EDWARDSVILLE – With a 73-65 victory over Little Rock Saturday at First Community Arena, SIUE men’s basketball clinched the No. 2 seed for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and a trip to the semifinals.
The Cougars will open play in the semifinals of the OVC Friday at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m.
SIUE finished the regular season 20-11 overall and 13-7 in the OVC.
It marks the first time SIUE has won 20 or more games in the Division I era. The 13 OVC wins are the most ever since joining the conference.
Little Rock finished its regular season 18-13 overall and 12-8 in the OVC. The Trojans will be the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament.
The win played out in front of the largest crowd of the year as 2,751 packed First Community Arena.
SIUE captured a 5-2 lead out of the gate but the Trojans answered with a 5-0 run to take the lead early in the first half.
A Ring Malith jump shot gave the Cougars a one-point advantage and led the rest of the way.
In the midst of a 9-2 run Ray’Sean Taylor buried a three pointer to extend the Cougar lead to 10 (22-12) with 8:20 left in the first half.
The Trojans’ Mwani Wilkinson connected on a three pointer to trim the Cougar lead to 33-22, but Ray’Sean Taylor answered his three with one of his own to take a 14-point lead (38-24) lead into halftime.
SIUE snatched its biggest lead of the game (45-28) on a pair of free throws by Ring Malith early in the second half.
Little Rock crawled back and cut the lead to nine (47-38) on a Jordan Jefferson three-pointer. Another Jefferson three-pointer made it a six-point contest with 8:40 to go in the second half.
The Trojans closed the margin to three (62-59) with 3:47 left to play on a steal by Johnathan Lawson who dished it to Caleb Pennyfeather for a layup.
Sparked by free throws from Arnas Sakenis, the Cougars would salt away the victory on a pair of three-pointers by Desmond Polk and Rink Malith.
The Cougars were led by Ring Malith who poured in 21 points and added seven rebounds plus four assists. Malith finished 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range.
Ray’Sean Taylor logged 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists. It was Taylors 28th time he scored in double figures this season.
Off the bench, Arnas Sakenis tied his career high with nine points while grabbing three rebounds. Sakenis also added three blocks.
Brian Taylor II filled the stat sheet with eight points, five rebounds, and five assists.
SIUE finished from the field 23-of-52 (44 percent) and 8-of-22 (40 percent) from three-point range.
The Cougars connected on 70 percent (19-of-27) of their free throws.
Jordan Jefferson led the charge for Little Rock with 21 points. Jefferson recorded a rebound and three assists.
Isaiah Lewis contributed 15 points and added a career-high nine rebounds.
Little Rock connected on 23-of-52 (44 percent) attempts from the field and 8-of-20 from three-point range.
