESPNU).
- Championship: Saturday, March 7 (ESPN2 national TV).
Broadcast: ESPN family of networks (ESPN+, ESPNU, ESPN2 for final). Check OVCSports.com for exact times and streaming.
Tickets: All-session passes available via Ford Center box office, OVC schools, or ovcsports.com/evansville (prices rise after mid-February—grab early!).

2026 OVC Tournament Bracket Overview

The bracket follows standard seeding:

First Round (March 4): #5 vs #8, #6 vs #7 (doubleheaders: women’s AM/early PM, men’s evening).
Quarterfinals (March 5): Winners advance to face #4 and #3 seeds.
Semifinals (March 6): Top-half vs bottom-half winners.
Final (March 7): Championship game – winner gets NCAA auto-bid.

Printable 2026 OVC Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket

Here’s the printable 2026 OVC Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket for you. You can print or download it to PDF format as well. The most updated PDF download is on the conference site here for you.