(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 11)—The McKendree University men's basketball team won its season opener for the fifth consecutive year thanks to an 88-63 triumph over Principia College Saturday night at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
Four starters – including three playing their first game in a Bearcat uniform – scored in double figures to lead the Bearcats past the visiting Panthers. Junior guard Giovanni Offard led the quartet with 18 points while senior guard Justin Blanks connected for 16 points which included 12 in the first half. Junior guard Malcolm Mabry registered the Bearcats' first double-double of the new season with 15 points and a team-best 13 rebounds as sophomore forward Rathen Carter added 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks.
Senior guard Gianni Otto and junior guard Nate Michael each came off the bench to share game-high honors with six assists and five steals apiece. Michael also added nine points and five rebounds against Principia, while sophomore center Nolan Gerling flirted with a double-double by posting eight points and eight rebounds to go along with a game-best four blocks for McKendree.
Principia (0-1) led in the opening minutes before an 11-0 run by McKendree put the Bearcats in front for good at 15-6 with 11:52 remaining in the first half. Blanks opened the spurt with a lay-up to knot the score at 6-6 before capping the sequence with a three-pointer from the wing. The Bearcats quickly pushed the advantage to double digits before the Panthers answered by scoring eight of nine points to rally within 25-18 at the 6:25 mark.
After the teams traded scores, a lay-up from junior center Lens-Harly Louis sparked an 11-1 run that pushed McKendree out to a 39-22 advantage with just 1:42 left before halftime. The Bearcats held Principia without a field goal and forced five turnovers by the Panthers during the key four-minute stretch.
McKendree took a 45-26 lead into the locker room, then made four of its first five shots from the floor to open the final period in building a 53-31 cushion with exactly 17 minutes remaining. The Bearcats continued to stretch the lead, with its largest advantage coming at 81-48 on a lay-up by Carter with 6:46 on the clock. McKendree shot 51.6 percent (16-of-31) over the final 20 minutes while holding the Panthers to just 32.4 percent from the floor (11-of-34). Defensively, the Bearcats forced Principia to turn the ball over 25 times.
Micah Paulson led all scorers with 27 points for Principia. Trevaughn Goodman posted 13 points for the Panthers, while Parker Davidson hauled in a game-high 13 rebounds in the effort.
Harry Statham, who opened its 52
nd season as the head coach for McKendree on Saturday, added to his record for college basketball victories by any coach – men's or women's – at any four-year institution. Statham now has 1,111 wins, and all have come at the helm of the Bearcats' program.
McKendree will have a week off before hosting Robert Morris University-Springfield at the Statham Center on Nov. 18. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
