(BOURBONNAIS, Ill., Dec. 9)—McKendree University men's basketball coach Harry Statham equaled another milestone in his legendary career in the Bearcats' 78-75 overtime victory at Olivet Nazarene University on Tuesday.
Statham coached in career game No. 1,354, which ties him with former Mt. St. Mary's head coach Jim Phelan at the top of the list. Statham, who is in his 43rd season as the head coach and athletic director at his alma mater, now has a career record of 975-379. Phelan was 830-524 in 49 seasons, all but one of which was spent at Mt. St. Mary's in Maryland.
Tuesday's win was also No. 975 in Statham's career. He is one of just two men's collegiate coaches at the four-year level to amass at least 900 victories, with Bob Knight being the other.
Sophomore forward Eric Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) led the way for McKendree with 26 points, 10 rebounds, six blocked shots and four steals. Senior guard Eric Palm (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) added 18 points, including eight in overtime, while sophomore forward Brad Copelin (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds.
McKendree, the No. 12 team in the latest NAIA Division I poll, won its third consecutive game to improve to 10-4 on the year. Olivet Nazarene slips to 5-7 overall.
The Bearcats trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half before pulling to within 36-28 at the half. McKendree continued to chip away at its deficit and pulled even at 48-48 on a free throw by Copelin with 9:30 remaining in regulation. Olivet Nazarene edged back in front by as many as five points before McKendree roared back again. The Bearcats scored seven consecutive points, capped by a lay-up from Copelin with 2:13 left in the second half, to give McKendree a 63-60 advantage.
Olivet Nazarene tied the game on a basket by Rashad Mitchell with 19 seconds to go in regulation. Palm missed a potential game-winning three-point attempt, and the Tigers could not get off a final shot to force the extra period.
In the overtime, McKendree quickly took control, breaking from the gates with a 9-2 run to open up a 72-65 lead with just over three minutes left. The Tigers kept fighting back, but Palm helped seal the win for McKendree by hitting all six free throws in the final 23 seconds of the contest.
Mitchell led Olivet Nazarene with 18 points and six steals, while Tyler Baldwin added 17 points and 10 rebounds. Tyler Wallenfang chipped in with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds for the Tigers.
McKendree will return to action on Dec. 16 at Concordia in St. Louis.
-McK-
