(LEBANON, Ill., Dec. 3) – The McKendree University men's basketball team defeated No. 9 Southern Indiana, 68-64 to open up Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) competition Tuesday. The Bearcats improve to 4-2 overall on the season and 1-0 in GLVC play.

Sophomore forward Aleksa Popovic (Belgrade, Serbia/BC Partizan Belgrade) put the Bearcats on the board first with a jumper in the paint to start off the first half. From there the Screaming Eagles regained the lead and held it for the remainder of the half with McKendree finding itself at a 35-23 deficit at half.

The Bearcats started the second half with vengeance, scoring two back-to-back three pointers to cut the lead down to 35-29 within the first minute of play in the half. Momentum remained with McKendree as the Bearcats went on an 18-2 run against Southern Indiana to overpower the Screaming Eagles and take the lead 41-37. McKendree maintained the lead for the remainder of the game to defeat the nationally ranked Screaming Eagles, 68-64.

In the victory, McKendree forced 21 turnovers on Southern Indiana and only tallied 13 of their own. The Bearcats also recorded 13 steals to the Screaming Eagles six. Six individual McKendree players tallied blocks in the game as well to out-block USI, 6-5.

Four Bearcats registered double-digit points for the offense. Freshmen guard Bryson Bultman (Nashville, IL/Nashville) led the pack tallying a new personal best 16 points. Senior guard Logan Kohrman was close behind with 15, Popovic followed with 14, and junior guard Oliver Stephen (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) was next with 11.

Bultman and freshman guard Jakobie Robinson (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central) were key impact players for McKendree, each recording seven rebounds to lead the team. Bultman collected two offensive rebounds and five defensive rebounds while Robinson earned four offensive rebounds and three defensive rebounds.

McKendree will be back in action on Dec. 7 with a match at Union University in Jackson, TN. The game is set for a 4 p.m., tip-off.