Can SIUE Take the Next Step?

(Nashville, TN) – Has Southern Illinois Edwardsville crossed over into respectable territory? That’s the challenge for Head Coach Lennox Forrester and his Cougars.

In 2013-14 the Cougars made their maiden voyage into the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. It seems as if SIUE has been in transition for such a long time that no one has even contemplated whether or not the Cougars are even a competitive team.

SIUE won only 11 games last year, but seven of them were during league play and three of those were against upper echelon teams Eastern Kentucky, Murray State and Southeast Missouri. For the first time in SIUE history the Cougars earned their way to Nashville for the OVC tournament.

Coach Forrester told me his team is really interested in being competitive every night and getting back to Nashville and doing some damage.

With four starters returning and Michael Messer returning from injury Forrester has his most experienced team as he enters his eighth season in Edwardsville.

Former Bradley Brave and member of the all-newcomer team in OVC Donivine Stewart led the Cougars in scoring (12.2) and was a tremendously reliable player in virtually every aspect of the game.

Five other players averaged more than seven points per game. Maurice Wiltz (8.5 with 48 3’s), Kris Davis (9.5), Messer (7.3), Keaton Jackson (9.3) and Rozell Nunn (8.4) make the Cougars are deep and balanced.

The 6’10 Jackson showed flashes of being a significant OVC post player last season and rumors around SIUE is that he has gained muscle and weight in the off season and is closing in on becoming the player Forrester needs in the pivot.

SIUE was picked to finish third in the OVC’s West Division and it appears that ‘competitive’ has found a home in Edwardsville.

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