(COLUMBIA, Mo., Jan. 14)—The McKendree University men's basketball team overcame an eight-point first-half deficit to post an 80-71 victory Thursday evening at Columbia College in a key American Midwest Conference game.
Senior forward Kenny Detmer (Aviston, Ill./Breese Central) (Aviston, Ill./Breese Central) posted season-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds, while junior forward Eric Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) also netted 20 points to lead McKendree to its fifth consecutive victory. The Bearcats, ranked No. 12 in NAIA Division I, improves to 14-5 overall and maintains the top spot in the AMC standings at 3-0. Thursday's win was also the fifth straight triumph for McKendree at Columbia.
Freshman guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) (Effingham, Ill./St. Anthony) came off the bench to add 15 points, while junior guard Andy Wolff (Centralia, Ill./Metro-East Lutheran) (Centralia, Ill./Metro-East Lutheran) contributed 14 points, five rebounds and a game-high seven assists for McKendree.
McKendree scored seven of the first eight points on the night before Columbia came roaring back. The Cougars reeled off nine consecutive points to grab their first lead of the contest, 12-9, and eventually stretched the margin to 25-17 on a field goal by Jaron Strickland with 6:38 left in the first half. The Bearcats responded by scoring the next nine points, capped by a jumper in the lane from Detmer, to regain a 26-25 advantage with just over three minutes left in the period.
On Columbia's next trip down the floor, Columbia's Taylor Evans hit a jumper just beyond the free throw line that was ruled a three-pointer, giving the Cougars the lead back at 28-26. After the Bearcats battled back to even the contest at 31-31, a basket by Evans with just under a minute left gave Columbia a 33-31 lead at the intermission.
The game remained close for the first part of the second half before McKendree started to gain control. With the contest tied at 55-55, the Bearcats took the lead for good by scoring the next eight points to build a 63-55 advantage. Hobbie scored the first five points of the decisive run -- including a driving dunk down the lane to break the deadlock -- before Steppe finished it with a three-pointer from the wing at the 5:19 mark.
Columbia (6-13, 0-3 AMC) never got closer than six points the remainder of the game as McKendree was able to hit free throws down the stretch. The Bearcats made seven of eight attempts from the foul line in the final 1:13 of play.
Strickland led Columbia with 20 points and nine rebounds. Taylor Evans added 16 points, while Quinton Totta chipped in with 15 points for the Cougars.
McKendree will return to action Saturday when Missouri Baptist comes to the Melvin Price Convocation Center for an AMC contest. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.
-McK-
