LEBANON, Ill. – The McKendree University men's basketball team will look to extract some revenge on the University of Indianapolis when the two teams face off against one another on Thursday, Jan. 13 in a 7:30 p.m. Great Lakes Valley Conference tilt at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center on the McKendree campus.

Thursday's game will be the second between the two schools in nine days as UIndy collected a 63-56 come-from-behind win over the Bearcats on its home court on Jan. 4. In that game, McKendree led 51-44 with a little under eight minutes left in the game, but the 'Hounds closed the game on a 19-5 run, including holding the Bearcats scoreless for almost five minutes en route to posting the victory to extend its win streak to five straight games.

McKendree comes into its rematch with UIndy sporting a 6-4 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the GLVC following its 74-73 upset win this past Saturday at home against then 16th-ranked Truman State. The win over Truman State snapped a two-game losing skid for the Bearcats and it also gave McKendree a second win this season over a nationally-ranked foe as they closed their pre-Christmas schedule with an 80—67 home win over then 21st-ranked Union (Tenn.) University.

In the win against Truman State, the Bearcats defense held the Bulldogs high scoring offense to 73 points, which was nine points under its season scoring average of 82.2 points per game and they also held Truman to 29 percent shooting from the 3-point line. Truman entered the game leading the GLVC in both 3-point field goal percentage (43 percent) and made treys per game (11.3).

Three Bearcats scored in double figures in the win as junior guard Bryson Bultman (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) led the way with 18 points, while redshirt senior guard Brendon Gooch (Belleville, Ill./SIU-Carbondale) tallied a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds and sophomore guard Carson Parker (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) added 14 points in the win.

Through 11 games this season, Bultman leads the Bearcats and is third in the league in scoring as he is averaging 17.3 points per game and has tallied double figures in 10 of 11 games, including eight straight double-digit scoring games. In addition to his scoring, he is averaging 6.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and is leads the league in minutes played as he is averaging 36.1 minutes per game.

In addition to Bultman, Parker and junior guard Aleksandar Davitkov (Belgrade, Serbia/Partizan) are each averaging 8.6 points per game on the season. Along with his scoring, Parker leads the team in rebounding as he is averaging 6.3 boards per game and is shooting 47 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free throw line, while Davitkov is averaging 2.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 39 percent from the field and 38 percent from the 3-point line.

As a team, McKendree is averaging 65.7 points per game and has scored 74 or more points in five of its first 11 games, but is averaging just 58.8 points per game in GLVC play, including scoring 74 points in its last outing against Truman State. Additionally, the Bearcats are outrebounding its foes by 1.4 boards per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field, 35 percent from the 3-point line and 71 percent from the free throw line.

Perhaps the biggest strength this season for the Bearcats is its defense as they enter Thursday's game second in the league in scoring defense as they are allowing 63 points per game and have held all but two opponents under 70 points as Lewis scored 78 in a 78-62 win on Dec. 4 and Truman scored 73 last Saturday. In addition, McKendree is third in the league in three-point field goal percentage defense (30.9 percent) and fourth in the league and 30th in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage defense (40.1 percent).  

Meanwhile, UIndy comes into Thursday's rematch with McKendree having won six consecutive games that has raised its record to 10-3 overall and 4-1 in the GLVC. The Greyhounds haven't played since earning a 78-61 win last Thursday at Missouri S&T as their game on Saturday with Lindenwood was canceled due to health and safety protocols on the Lions program. Along with its six game overall winning streak, UIndy has reeled off three straight wins in GLVC play since an 85-71 loss at Lewis.

Much like McKendree, UIndy comes into the week as one of the top defensive teams in the league as the Greyhounds leads the league in scoring defense (62.3 ppg) and are second in the GLVC in both field goal percentage defense (39.6 percent) and 3-point field goal defense (29.6 percent). Additionally, the 'Hounds are second in the league in both blocked shots as they average 4.38 and have blocked a league best 57 shots and are also second in rebound margin (+6.1).

On offense, UIndy is averaging 77.5 points per game and they have scored 75 or more points in seven of 13 games, including a season high 105 points in a 105-61 home win over East-West University to close the 2021 calendar year. Along with averaging 77.5 points per game, the 'Hounds are shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from the 3-point line and are 15th in the league in free throw shooting at 64.7 percent.

Leading the way offensively for UIndy is redshirt freshman guard/forward Jesse Bingham, who is averaging 15.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 52 percent from the field, 45 percent from the 3-point line and 80 percent from the free throw line. Bingham has scored in double figures in all 13 games, including a season high 26 points last time out against Missouri S&T.

Two other Greyhounds are averaging in double figures on the year as senior guard Cory Miller, Jr. is averaging 14.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, while sophomore forward/center Kendrick Tchoua is averaging 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 59 percent from the field on the year and has recorded two double-doubles.

UIndy is coached by Paul Corsaro, who is in his second season at his alma mater and has compiled a 21-15 overall record and is 14-12 in GLVC games with the 'Hounds.

Thursday's game will mark the second meeting this season and 17th all-time meeting in the series as UIndy has won two straight games and holds a 14-2 edge in the series. The Bearcats have won two of the last four games in the series, but UIndy won the first meeting this season, 63-56 on its home court on Jan. 4.

Following Thursday's game, McKendree will hit the road to play two games in a span of three days as they open the road stretch with a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Romeoville, Ill., against Lewis University and then will travel to Evansville, Ind., for a 7:30 p.m. game on Monday, Jan. 17 at the Southern Indiana.