GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE vs. TRUMAN STATE -- Thursday, Dec, 7, 2017, 7:30 p.m.
Harry M. Statham Sports Center -- Lebanon, Ill.

WATCH LIVE (Bearcat Sports Network)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
TRUMAN STATE SEASON STATISTICS

(LEBANON, Ill., Dec. 6)--The McKendree University will be in search of its first 2-0 start in Great Lakes Valley Conference play when the Bearcats play host to Truman State University Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. Thursday's game can be seen live on the Bearcat Sports Network at www.glvcsn.com/mckendree.

McKendree opened a four-game home stand Monday evening with a 116-50 victory over Central Christian College (Mo.). The Bearcats shot 55.4 percent for the game -- including 59.5 percent in the second half -- while holding the visiting Saints to just 27.5 percent from the floor. Six different McKendree players scored in double figures, led by 23 points from Justin Blanks. Troy Pedtke came off the bench to drop in a career-best 13 points, while Nolan Gerling and Giovanni Offard each connected for 12 points. Jacob Donaldson contributed 11 points as Malcolm Mabry rounded out the list of double-digit scorers for the Bearcats with 10 points. Gerling and Mabry each registered a double-double in the contest as they shared team-high rebounding honors with 12 each. Gianni Otto had nine points and a career-high nine assists in the win for McKendree, which pushed the Bearcats' record to 5-1 on the year. 

Thanks in part to its defensive effort against Central Christian on Monday, McKendree leads the GLVC in scoring defense heading into Thursday night's contest. The Bearcats are allowing just 67.7 points per outing. McKendree is also limiting its opponents to just 42.3 percent shooting on the year, which also tops the league stat sheet. The Bearcats also rank first in the latest GLVC statistical report in rebounding offense (43.0 RPG), assists (19.3 APG) and steals (9.8 SPG).

Individually, Blanks is second among all GLVC players in scoring at 20.8 PPG, while Mabry is seventh in the league in rebounding at 8.0 RPG. Otto holds down the No. 2 spot in the GLVC in assists, averaging 4.8 per game, is third in steals at 2.2 APG and leads all GLVC player in assist/turnover ratio at 9.8. Gerling sits seventh in the league in blocked shots (1.0 BPG) and is eighth in field goal percentage (64.8 percent). 

Following the game with Truman State, McKendree will have a six-day break before hosting Salem International University on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. The next night -- Thursday, Dec. 14 -- the Bearcats will close out the first semester with a non-conference battle against Robert Morris University-Springfield. 

ABOUT TRUMAN STATE
The Bulldogs are 3-4 overall and 0-1 in the GLVC following an 88-83 setback on Saturday at home against the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Truman State lost the Tritons despite shooting 55.1 percent from the field. The Bulldogs held an 83-82 lead with 42 seconds remaining before UMSL reeled off the final six points to grab the win. Brodric Thomas led the way for Truman State with 25 points and eight rebounds, while Jake Vekly contributed 17 points and a team-leading six assists. 

Velky leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 18.7 points per game, which ranks fifth among all GLVC players. He also has dished out a team-best 25 assists and is shooting 89.7 percent from the free throw line. Zach Fischer is averaging a double-double for Truman State with 17.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per outing. Fischer has connected on 69.2 percent of his field goal attempts, which is third in the GLVC, and is second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage at 61.5 percent. 

The teams met once during the 2016-17 season, where Truman State recorded a 95-79 win over McKendree on Jan. 7, 2017 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. Nate Michael dropped in 23 points against the Bulldogs while Nolan Gerling had 10 points and five assists.