SIUE Cougars edge Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles in close OVC matchup

Cougars' shooting efficiency proves key in narrow victory over rebounding-focused Screaming Eagles

Jan. 31, 2026 at 1:47am

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The SIUE Cougars defeated the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles 72-70 in a close Ohio Valley Conference matchup on Saturday night at Liberty Arena in Evansville, Indiana. The Cougars, favored by 1.5 points, were able to eke out the victory thanks to their superior shooting efficiency compared to the Screaming Eagles.

Why it matters

This win keeps the Cougars in contention in the competitive OVC race, while the Screaming Eagles continue to struggle to find their footing this season. The game highlighted the contrasting strengths of the two teams, with SIUE relying on their scoring punch and Southern Indiana leaning on their rebounding prowess.

The details

The Cougars were led by Tyler King's 24 points in just 16 minutes of action, while Arnas Sakenis added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. For the Screaming Eagles, Ismail Habib scored 16.4 points per game and Cardell Bailey chipped in 14.1, but the team's 38.9% shooting from the field proved costly. Southern Indiana did outrebound SIUE 39.3 to 37.0, but the Cougars' 44.4% shooting percentage was the difference.

  • The game took place on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 8:30 PM ET.
  • The Cougars recently lost to Morehead State by 2 points and beat Tennessee Tech by 4 points.
  • The Screaming Eagles recently lost to Lindenwood by 13 points but beat Western Illinois by 32 points.

The players

Tyler King

A standout player for the SIUE Cougars, scoring 24 points in just 16 minutes of action.

Arnas Sakenis

Contributed a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the SIUE Cougars.

Ismail Habib

Averaged 16.4 points per game for the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles.

Cardell Bailey

Scored 14.1 points per game for the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles.

Tolu Samuels

Led the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles in rebounds, averaging 8.6 per game.

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What they’re saying

“We knew Southern Indiana would be a tough opponent, but our guys stepped up and made the plays we needed to get the win.”

— Brian Barone, Head Coach, SIUE Cougars

“Our rebounding kept us in the game, but we just couldn't get enough shots to fall. We'll go back and work on our shooting to be ready for the next one.”

— Rodney Watson, Head Coach, Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

What’s next

The Cougars will look to build on this win as they continue their OVC schedule, while the Screaming Eagles will aim to regroup and find more consistency on the offensive end.

The takeaway

This close conference matchup highlighted the contrasting strengths of the two teams, with SIUE's scoring efficiency proving just enough to overcome Southern Indiana's rebounding advantage. The game showcased the competitive nature of the OVC this season.