West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University (WIU) men's basketball team secured a victory against Lindenwood in an 86-81 overtime win on Tuesday night at Western Hall. The game marked the senior night for WIU, with Trey Deveaux leading the team by scoring a season-high of 23 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and providing two assists. Sean Smith also contributed significantly with 20 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. Julius Rollins added to the effort with 19 points and seven rebounds.

The first half was competitive, with WIU holding a four-point lead at halftime. Rollins and Smith were pivotal in setting the pace early on. Lindenwood made a comeback in the second half but WIU fought back from a ten-point deficit at one point to tie the game towards the end of regulation time. Marko Maletic's crucial three-pointer with one second left pushed the game into overtime.

In overtime, WIU executed their plays effectively. Deveaux played aggressively, scoring key free throws that helped secure the win. Ryan Myers hit a vital three-pointer as the shot clock expired during overtime to give WIU an 80-79 lead. The Leathernecks ended the extra period on a 6-2 run.

Defensively, WIU forced 11 turnovers and achieved eight steals while dominating rebounds with a total of 40. They outscored Lindenwood in the paint with a score of 36-28.

This victory improves WIU's record to an overall 11-19 and 5-14 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Their final game of the season will be against Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee on Thursday at 7:30 PM.

For further updates on Leatherneck Basketball, fans are encouraged to visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.