(EVANSVILLE, Ind., Dec. 3)—The McKendree University men's basketball team saw its season-opening four-game win streak come to an end Thursday evening with an 89-61 loss at the University of Southern Indiana.
The host Screaming Eagles shot 52.9 percent in the second half (18-of-34) to pull away and register the win in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener for both teams. McKendree slips to 4-1 on the year and will head east to Louisville, Ky., for a Saturday afternoon GLVC contest at Bellarmine University. Tip-off is set for 3:15 p.m.. ET (2:15 p.m. CT). The game will be broadcast globally on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
Junior guard
Michael Jackson (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) scored 10 of his game-high 17 points to lead the way for McKendree. Jackson also pulled down a team-leading six rebounds and dished out two assists for the Bearcats. Junior forward
Darin Winkelman (Steeleville, IL/Steeleville) connected for 12 points, while senior forward
Brandon Book (Albers, IL/Breese Central) chipped in with 10 points for McKendree.
Southern Indiana (5-2, 1-0 GLVC) led from start to finish, building a 7-2 lead before McKendree chipped away at the deficit. The Bearcats pulled within 14-10 after a three-pointer from Book with 11:30 left in the first half. The Screaming Eagles responded by scoring seven of the next eight points to extend its margin to 21-11 at the 8:50 mark. McKendree got within nine points on two different occasions in the later stages of the period before USI took a 40-28 lead into the locker room.
The teams traded baskets in the opening stages of the second half before Southern Indiana ripped off eight consecutive points to grab a 64-41 advantage with 10:18 on the clock. The Screaming Eagles led by as many as 29 points in notching the win.
Cortez Macklin came off the bench to score a team-high 15 points for Southern Indiana. George Edwards and Bobo Drummond each added 13 points for the Screaming Eagles, while Jeril Taylor pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds in the effort.
Southern Indiana was able to avenge an 88-82 loss to McKendree back on Jan. 29 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in the only meeting between the two schools during the 2014-15 season.
