EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE men's basketball opened on a 9-0 run and never looked back, rolling to a 99-56 win over Central Christian College of the Bible Monday night at First Community Arena.
The Cougars ran their home record to 5-0 and improved to 7-5 overall with the win.
SIUE led 15-2 at the first media timeout and extended the advantage to 19-2 before the Saints got on the board again.
"We came out after finals week with the right approach," SIUE Head Coach Brian Barone said. "We stuck to the scouting report, were very active defensively and took the right shots early."
The Cougars built the lead to 54-24 at halftime, the largest lead at the break SIUE has had this year.
Following halftime, SIUE pushed its lead to 40 quickly and maintained the cushion. No starter played 22 minutes, and all 14 players saw at least six minutes on the floor. The Cougars' bench recorded a season-high 51 points.
"What I saw is what I see every day," Barone said of his team's depth. "It was nice to have other people see what we see on a daily basis."
Sharmar Wright scored 16 points to lead four SIUE players in double figures. Ethan Yancy (11) and Dorion Staples (10) each recorded career highs in scoring and Lamar Wright pitched in 10 points.
Arnas Sakenis tied his career high with eight points. Quani Rudd (four) and Adeola Suen (five) each recorded career highs in scoring.
SIUE was 41-75 (55 percent) from the floor, racking up season highs in both makes and attempts. The Cougars dominated the paint, outscoring CCCB 64-24 from inside. SIUE dished out a season-best 22 assists while turning the ball over just seven times, and only twice in the second half. The Cougars also forced 20 turnovers from the Saints, resulting in 29 points.
Four players hauled in five rebounds and the Cougars won the battle of the boards 45-38.
Four players scored in double figures for CCCB led by Raheem Brizendine's 15 points.
SIUE plays its final nonconference game Thursday on the road at Bradley. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
"They're a very good team, which started 6-0," Barone said. "They're going to be near the top of the Missouri Valley. We need to go out on the road and perform."
