# 2014–15 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team

The 2014–15 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by eighth year head coach Lennox Forrester, played their home games at the Vadalabene Center as members of the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 12–16, 8–8 in OVC play to finish in fourth place in the West Division. They lost in the first round of the OVC tournament to Eastern Illinois.

## Preseason

Seven players, all of whom saw major playing time, returned from the 11–20 team of 2013–14. They were joined by two highly regarded junior college transfers and three freshmen. Two of the freshmen were honorable mention All-State players in Illinois and Indiana, and one of the juco transfers was one of the NJCAA statistical leaders in both rebounds and blocked shots.
After being one of only six Division I teams with no freshmen in 2013–14, this year's Cougars had three freshmen, four juniors, and five seniors. The other five schools with no freshmen last season--- UAB, Ohio, Portland State, Savannah State, and Valparaiso.
In putting the schedule together, coach Forrester attempted to get as many games as possible near the hometowns of his players, resulting in road games in Oregon, Michigan, and Indiana.
In the preseason poll of OVC coaches and sports information directors, SIUE was picked to finish third in the West Division. No Cougars were picked for the preseason All-OVC team.
For the third season in a row, the Cougars begin with a preseason exhibition game versus the Division III Greenville College Panthers. In place of a second exhibition game, the Cougars and the UMKC Kangaroos played a closed scrimmage at the VC.

## Season

Almost all home and Ohio Valley Conference games were streamed live on the OVC Digital Network. Other games were broadcast or cablecast and are included on the schedule, below, including nine games FOX Sports carried on its Midwest network.
The Cougars were dominant at the Vadalabene Center, building a home record of 11–3. Going on the road was another story, as they managed only one win in 13 away games. Overall, one result was a record of 8–8 in the OVC, earning the #7 seed in the conference tournament.
No Cougars were named to the OVC All-OVC or All-Newcomer teams.

## Postseason

Six days after the first round loss in the Ohio Valley Tournament, it was announced that head coach Lennox Forrester and his entire staff would not be retained.

## Roster

Source=
Pink background indicates players returning from 2013 to 2014.
| # | Name | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | High school | Transfer from |
| 0 | Michael Chandler | Guard | 6–8 | 205 | Junior | Columbus, Georgia | Grovetown High School | Hill College (JC) |
| 1 | Kris Davis | Guard | 6–2 | 190 | Senior | Detroit, Michigan | Cass Technical High School | |
| 2 | Maurice Wiltz | Guard | 6–2 | 190 | Senior | Houston, Texas | Stafford High School | Colorado State |
| 3 | Keaton Jackson | Forward | 6–10 | 220 | Senior | Vancouver, Washington | Prairie High School | Missouri State-West Plains (JC) |
| 4 | C.J. Carr | Guard | 5–7 | 145 | Freshman | Rock Island, Illinois | Rock Island High School | |
| 5 | Grant Fiorentinos | Forward/Center | 6–10 | 225 | Junior | Cape Town, West Cape, South Africa | Hun School of Princeton (NJ) | Tulane |
| 13 | Jake Newton | Guard | 6–6 | 200 | Junior | Terre Haute, Indiana | Terre Haute North Vigo High School | Lincoln Trail College (JC) |
| 23 | Rozell Nunn | Guard/Forward | 6–4 | 205 | Senior | Kansas City, Kansas | F. L. Schlagle High School | Coffeyville Community College (JC) |
| 24 | Jalen Henry | Forward | 6–8 | 220 | Freshman | Springfield, Illinois | Springfield Southeast High School | |
| 30 | Michael Messer | Guard | 6–6 | 215 | Senior | Wildwood, Missouri | Lafayette High School | |
| 32 | Donivine Stewart | Guard | 6–0 | 195 | Junior | Peoria, Illinois | Bartonville Limestone Community High School | Bradley |
| 45 | Keenan Simmons | Guard | 6–6 | 185 | Freshman | Michigan City, Indiana | Michigan City High School | |

## Schedule

Source:
| Date time, TV | Opponent | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition ||||||||
| 11/06/2014* 7:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | Greenville | W 90–52 | | — – — | — – — | — – — | Vadalabene Center (1,307) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| Regular season ||||||||
| 11/14/2014* 7:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | Harris–Stowe | W 104–56 | 1–0 | 20 – Stewart | 8 – Stewart | 10 – Stewart | Vadalabene Center (1,255) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 11/17/2014* 7:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | IPFW | L 71–74 | 1–1 | 24 – Stewart | 8 – Messer | 5 – Stewart | Vadalabene Center (1,216) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 11/22/2014* 9:00 pm, Stretch Internet | at Portland | L 53–75 | 1–2 | 13 – Jackson | 6 – Jackson | 5 – Carr | Chiles Center (1,828) Portland, Oregon |
| 11/24/2014* 9:00 pm, Big Sky Access | at Portland State | L 87–90 $^{OT}$ | 1–3 | 25 – Davis | 6 – Davis & Jackson | 6 – Carr & Stewart | Stott Center (582) Portland, Oregon |
| 12/03/2014* 7:00 pm, FOX Sports Midwest OVC Digital Network | Southern Illinois | L 67–79 | 1–4 | 18 – Davis | 5 – Stewart | 4 – Jackson | Vadalabene Center (3,508) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 12/06/2014* 12 Noon | at Central Michigan | L 61–94 | 1–5 | 21 – Davis | 5 – Jackson | 5 – Stewart | McGuirk Arena (1,789) Mount Pleasant, Michigan |
| 12/13/2014* 6:00 pm, FOX Sports Midwest | at Saint Louis | L 61–67 | 1–6 | 18 – Davis | 7 – Jackson | 7 – Stewart | Chaifetz Arena (6,032) St. Louis, Missouri |
| 12/17/2014* 6:00 pm, Big South Sports Net | at Campbell | L 65–70 | 1–7 | 16 – Davis | 5 – Stewart | 6 – Stewart | Gore Arena (983) Buies Creek, North Carolina |
| 12/20/2014* 6:30 pm, FOX Sports Midwest OVC Digital Network | Milwaukee | W 61–56 | 2–7 | 13 – Davis & Wiltz | 6 – Wiltz | 6 – Stewart | Vadalabene Center (918) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 12/22/2014* 7:00 pm, FOX Sports Midwest OVC Digital Network | Chicago State | W 63–38 | 3–7 | 16 – Davis | 6 – Davis & Jackson | 7 – Stewart | Vadalabene Center (641) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 12/28/2014* 2:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | Robert Morris–Springfield | W 104–56 | 4–7 | 22 – Stewart | 7 – Henry & Stewart | 7 – Newton | Vadalabene Center (1,185) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 01/01/2015 1:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | Jacksonville State | W 73–57 | 5–7 (1–0) | 16 – Nunn | 8 – Jackson | 3 – Carr, Davis & Nunn | Vadalabene Center (1,674) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 01/03/2015 6:30 pm, FOX Sports Midwest OVC Digital Network | Tennessee Tech | W 85–62 | 6–7 (2–0) | 18 – Nunn | 9 – Jackson | 7 – Stewart | Vadalabene Center (1,162) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 01/07/2015 8:00 pm, CBS Sports Network | at Belmont | L 69–73 | 6–8 (2–1) | 15 – Nunn | 11 – Jackson | 4 – Stewart | Curb Event Center (1,696) Nashville, Tennessee |
| 01/10/2015 6:30 pm, OVC Digital Network | Tennessee State | W 45–38 | 7–8 (3–1) | 10 – Nunn | 8 – Jackson | 3 – Nunn | Vadalabene Center (1,702) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 01/15/2015 6:30 pm, OVC Digital Network | at Morehead State | L 63–91 | 7–9 (3–2) | 11 – Davis | 6 – Messer | 2 – Jackson, Stewart & Wiltz | Ellis Johnson Arena (2,021) Morehead, Kentucky |
| 01/17/2015 6:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | at Eastern Kentucky | L 62–78 | 7–10 (3–3) | 15 – Davis | 13 – Jackson | 5 – Messer | Alumni Coliseum (2,800) Richmond, Kentucky |
| 01/22/2015 7:00 pm, FOX Sports Midwest OVC Digital Network | Austin Peay | W 69–65 | 8–10 (4–3) | 18 – Davis | 7 – Jackson & Nunn | 4 – Carr & Wiltz | Vadalabene Center (1,305) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 01/24/2015 7:00 pm, FOX Sports Midwest OVC Digital Network | Murray State | L 54–60 | 8–11 (4–4) | 10 – Davis | 6 – Nunn | 3 – Nunn | Vadalabene Center (3,145) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 01/29/2015 7:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | at Southeast Missouri State | W 75–61 | 9–11 (5–4) | 23 – Davis | 7 – Chandler & Nunn | 2 – Stewart | Show Me Center (2,095) Cape Girardeau, Missouri |
| 01/31/2015 3:15 pm, OVC Digital Network | at Eastern Illinois | L 54–57 | 9–12 (5–5) | 19 – Stewart | 15 – Jackson | 6 – Stewart | Lantz Arena (2,295) Charleston, Illinois |
| 02/07/2015 6:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | at UT Martin | L 59–64 | 9–13 (5–6) | 18 – Davis | 6 – Jackson & Nunn | 2 – Carr, Davis, Firentinos & Nunn | Skyhawk Arena (2,417) Martin, Tennessee |
| 02/12/2015 7:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | at Murray State | L 46–78 | 9–14 (5–7) | 14 – Nunn | 6 – Nunn | 2 – Carr, Nunn, Stewart & Wiltz | CFSB Center (5,914) Murray, Kentucky |
| 02/14/2015 7:00 pm, FOX Sports Midwest OVC Digital Network | Eastern Illinois | W 80–63 | 10–14 (6–7) | 23 – Messer | 7 – Davis & Jackson | 9 – Stewart | Vadalabene Center (1,434) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 02/19/2015 7:00 pm, FOX Sports Midwest OVC Digital Network | Southeast Missouri State | W 75–72 | 11–14 (7–7) | 15 – Davis | 5 – Jackson & Stewart | 4 – Stewart | Vadalabene Center (1,221) Edwardsaville, Il |
| 02/21/2015 7:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | UT Martin | W 76–68 | 12–14 (8–7) | 21 – Carr | 8 – Stewart | 7 – Stewart | Vadalabene Center (1,810) Edwardsville, Illinois |
| 02/26/2015 7:00 pm, American Sports Network OVC Digital Network | at Austin Peay | L 61–64 | 12–15 (8–8) | 18 – Davis | 8 – Jackson | 5 – Carr | Dunn Center (1,375) Clarksville, Tennessee |
| Ohio Valley Conference tournament ||||||||
| 03/04/2015 8:00 pm, OVC Digital Network | vs. Eastern Illinois First round | L 66–78 | 12–16 | 15 – Carr | 5 – Davis | 3 – Stewart | Nashville Municipal Auditorium (723) Nashville, Tennessee |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time. ||||||||