Ray’Sean Taylor’s Efforts Give SIUE Their Fourth Straight Victory

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – On a night when he was recognized for being the SIUE’s all-time leading scorer, Ray’Sean Taylor proved why his accolades are well-deserved. Showcasing a combination of scoring prowess, defensive intensity, and leadership on the court, Taylor delivered a standout performance that led the Cougars to victory over Tennessee Tech 67-59 on Saturday, snapping TTU’s five-game win streak.

With the win, SIUE improves to 11-6 in overall record and 4-2 in conference play, currently tied for second and one win out of first place behind Morehead State (10-7, 5-1 OVC).

Early in the game, it was a gritty battle between both teams, with both SIUE and Tennessee Tech shooting under 40% on field goal attempts. The Cougars started the first half with an early 8-5 lead with 11:27 left on a floater from Declan Dillon, but Tennessee would get hot and go on a 17-2 run to give the Cougars a 12-point deficit with 4:39 left.

However, Ray’Sean Taylor took it upon himself to led a strong comeback for the Cougars with a series of aggressive shots. Over the final five minutes of the first half, he led the Cougars on a 15-4 run, cutting the deficit to 26-25 after Taylor’s layup just got in before the final buzzer of the half. He scored 14 of SIUE's last 17 points in the half, making 6 of 10 field goal attempts and grabbing 4 boards.

Ray’Sean Taylor finished with 25 points (10-21 FG, 2-8 3PT, 3-4 FT), 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. Ring Malith was one board away from a double-double, notching 14 points and 9 rebounds. Brian Taylor also had 14.

For Tennessee Tech, Ray Glasgow led all scorers with 19 points off the bench (5-7 FG, 8-8 FT), and grabbed 6 rebounds. Jaylon Johnson (6-19 FG, 3-10 3PT) added 16 points of his own.
The SIUE Cougars will face Tennessee State (6-11, 2-4 OVC) Thursday, Jan 16 on the road in Nashville, TN. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Tennessee Tech will play SEMO (9-8, 4-2 OVC) next with the Golden Eagles’ home crowd at 7:30 PM.

To view my entire article, head to Collinsville Daily News. To view the other photos I took at this game, head to my gallery.