West Central Reporter

Western Illinois Men's Basketball concluded their regular season with a victory against Tennessee Tech, securing an 82-69 win on Thursday night in Cookeville, TN. Trey Deveaux led the Leathernecks with a standout performance, scoring 29 points on efficient shooting. The senior forward made 9-of-12 shots from the field and excelled at the free-throw line, hitting all eight attempts. He also contributed six rebounds and two assists during his 36 minutes on the court.

The Leathernecks (12-19, 6-14 OVC) established control early in the game through effective shooting and rebounding. Deveaux's early jumper gave Western Illinois an 11-8 lead at the start of the first half. Ryan Myers followed with his second three-pointer, extending WIU's lead to 14-8 within four minutes.

Despite efforts from Tennessee Tech (15-15, 10-9 OVC), including a strong first half by Jaylon Johnson, Western Illinois maintained their advantage by dominating inside play and controlling rebounds. Deveaux's three-pointer in the second half extended WIU's lead to 57-39.

Leading 38-30 at halftime, Western Illinois increased their intensity in the second half, outscoring Tennessee Tech 44-39. Deveaux continued his strong performance by making all of his three-point attempts and executing a difficult jumper that pushed WIU's lead into double digits.

Julius Rollins added 17 points while Ryan Myers contributed another 16 points for Western Illinois. The team's defense restricted Tennessee Tech to just 35.8% shooting from the field and won the rebounding battle decisively with a margin of 42-32.

Deveaux's performance marked his highest-scoring game of the season and was crucial for Western Illinois' successful end to their season campaign. His efficiency was highlighted by a remarkable field goal percentage of 75% along with perfect free throw accuracy.

The Leathernecks finished their season winning four out of their last six games and are looking forward to building on this momentum for next season.

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