RV Kentucky Wesleyan at McKENDREE -- Thursday, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m.
WATCH LIVE | LIVE STATS

McKENDREE at No. 16 Southern Indiana -- Saturday, Feb. 23, 3:15 p.m.
LISTEN LIVE (BEARCAT SPORTS NETWORK) | WATCH LIVE | LIVE STATS

(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 20)—There are just three games left in the 2012-13 season for the McKendree University men's basketball team, and two of those contests coming this week. The Bearcats will host their final game of the year Thursday against Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Kentucky Wesleyan College before heading to Evansville, Ind., on Saturday for another league contest at the University of Southern Indiana.

A pair of special events will mark the Bearcats' contest with Kentucky Wesleyan. Prior to the game, McKendree will hold its Senior Night activities, which will honor senior co-captains John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) and David Ruckman (Freeburg, IL/Freeburg). The game also marks the 1,500th game in the collegiate coaching career of McKendree head coach Harry Statham. Already the all-time wins leader in men's college basketball history, Statham will extend the record for games coached that he has owned for the last five years. Statham will be recognized in a special post-game ceremony.

ABOUT McKENDREE: The Bearcats are 7-18 overall and 1-14 in GLVC play. McKendree built a four-point halftime lead Saturday evening at Lewis University, but the host Flyers used a big second half to rally for a 76-56 victory. John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) poured in a game-high 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the way for McKendree. Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) added 13 points while Brandon Drum (Peoria, IL/Dunlap) came off the bench to post 10 points. McKendree head coach Harry Statham is in his 47th season with the Bearcats, and he has recorded 1,068 wins, which is the most in men's college basketball history at the four-year level.

ABOUT KENTUCKY WESLEYAN: The Panthers own an overall record of 17-6 and are 9-6 in the GLVC. Kentucky Wesleyan is currently in a three-way tie for fourth place in the East Division with just three games left in conference play. Senior center Dazmond Starke leads the Panthers in scoring and rebounding at 15.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per outing. Starke has also connected for nearly 69 percent of his field goal attempts. Head coach Todd Lee is in his eighth season on the bench with the Panthers. Kentucky Wesleyan won the first meeting of the season back on Jan. 31 in Owensboro, Ky., 83-56. Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) registered a game-high 22 points in leading the Bearcats, while Brandon Drum (Peoria, IL/Dunlap) netted a season-best 14 points in his first collegiate start. Dazmond Starke led a balanced attack for Kentucky Wesleyan with 16 points.

ABOUT SOUTHERN INDIANA: The Screaming Eagles enter the week with an overall record of 18-5 and are 11-4 in the GLVC. Southern Indiana sits in second place in the GLVC East Division, and has the third-best record in conference play. Junior forward Orlando Rutledge paces a balanced attack for the Screaming Eagles, averaging a team-best 15.5 points per game. Rutledge is shooting nearly 78 percent from the free throw line and is one of just two USI players averaging in double figures on the year. Southern Indiana battled its way to a 78-68 win over McKendree back on Feb. 2 at the Statham Center. John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) poured in a career-best 32 points in the effort, which included a 10-for-10 performance from the free throw line. Lawrence Thomas scored a team-high 19 points for the Screaming Eagles.

MEET YOUR McKENDREE SENIORS: Senior co-captains John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) and David Ruckman (Freeburg, IL/Freeburg) will make their final appearance at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center on Thursday against Kentucky Wesleyan, and will be feted in a special pre-game ceremony. Steppe, from Effingham, Ill., is a three-year starter for the Bearcats. Early this season, he became the 47th member of the program's 1,000-Point Club, and currently sits in 26th place at 1,412 points. Steppe also ranks in the McKendree top 10 in career steals and assists. Back in December Steppe became the first McKendree basketball player to earn Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week honors. As a freshman in 2009-10, he was named as the American Midwest Conference Freshman of the Year during the Bearcats' days as members of the NAIA.
David Ruckman (Freeburg, IL/Freeburg) has missed nearly all of his senior season after suffering a foot injury in a Nov. 11 game against Ohio Dominican University. Ruckman has been a starter in each of his three seasons at McKendree and was a big presence in the middle for the Bearcats. Ruckman shot 54.3 percent from the field during his time at McKendree and currently ranks No. 10 in career blocked shots with 52. As a junior in 2011-12, Ruckman led the Bearcats in field goal percentage, rebounding and blocked shots. The owner of nine career double-doubles, Ruckman registered career-highs of 27 points and 17 rebounds in a game against Logan last February.

AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME...: John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) and Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) are involved in a tight race for the GLVC scoring title. Steppe currently sits in second place in the league in scoring at 18.0 points per game, while Happe right on Steppe's heels in third place at 17.9 points per outing. Wisconsin-Parkside's Jeremy Saffold holds the top spot on the GLVC scoring chart at 18.5 points a contest.