EVANSVILLE, Ind. (Interstat) — A spot in the NCAA Tournament will be on the line Friday when Southeast Missouri State and Morehead State meet in the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball tournament.

The top-seeded Redhawks (20-12) and the second-seeded Eagles (19-12) will tip off at Ford Center at 7 p.m. CDT. The winner earns the OVC’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Southeast Missouri State, which edged Lindenwood 68-66 in Thursday’s semifinal, seeks its first tournament title since 2000. Morehead State, which had a bye into the final, last won the event in 2021.

The teams split their regular-season series, each winning on their home floor. The Redhawks won the most recent matchup 82-70 on Feb. 5, avenging a 71-69 loss at Morehead State on Jan. 10.

The Redhawks are led by guard Braxton Stacker, who scored 16 points in Thursday’s semifinal win. Over his last five games, he is averaging 11.2 points and 3.2 assists. Morehead State counters with high-scoring guard George Marshall, who is averaging 21.7 points over his last six contests, including a 28-point performance in a win at Arkansas-Little Rock on Feb. 26.

Southeast Missouri State has won seven of its last nine games. Morehead State enters on a seven-game winning streak, its longest of the season.

The game features two of the league’s top defenses. The Redhawks allow just 66.2 points per game in OVC play, while the Eagles surrender 68.1.

Friday’s champion will learn its NCAA Tournament destination during the selection show on Sunday.