PREVIEW: Cougars Open Homestand Against Western Illinois

GAME 7
SIUE Cougars (3-3, 0-0 OVC)
vs. Western Illinois Leathernecks (7-2, 0-0 Summit)
Tue., Dec. 7, 7 p.m. CT
Edwardsville, Ill. (First Community Arena)

Video: ESPN+
Radio: WSIE FM 88.7 the Sound (Randy Moehlman)
Audio: SIUECougarNetwork.com
Live Stats: SIUEStats.com

All-Time Series: Tied 5-5
First Meeting: Dec. 9, 1980
Result: L, 67-56
Last Meeting: Nov. 27, 2016
Result: L, 76-74
Current Series Streak: WIU W2

OPENING TIP
• This is the 11th meeting since 1980 for the Cougars and Leathernecks. SIUE had a four-game winning streak in the series from 1984 to 2013. Western Illinois won the last two meetings in 2015 and 2016 by a total of six points.
• SIUE had its three-game winning streak snapped at Missouri 79-46. Gabby Nikitinaite led SIUE in scoring with 18 points.
• Tuesday's game is the first of three this week at First Community Arena. The Cougars face Saint Louis Thursday at 7 p.m. and Illinois State Saturday at 1 p.m.
• Jaida Hampton, a redshirt junior transfer from Wichita State, averaged 15.0 points per game in the wins over Butler and Purdue Fort Wayne. She was named the Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week last week.
• Mikia Keith tied her career best with four three-pointers in the win at Butler.
• Allie Troeckler needs 70 points to become a 1,000-point scorer at SIUE.
• Troeckler is 17th nationally and leads the OVC in steals per game (3.40). She had five steals in both the Illinois and Butler games.
• Gabby Nikitinaite, a transfer from George Washington, leads the team in three-pointers made (9).
• The Cougars are third in the OVC and 33rd nationally in turnovers forced (21.17 per game).
• SIUE has featured the same starting lineup in its first six games. Troeckler leads the team in minutes played per game (30.2).
• Mikayla Kinnard has more offensive rebounds (17) than defensive rebounds (13). Kinnard is second overall in rebounds per game (5.0).

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