(LEBANON, Ill., March 6)—For the sixth consecutive year, the McKendree University men's basketball team will be playing in the title game of the American Midwest Conference Tournament.
Sophomore forward Sean Rakers (New Baden, IL/Wesclin) (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) led the way with 18 points and nine rebounds in a reserve role, while junior forward Eric Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) chipped in with 17 points as McKendree rolled to a 72-44 victory over Columbia College on Saturday in the AMC Tournament semifinals. Freshman guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) (Effingham, Ill./St. Anthony) also came off the bench to add 16 points as the Bearcats extended their win streak to six games and pushed their record to 26-6.
McKendree, the top seed in the AMC Tournament and ranked No. 8 in NAIA Division I, will play host to second-seeded Park University on Tuesday in the league's championship contest. Park held off Harris-Stowe State University in Saturday's other AMC semifinal game, 62-47. Tuesday's winner will earn the AMC's automatic bid to the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship, which will be played March 17-23 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Saturday's victory was the 10th in the last 11 games by McKendree against Columbia. The Bearcats also complete a three-game sweep this season against the Cougars. McKendree also won 80-71 in Columbia, Mo., on Jan. 11 and 71-41 at the Melvin Price Convocation Center on Feb. 11. In addition, McKendree collected the 1,600th win in the program's history, which dates back to the 1908-09 season. The Bearcats have an all-time record of 1,600-801.
The Bearcats took command of Saturday's game early in the first half, using a 17-2 run to build a 21-6 lead with 11:41 left in the period. Hobbie, who had 13 of his 17 points in the first half, scored eight points in the spurt for McKendree.
Columbia (13-19) regained its composure and scored the next nine points to pull within 21-15 before consecutive three-pointers by Hobbie and Steppe pushed McKendree back to a double-digit lead at 27-15 with 6:33 remaining in the half. The Bearcats stretched the margin to 36-20 at the intermission.
In the second half, McKendree slowly pulled away, using a 13-2 run to take a 58-31 lead with 7:39 on the clock. Columbia pulled within 16 points one final time before the Bearcats grabbed their largest lead of the night on a jumper by sophomore guard Kyle Heckert (Venedy, IL/Okawville) (Venedy, Ill./Okawville) inside the final minute of play.
Steppe and junior guard RaShad May (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) each had a team-high four rebounds for McKendree. Junior forward Brad Copelin (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) collected three steals to lead the Bearcats.
Josh Davis came off the bench to lead Columbia with 13 points. Greg Stegeman added 10 points and a team-leading eight rebounds for the Cougars.
-McK-
