(COLUMBIA, Mo., Jan. 20)—McKendree University sophomore forward Eric Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) was feeling the effects of the flu on Tuesday, but it did not show in his performance against Columbia College.
Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) poured in a game-high 23 points and matched a career best with six three-point field goals to lead McKendree to a 68-65 victory at Columbia. Hobbie also added eight rebounds and a game-high four blocked shots in 37 minutes of play as the Bearcats posted their ninth consecutive win.
McKendree, the No. 8-ranked team in the latest NAIA Division I poll, improved to 16-4 overall and remained the only undefeated team in American Midwest Conference play at 4-0. Columbia slipped to 13-5 overall and 2-2 in the AMC. The Bearcats have won their last six meetings against the Cougars.
The Bearcats took a 68-65 lead after freshman guard Karrington Pettiford (Florissant, MO/Christian Brothers) (St. Louis, Mo./Christian Brothers) made one of two free throws with 24.6 seconds to play. Columbia looked to tie the contest in the closing seconds, but Jason Ellis missed on a three-point attempt with eight seconds to play. Sophomore forward Brad Copelin (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) grabbed the rebound and threw a long outlet pass to Pettiford, who was able to run out the clock and preserve the victory for McKendree.
Junior forward Ken Detmer (Aviston, Ill./Breese Central) chipped in with 13 points, while Copelin finished with 10 points and a team-leading nine rebounds. Pettiford also collected three steals for the Bearcats.
Senior guard Eric Palm (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) finished with 10 points to move into 10th place on the Bearcats' all-time scoring list. Palm's basket in the final minute of play pushed his career total to 1,737 points. He surpassed Dennis Korte, who had 1,735 points while playing at McKendree from 1966-70.
McKendree built a 13-5 lead in the early stages of the first half before Columbia roared back with a 15-5 run of its own to take a 20-18 lead midway through the period. The Bearcats responded with a run of seven consecutive points, capped by a field goal from Pettiford, to regain a 26-20 advantage with 5:28 left in the first half.
Columbia made a late run, pulling within 29-28 before Hobbie drained a three-pointer from the top of the key with two seconds on the clock to send McKendree into the locker room with a 32-28 halftime lead. The Bearcats then opened the second half with an 11-3 run to grab its largest lead of the night, 43-31, with just over 14 minutes to play. Hobbie ended the spurt with a three-pointer.
Over the next four minutes, Columbia outscored the Bearcats 12-2 to pull within 45-43. The teams then began to trade baskets, and McKendree was able to move back out to an eight-point advantage, 61-53, on Hobbie's final trifecta of the night with 3:36 on the clock.
Christian Lewis led Columbia with 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Terrell Turner added 12 points, while Brett Hoskins finished with 11 points.
McKendree will play host to Williams Baptist College in an AMC contest at the Melvin Price Convocation Center. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
-McK-
