LEBANON, Ill. – McKendree University men's basketball seeks to win its second straight game as the Bearcats travel to Jackson, Tenn., for a 6 p.m. non-conference game on Tuesday, Nov. 22 against Union University at Fred DeLay Gymnasium.
 
Tuesday's game will be the second game in five days for the Bearcats as McKendree opened the home portion of its 2022-23 schedule with an impressive 94-65 win over Culver-Stockton on Friday, Nov. 18 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
McKendree enters Tuesday's third away game this season sporting a 1-2 overall record, but the Bearcats have lost both of its games away from home this season as they fell 100-93 to Northern Michigan in the first game of the season opening GLVC/GLIAC Crossover hosted by Michigan Tech and then fell 77-67 to Michigan Tech.
 
Against Culver-Stockton in Friday's home game, the Bearcats recorded season highs in points (94), first half points (50), rebounds (41), assists (25), field goals made (37), field goal percentage (55.2), three-pointers made (16), three-pointers attempted (38) and 3-point field goal percentage (42.1).
 
The Bearcats opened the game making 12 of its first 14 shots, including going 7-for-8 from the 3-point line in sprinting out to a 31-14 leads just eight-plus minutes into the contest and finished the game shooting 55 percent from the field and 42 percent from the 3-point line.
 
Four Bearcats scored in double figures in this past Friday's win as sophomore forward Caleb Zurliene (Aviston, Ill./Purdue Northwest) scored a career-high tying 18 points, while junior forward Milos Vicentic (Belgrade, Serbia/OKK Belgrade), senior guard Eric Powell II (Lexington, Ill./Asbury University) and senior guard Aleksandar Davitkov (Belgrade, Serbia/Partizan) each scored 14 points.  Two others fell just two points shy of double digits as senior guard Bryson Bultman (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) and sophomore forward Hayden Meakes (Adelaide, Australia/Adams State) both tallied eight points.
 
On the season, McKendree is averaging 84.7 points per game and has scored over 90 points in two of three games and is allowing 80.7 points per game and has held two opponents to less than 78 points after allowing 100 points in its season opener. In addition, McKendree is getting outrebounded by less than a board per game and has an -0.7 turnover margin and is averaging 3.3 blocks per game. Defensively, McKendree's opponents are shooting 46 percent from the field and 41 percent from the 3-point line.
 
Three Bearcats are averaging in double figures on the season as Powell II and Vicentic are each averaging 16.7 points per game on the year, while Bultman is averaging 15.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and has shot 23 free throws and is averaging 7.7 free throw attempts per game and are making six free throws per game. He is currently 41st on the school's all-time scoring chart with 1,119 points.
 
Meanwhile, Union comes into Tuesday's home game with McKendree sporting a 3-1 overall record and a 2-0 mark in the Gulf South Conference and the Bulldogs have reeled off three straight wins since opening the season with a 71-67 loss at Tuskegee. Union's most recent win in its current streak came at home on Saturday against Delta State as the Bulldogs collected a 73-50 win over the Statesmen.
 
Union comes into play on Tuesday sporting an offense that is averaging 69.5 points per game and have scored over 70 points in its last two games, including a season high 74 points in this past Thursday's home game with Mississippi College. On defense, Union is averaging 62.0 points per game and has allowed just one opponent – Tuskegee – to score over 70 points on the year as they scored 71 in its 71-67 win. The Bulldogs are shooting 44 percent from the field, 32 percent from the 3-point line and 71 percent from the free throw line and are outrebounding its foes by 6.7 boards per game.
 
Defensively, Union's opponents are shooting 37 percent from the field, 27 percent from the 3-point line and 63 percent from the free throw line and are blocking 4.8 shots per game with two players having had six or more blocks on the year.
 
Leading the way offensively for Union is senior guard Tylandrius Parks, who is averaging 19.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line and 83 percent from the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in all three games, including two games of scoring 20 or more points.

In addition to Parks, senior forward Boe Nguidjol is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per. Game and is shooting 48 percent from the field and 76 percent from the free throw line, while graduate student guard Jalen Johnson is averaging 10.8 points per game and is shooting 43 percent from the field, 39 percent from the 3-point line and 77 percent from the free throw line. The fourth double-digit scorer is junior Jeremiah Littlepage, who is averaging 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 51 percent from the field and has blocked six shots.
 
David Niven is in his 14th season at the helm of the Bulldogs as he has led the Bulldogs to three NCAA Tournament appearances and has averaged nearly 18 wins a season with the Bulldogs. Last season, Union posted a 24-9 overall record and advanced to the NCAA South Regional Tournament where they fell 81-80 in the semifinals to Nova Southeastern. It marked the program's second regional semifinal appearance at the Division II level.
 
Tuesday's game will mark the 18th all-time meeting in the series with Union holding a 12-5 lead in the series, but the Bearcats picked up an 80-67 win last season in Lebanon, Ill., against the Bulldogs. Union leads 5-4 in Lebanon and 7-1 on its home court against the Bearcats.
 
In last season's win over Union, the Bearcats put five players in double figures and scored a then season-high 80 points in picking up an 80-67 win over then 21st-ranked Union. Bultman and junior guard Carson Parker (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) led the way offensively with 17 points, while Oliver Stephen scored 14 points. Senior guard Aleksandar Davitkov (Belgrade, Serbia/Partizan) and CaRondis Harris-Anderson each tallied 10 points in the win.

Following Tuesday's game, the Bearcats will open Great Lakes Valley Conference play this coming weekend with a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, Nov. 26 in Kirksville, Mo., against Truman State and then playing a 7:30 p.m. game on Monday, Nov. 28 in Liberty, Mo., against William Jewell College.