MACOMB -- The Western Illinois men's basketball team begins postseason play on Thursday, heading to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for a 6:30 p.m. game. The Leathernecks are the tournament's No. 4 seed. WIU plays the winner of Wednesday night's game between the fifth seed, Tennessee State, and the eighth seed, Southern Indiana. Western Illinois split the season series with TSU, 1-1, and swept USI, 2-0

WHO | Tennessee State (17-13, 10-8)/Southern Indiana (8-23, 5-13) vs. Western Illinois (20-11, 13-5)

WHEN | Thursday, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE | Ford Center, Evansville, Indiana

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LAST TIME OUT | The Leathernecks closed the regular season with a three-game winning streak. WIU topped SIUE 76-65 in the regular season finale last Saturday. Ryan Myers led the way with 24 points.

ABOUT THE LEATHERNECKS | WIU finished fourth in the OVC, going 13-5. Western Illinois is eighth in scoring offense, averaging 67.7 points per game. WIU is second in scoring defense, allowing 64.1 points in 18 league games. Ryan Myers leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game (13th in OVC). Drew Cisse is second in the conference, averaging 10.2 boards per game.  

ABOUT THE SCREAMING EAGLES| USI is fifth in scoring offense, averaging 71.5 points per game. The Screaming Eagles are 11th in scoring defense, allowing 74.4 points per game. Jeremiah Hernandez is fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game.

ABOUT THE TIGERS | Tennessee State is sixth in scoring offense, averaging 70.2 points per game. TSU is sixth in scoring defense, allowing 71.3 points per game. EJ Bellinger leads the team in scoring, averaging 12 points per game.

WHERE THEY STAND | Individual: Drew Cisse is third in the nation for total rebounds (343), sixth in rebounds per game (11.1), and third in offensive rebounds per game. Ryan Myers is 21st in three-point percentage (41.85).

Team: WIU is fifth in the country in rebounds per game (42.1), seventh in offensive rebounds per game (14.32), 26th in defensive rebounds per game (27.81), and 10th in rebound margin (+8). WIU is eighth in blocks per game (5.5)

HISTORY | WIU swept USI this season and is 5-1 all-time vs. the Screaming Eagles. WIU split with TSU this year and is 2-4 all-time vs. TSU.

NEWS AND NOTES | Western Illinois has won three in a row, including five of its last six. Coach Chad Boudreau's 20 wins are the most for a first-year coach in program history. Stix Morley won 19 in his first season in 1947-48. Western Illinois' 10 road victories are tied for most in the country and the most for the program since 1957-58. WIU's 13 conference wins are the most for the program since the 2012-13 squad went 13-3. 20 overall wins is the most for the program since 2012-13, when the team went 22-9. The Leathernecks will finish in fourth place in the OVC. The top two teams in the league get a double bye to the semifinals in the conference tournament. Teams that finish third and fourth get a bye to the quarterfinals. Teams that finish five-eight play in the first round. (5v8; 6v7). Western Illinois' last win in a conference tournament came during the 2018-19 season when the team upset top-seed South Dakota State

WHAT'S NEXT | If the Leathernecks win, they continue to play in the OVC Tournament on Friday, taking on the top seed, Little Rock, at 7 p.m. Little Rock topped WIU in the lone meeting this season, 63-60 on Feb. 8.