Preview: Southeast Missouri State at Western Illinois

MACOMB, Ill. (Interstat) — Southeast Missouri State looks to continue its push toward a winning season when it visits struggling Western Illinois in an Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Western Hall.

The Redhawks (11-10, 4-4 OVC) have won two straight, including a 70-65 home victory over Arkansas-Little Rock last Thursday. Guard BJ Ward, who scored 11 points in that win, has been a key contributor. He torched Western Illinois for 23 points and five assists in the teams’ first meeting this season, a 73-50 Redhawks win in Cape Girardeau on Jan. 3.

Western Illinois (4-17, 0-8) seeks its first conference win amid a nine-game losing streak. The Leathernecks are coming off a 96-64 road loss to Southern Indiana last Friday. Forward Goanar Biliew scored 10 points in that contest, one of the few bright spots in a difficult season. The team has not won since a non-conference overtime victory at North Dakota on Dec. 13.

The matchup pits one of the OVC’s more efficient offenses against its most challenged. Southeast Missouri State averages 73.2 points per game in conference play, while Western Illinois scores a league-low 58.4 points per OVC contest and is allowing 78.1 points per game in league action.

For the Redhawks, consistency from Ward and support from players like Landren Blocker and Luke Almodovar, who combined for 26 points in the last outing, will be crucial as they aim for a season sweep. The Leathernecks will need Biliew and backcourt contributors like Tyran Cook to generate offense and slow a Southeast Missouri attack that shot over 50% from the field in the January meeting.

The game is scheduled for an 8 p.m. EST tip-off. Following this contest, Southeast Missouri State travels to face Eastern Illinois on Saturday, while Western Illinois hosts Tennessee-Martin.