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Ohio Valley Basketball Tournament: SEMO and SIUE advance to 2nd round

By Harry Schroeder

Dec 4, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Southeast Missouri State Redhawks head coach Brad Korn talks to players in a timeout against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Southeast Missouri State Redhawks head coach Brad Korn talks to players in a timeout against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Day one of the Ohio Valley Basketball Conference Tournament was a day of firsts and also a crucial injury. SIUE’s Ray’Sean Taylor injured his left knee.

It was a day of ‘firsts’ for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Two teams were playing their first-ever OVC tournament games and one team claimed its first-ever tournament victory.

Newcomers Lindenwood University and Southern Indiana transitioned from Division 2 to D1 and landed in the OVC this season. Both qualified for the league’s postseason tournament. Only eight of the OVC’s ten teams get invited to Evansville’s Ford Center for the league championship tournament.

Since neither team is eligible for the NCAA Tournament, this tournament is their postseason opportunity. This is their March Madness.

Both teams lost, but both believe they had solid initial seasons in college basketball’s highest division.

Southeast Missouri turned a tightly played (39-35) first half into a relatively easy 84-65 victory over Lindenwood. The Redhawks dominated the glass 50-34, in no small part to the absence of Lions’ second-team all-conference forward Keenon Cole sitting most of the game with foul trouble and eventually fouling out.

Five Redhawks reached double figures in scoring with all-league guard Phillip Russell leading the way with 19 points. SEMO (16-16) faces Tennessee State (18-13) in Thursday night’s quarterfinal round. The two teams split their regular season games, each winning on their home floor.

The last time these two teams met, there were 54 fouls called and eleven technical fouls. It could get interesting.

Southern Illinois Edwardsville overcame some huge adversity to win their first-round game with Southern Indiana. Star guard Ray’Sean Taylor left a tight game with ten minutes left with an apparent knee injury. SIUE was able to pull away behind the play of guard Damarco Minor. The Cougars won it 68-54 and earned their first-ever Ohio Valley Conference Tournament victory. All-Newcomer team member, Minor scored a career-high 27 points and the Cougars (19-13) have now set program records for wins in a season (19), conference victories (9), and now their first tournament win.

Next. 10 teams with upset potential in NCAA Tournament. dark

Taylor’s status for tonight’s game with UT Martin is up in the air.