EVANSVILLE, Ill. — Ray’Sean Taylor’s stellar performance led SIU Edwardsville to victory over top-seeded Southeast Missouri with a score of 69-48, securing the Cougars’ first Ohio Valley Conference Championship title and a subsequent berth in the NCAA Tournament. This landmark win marks the first time SIU Edwardsville (22-11) reached the title game, having previously held a 3-8 record in tournament play.
Taylor, who scored 20 points in the game, further cemented his legacy by becoming the all-time leading scorer for the Cougars with a total of 1,952 career points, surpassing the previous record held by Jason Holmes from 1993 to 1997. During the match, Taylor demonstrated exceptional skill by converting 3 of 9 shots from the field and hitting 13 of 16 free throws. His contribution was pivotal in this historic achievement for the team.
Teammates Ring Malith and Brian Taylor II supported the effort by contributing 12 and 10 points, respectively. For Southeast Missouri (21-12), Rob Martin was the standout player scoring 18 points, while Brendan Terry added 16 to their total.
The first half of the game saw Ray’Sean Taylor and Brian Taylor combine efforts to secure a 35-24 lead for SIU Edwardsville at halftime. Despite Southeast Missouri’s push, led by Martin’s 10-point contribution in the first half, the Redhawks managed to open the second half with a 14-3 run, leveling the game at 38-all. SIU Edwardsville responded decisively with a 19-2 run, climaxed by a definitive dunk from Kyle Thomas, thus securing a 57-40 lead with just 6:39 left on the clock, ultimately cruising to victory from there.
