(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 8)—The McKendree University men's basketball team won for the fifth time in its last six games with a 94-62 victory Saturday at home against Hannibal-LaGrange University.
Five different players scored in double figures as the Bearcats led from start to finish. McKendree is now 8-9 overall and 2-0 in American Midwest Conference play. The Bearcats will play host to Columbia College on Thursday in a key AMC contest. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Melvin Price Convocation Center. Columbia is currently ranked No. 23 in NAIA Division I, but dropped a 47-43 decision Saturday at No. 19 Park University.
Junior forward Sean Rakers (New Baden, IL/Wesclin) (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) led the balanced attack for McKendree with 17 points. Sophomore guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) (Effingham, Ill./St. Anthony) posted 15 points and three steals, while freshman forward Garrett Gaffner (Breese, IL/Breese Central) (Breese, Ill./Breese Central) came off the bench to add 14 points. Both Steppe and Gaffner were a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the effort for McKendree.
Senior guard Andy Wolff (Centralia, Ill./Metro-East Lutheran) (Centralia, Ill./Metro-East Lutheran) and junior guard Karrington Pettiford (Florissant, MO/Christian Brothers) (Florissant, Mo./Christian Brothers) each connected for 10 points for the Bearcats, while senior forward Eric Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
McKendree shot 57.1 percent (12-of-21) in the first half to take a 37-25 lead. That included a run of 10-4 to start the contest, with six of the points coming from Pettiford in the opening spurt. The Bearcats' largest lead of the period came at 32-19 with 3:31 left in the period following a free throw by freshman guard Mike Springs (Waukegan, IL/Waukegan) (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan).
In the second half, McKendree hit its first seven shots to build a 54-33 advantage with just over 16 minutes to play. The Bearcats spread the wealth as five different players connected for a field goal in the opening four minutes of the half. McKendree slowly increased its lead in the closing minutes, and a three-pointer from freshman guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) (Evansville, Ind./F.J. Reitz) inside the final minute gave the Bearcats their biggest lead of the night at 94-59.
McKendree's bench had a productive night, outscoring the Hannibal-LaGrange reserves 37-4. The Bearcats also held a 41-30 edge in rebounding against the Trojans.
Hobbie, who had five points against Hannibal-LaGrange, moved into sole possession of 12th place on McKendree's all-time scoring list. Hobbie now has 1,621 career points with the Bearcats.
Fernando Fernandez paced Hannibal-LaGrange with a game-high 22 points along with nine rebounds. Josh Boswell and Chris Smith each chipped in with 11 points for the Trojans, who slipped to 4-10 overall and 0-1 in AMC play.
