SIUE Holds Men's Exhibition Basketball Game Against Eureka

vs. Eureka College Red Devils (15-12, 10-4 SLIAC)

Wed., Nov. 2, 7 p.m.

First Community Arena, Edwardsville, Illinois

DOUBLE DIGIT WINS

With 11 wins, SIUE collected its second-most wins in a season at the Division I level. SIUE won at least 10 games for the first time since the 2018-19 season and the sixth time since moving to Division I play.

SIX PACK

Six nonconference wins were the most for SIUE since it began playing an OVC schedule in 2011-12.

TAYLOR'S RETURN

Guard Ray'Sean Taylor is expected to return to game action for the first time since tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the second half of SIUE's game at Southeast Missouri last Jan. 29. Taylor previously sat out the 2020-21 season with the same injury, which he sustained in August 2020. Taylor is a preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference selection.

TAYLOR'S SEASON

Taylor scored in double figures in 19 of 21 games in which he played. He led SIUE in scoring 14 times and scored 20 or more points in a game nine times. Taylor was 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 during the season. He was a finalist for the Macy Award for National Freshman of the Year.

PRUITT PROVED IT

Sophomore DeeJuan Pruitt also has been chosen to the preseason All-OVC team. Last season, Pruitt led the Cougars in rebounding at 6.8 rebounds per game, which was fourth in the OVC. Pruitt turned in two of the top 10 single-game rebounding performances in the OVC last year with 16 at Tennessee Tech (1/20), to tie SIUE's Division I single game record as well as 15 at Eastern Illinois (1/13). He was third on the team in scoring at 10.2 points per game, which was good for 21st in the league.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Lamar and Shamar Wright return for the fourth season in a Cougars' uniform. They are the sons of former NBA player, the late Lorenzen Wright. Lamar's jersey number (55) is one of the numbers their father wore in the NBA. Shamar wore 42, another of Lorenzen's number, during his first two seasons at SIUE. Older brother, Lorenzen, Jr. played at UT Martin during the 2017-18 season.

THE BARONE LEGACY

Brian's father, Tony, Sr. was the head coach at Creighton (1985-1991) and Texas A&M (1991-1998) and the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies for the 2006-07 season.

FAMILY MATTERS

Wright, Sr. played for the Memphis Grizzlies from 2001-06, while Tony Barone, Sr. was on staff.