SIUE Cougars (8-17, 2-10 OVC) vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (7-18, 4-8 OVC)

Saturday, February 12, 3:30 p.m.
First Community Arena (4,000) 
Edwardsville, Illinois

LAST TIME
SIUE defeated UT Martin 71-63 Thursday night at First Community Arena, snapping a nine-game losing streak in the process. The two teams traded scores to open the game and UT Martin led 12-11 with 13:43 to play before halftime. SIUE scored the next 10 points to lead 21-12 with 9:23 to play before the break, and the Cougars never trailed again in the game. After missing 11 free throws in a six-point loss at UT Martin in January, The Cougars cemented their win with free throws down the stretch.

CONFERENCE CALL
SIUE is playing its 11th Ohio Valley Conference season. The Cougars are 55-126 in OVC play. Head Coach Brian Barone has a 14-35 record in OVC play. 

LAST MEETING
Tennessee Tech drained 14 three-point baskets Jan. 20 on its way to a 94-76 win over SIUE. The loss overshadowed strong individual efforts from several Cougars, including redshirt freshman DeeJuan Pruitt who collected his second double-double of the year with 17 points and 16 rebounds. His 16 rebounds tied SIUE's Division I single-game record. A Tennessee Tech run midway through the first half of play, proved to be the difference. SIUE led 19-18 after a Taylor jumper with 12:11 to play before half when the Golden Eagles pulled away thanks to a 14-0 run culminating with a layup by Jr. Clay to put TTU ahead 32-19 with 8:17 left in the half. Tennessee Tech pushed its lead to as many as 22 in the second half thanks to shooting 52 percent from the field.

TAYLOR TO MISS REMAINDER OF SEASON
Freshman guard Ray'Sean Taylor will miss the remainder of the 2022 season after tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Taylor sustained the injury in the second half of SIUE's game at Southeast Missouri on January 22, undergoing immediate testing and a subsequent MRI which revealed the ligament tear. Taylor sat out the 2020-21 season with the same injury, which he sustained in August 2020. Taylor led SIUE in scoring 14 times, scored in double figures in 19 of 21 games, and scored 20 or more points in a game nine times. He remains the leading scorer among first-year players in the country at 17.6 points per game. Taylor won the OVC Freshman of the Week award five times this season. 

HOME SWEET HOME
SIUE will play four of its remaining six games at First Community Arena.