SIUE Are Heading To The NCAA Tournament For The First Time!

The first automatic bid of the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament is Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It’s the Cougars’ first trip to the dance, and winning the Ohio Valley Conference championship meant coach Brian Barone could break out the scissors he hung in a glass case in their locker room when he arrived six seasons ago. His team finally cut down the nets after beating Southeast Missouri State, 69-48. SIUE moved up from Division II in 2008 and had 14 consecutive losing seasons. The 22-11 Cougars turn-around can be at least partially credited to OVC Player of the Year Ray'Sean Taylor. After leaving Collinsville High School as their all-time leading scorer with more than 2,100 points, Taylor earned the same honor at SIUE with 1,950 points, an especially incredible accomplishment considering he overcame two torn ACLs in back-to-back seasons. The team’s mantra is “Put Family Into Basketball” and the Cougars have done that literally. The team’s second leading scorer behind Ray’Sean is his cousin, Brian Taylor II. photos/videos: @SIUEHoops @RayBallin3 @KahoksMensHoops music: @viralnoisemusic