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Sathya Sai Chilukuri

Leatherneck Men Welcome SEMO, Lindenwood This Week

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

WIU on five-game winning streak

MACOMB – Playing its best basketball of the season, the Western Illinois men return to Western Hall for a pair of games this week, hosting Southeast Missouri on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Lindenwood on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Both games follow the Leatherneck women, who play at 5 p.m. on Thursday and 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The Western Illinois men have won five straight games and six of their last seven. The Leathernecks are coming off an Ohio Valley Conference opening win over SIUE last Sunday, 78-70.

WHO | SEMO (5-9, 1-1) at Western Illinois (8-6, 1-0); Lindenwood (0-1, 6-8)

WHEN | Thursday, January 4, 7:30 p.m. (vs. SEMO); Saturday, January 6, 3:30 p.m. (vs. Lindenwood)

WHERE | Western Hall, Macomb, Illinois

FOLLOW ALONG | vs. SEMO: Listen; Watch; Live Stats | vs. Lindenwood: Listen; Watch; Live Stats

SOCIAL MEDIA | Instagram; Twitter; Facebook

LAST TIME OUT | Western Illinois extended its winning streak to five games, topping SIUE 78-70.

Ryan Myers came up big, scoring a team-high 21 points. Jesiah West recorded his third double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. James Dent Jr. was in double figures, scoring 10 while Quinlan Bennett added 12 points.

ABOUT THE LEATHERNECKS | In the last eight games, WIU has held foes to 71 points or fewer.

Western Illinois is 5-1 inside Western Hall, outscoring opponents 85.7-60.5. The Leathernecks average 72.4 points per game while allowing 67.3.

James Dent Jr. leads the way, scoring 14.5 points per contest. Myers adds 12.9 while Jesiah West scores 8.7, Drew Cisse scores 8.9 and Quinlan Bennett tallies 7.2 Cisse leads the team on the glass, grabbing 11.8 rebounds per game.

ABOUT THE REDHAWKS | SEMO is 5-9 overall, 1-1 in the OVC. The Redhawks split their conference games last week, topping Southern Indiana in overtime while losing to Morehead State. The Redhawks are 4-4 in their last eight.

Rob Martin leads SEMO, averaging 11.9 points per game. Adam Larson adds 10.9 while Aquan Smart scores 10.6.

The Redhawks average 70.8 points per game while allowing 76.4. SEMO shoots 41.8 percent from the field.

ABOUT THE LIONS | Lindenwood begins the week 6-8 overall, 0-1 in the OVC. The Lions have not played since last Sunday's 73-62 loss to Southern Indiana.

Keenon Cole led Lindenwood with 17 points in that game while Jeremiah Talton and Darius Beane each added 10.

Cole leads the team in points per game, averaging 17.5 while Beane tallies 13.1.

As a squad, Lindenwood scores 67.1 points per game while allowing 71.6. The Lions shoot 41.3 from the field while allowing opponents to hit on 44.9 percent of their shots.
 
HISTORY | WIU is 1-0 all-time vs. SEMO. The Leathernecks last met SEMO on Dec. 1, 2018, a 70-63 Leatherneck win in Cape Girardeau. Saturday is the first-ever meeting between WIU and Lindenwood in men's basketball.
 
NATIONAL RANKS | Drew Cisse leads the country with 165 total rebounds, is sixth in defensive rebounds per game (7.71), seventh in offensive rebounds per game (4.07) and fourth in rebounds per game (11.78)
 
The Leathernecks are fifth in the country, averaging 44.21 rebounds per game and tied for sixth in the country with 6.2 blocks per game … WIU's 87 total blocks are fifth in the nation.

WHAT'S NEXT | After the two-game homestand, Western Illinois returns to the road for a pair of games next week. On Thursday, the Leathernecks are at UT Martin while on Saturday they take on Eastern Illinois.

Western Illinois is next inside Western Hall on January 20 against Tennessee State.
 
 
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