By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

MACOMB, Ill. — Chad Boudreau is trying all kinds of combinations to get Western Illinois out of its current losing streak.

It was another new starting lineup for the Leathernecks, but it was another loss on Saturday, a 72-51 defeat to Southeast Missouri State at Western Hall.

The Leathernecks (8-13 overall, 2-8 Ohio Valley Conference) suffered their sixth consecutive defeat and left Boudreau, in his second season as head coach, pondering what to do next.

“We’re a bad basketball team that’s trying to find a way to win and try to get some momentum going,” Boudreau said. “And it hasn’t happened yet.”

“No one really expected this, but I mean we can’t give up,” said forward Trey Deveaux, who had a 14-point, 7-rebound game after being moved into the starting lineup with the latest configuration by Boudreau. “We still have a lot of season left, so we’re going to keep trying. I think once we get one win, it will be like a domino effect, we’ll get a couple more.”

Western Illinois stayed with the Redhawks (11-10, 6-4) until early in the second half. The Leathernecks were down 34-31 and had the ball with 15:30 left when Julius Rollins missed a shot inside and Southeast Missouri State got the rebound. BJ Ward scored and was fouled at the other end, completing the three-point play that started a 10-0 run for the Redhawks, who controlled the rest of the game.

Boudreau brought up that play, as well as another one earlier in the half — Western Illinois was down 29-25 when Ryan Myers missed a 3-pointer, and Teddy Washington Jr., followed with a 3-pointer for the Redhawks.

“We missed a layup. We had a good look from three,” Boudreau said. “They came down. Boom, boom, 3-pointer and a 3-point play, and then we’re back down. That’s been us the whole season where we can’t get over the hump, but that’s what bad teams do. Bad teams find a way to lose, and that’s where we are right now.”

Deveaux, making his fourth start of the season, was active early and kept that pace. He was 4 of 8 from the field. He also drew six fouls, and was 6 of 8 in free throws.

“It meant a lot,” Deveaux, who played 29 minutes, said of the start. “I’ve been working pretty hard, though. The coaches trust me, and they just told me to stay aggressive. So that was really the game plan.”

“We saw that in the summer, and he’s worked hard to get himself back in this situation,” Boudreau said. “He had a good game tonight on both ends, which is good for him.”

Deveaux started the first two games of the season, but started only one more since then before this game. There have been two games this season in which he hasn’t played.

“I got myself off the court, so I can only really blame myself, but now that I’m back, I just can do what I can to stay on the court and get wins,” Deveaux said.

Boudreau has been looking for another option as opponents have been keying on Marko Maletic and Ryan Myers, the Leathernecks’ two leading scorers. Each had just nine points in this game.

“We’re putting a lot of pressure on Ryan and Marco to score, and teams are loading up against them and making everybody else beat them,” Boudreau said. “And so we need some other guys to step up and take that pressure off of them.”

Sean Smith added 10 points for the Leathernecks.

Brendan Terry led Southeast Missouri State with 19 points. Rob Martin added 16.

Photo: Trey Deveaux had 14 points and seven rebounds as a starter in Western Illinois’ loss to Southeast Missouri State on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of WIU Athletic Communications)