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McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
LEWIS SEASON STATISTICS
WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE SEASON STATISTICS

(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 15)--The McKendree University men's basketball team will kick off its longest road trip of the 2014-15 season this weekend with a pair of games up north against Great Lakes Valley Conference opponents. The Bearcats will visit Lewis University for a Thursday night tilt at 7:30 p.m. before heading further north to battle the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday at 3 p.m.

On Tuesday, McKendree stepped out of GLVC play for the final time this year to host Salem International University. The Bearcats pulled away in the final 20 minutes to post a 75-62 victory over the Fighting Tigers to move to 8-4 overall on the year. McKendree received a pair of career-high performances from its senior co-captains in collecting the win. Senior forward Logan Carson (DuQuoin, IL/DuQuoin) netted a career-best 34 points, including 19 in the second half. Carson also sank a career-high 10 free throws on the night. Senior forward Matt Holmes (Houston, TX/Marshall) contributed a double-double in the victory with 16 points and a career-high 20 rebounds. The 34 points from Carson is the highest scoring output by a McKendree player during the Bearcats' NCAA Division II era, which began with the school's provisional year of Division II membership in 2012-13. It is also the most points registered by a Bearcat in nearly six years. Eric Palm poured in 36 points in a game against the University of Illinois Springfield on Jan. 31, 2009. 

Holmes' rebound total against Salem International also represents a new McKendree standard in the Bearcats' Division II era. It has been a little more than 10 years since McKendree had a player collect at least 20 rebounds in a contest. Mike Strobbe pulled down 21 rebounds versus Lindenwood University back on Nov. 10, 2004. 

McKendree has won its last two contests, including its last foray into GLVC play, an 88-84 triumph over Quincy University on Saturday at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. The Bearcats bring a 1-3 conference record into this weekend's action. 

Following the games at Lewis and Wisconsin-Parkside, McKendree will make the short trip north on Monday to take on Illinois Springfield. The Bearcats will close out the road stretch next weekend by heading east to face the University of Indianapolis (Jan. 22) and Saint Joseph's College (Jan. 24). McKendree will not play at the Statham Center again until the University of Southern Indiana comes to town on Jan. 29. 

ABOUT LEWIS
The Flyers are 10-3 overall and 2-2 in GLVC play. Lewis is in the midst of a four-game home stand, which included consecutive losses at home last weekend to the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Maryville University. Head coach Scott Trost has relied on a veteran lineup this season, which includes three seniors along with one junior. Senior guard Ryan Jackson paces the balanced attack for the Flyers at 15.4 points per game. Fellow senior guard Jeff Jarosz is next in the scoring column at 12.5 points per outing and is one of the top free throw shooters in the GLVC at 85.7 percent. Senior forward Julian Lewis has pulled down a team-best 6.5 rebounds per game for Lewis.

Since McKendree joined the GLVC prior to the 2012-13 season, Lewis has won all four meetings in the series. Harry Statham is 1-5 all-time against the Flyers as the teams split a pair of games during the 1975-76 season. Last year, Lewis swept the home-and-home series by scores of 85-78 in Lebanon on Jan. 16, 2014 and 84-73 on Feb. 22, 2014 in Romeoville, Ill.

ABOUT WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE
The Rangers are riding an eight-game winning streak heading into this weekend's play and will host Illinois Springfield on Thursday. Wisconsin-Parkside is 12-1 overall and holds a perfect 4-0 mark in the GLVC. The Rangers jumped to No. 22 in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II top 25 poll earlier this week. Like Lewis, UWP boasts a veteran squad as head coach Luke Reigel has two seniors and a trio of juniors who have started all 13 games to this point of the season. Senior forward Zygimantas Riauka is one of the top all-around players in the GLVC as he averages team-high totals of 17.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest. Junior guard Jimmy Gavin has posted 16.5 points per outing, while junior guard Andy Mazurczak is next at 12.2 points a game. 

McKendree is in search of its first win in the all-time series against Wisconsin-Parkside. The Rangers have won all five previous meetings with the Bearcats, including triumphs of 75-71 at the Statham Center on Jan. 18, 2014 and 84-80 in Somers, Wis., on Feb. 20, 2014.