Who | Western Illinois vs SEMO | Western Illinois vs UT Martin
When | Thursday, January  29, 7:30 P.M. | Saturday, January 31, 3:30 P.M.
Where | Western Hall | Macomb, IL

Leathernecks Host SEMO & UT Martin 

Western Illinois looks to turn things around this week as the Leathernecks host back-to-back OVC matchups at home. First up is Southeast Missouri, followed by UT Martin, giving the Leathernecks a chance to break through after a tough start in conference play. Western Illinois is still searching for its first OVC win, and these games provide a perfect opportunity to gain momentum in front of the home crowd.

Western Illinois vs Southern Indiana Recap

Western Illinois men's basketball was defeated Friday night, falling 96–64 at Southern Indiana inside Liberty Arena.

The Screaming Eagles set the tone early, racing out to a 51–31 halftime lead behind efficient shooting and steady offensive pressure. Southern Indiana shot better than 50 percent from the floor in the first half, while Western Illinois struggled to keep pace offensively.

Isaiah Griffin paced the Leathernecks with 13 points, going 4-of-13 from the field and 4-of-6 at the free-throw line. Goanar Biliew followed with 10 points, while Makai Kvamme added nine. Francis Okwuosah and Tyran Cook each finished with eight points, with Cook providing a spark off the bench.

Scouting SEMO
Southeast Missouri, coached by Brad Korn, averages 75.7 points per game while allowing 72.7. They shoot 45.7% from the field and 29.9% from three, with 33.2 rebounds and 13.4 assists per game. Key players include Luke Almodovar (14.6 PPG), Brendan Terry (5.3 RPG, 0.7 BPG), and BJ Ward (3.8 APG). The Leathernecks will need to defend efficiently and control the boards to keep SEMO's balanced offense in check.

Scouting UT Martin

UT Martin enters this week's matchup as one of the top teams in the OVC with a 15-5 record. The Skyhawks average 72.8 points per game while allowing 64.2, shooting 43.2% from the field and 31.3% from three, and pulling down 41.5 rebounds per game. Andrija Bukumirović leads the team in both scoring (14.5 PPG) and rebounding (8.7 RPG). The Leathernecks will need to control the boards and defend efficiently to slow down UT Martin's high-powered offense.

Keys to the Matchup's

• Control the boards: Both SEMO and UT Martin rebound well (SEMO 33.2 RPG, UT Martin 41.5 RPG). Winning the rebounding battle will be critical to limit second-chance opportunities and create transition chances.

• Defend efficiently: SEMO and UT Martin both feature balanced scoring attacks. Limiting high-percentage shots inside and contesting threes will be essential to stay in both games.

• Take care of the ball: Turnovers can swing momentum against quality OVC teams. Maintaining possession and minimizing mistakes will give the Leathernecks the best chance to stay competitive in back-to-back matchups.

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