GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE vs. SALEM -- Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, 7 p.m.
Harry M. Statham Sports Center -- Lebanon, Ill.
McKENDREE vs. ROBERT MORRIS-SPRINGFIELD -- Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, 7 p.m.
Harry M. Statham Sports Center -- Lebanon, Ill.
WATCH LIVE (Bearcat Sports Network)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
SALEM SEASON STATISTICS
ROBERT MORRIS-SPRINGFIELD SEASON STATISTICS
(LEBANON, Ill., Dec. 12)--In addition to closing out the fall semester with a strong finish in the classroom during finals week, the McKendree University men's basketball team will be looking to ace a pair of non-conference tests on the court this week at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
For the one and only time on the 2017-18 schedule, the Bearcats will play on back-to-back nights. On Wednesday, McKendree will square off against Salem University in Lebanon. Then on Thursday, the Bearcats will host Robert Morris University-Springfield for the second time this season. Both games will tip off at 7 p.m., and both contests will be carried live on the Bearcat Sports Network at www.glvcsn.com/mckendree.
McKendree fell for the first time in Great Lakes Valley Conference play in its last outing on Thursday, an 80-70 setback at home against Truman State University. The Bearcats trailed 19-4 in the opening minutes and could not overcome the fast start by the Bulldogs to snap a two-game win streak. McKendree enters this week's action with an overall record of 5-2 and a 1-1 mark against GLVC foes.
Nate Michael led McKendree with 18 points in the Truman State contest. Justin Blanks (pictured) chipped in with 17 points, while Giovanni Offard netted 12 points. Blanks begins the week as the leading scorer in the GLVC at 20.3 points per game. He is one of just two players in the league averaging better than 20 points per outing. Blanks is also knocking down 2.9 three-point field goals per game, which sits fourth in the GLVC. Gianni Otto continues to pace the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 7.5. He is second in the league in both steals at 2.3 per outing and assists at 4.3 a game. Offard is currently third in the GLVC in steals with 2.1 per contest.
Following the two games this week, McKendree will spend a little more than two weeks away from the court before returning to action on Friday, Dec. 29 at home against Robert Morris University-Peoria. That will mark the Bearcats' final non-conference clash of the season before stepping back into GLVC play on Thursday, Jan. 4 at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
ABOUT SALEM
The Tigers, who play as an NCAA Division II independent, are 4-5 overall. Salem won its last contest, a 66-65 decision on Sunday at home over Lincoln University (Pa.). With Salem holding a one-point lead in the closing seconds, Lincoln missed the back end of a two-shot foul and grabbed the offensive rebound. However, they could not covert to enable the Tigers to escape with the win. Malik Toppin showed the way for Salem with 18 points while adding nine rebounds. Reggie Oliver chipped in with 17 points as Ignacio Rodriguez posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Robinson also registered a double-double, hauling in 13 rebounds while dishing out 11 assists for the Tigers.
Toppin leads Salem in both scoring (21.7 PPG) and rebounding (10.8 RPG). He is also shooting better than 66 percent from the field, 77 percent from the foul line and has registered a team-leading 20 blocked shots. Oliver is close behind in the scoring column at 21.0 PPG and has already handed out 56 assists in the Tigers' first nine games.
McKendree and Salem met during the 2016-17 season at the Statham Center. On Dec. 14, 2016, the Bearcats established an NCAA Division II-era record for points in a game with a 119-92 triumph over the Tigers. McKendree shot 71.4 percent from the field on its way to a 73-point outburst in the first half. Three different Bearcats scored at least 20 points in the win, led by Nate Michael's 27-point effort. Justin Blanks came off the bench to net 22 points while Michael Jackson added 21 points. Nolan Gerling recorded a double-double against Salem with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS-SPRINGFIELD
The Eagles are 2-8 overall this season, and have dropped six straight games since first visiting the Statham Center back on Nov. 18. That night, McKendree shot better than 54 percent from the field in each half on its way to a 102-62 victory. Six different Bearcats reached double figures in the scoring column, led by Justin Blanks with 21 points. Nolan Gerling and Jacob Donaldson each netted 16 points, while Nate Michael helped out with 14 points. Leo Bowen paced Robert Morris-Springfield with 18 points, hitting four three-pointers in the process.
Jacarey Drake leads the Eagles in scoring at 13.3 PPG, while Bowen is next at 11.6 PPG. Tywon Buckley and Treveon Becnel share the team lead in rebounding at 5.2 RPG each.
