Who | Western Illinois vs Southern Indiana
When | Friday, January  23, 7:30 P.M.
Where | Liberty Arena | Evansville, IN

Leathernecks Finish Roadtrip at USI

The Leathernecks will look to close out their four-game road trip with a matchup at Southern Indiana, which was moved up a day due to weather. After challenging stops earlier in the week, Western Illinois enters the contest eager to finish the swing on a positive note. USI is near the bottom of the conference in the OVC making this game essential for the Leathernecks in their search for a conference win. 

Western Illinois vs Morehead State Recap

Western Illinois men's basketball dropped a hard-fought Ohio Valley Conference contest on the road Thursday night, falling 71–66 to Morehead State at Johnson Arena.

The Leathernecks went punch-for-punch all night with the Eagles in a game that featured 13 ties and 11 lead changes. Western Illinois trailed 39–32 at the break but responded with a strong second-half effort, outscoring Morehead State 34–32 over the final 20 minutes though the Eagles held on down the stretch.

Lucas Lorenzen led all scorers pouring in 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting while knocking down five three-pointers. Lorenzen added four rebounds and battled for 37 minutes as the Leathernecks leaned heavily on his offensive spark. Francis Okwuosah provided a big boost off the bench with 13 points, connecting on three triples, while Karyiek Dixon chipped in eight points and five rebounds.

Scouting Southern Indiana
The Leathernecks will face a Morehead State team averaging 73.8 points per game while allowing 69.2, giving them a slight scoring edge. The Eagles shoot efficiently, connecting on 43.5 percent of their field goals and 33.0 percent from three-point range. They also attack the glass, averaging 41.5 rebounds per game, and generate 14.3 points off turnovers.

Individually, Ismail Habib leads the team with 16.3 points per game and contributes 4.0 assists. Cardell Bailey is a key scoring threat, averaging 13.8 points per game and pulling down 5.7 rebounds. Ola Ajiboye is efficient inside, shooting 47.4 percent from the field and adding 4.9 rebounds per game, while Tolu Samuels is a versatile contributor with 6.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest.

Overall, Morehead State combines strong inside play, rebounding, and efficient scoring with solid ball movement, making them a well-rounded team the Leathernecks will need to contain on the road.

Keys to the Matchup

• Limit Second-Chance Opportunities: Morehead State averages 41.5 rebounds per game and gets plenty of putbacks. The Leathernecks need to box out and challenge every shot to prevent easy points.

• Protect the Ball: With the Eagles generating 14.3 points off turnovers, minimizing mistakes and valuing each possession will be essential.

• Defend the Paint and Key Scorers: Slowing Ismail Habib (16.3 PPG) and disrupting Ola Ajiboye and Tolu Samuels in the post will make it harder for Morehead State to find easy scoring chances.

FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS 

For all the latest information on Leatherneck Men's Basketball, please visit GoLeathernecks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Leathernecks on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.