LEBANON, Ill. – The McKendree University men's basketball will return to action for the first time in 11 days on Monday, Nov. 29 as the Bearcats open the Great Lakes Valley Conference portion of its 2021-22 schedule with a 7:30 p.m. contest in Springfield, Ill., against the University of Illinois-Springfield.
 
Monday's GLVC opener will be the first game for the Bearcats since they home their home schedule with a 75-53 win over Harris-Stowe State University to open the season 3-0 for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Bearcats are seeking the first 4-0 start to a season since the 2015-16 season.
 
The game with UIS will mark the first of three game in six days for the Bearcats as they follow up its trip to Springfield with a 7:30 p.m. game on Thursday, Dec. 2 in Town & Country, Mo., against Maryville University and then returns home to the Harry M. Statham Sports Center for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, Dec. 4 against Lewis University.
 
In the win against Harris-Stowe in its most recent action, the Bearcats led 21-4 just 10 minutes into the game and led 41-22 at the half before cruising to its 22-point victory. In the win, sophomore guard Carson Parker (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) led the way with a career-high 17 points, while junior guard Bryson Bultman (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) added 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and redshirt junior guard CaRondis Harris-Anderson (Waterloo, Iowa/Waterloo West) tallied 13 points, including nine of those points in the first half.
 
The Bearcats shot 51.8 percent from the field, 47 percent from the 3-point line and 82 percent from the free throw line in the win, while they held the Hornets to 36 percent shooting from the field and 27 percent from the 3-point line. McKendree held a 35-28 edge on the boards, while forcing 14 turnovers that led to 19 points.
 
On the season, the Bearcats are averaging 74.7 points per game and have scored at least 74 points in all three games this season and are allowing 58.0 points per game and have held two of its three opponents under 60 points. In addition, the Bearcats are shooting 54 percent from the field, 46 percent from the 3-point line and 71 percent from the free throw line and has a +10.3 rebound margin and a 1.2 assist/turnover ratio.
 
Bultman is one of three Bearcats averaging in double figures on the season as he is averaging 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game and has a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio and is shooting 49 percent from the field, 33 percent from the 3-point line and 69 percent from the free throw line.
 
In addition to Bultman, the No. 2 scorer on the season is Parker, who is averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game is shooting 56 percent from the field, 43 percent from the 3-point line and 83 percent from the free throw line, while junior guard Aleksandar Davitkov (Belgrade, Serbia/Partizan) is the No. 3 scorer as he is averaging 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game and is shooting 58 percent from the field, 60 percent from the 3-point line and 83 percent from the free throw line.
 
Meanwhile, UIS comes into its GLVC opener Monday at home with McKendree is sporting a 2-3 overall record on the season as the Prairie Stars haven't played since picking up a 94-57 win over Ohio Valley on Wednesday at the UIndy Thanksgiving Classic. In addition to defeating Ohio Valley, UIS opened the UIndy event with a 79-71 loss to Northwood (Mich.). The Prairie Stars opened the season losing its first two games, before winning two of its last three games overall with the other in coming at home against Eureka (68-39) on Nov. 18.
 
As a team, UIS, who was tabbed to finish tied for second with Lewis University in the Preseason GLVC East Division poll as both teams earned 11 points and the Prairie Stars earned two first place votes, is averaging 77.6 points per game and is allowing 70.2 points per game. The Prairie Stars have scored over 70 in four of its five games, including a season high 94 points in its last action against Ohio Valley.
 
The Prairie Stars are shooting 47 percent from the field, but 30 percent from the 3-point line and 58 percent from the free throw line. UIS holds slight (+0.2) edge on the boards and has a +4.2 turnover ratio as they are forcing 14.8 turnovers per game and committing a little less than 11 turnovers per game.
 
Leading the way for UIS is sophomore forward James Kelley, who is averaging 17.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and is shooting 66 percent from the field and has blocked five shot and collected seven steals. In addition to Kelley, sophomore Chase Robinson is averaging 14.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and is shooting 43 percent from the floor, 33 percent from long distance and 71 percent from the free throw line and senior guard Chris Hamil is averaging 11.0 points per game and is shooting 40 percent from the field and has made six treys, which is second-most on the team.
 
Matt Brock is in his third season as the Prairie Stars coach as he has compiled 24-29 record at UIS and has a 111-69 record in his seventh season as a collegiate coach as Brock spent four seasons (2015-19) as the head coach at Missouri Baptist University and posted an 87-40 record at MBU. In his time at UIS, Brock has helped the program record three wins against nationally-ranked teams.
 
Monday's game will mark the 34th meeting all-time in the series with McKendree holding an 18-15 lead in the series. The Bearcats won the most recent meeting, 66-42, at McKendree on Feb. 16, 2021. McKendree leads the series, 10-7 in Lebanon, while also leading 8-7 at UIS. UIS won the only meeting on a neutral court.
 
Following Monday's game, the Bearcats will play at Maryville on Thursday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. The Bearcats first GLVC home contest is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4 as the Bearcats host Lewis University at 3 p.m.