Taylor Named 2024-25 OVC Male Athlete of the Year
SIUE graduate guard Ray'Sean Taylor, the most successful and most decorated player in SIUE men's basketball program history is adding another honor. Taylor was selected as the Ohio Valley Conference Male Athlete of the Year, announced Thursday by the Conference.
Taylor becomes SIUE's first-ever OVC Athlete of the Year selection and is the 50th selection since the first award was given out following the 1976-77 season (there have been multiple award winners in some years).
In his final season as a Cougar in 2024-25, the Collinsville, Illinois, native enjoyed a career year, while also leading SIUE to unprecedented team success. Taylor led SIUE and the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring with a career-best average of 19.1 points per game. His 648 points were not only a career high but are the second most scored in a single season at SIUE. Taylor also finished the year as the leading free throw shooter in the league at 84 percent. He was fourth in the OVC in assists per game (4.29) and steals per game (1.91). He finished third in the league in three-point percentage at .339 and second in the OVC in three-pointers per game at 2.71. His 92 three-pointers made tied for the most in the OVC and the second most in a single season in school history.
In OVC play, he was even better averaging 20.2 points per game, leading him to be chosen as the Player of the Year, marking a first in program history. Taylor averaged 22 points in two OVC tournament games, leading the Cougars to their first-ever OVC Championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament. He was selected as the tournament MVP for his efforts.
Taylor was the Cougars' scoring leader 26 times in 34 games this season. He scored in double figures 31 times during the season, had 12 games of 20 or more points and three 30-point games, including a career-high 33 points in a road win at Morehead State. His three 30-point games tied for the most in the OVC this season.
Named a finalist for the Lou Henson Award for mid major Player of the Year, he also was honored as a member of the Scholar-Athlete team by the Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association.
During the season, Taylor became the all-time scoring leader at SIUE with 1,962 points and the all-time leader in three-pointers made (298) and attempted (842). His 380 career assists are third most all time and his 184 steals rank second.
By the end of the season, Taylor's 1,962 points ranked fifth in the country among four-year players (who did not transfer) in career scoring.
