GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE vs. CHOWAN -- Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, 1 p.m.
Leemon Field -- Lebanon, Ill.

WATCH LIVE (Bearcat Sports Network)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE GAME NOTES
McKENDREE STATISTICS
CHOWAN GAME NOTES
CHOWAN STATISTICS

VIDEO PREVIEW WITH COACH MIKE BABCOCK

(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 26)—McKendree University will host its second non-conference game in three weeks when the Bearcats play host to Chowan University on Saturday at Leemon Field. Kickoff for the contest is slated for 1 p.m. The Bearcat Sports Network will provide live video of the game beginning with the pre-game show at approximately 12:45 p.m. at www.glvcsn.com/mckendree.
 
McKendree is in search of its first win of 2019, bringing an 0-3 overall mark in Saturday's match-up. The Bearcats were defeated by then-No. 14 Indianapolis in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener for both teams last Saturday in Lebanon, 63-21. Freshman quarterback Turner Pullen (Shelbyville, IL/Shelbyville) had a hand in all three touchdowns on the day for McKendree, throwing for two while adding a one-yard quarterback sneak midway through the fourth quarter. Pullen threw for 199 yards against the Greyhounds.
 
With his two TD tosses against UIndy, Pullen became the first quarterback in McKendree program history to throw touchdown passes in each of his first three career starts. Pullen has thrown for five scores over those first three contests for the Bearcats.
 
One of the touchdown passes went for 62 yards to sophomore wide receiver Steven Towns, Jr. (Normal, IL/Normal Community) The 62-yard strike represents the longest play from scrimmage through the Bearcats' first three outings.
 
Matt Cole (Chicago, IL/Curie) caught a game-high six passes for 97 yards and averaged nearly 30 yards on four kick returns. Cole has moved back to the top of the list of NCAA Division II's active leaders in kick return average, netting more than 31 yards per effort.
 
Junior linebacker Iben King (Chicago, IL/Brother Rice) had a career day, posting 10 tackles to match senior linebacker Ricco Gipson, Jr. (Godfrey, IL/Alton), for team-high honors. Senior linebacker Kennith Wilson (Chicago, IL/Simeon) helped out with eight stops, while sophomore defensive back Devon Myles (Chicago, IL/Westinghouse College Prep) added five tackles and an interception.
 
Saturday's contest will mark game three in the Bearcats' four-game home stand. McKendree will wrap up its month-long stay at Leemon Field with a GLVC battle next Saturday against the league's newest member, Lindenwood University. Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m. as the game will also be the NCAA Division II Showcase game of the week. The match-up will be broadcast live on several social media platforms, including Facebook Live and Twitter.
 
ABOUT CHOWAN
The Hawks enter Saturday's contest with a 1-2 overall record. Chowan (pronounced CHO-wahn) dug a 27-point hole in its Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association opener last Saturday night at home against Shaw before forcing overtime. The Hawks eventually fell in double overtime by a score of 48-47. Chowan racked up 439 yards of total offense on the night, including 244 through the air.
 
Quarterback Bryce Witt threw for 201 yards and four touchdowns against Shaw. Dominic Floyd caught six passes for 40 yards with two TDs in the contest. Floyd also threw a 43-yard scoring pass to Sam Dunn during the Hawks' 28-point third quarter outburst that started the second-half comeback. Deshaun Wethington rushed for a game-high 106 yards on 15 attempts. Connor O'Brien paced the Chowan defense with 15 tackles, while Rafiq Abdul-Wahid and Colby Scott each chipped in with nine stops.
 
Witt has thrown for 630 yards and 11 touchdowns through the Hawks' first three games. Imeek Watkins leads the team's receiving corps with 16 receptions for 286 yards with five scores. Wethington has rushed for 362 yards and a trio of TDs. Defensively, O'Brien shows the way with 35 tackles, while Scott is next with 26 stops, including four for loss. Josh Berry has 20 tackles and two interceptions in the early going for the Hawks.
 
McKendree and Chowan put up video game-like numbers in their first meeting on Sept. 22, 2018 in Murfreesboro, N.C. The teams combined for 1,265 yards of total offense and 100 points on the day. The Bearcats built an early 24-7 lead before the Hawks rallied to grab a 55-45 decision. Reece Metcalf (Mount Carmel, IL/Mount Carmel) threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Bearcats' offensive attack. Josh Revay (Livermore, CA/Granada) grabbed eight of those passes for 113 yards with two scores. Preston Thompson (Hazel Crest, IL/Tinley Park) led all players with 146 rushing yards for McKendree. Chowan's Witt set a school record by throwing for 439 yards on the day with three touchdown passes.