GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE vs. BLACKBURN -- Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015, 7 p.m. -- Harry M. Statham Sports Center, Lebanon, Ill.
WATCH LIVE (Bearcat Sports Network)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE FINAL 2014-15 SEASON STATISTICS
BLACKBURN SEASON STATISTICS
(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 17)--The McKendree University men's basketball team will lift the lid on its 2015-16 regular season on Tuesday by hosting Blackburn College in non-conference play. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. The game will also be broadcast live on the Bearcat Sports Network at www.mckbearcats.com/watch.
The Bearcats wrapped up their two-game exhibition schedule for the 2015-16 pre-season with a 106-41 victory last Tuesday at home against St. Louis Christian College. Five McKendree players scored in double figures, led by a 23-point effort from junior
David Franklin (O'Fallon, IL/Althoff Catholic). He was 11-of-14 from the field while adding six rebounds in the effort. Junior
Michael Jackson (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) had 21 points against the Soldiers, while senior
Brandon Book (Albers, IL/Breese Central) finished the night with 14 points and nine rebounds. Book hit four three-point shots in the win. Junior
Darin Winkelman (Steeleville, IL/Steeleville) notched a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds as sophomore
Rob Hudson (Schaumburg, IL/Conant) also connected for 12 points. As a team, McKendree shot 56.7 percent against St. Louis Christian (38-of-67) while holding a 53-32 edge in rebounding.
Harry Statham will begin his 50th season as the head coach for the McKendree men's basketball program. Statham is the all-time wins leader in men's college basketball history, bringing 1,088 career victories into Tuesday's contest. He is one of four men's collegiate coaches with more than 1,000 wins, and needs just 11 victories to become the all-time leader among all collegiate head coaches at the four-year level. Statham only trails former University of Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt, who amassed 1,098 victories in her career.
Blackburn made its 2015-16 debut with a 90-60 loss on Saturday evening at Washington University in St. Louis. Reed Rusten came off the bench to lead the Beavers with 21 points and five rebounds, including a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line. Rusten also had three steals against the Bears, and was the only Blackburn player to score in double figures. Damon Goodloe, Jr., added nine points in a reserve role.
Tuesday's contest will mark the beginning of a three-game home stand for McKendree. The Bearcats will host a pair of non-conference foes next week prior to the Thanksgiving break. McKendree will face Lincoln University next Tuesday, Nov. 24, before taking on Robert Morris University-Springfield on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Both games are set to begin at 7 p.m. in the Statham Center.
