SIU Edwardsville makes NCAA Tournament debut as 16 seed

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is excited to make history as the Cougars enter the NCAA Tournament for the first time. They are a No. 16 seed facing the top-seeded Houston Cougars. Previously, the two schools did not compete against each other, as SIUE moved up from Division II to Division I in 2008. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, SIUE is part of the Metro-East region near St. Louis. The university, established in 1957, has grown significantly and now has over 12,000 students. The campus spans 2,660 acres, offering various outdoor activities and facilities. SIUE plays in the Ohio Valley Conference. They joined the OVC in 2008 and have shown improvement over the years, finally achieving a record above .500 this season. Under coach Brian Barone, the program has transformed and is ready to represent their conference in the NCAA Tournament. The university was founded to address the lack of higher education options in the area after World War II. Classes began in 1965, and the Cougars mascot was chosen by students shortly after. The school once had a live cougar mascot, which became a part of its identity but was retired in 1987. This tournament marks SIUE's first appearance in the Division I NCAA Tournament. Before this, they competed in five NCAA Division II Tournaments, with their best performance in 2006 when they reached the Elite Eight. They face a challenging game ahead as they seek their first NCAA Tournament victory.