2025–26 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team
| 2025–26 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Ohio Valley Conference |
| Record | 8–5 (1–1 OVC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Associate head coach | Colin Schneider |
| Assistant coaches |
|
| Home arena | First Community Arena |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lindenwood | 2 | – | 0 | 1.000 | 8 | – | 5 | .615 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morehead State | 2 | – | 0 | 1.000 | 5 | – | 7 | .417 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UT Martin | 1 | – | 1 | .500 | 9 | – | 4 | .692 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SIU Edwardsville | 1 | – | 1 | .500 | 8 | – | 5 | .615 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee State | 1 | – | 1 | .500 | 7 | – | 5 | .583 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southeast Missouri State | 1 | – | 1 | .500 | 6 | – | 7 | .462 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee Tech | 1 | – | 1 | .500 | 6 | – | 7 | .462 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Illinois | 1 | – | 1 | .500 | 4 | – | 8 | .333 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Little Rock | 1 | – | 1 | .500 | 4 | – | 9 | .308 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 0 | – | 2 | .000 | 4 | – | 9 | .308 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern Indiana | 0 | – | 2 | .000 | 3 | – | 9 | .250 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † 2026 OVC tournament winner As of December 23, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2025–26 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represents Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by seventh-year head coach Brian Barone, play their home games at the First Community Arena in Edwardsville, Illinois as members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The Cougars are the defending OVC tournament champions.
Previous season
The Cougars finished the 2024–25 season 22–12, 13–7 in OVC play to finish in second place. As the No. 2 seed in the OVC tournament, the Cougars defeated Tennessee State[1][2] and Southeast Missouri State to win the tournament championship.[3][4][5] As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, the school's first-ever trip to the tournament.
Graduate guard Ray'Sean Taylor was named the 2024–25 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year, and his cousin junior guard Brian Taylor II was named to the All-OVC Second Team.[6]
Season Forecast
Seven players, including two medical redshirts, return from the 2024–25 squad. They are joined by three freshmen, a junior college transfer, three transfers from other Division I programs, and a graduate student from a non-Division I school. [7]
In a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head men's basketball coaches and communication directors, SIUE was picked to finish 3rd in the 11 team Ohio Valley Conference. [8]
2025–26 OVC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
- Little Rock (12 first-place) - 188 points
- Southeast Missouri (6) - 177
- SIUE (1) - 163
- Tennessee State (1) - 135
- Lindenwood - 100
- Morehead State - 100
- Tennessee Tech - 80
- UT Martin - 79
- Southern Indiana (2) - 67
- Eastern Illinois - 63
- Western Illinois - 57
Roster
Source [7]
| 2023–24 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Schedule and results
Source[9]
| Date time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibition | |||||||||||
| October 26, 2025* 1:00 PM |
St. Ambrose Championship Banner Celebration |
W 100–60 | 17 – Thomas | 9 – Sakenis | 5 – Campion | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||
| Non-conference regular season | |||||||||||
| November 4, 2025* 6:00 PM, ESPN+ |
East–West | W 119–50 | 1–0 |
16 – Malith | 9 – Valrie | 5 – Pickett | First Community Arena (1,143) Edwardsville, IL | ||||
| November 7, 2025* 12:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at UTSA | W 77–60 | 2–0 |
20 – Malith | 10 – Valrrie | 4 – Campion | Convocation Center (840) San Antonio, TX | ||||
| November 10, 2025* 6:00 PM, ESPN+ |
Indiana State | L 55–64 | 2–1 |
15 – Malith | 7 – Pickett | 3 – Tied | First Community Arena (2,482) Edwardsville, IL | ||||
| November 14, 2025* 6:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at Drake | W 61–59 | 3–1 |
20 – Malith | 13 – Thompson | 8 – Campion | Knapp Center (3,234) Des Moines, IA | ||||
| November 17, 2025* 7:00 PM, B1G Network |
at No. 23 Wisconsin | L 69–94 | 3–2 |
12 – Pickett | 7 – Thompson | 3 – Pickett | Kohl Center (13,797) Madison, WI | ||||
| November 21, 2025* 5:00 PM, MW Network |
at Air Force Air Force Classic |
L 63–77 | 3–3 |
17 – Malith | 7 – Thompson | 3 – Hall | Clune Arena (1,305) Air Force Academy, CO | ||||
| November 23, 2025* 12:00 PM, MW Network |
vs. Alabama State Air Force Classic |
W 83–68 | 4–3 |
15 – Campion | 8 – Tied | 5 – Campion | Clune Arena Air Force Academy, CO | ||||
| November 28, 2025* 3:00 PM, ESPN+ |
Missouri Baptist | W 92–55 | 5–3 |
14 – Malith | 7 – Sakenis | 4 – Campion | First Community Arena (1,487) Edwardsville, IL | ||||
| December 2, 2025* 6:00 PM, ESPN+ |
at North Florida | W 72–63 | 6–3 |
31 – Malith | 10 – Malith | 5 – Campion | UNF Arena (1,166) Jacksonville, FL | ||||
| December 6, 2025* 1:00 PM, ESPN+ |
Western Michigan | L 73–83 | 6–4 |
20 – Malith | 5 – Thompson | 8 – Campion | First Community Arena (1,497) Edwardsville, IL | ||||
| December 14, 2025* 1:00 PM, ESPN+ |
Eureka College | W 97–54 | 7–4 |
15 – Pickett | 8 – Malith | 5 – Robinson | First Community Arena (1,004) Edwardsville, IL | ||||
| Ohio Valley Conference regular season | |||||||||||
| December 18, 2025 5:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at Eastern Illinois | L 72–76 OT | 7–5 (0–1) |
23 – Malith | 5 – Tied | 10 – Campion | Groniger Arena (451) Charleston, IL | ||||
| December 22, 2025 3:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at Western Illinois | W 66–61 | 8–5 (1–1) |
24 – Malith | 6 – Malith | 5 – Campion | Western Hall (628) Macomb, IL | ||||
| January 1, 2026 3:30 PM, ESPN+ |
Southern Indiana | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| January 3, 2026 3:30 PM, ESPN+ |
Morehead State | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| January 6, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
Lindenwood | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| January 8, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
Little Rock | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| January 15, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at UT Martin | Kathleen and Tom Elam Center Martin, TN | |||||||||
| January 17, 2026 3:45 PM, ESPN+ |
at Southeast Missouri State | Show Me Center Cape Girardeau, MO | |||||||||
| January 22, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
Tennessee State | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| January 24, 2026 4:00 PM, ESPN+ |
Tennessee Tech | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| January 29, 2026 6:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at Morehead State | Ellis T. Johnson Arena Morehead, KY | |||||||||
| January 31, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at Southern Indiana | Liberty Arena Evansville, IN | |||||||||
| February 3, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at Lindenwood | Robert F. Hyland Arena St. Charles, MO | |||||||||
| February 7, 2026 3:00 PM, ESPN+ |
at Little Rock | Jack Stephens Center Little Rock, AR | |||||||||
| February 12, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
Southeast Missouri State | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| February 14, 2026 3:30 PM, ESPN+ |
UT Martin | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| February 19, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at Tennessee Tech | Eblen Center Cookeville, TN | |||||||||
| February 21, 2026 3:30 PM, ESPN+ |
at Tennessee State | Gentry Center Nashville, TN | |||||||||
| February 26, 2026 7:30 PM, ESPN+ |
Western Illinois | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| February 28, 2026 3:30 PM, ESPN+ |
Eastern Illinois | First Community Arena Edwardsville, IL | |||||||||
| OVC Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 4–7, 2026 ESPN2, ESPNU & ESPN+ |
vs. TBD | Ford Center Evansville, IN | |||||||||
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
MW=Midwest. All times are in Central Time. | |||||||||||
References
- ^ "'Go time': SIUE holds off Tenn. State, advances to OVC Basketball Tourney final". The Telegraph. March 8, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "SIUE holds off Tennessee State, will play in OVC title game". The Intelligencer, Edwardsville Publishing Company, LLC. March 8, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "SIUE Cougars punch out SEMO and punch their ticket to first NCAA Basketball Tourney". The Telegraph. March 8, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "Trust, togetherness lead SIUE to NCAA Tournament berth with rout of SEMO". St.Louis Today/St. Louis Post-Dispatch. March 9, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "SIUE wins OVC Tournament, claims first bid into NCAA Tournament". The Intelligencer, Edwardsville Publishing Company, LLC. March 8, 2025. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "SIUE's Taylor, SEMO's Korn, Little Rock's Gatkek and Lindenwood's Jones Earn 2024–25 OVC Men's Basketball Top Honors". Ohio Valley Conference. March 4, 2025. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ "Little Rock Picked as 2025-26 OVC Men's Basketball Favorites" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. October 14, 2025. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ "2025-26 Men's Basketball Schedule". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Retrieved November 4, 2025.