EVANSVILLE, Ind. (Interstat) — The Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball tournament opens Thursday at the Ford Center with a first-round matchup between seed Eastern Illinois and seed Tennessee-Martin, a team it has struggled against this season.

The Panthers (12-19) face a steep challenge against the Skyhawks (21-10), who won both regular-season meetings. Tennessee-Martin earned a 65-61 win at home on Jan. 3 before securing a 76-68 victory in Charleston on Jan. 29.

Eastern Illinois, which has lost three of its last four, is coming off a 77-50 road loss to SIU Edwardsville on Feb. 28. Guard Terry McMorris, a key player for the Panthers, logged 34 minutes in that defeat, finishing with nine points, three assists and two blocks. Over his last five games, McMorris has averaged 7.8 points and 3.2 assists.

Tennessee-Martin also looks to rebound from a difficult loss, having fallen 67-42 at home to Tennessee State on Saturday. Guard Matas Deniusas was a bright spot in that game, leading the Skyhawks with 13 points. Deniusas has been a consistent scorer, reaching double figures in four of his last eight contests.

The Skyhawks’ superior record and prior success against the Panthers make them the favorite. However, the neutral court in Evansville introduces a tournament variable where recent performance often trumps seeding. Eastern Illinois will need a significant defensive effort to contain Tennessee-Martin’s offense and advance.

Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 8:30 p.m. EDT Thursday. The winner will advance to face seed SIU Edwardsville in the quarterfinals on Friday.