(SAN JUAN, P.R., Dec. 17)—Senior guard Justin Blanks poured in a season-high 31 points to lead the McKendree University men's basketball team to an 84-65 victory Sunday evening against the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras in the first of two games for the Bearcats in Puerto Rico.
 
Blanks scored 17 of his points in the first half and finished the night with eight rebounds as McKendree won its third consecutive game and fifth in its last six outings. The Bearcats are now 8-2 on the season and will wrap up their five-day visit Monday evening by taking on the University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon in a game scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CT. The 31 points scored by Blanks was just one shy of his career-high of 32 set last February against William Jewell College.
 
Junior guard Giovanni added 17 points and a team-leading five assists for McKendree, while junior guard Nate Michael contributed 10 points in the win. Junior forward Malcolm Mabry scored eight points and hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds for the Bearcats, marking the fourth time this season that Mabry has reached double figures in the rebound column.
 
McKendree held a 27-24 lead in the later stages of the first half before the Bearcats stretched the lead to double digits late in the period. Back-to-back lay-ups from senior guard Gianni Otto and junior center Lens-Harly Louis ignited a 10-0 run to give McKendree a 37-24 advantage with 2:22 remaining until halftime. Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras cut the margin down to just nine points in the final minute before Blanks drilled a three-pointer on the Bearcats' last possession of the half to give McKendree a 42-30 lead at the intermission.
 
In the second half, McKendree was able to increase its advantage thanks in part to shooting 58.3 percent from the field (14-of-24) over the final 20 minutes. The Bearcats never trailed in the second half, although the Roosters trimmed the deficit to four points on three different occasions in the period. After Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras got within 61-57 midway through the half, McKendree answered with an 9-2 run to push its lead back to 70-61 at the 5:09 mark. Offard scored six of the Bearcats' nine points during the burst. McKendree was able to slowly pull away, then sealed the victory at the free throw line, hitting its final eight attempts from the stripe.
 
Josue Erazo led Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras with 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Josael Ramos added 15 opints and a game-high four steals for the Roosters. Sunday's game marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.