Game 12
SIUE Cougars (7-4, 0-0 OVC) 
vs. Illinois Tech Hawks (4-7, 2-2 NACC) 
Sunday, December 18, 3:00 p.m.
First Community Arena (4,000), Edwardsville, Illinois

LAST TIME OUT 
Four players scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough as Illinois State outlasted SIUE men's basketball 77-71 at Horton Field House Dec. 10. Following the opening basket from Illinois State, SIUE went on a 9-0 run to lead 9-2. The Cougars pushed their lead to seven on two other occasions before the Redbirds fought back. SIUE led 34-33 at halftime. Illinois State opened the second half with an 11-4 run to take a 44-38 lead following the first media timeout.

WELCOME BACK
Illinois Tech Head Coach Terrance (T.J.) Gray spent the 2007-08 season at SIUE, setting  a school single-season record with 102 three-pointers. He was on staff as the Director of Operations from 2010-2014.

STARTING LINE
The Cougars' 7-4 start through 11 games is the best since the 2007-08 season. 

WE'RE GOING STREAKING
The Bradley loss snapped SIUE's winning streak at six games. It was the longest for the program since the 2005-06 season (16 games).

NET WORTH
SIUE checks in at No. 125 in Friday's NET rankings. It is the highest ranking in the OVC. 

DO IT FOR FREE
SIUE leads the OVC in free throw percentage at .743, which ranks 61st in the NCAA; free throws made per game at 17.1, which ranks 22nd in the NCAA; and attempts at 23.0, which is 23rd nationally.

LUCKY SEVEN
SIUE's seven nonconference wins are the most in the Division I era. 

TAYLOR ON LOU HENSON AWARD WATCH LIST
Ray'Sean Taylor has landed on the Watch List for the 2022-23 Lou Henson National Player of the Year award as announced Tuesday by CollegeSportsInsider.com. The award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball, honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.