This prediction market concerns the outcome of a men's college basketball game scheduled for January 24 at 4:30 PM Eastern Time. The matchup features the Western Illinois Leathernecks and the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles. Both teams compete in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), making this a conference game with implications for league standings and postseason tournament seeding. The market allows participants to predict which team will win the contest, with settlement rules accounting for potential postponement or cancellation. Western Illinois, located in Macomb, Illinois, joined the OVC in 2023 after previously competing in the Summit League. Southern Indiana, based in Evansville, Indiana, is in its second year of a four-year transition from NCAA Division II to Division I and became a full OVC member in 2022. Interest in this game stems from its role in the OVC regular season race, the ongoing development of both programs under relatively new coaching staffs, and the inherent volatility of mid-major conference play where any home-court advantage can be significant. The timing in late January also means the game occurs as teams are solidifying their identities ahead of the conference tournament in March.

Historical Context

The history between these two programs is brief, as they only began competing as conference foes in the 2023-24 season. Their first meeting as OVC opponents occurred on February 15, 2024, with Southern Indiana winning 66-60 at home in Evansville. That game established an early conference rivalry. The broader historical context involves both programs' recent conference realignment. Western Illinois spent over three decades in the Summit League (and its predecessor, the Mid-Continent Conference) before accepting an invitation to the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022. The move was driven by geographic fit and a desire for stability. Southern Indiana has a deeper historical context within the OVC footprint, but at a different level. The Screaming Eagles were a Division II powerhouse, winning the national championship in 1995 and finishing as runner-up in 1994 and 2004. The university announced its move to Division I and the OVC in 2021, beginning the transition in the 2022-23 season. This game is part of USI's ongoing process of establishing itself against established D-I competition.

Frequently Asked Questions