GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE at ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD -- Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, 7:30 p.m.
The Recreation and Athletic Complex (TRAC) -- Springfield, Ill.
WATCH LIVE (UIS Broadcast)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD SEASON STATISTICS
(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 15)--The McKendree University men's basketball team will meet the University of Illinois Springfield Monday night for the second time in less than two weeks in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. Tip-off between the Bearcats and Prairie Stars will take place at 7:30 p.m. inside The Recreation and Athletic Complex in Springfield, Ill.
McKendree will be playing its third game in five days at UIS. The Bearcats dropped a heartbreaker Saturday afternoon at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 59-57. The host Tritons used a 17-foot jumper from Elijah Watson with 0.9 seconds on the clock to register the win. The basket spoiled a strong second-half comeback for McKendree, which trailed by as many as 16 points in the opening period before building a five-point advantage down the stretch. The loss sent the Bearcats to 10-6 on the year and 1-5 in conference action.
In the first contest of the year between McKendree and Illinois Springfield back on Jan. 6 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center, visiting UIS pulled away in the second half for an 86-72 win. Giovanni Offard paced the Bearcats with 17 points, while Justin Blanks added 16 points in the effort. Nolan Gerling, who scored eight points against the Prairie Stars, pulled down a team-best eight rebounds.
The UIS game will mark the end of a brief two-game road swing for McKendree. The Bearcats will return to the Statham Center on Thursday to start a three-game home stand against Quincy University. Tip-off between the GLVC Central Division opponents will take place at 7:30 p.m.
ABOUT ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD
The Prairie Stars are now 12-4 overall and 4-2 in the GLVC. UIS has won each of its last three games, a streak that started with its 14-point triumph at McKendree nine days ago. On Saturday, UIS needed overtime to register a 94-89 win at Quincy. All five Prairie Star starters scored in double figures, led by Gilwan Nelson with 27 points. Eddie Longmeyer (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Zach Steinberg (11 points, 10 rebounds) each collected a double-double, while Lijah Donnelly contributed 11 points and a team-high five assists.
Longmeyer leads UIS in scoring at 18 PPG and rebounding at 8.2 RPG. Nelson (12.1 PPG) and Donnelly (10.7 PPG) are also averaging in double figures this season. Logan Gonce has dished out a team-best 52 assists for the Prairie Stars.
Steinberg led a host of six Prairie Stars in double figures in the first outing against McKendree with 19 points. Vince Walker and Collin Stallworth each posted 11 points in a reserve role. Longmeyer flirted with a triple-double before finishing the contest with 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
