GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE vs. SALEM INTERNATIONAL -- Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2016, 7 p.m.
Harry M. Statham Sports Center -- Lebanon, Ill.

WATCH LIVE (Bearcat Sports Network)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
SALEM INTERNATIONAL SEASON STATISTICS

(LEBANON, Ill., Dec. 13)--The McKendree University men's basketball team will play its final contest before the holiday break on Wednesday when the Bearcats entertain Salem International University at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The game can be seen live on the Bearcat Sports Network (www.glvcsn.com/mckendree), beginning with the pre-game show at 6:50 p.m.

McKendree will be looking to end the first half of its season with a winning record for the sixth consecutive year in Wednesday's match-up with Salem International. The Bearcats are currently 4-4 on the year and winners of their last two outings. The most recent victory for McKendree came on Saturday in a 92-70 decision over Trevecca Nazarene University. The Bearcats led by seven at the half but pulled away by shooting 69.6 percent over the final 20 minutes of play to gain a season split against the Trojans. Senior guard Michael Jackson (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) connected for a game-high 27 points to lead McKendree over the 90-point mark for the third time in 2016-17. Freshman center Nolan Gerling (Germantown, IL/Mater Dei) posted a double-double with 20 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. In two meetings against Trevecca Nazarene this season, Gerling registered 53 points and 34 rebounds. He went for season-high totals of 33 points and 22 rebounds in the first game versus Trevecca Nazarene on Nov. 26 in Nashville, Tenn.

Junior guard Justin Blanks (Barberton, OH/Norton) netted 17 of his 19 points in the second half of Saturday's win over Trevecca Nazarene, while senior forward Darin Winklelman contributed 16 points in the effort. Both Jackson and Winkelman connected on four three-point field goals. 

Entering Wednesday's game with Salem International, Blanks and Gerling are tied for the team lead in scoring at 17 points per game. The duo is tied for eighth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in scoring. Gerling is also tied with Zach Steinberg from the University of Illinois Springfield for the conference lead in rebounding at 10.4 per outing. They are the only two players in the league who are pulling down more than 10 rebounds a night. Blanks is tied for fourth in the conference in free throw percentage, knocking down 91.7 percent of his tries from the stripe. 

Junior guard Gianni Otto (Remseck, Germany/Otto-Hahn-Gymnasium) sits in a tie for ninth place in the GLVC statistical report in assists. Otto is dishing out exactly four assists per game for the Bearcats in a reserve role. In addition, Otto is seventh in the league in steals at 1.75 per contest, and is third in the GLVC in assist-to-turnover ratio. 

Salem International comes to Lebanon with an overall record of 1-8. The Tigers were members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference until the end of last season, and now compete as an independent in NCAA Division II. Saquan Epps leads a group of four Salem International players scoring in double figures at 14.4 points per outing. Epps is also the Tigers' leading rebounder at 6.5 boards a game. Victor Blakey is next and 11.4 points per contest, and he leads Salem International in assists with 47. Head coach Adam Williams is in his first year on the sidelines for the Tigers. 

This will mark the third consecutive season that McKendree and Salem International have met at the Statham Center. The Bearcats have won both previous contests, including last year's 80-56 triumph on Dec. 16, 2015. Four McKendree players scored in double figures in the effort as the Bearcats outscored the Tigers 42-22 in the second half to pull away for the win. 

Wednesday's game will mark the final contest for McKendree until Dec. 30, when the Bearcats return to action for their final non-conference game against Robert Morris University-Peoria.