THE BASICS: SIUE heads to Murray Ky. for its second game of the season. Murray St. leads the series 14-13. The Cougars are 5-8 when plying at CSFSB Center. 

LAST GAME: Against UMSL Brianna Wooldridge led the team scoring 12 points off the bench, and contributing 5 rebounds. Emiyah Cobb followed with 10 points two assists and two rebounds. 

AT THE HELM: Samantha Quigley Smith is beginning her fourth season in charge of the Cougars and 12th season as a head coach. She owns a 27-65 record at SIUE and is 17-34 against conference opponents. All-time, Coach Smith is 211-161. 

OPENING ACT: SIUE owns an all-time record of 25-20 in season openers dating back ot 1979. The Cougars are 2-5 in their last six opening acts. 

PRESEASON HONORS: The preseason Ohio Valley Conference Poll predicted an eighth-place finish for the Cougars tied with UT Martin. Southern Indiana was selected as regular season champions with 20-first place votes. Graduate guard KK Rodriguez and junior Macy Silvey earned Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Honors. 

LAST SEASON: Silvey tied for sixth in the OVC averaging 1.9 three-pointers per game. She moved into 13th all-time at SIUE with 98 three-pointers and led the charge scoring double-figures in 14 games. Rodriguez was named OVC player of the week three times. Before leaving the game at SIU Carbondale with an injury, she ranked third in the NCAA in total points, third in free throw attempts, third in free throws made, ninth in scoring average, and seventh in three-point percentage. 

READY TO COMPETE: In its non conference schedule, SIUE will play one game against opponents who finished the 20223-24 season in RPI top 100 (Middle Tennessee)

TRANSFERS: Kendall George (UT Martin), Jadin Bryant (Missouri St.) 

FRESHMAN ADDITIONS: SIUE added five freshman in the off season, Meegan Fahy, Olivia Loveland, Carmen Martinez Lopez, and Alexis Warren, Rory Conboy. 

OVC LEADER: SIUE ranked 16th nationally in free throw percentage (77.9) and first in the OVC. The Cougars also lead the conference in three point attempts (22.6), and three points per game (7.9)

BLOCK PARTY: Halle Smith ranked third in the OVC for both blocks (37) and blocks per game (1.19). Smith also ranked fourth in the conference for free throw percentage (80.4)