Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball championship history

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The Ohio Valley Conference holds an annual men’s basketball competition where the winner of the championship game gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. 

The Ohio Valley features 12 teams: Austin Peay, Belmont, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Morehead State, Murray State, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech. Eight teams make the tournament.

The tournament will be held on March 3 and run through March 6.

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Read below for a list of past champions.

2020: BELMONT

Belmont's Garrett Murphy (4), Michael Benkert (24), Seth Adelsperger, Tyler Scanlon (0) and Adam Kunkel celebrate the team's win over Murray State. (AP Photo/Daniel R. Patmore)

The Belmont Bruins enacted some revenge on Murray State in the OVC title game in 2020. The Bruins won by just one point, 76-75. Nick Muszynski was named tournament MVP.

2019: MURRAY STATE

The Murray State Racers celebrate after winning the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Championship college basketball game between the Murray State Racers and the Belmont Bruins on March 9, 2019, at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Murray State defeated Belmont, 77-65, in the 2019 championship game for the second year in a row to win the NCAA bid. Ja Morant was named MVP. 

2018: MURRAY STATE

Murray State won the 2017-2018 season before going on to win the championship game, 68-51, over the No. 2 seed Belmont. Jonathan Stark was named MVP. 

2017: JACKSONVILLE STATE 

Jacksonville State, led by first-year head coach Ray Harper, bested UT Martin, 66-55, to win the championship game and qualify for the first time ever for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Malcolm Drumwright was named tournament MVP.

2016: AUSTIN PEAY

The No. 8 seed Austin Peay came back to win the championship game, 83-73, over the No. 2 seed UT Martin. Chris Horton was named MVP.

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2015: BELMONT 

Belmont won its second title after beating Murray State by just one point. Taylor Barnette was named tournament MVP. 

2014: EASTERN KENTUCKY

The Eastern Kentucky Colonels, led by nine-year head coach Jeff Neubauer, won their sixth title in a, 79-73, game over Belmont. Corey Walden was named MVP. 

2013: BELMONT 

Belmont won it’s first OVC championship title after beating Murray State but just two points. Kerron Johnson was named tournament MVP. 

2012: MURRAY STATE 

Head coach Steven Prohm won his first OVC title with Murray State in a, 54-52, win over Tennessee State. Donte Poole was named tournament MVP. 

2011: MOREHEAD STATE

Morehead State won its fourth championship title by beating Tennessee Tech, 80-73. Demonte Harper was named MVP.

2010: MURRAY STATE

Murray State defeated Morehead State, 62-51, to win an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they went on to lose in the second round to Butler. Isaiah Canaan was named OVC tournament MVP. 

2009: MOREHEAD STATE

Moorehead State defeated Austin Peay, 67-65. Kenneth Faried was named tournament MVP. 

2008: AUSTIN PEAY

Austin Peay, lead by long-time head coach Dave Loos, defeated Tennessee State, 82-64, to win the championship title and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Todd Babington was named OVC tournament MVP. 

2007: EASTERN KENTUCKY

Eastern Kentucky defeated Austin Peay by just one point, 63-62, to win the championship game. Mike Rose was named tournament MVP. 

2006: MURRAY STATE

Murray State beat Samford, 74-57, to win an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Pearson Griffith was named OVC tournament MVP.

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2005: EASTERN KENTUCKY

Eastern Kentucky defeated Austin Peay, 52-56, to win the championship. Michael Haney was named tournament MVP.

2004: MURRAY STATE

Murray State defeated Austin Peay, 66-60, to win the championship. Cuthbert Victor was named tournament MVP. 

2003: AUSTIN PEAY

No. 1 seed Austin Peay defeated No. 3 seed Tennessee Tech, 63-57, for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Josh Lewis was named OVC tournament MVP. 

2002: MURRAY STATE

Murray State defeated Tennessee Tech by just one point, 70-69, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Justin Burdine was named tournament MVP.

2001: EASTERN ILLINOIS

Eastern Illinois defeated Austin Peay by just one point, 84-83, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Kyle Hill was named MVP.

2000: SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE

Southeast Missouri State beat Murray State, 67-56, for the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where the lost in the first round. Roderick Johnson was named MVP.

1999: MURRAY STATE

Murray State won its third-consecutive championship title after defeating Southeast Missouri State by just one point. The 62-61 win earned Murray State an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Aubrey Reese was named MVP.

1998: MURRAY STATE

Murray State defeated Tennesse State, 92-69, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Chad Townsend was named tournament MVP.

1997: MURRAY STATE

Murray State beat Austin Peay, 88-85, to win the championship game and an automatic bid where they lost in the first round. Chad Townsend won the tournament MVP.

1996: AUSTIN PEAY

Austin Peay defeated Murray State by just two points, 70-68, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Bubba Wells was named MVP.

1995: MURRAY STATE

Murray State defeated Austin Peay, 92-84, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Marcus Brown was named tournament MVP.

1994: TENNESSEE STATE

Tennessee State won back-to-back titles after beating Murray State, 73-72, in the championship game before going on to lose in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Carlos Rogers was named tournament MVP.

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1993: TENNESSEE STATE

Tennessee State defeated Murray State  82-62, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Monty Wilson was named MVP.

1992: MURRAY STATE

Murray State won it’s third consecutive title after defeating Eastern Kentucky, 81-60, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Popeye Jones won a third consecutive MVP award.

1991: MURRAY STATE 

Murray State defeated Middle Tennessee, 79-67, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Popeye Jones won a second tournament MVP award.

1990: MURRAY STATE

Murray State defeated Eastern Kentucky, 63-57, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Future NBA player Popeye Jones was named MVP.

1989: MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Middle Tennessee won its fifth title after beating Austin Peay, 82-79, in the championship game, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the second round. Keith Rawls, of Austin Peay, was named MVP.

1988: MURRAY STATE

Murray State defeated Austin Peay, 73-70, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the second round. Jeff Martin was named MVP.

1987: AUSTIN PEAY 

Austin Peay defeated Eastern Kentucky, 71-68, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the second round. Darryl Bedford was named tournament MVP.

1986: AKRON 

Akron won it’s only title in 1986 after beating Middle Tennessee, 68-63, in the championship game, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA where they lost in the first round. Eric McLaughlin was named MVP.

1985: MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Middle Tennessee defeated Youngstown State, 66-63, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. John Keshock, of Youngstown State, was named tournament MVP.

1884: MOREHEAD STATE

Morehead State won back-to-back titles in 1984 after defeating  Youngstown State, 47-44, in the championship game. They went on to compete in the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Earl Harrison was named MVP.

1883: MOREHEAD STATE

Morehead State defeated Akron, 81-65, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Guy Minnifield was named tournament MVP.

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1982: MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Middle Tennessee defeated Western Kentucky, 54-52, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA where they went on to lose in the second round. Craig McCormick was named tournament MVP.

1981: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky won back-to-back titles in 1981 after beating Murray State, 81-67, in the championship game, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round. Lamont Sleets was named tournament MVP.

1980: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky defeated Murray State, 54-51, to win the championship game and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they went on to lose in the first round. Craig McCormick was named tournament MVP.

1979: EASTERN KENTUCKY 

Eastern Kentucky beat Western Kentucky by just one point to earn the championship title and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they went on to lose in the first round. Greg Jackson, of Western Kentucky, was named MVP.

1978: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky defeated Austin Peay, 77-69, to win the championship. Otis Howard, of Austin Peay, was named tournament MVP despite not winning the conference. 

1977: MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Middle Tennessee defeated beat Austin Peay, 77-65. Bob Martin was named tournament MVP. 

1976: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky defeated Morehead State, 65-60. Johnny Britt was named Tournament MVP. 

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1975: MIDDLE TENNESSEE 

Middle Tennessee won the championship game, 89-75, over Austin Peay. Steve Peeler was named tournament MVP. 

1974-1968: NO TOURNAMENT CHAMPION NAMED

There was no tournament champion named, but the regular-season champion received a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The champions who made the tournaments from 1968 to 1974 were as followed: East Tennesse State, Murray State, Western Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Austin Peay and Austin Peay.

1967: TENNESSE TECH

Tennesse Tech defeated Murry State, 67-60 to win the championship game.

1966: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky clinched back-to-back titles after defeating East Tennessee, 72-59. They advanced to the regional semifinal in the NCAA tournament where they lost to Michigan. 

1965: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky easily won the championship game after beating Eastern Kentucky, 86-67. 

1964: MURRAY STATE

Murray State beat Western Kentucky, 77-68, in the championship game. They went on to lose in the first round of the NCAA tournament. 

1963-1956: NO TOURNAMENT CHAMPION NAMED

There was no tournament champion named, but the regular-season champion received a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The champions who made the tournaments from 1956 to 1963 were as followed: Morehead State, Morehead State, Tennessee Tech, Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Morehead State, Western Kentucky and Tennessee Tech.

1955: EASTERN KENTUCKY 

Eastern Kentucky defeated beat Murray State, 76-59. 

1954: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky won it’s third consecutive title after defeating Eastern Kentucky, 86-69.

1953: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky defeated Eastern Kentucky, 70-60, for the championship title.

1952: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky defeated Eastern Kentucky by just two points for the title. 

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1951: MURRAY STATE 

Murray State easily won the championship title after defeating Eastern Kentucky, 92-60.

1950: EASTERN KENTUCKY 

Eastern  Kentucky beat Western Kentucky, 62-50, for the championship title. 

1949: WESTERN KENTUCKY 

Western Kentucky won the first-ever Ohio Valley men’s basketball championship title after defeating Louisville, 74-68.