The 1997 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament was the final event of the 1996–97 season in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Murray State defeated Austin Peay in the championship game, 88–85 in OT, to win their eighth overall OVC men's basketball tournament.
The Racers received an automatic bid to the 1997 NCAA tournament as the No.
Eight of the ten conference members participated in the tournament field.
They were seeded based on regular season conference records, with play beginning in the quarterfinal round.