(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 20)—The McKendree University men’s basketball team shot 56.4 percent from the field on its way to an 85-56 victory Tuesday at home against Greenville College.

 

The Bearcats hit 31-of-55 field goal attempts against the Panthers, which included a 60.7 percent effort in the second half. McKendree also hit 9-of-18 shots from three-point range to improve to 5-2 on the season.

 

Freshman forward Eric Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) led the way for McKendree with 18 points and six rebounds, while junior guard Eric Palm (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) added 16 points. Freshman forward Brad Copelin (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) notched 14 points, and senior guard T.J. Stone (Hendersonville, Tenn./People's Academy) (Hendersonville, Tenn./People’s Academy) collected a career-high six steals for the Bearcats.

 

McKendree raced to a 9-2 lead before Greenville (0-2) answered with nine consecutive points to take their only lead of the night, 11-9, with 13:11 left in the first half. The Bearcats then held the Panthers without a field goal for more than six minutes while using a 16-1 spurt to build a 25-12 advantage with 7:37 remaining in the period.

 

After leading 38-24 at the intermission, McKendree continued to increase its advantage in the second half with runs of 12-2 midway through the period and 14-4 in the later stages of the half. In addition to its solid shooting from the field, the Bearcats were 14-of-17 from the free throw line. They also forced 29 Greenville turnovers.

 

Christopher Simmons and LaPhonso Ellis shared team-high scoring honors for Greenville with 14 points each. Ellis also pulled down six rebounds while Simmons registered four steals.

 

McKendree will head to Jackson, Tenn., this weekend for the Union University Thanksgiving Classic. The Bearcats will take on Freed-Hardeman University Friday at 4 p.m. before meeting host Union University Saturday at 8 p.m.