(ST. LOUIS, Mo., Jan. 23)—The McKendree University men's basketball team posted its seventh consecutive victory with a 74-66 win Saturday in American Midwest Conference play at Harris-Stowe State University.
Junior forward Eric Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) notched a double-double for McKendree with 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while freshman guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) (Effingham, Ill./St. Anthony) hit five three-pointers in the second half to propel the Bearcats to victory. McKendree, the No. 8-ranked team in NAIA Division I, improves to 16-5 on the year and stays undefeated in AMC play at 5-0.
McKendree limited Harris-Stowe (10-10, 2-3 AMC) to just 29.6 percent shooting in the first half to built a 30-21 lead at the intermission. The Hornets chipped away at the lead and pulled to within 39-38 after a 9-2 run midway through the second half. The Bearcats never lost the lead as they responded with an 11-2 run, capped by the first of Steppe's three-point field goals in the second half with 8:50 on the clock.
Steppe made all five of his trifectas in succession, the last coming at the 3:48 mark to give McKendree its largest lead of the contest, 67-52. The Bearcats were able to hold off the Hornets' half-court pressure defense in the closing minutes to preserve the win.
Senior forward Kenny Detmer (Aviston, Ill./Breese Central) (Aviston, Ill./Breese Central) contributed 14 points and six rebounds in the effort. Junior guard Andy Wolff (Centralia, Ill./Metro-East Lutheran) (Centralia, Ill./Metro-East Lutheran) chipped in with nine rebounds and a game-high eight assists for the Bearcats.
Marcel Anderson paced Harris-Stowe with 20 points, while Jarvis Walker added 15 points and a team-leading 11 rebounds.
McKendree will return to action Thursday with an AMC contest at home against Williams Baptist College. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Melvin Price Convocation Center.
-McK-
