SIUE COUGARS (8-4, 1-1 OVC)
vs. SOUTHERN INDIANA (9-1, 1-0 OVC)
January 1, 2025 | 1:00 PM
Edwardsville, Ill. || First Community Arena

Player Notes

• Lauren Miller had 21 points at Western Illinois, marking her third 20-point game of the season. 
• This also marks her fourth game as a scoring leader for the Cougars. 
• She had a career-high of 25 points and nine rebounds against EKU (Nov. 7). 
• Miller leads the team in field goals made at 5.1 per game. 
• She ranks sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference for field goal percentage (45.2) and free throw attempts (53). 
• Ava Gugliuzza had her first game this season with five three-pointers Dec. 14.
• This also marked her second game of the season as the scoring leader. 
• Macy Silvey had five three-pointers against Missouri (Dec.7) and Valparaiso (Dec.12). 
• She has made 194 three-pointers in her career, ranking her in second in the programs all-time career leaders. 
• Silvey leads the OVC for three-point attempts (81), good for 79th in the NCAA, and second for three-pointers made (30), good for 73rd in the NCAA.
• Her three-point percentage ranks fourth in the OVC at 37.0
• Kiyoko Proctor has been the scoring leader for four games this season with a career-high of 26 points against Indiana State (Nov.19). 
• She leads the team in points averaging 13.6 per game, assists 2.7 and steals 1.7.
• Proctor ranks fifth in the OVC for her free throw percentage (84.1) and sixth for three-pointers per game (2.0). 
• Adriana Blazquez leads the team in free throw percentage at .875 (14-16).
• Syanne Mohammed has been the rebounding leader for four games this season grabbing a career-high 12 boards along with four assists and eight points against Evansville. 
• Mohammed ranks sixth in the OVC for rebounds per game (7.5)
• She posted a career-high 14 points at Valparaiso (Dec. 12).
• Adebukola Akomolafe is second on the team for total rebounds (65) and rebounds per game (5.4).
• Akomolafe posted a career-high nine rebounds against Missouri Baptist.
• She also had a career-high 20 points against Indiana State. 
• Akomolafe recorded a career-high four steals against Eastern Illinois (Dec. 18). 
• Sy'rae Stemmons was a big part of the Cougar defense against Calumet College having six rebounds and three steals.
• Stemmons had a career-high 13 points against Calumet College Dec. 14, marking her first game scoring in double digits. 

2025-26 Team 

• SIUE had its first OVC win of the season after a double-overtime battle with EIU (Dec. 19). 
• This game marked the teams first double-overtime win since the 2006-07 season, when the Cougars defeated Southern Indiana 81-75.
• The Cougars claimed their seventh win of the season with an 83-36 victory over Harris-Stowe on Dec. 14. 
• The win marked just the third time in program history SIUE has recorded a margin of victory of 47 points.
• The Cougars closed out the preseason with a 7-3 record, their best start in the past 12 seasons. 
• They also had a season high 52 rebounds against Harris-Stowe.
• Syanne Mohamed was named Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the week Dec. 16. 
• Lauren Miller earned OVC Freshman of the week three times this season, Nov. 11, Nov. 25 and Dec. 30.  
• Kiyoko Proctor was named OVC Freshman of the week Dec. 2
• The Cougars held Calumet College to seven points in the first half of the game on Dec. 4. 
• They also had a season high 16 steals against the Crimson Wave. 
• Earlier this season they set a new program record for fewest points scored between both teams, holding NIU to 49 points and scoring 30 points (Nov. 21). 
• The Cougars are first in the OVC for defensive rebounds per game at 27.8, ranking 65th in the NCAA. 
• SIUE ranks second in the OVC for scoring defense at 56.3 good for 50th in the NCAA. 
• They had a single-game high of 45 rebounds against NIU (11/21).
• SIUE is out shooting its opponent from the field at .394 compared to .348.  
• The Cougars had a season high 96 points against Missouri Baptist (11/3).

FRESHMAN DEBUT: Three freshman had minutes in the game against Missouri Baptist. Kiyoko Proctor had 14 points shooting 6-for-14 from the field, Miller had eight points over 11 minutes and Sy'Rae Stemmons went 2-2 in free throws. 

NEW TO YOU: All three transfers also played against Missouri Baptist. Akomolafe had her first start for SIUE and led the team with nine rebounds. Adrianna Blazquez played for 14 minutes, putting up four points and grabbing four rebounds. Mohammed appeared for 12 minutes and grabbed five rebounds. 

BEYOND THE GAME: Freshman Kiyoko Proctor has had success on and off the court. Proctor and her father Gerald published a book in June of 2025: Two Voices One Goal: Chasing DI. The story details each of their points of view in Kiyoko's success as an athlete and the struggles she faced during her high school career. 

AT THE HELM: Samantha Quigley Smith is beginning her fifth season in charge of the Cougars and 13th season as a head coach. She owns a 39-93 record at SIUE and is 22-54 against conference opponents. All-time, Coach Smith is 251-254. 

PRESEASON HONORS: The preseason Ohio Valley Conference Poll predicted a 10th place finish for the Cougars tied with Morehead State. Lindenwood was selected as regular season champions with six-first place votes. Seniors Macy Silvey and Jaiden Bryant were named to the OVC's players to watch list. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Silvey is playing her fourth season at SIUE after finishing third in three-point field goals in 2024-25. She averaged 2.3 per game. She appeared in all 29 games for the Cougars shooting 35 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. Bryant will be playing her second season with SIUE after transferring from Missouri State. Last season she started 26 games for the team, being the rebounding leader for eight games. She also was second on the team in rebounds averaging 4.1 per game.

A NEW LOOK: The 2025 roster features seven new additions: four freshman (Kiyoko Proctor, Lauren Miller, Sy'Rae Stemmons and Kaitlin Cassidy) alongside one sophomore (Adriana Blazquez), and two graduate students (Adubukola Akomolafe and Syanne Mohammed).

TRANSFER TALK: Samantha Quigley-Smith adds three transfers to her roster. Blazquez joins the Cougars after one season at Murray State where she appeared in 18 games as a freshman (2024-25). Mohammed previously was at Goshen College from 2021-25. There she appeared in 115 games averaging 9.6 points per game. Akomolafe comes from VCU from 2021-25, during her junior year she was shooting 47 percent from the field.