LEBANON, Ill. – The McKendree University men's basketball team will hit the road for the first time in over a month on Tuesday, Jan. 4 as they travel to Indianapolis, Ind., for a 4:30 p.m. CT Great Lakes Valley Conference match-up at Nicoson Hall against the University of Indianapolis.

Tuesday's game will be the first road game for the Bearcats in the New Year and since a 60-55 loss at Maryville (Mo.) University on Dec. 2, 2021 as the Bearcats are 3-1 away from home on the season, including a 1-1 mark in GLVC road games.

McKendree comes into Tuesday's match-up with the Greyhounds sporting a 5-3 overall record and 1-3 mark in the GLVC following its 68-55 setback less than 24 hours ago at home against Southern Indiana to open the 2022 calendar year. Since opening the season with four consecutive wins, the Bearcats have lost three of its last four games with the lone win being an 80-67 victory over then 21st-ranked Union (Tenn.) University in its final non-conference game of the 2021-22 season on Dec. 14.

Against USI, the Bearcats jumped out to a nine point lead with a little under seven minutes to go in the first half and led 34-32 at the half, before the Screaming Eagles outscored the Bearcats, 36-21 in the second half to post the win in the first game of 2022 for both teams. Against USI, junior guard Bryson Bultman (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) continued his hot play as he scored a game-high 22 points, including scoring 17 of those points in the first half. In addition to Bultman, junior guard Aleksandar Davitkov (Belgrade, Serbia/Partizan) added 10 points and redshirt junior guard CaRondis Harris-Anderson (Waterloo, Iowa/West) tallied seven points off the bench in the loss.

On the season, McKendree is averaging 65.9 points per game and has scored over 74 points in four of its first games, but is averaging just 55.8 points per game in GLVC play. In addition, the Bearcats are outrebounding its foes by 5.1 boards per game, which is third-best in the league and are averaging 36.5 boards per game and is shooting 44 percent from the field, 35 percent from the 3-point line and 70 percent from the free throw line.

Defensively, the Bearcats are the top team in the league in both scoring defense (61.8 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (39.0 percent) and is third in the league in 3-point field goal defense (31.7 percent.). McKendree has held seven of its eight opponents under 70 points and has allowed only 70 points in a game one time which came against Lewis on Dec. 4 as the Flyers tallied 78 points in a 78-62 win over the Bearcats.

Bultman is the lone Bearcat averaging in double figures on the season as he is fourth in the league in scoring at 17.8 points per game and is also averaging 6.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game and is shooting 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and 67 percent from the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in seven games, including six straight games of reach double figures and he has also tallied four games with 20 or more points, including a McKendree season high of 29 points in the season opener against Michigan Tech.

Three other Bearcats are averaging between 8.3 and 9.3 points per game on the season as Davitkov is averaging 9.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game and is shooting 38 percent from both the floor and 3-point line, while sophomore guard Carson Parker (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) is averaging 8.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 46 percent from the field and 79 percent from the free throw line, while redshirt senior guard Oliver Stephen (Edwardsville, Ill./SWIC) is averaging 8.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and leads the team in made treys with 16 and is shooting 42 percent from the field and 39 percent from the 3-point line.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis comes into its first game of the New Year sporting an 8-3 record and a 2-1 mark in the GLVC. The Greyhounds, who were tabbed to finish fourth in the Preseason GLVC East Division Coaches Poll, have won four straight games and seven of its last eight overall with its lone loss being an 85-71 setback at Lewis on Dec. 2. UIndy hasn't played since concluding the 2021 calendar year with a 105-61 home win on New Year's Eve against East-West University and that win came 24 hours after an 88-62 home win over Edinboro (Pa.) University. UIndy's two wins in league play came at Southern Indiana (68-62) and at home against Illinois-Springfield (63-59).

UIndy has been strong at home this season as the Greyhounds are 7-2 on their home court and have won six straight games at home since suffering back-to-back losses to Grand Valley State (77-60) and Cedarville (73-64) on Nov. 14 and Nov. 18 respectively.

The Greyhounds come into Tuesday's game with an offense that is fifth in the league in scoring at 78.7 points per game as they have scored 80 or more points in six of 11 games, including three consecutive games of scoring 85 or more points. As a team, UIndy is shooting 46 percent from the field, 34 percent from the 3-point line and 65 percent from the free throw line and is outrebounding its foes by 4.5 boards per game and is averaging 8.2 made 3-pointers per game, which is seventh-best in the league.

Defensively, UIndy is second in the league in scoring defense as they are allowing just 63 points per game and they have held seven opponents under 65 points, including allowing just 41 points to Ohio Valley. Along with being second in scoring defense, UIndy is second in field goal percentage defense (39.3 percent), second in 3-point field goal percentage defense (29.3 percent) and is also second in turnover margin at +2.91.

Leading the way offensively for UIndy is redshirt freshman guard/forward Jesse Bingham, who is averaging 15.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game and is shooting 52 percent from the field, 44 percent from the 3-point line and 81 percent at the free throw line. Bingham has scored in double figures in all 11 games, including a season high 21 points against Edinboro.

Two other Greyhounds are averaging in double figures on the year as senior guard Cory Miller, Jr. is averaging 13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while sophomore forward/center Kendrick Tchoua is averaging 12.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 58 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 19-15 overall record and is 12-12 in GLVC games with the 'Hounds.

Tuesday's game will mark the 16th all-time meeting in the series as UIndy holds a 13-2 edge in the series. The Bearcats, though, have won two of the last three games in the series with UIndy's lone win coming last season as they defeated the Bearcats, 69-68 in Indianapolis.

Following Tuesday's game, McKendree will return home to host 19th-ranked Truman State on Saturday, Jan. 8. Tip-off for the Truman State game is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon.