The Morehead State Eagles won the Ohio Valley Conference Championship on Saturday, becoming the first men’s college basketball team to earn a ticket to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Riley Minnix contributed 26 points and Drew Thelwell contributed 21 points, and the Eagles defeated top-seeded Arkansas Little Rock 69-55 to win the conference championship.
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The Morehead State Eagles celebrate their victory in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship vs. the Little Rock Trojans at Ford Center on March 9, 2024 in Evansville, Indiana. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The team set a record for most wins in a single season in program history with 26 wins and is making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021. The Eagles entered the conference tournament as the No. 3 seed.
It wasn’t easy for Morehead State. The team had a 17 point lead at one point. Little Rock scored nine of the first 12 points of the second half and took a one-point lead with 15:44 left. Minks then scored seven straight points to start 18-5. He gave Morehead State a 57-44 lead with 6:59 left and never looked back.
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Morehead State Eagles guard Riley Minnix attempts a free throw during the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Championship Game on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Ford Center in Evansville. (David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Little Rock’s Bradley Douglas added 14 points, KK Robinson added 13 points and Jameel Chaplin added 11 points. They were the only Trojans to score in double figures.
Morehead State will be making its ninth appearance in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. In 2011, the Eagles upset Louisville and advanced to the Round of 32.
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Players encounter the OVC logo in the center of the court during the Ohio Valley Conference Championship basketball game at Ford Center in Evansville on March 9, 2024. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
On the boys side, Longwood punched its ticket to the big dance on Sunday. The Lancers defeated UNC Asheville to win the Big South Conference Championship.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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