LEBANON, Ill. – McKendree University men's basketball will hit the road for two games in the Show-Me-State this week as they cross the Mississippi River to play Great Lakes Valley Conference games with Missouri S&T and Drury University.

The Bearcats, who are ranked sixth in the latest GLVC TicketSmarter Point Rating System with a PRS ranking of 3.50, begins its trip in Rolla, Mo., with a 7:30 p.m. contest on Thursday, Feb. 10 against Missouri S&T, before traveling to Springfield, Mo., for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 12 against Drury.

McKendree comes into this week's action having won six of its last eight games overall and is sporting an 11-6 overall record and a 7-6 mark in the GLVC play following its 88-83 double overtime home loss on Monday to Southwest Baptist. The other loss in this eight game stretch was a 78-63 setback at Truman State nearly two weeks ago.

During its recent eight game run, the Bearcats are averaging 76.1 points per game and shooting 49 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line and 80 percent from the free throw line. In addition, they are averaging 10.0 3-pointers per game and have scored over 70 points in seven of those eight games, including a season high 91 points in a home win over Quincy on Jan. 20. On defense, they are allowing 73.4 points per game and their opponents are shooting 32 percent from the 3-point line and 69 percent at the free throw line.

Overall on the season, the Bearcats are averaging 70.1 points per game and have scored 74 or more points in nine of 17 games and are averaging 68.3 points in GLVC play. Additionally, the Bearcats are outrebounding its foes by 1.1 boards per game and are shooting 47 percent from the field, 37 percent from the 3-point line and 75 percent from the free throw line. McKendree is fourth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage and fifth in free throw percentage and is third in league in three-pointers made per game as they average 8.5.

Perhaps the biggest strength this season for the Bearcats has been its defense as McKendree enters this week's play sitting fifth in the league in scoring defense as they are allowing 67.3 points per game and have held seven opponents under 70 points. In addition, McKendree is third in the league and 57th in Division II in 3-point field goal defense (31.8 percent) and seventh in field goal percentage defense (43.4 percent).  

Leading the way offensively for the Bearcats through the first 17 games this season is junior guard Bryson Bultman (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) as he is second in the league in scoring at 19.8 points per game and has tallied double figures in 16 of 17 games, including 15 straight games of scoring in double digits. Along with his scoring, he is pulling down 6.0 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game and leads the league in minutes played at 36.8 minutes per games and is coming off a 25 point effort in a career-high 50 minutes of action against Southwest Baptist. Along with scoring in double figures in 15 straight games, Bultman has scored 20 or more points in five of his last six games, including two games with 30 or more points, which is tops among all league players.

Along with Bultman, redshirt senior guard Brendon Gooch (Belleville, Ill./SIU-Carbondale) is second on the team in scoring as he is averaging 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 41 percent from the floor, 35 percent from the 3-point line and 82 percent at the free throw line. Gooch has tallied double figures in scoring in eight of his last nine games and has recorded two double-doubles on the year.

Meanwhile, Thursday's opponent, Missouri S&T, comes into play having lost two straight games and is sporting a 9-11 overall record and 5-8 mark in the GLVC. In the latest GLVC TicketSmarter Point Rating System, S&T is ranked ninth with a PRS ranking of 2.92. Prior the Miners' latest two-game losing skid, they had won three consecutive games, including a 75-71 home win over Southwest Baptist on Jan. 20. S&T is 7-4 at home this season and is 3-3 at home in GLVC play, but they have won two straight games at home.

The Miners are one of the top scoring and shooting teams in the GLVC this season as they enter the week fourth in the league in scoring as they are averaging 76.4 points per game and is fifth in the league in both field goal percentage (47.0 percent) and 3-point field goal percentage (37.4 percent). Additionally, they make 8.5 treys per game and are also one of the top rebounding teams in the league as they are pulling down 35.9 boards per game, which is fourth-best in the GLVC.

S&T is paced offensively by freshman guard Julien Smith, who leads the league in scoring at 20.2 points per game and is also tops in the league and 10th in Division II in 3-point field goals made per game as he makes 3.5 per game on the year and is third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.7 percent. Smith has made 70 treys in 20 games this season and has reached double figures in all 20 games, including 12 games of scoring 20 or more points.

In addition to Smith, the team's No. 2 scorer is another freshman, Kaden Froebe. Froebe, who is the younger brother of McKendree junior women's basketball player Kaelyn Froebe, is averaging 11.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and is third in the league in steals as he averages 2.1 per game and is shooting 50 percent from the field, while graduate student forward Alex Strating is the third double-digit scorer for the Miners as he is averaging 10.7 points per game and is shooting 61 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line.

S&T is coached by Bill Walker, who is in his in his third season at his alma mater and recorded a 19-47 overall record and a 13-40 mark in the GLVC with the Miners. Prior to returning to his alma mater, Walker spent five seasons as the head coach at Illinois-Springfield and has compiled a 78-129 record in his eight seasons as a collegiate coach.

Thursday's game will mark the 10th all-time meeting in the series as S&T holds a slight 5-4 edge, but the Bearcats have won two straight games in the series, including a 77-68 win last season in Lebanon. McKendree leads 3-1 at home, while S&T leads 4-1 on its home court.

Meanwhile, Saturday's opponent, Drury, comes into the weekend having won two straight games to move its record to 7-11 overall and 4-6 in the GLVC. The Panthers, who host Southern Indiana on Thursday before facing McKendree on Saturday for Homecoming, is currently ranked 12th in the GLVC TicketSmarter Point Rating System as they have a PRS rating of 2.70. DU's current win streak began with a 75-74 win at Lindenwood last Saturday and that win was followed up with a 72-65 home victory on Monday over William Jewell. Prior to its current two game win streak, Drury had lost six of seven games with the lone win being an 82-76 victory over Missouri S&T on Jan. 29. Drury is 5-3 at home this season, but a perfect 3-0 at home in league play.

The Panthers are strong at shooting the 3-point shot this season as Drury is second in the league in made 3-pointers per game as they are averaging 9.0 per game and are shooting 37.1 percent from downtown this year. Additionally, Drury is fourth in the league in assists as they average 14.0 per game and is one of the top offensive rebounding teams as they average 9.9 offensive boards per game and have collected 178 in 18 games. On offense, Drury is averaging 72.9 points per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field and has a 1.1 assist/turnover ratio.

Four Panthers are averaging in double figures on the year as junior guard Malek Davis is leading the way as he is averaging 14.9 points per game and is also averaging 2.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game and is shooting 40 percent from the field and 37 percent from the 3-point line. Davis has scored in double figures in 14 games, including tallying 31 points last Saturday at Lindenwood.

In addition to Davis, senior guard/forward Victor Nwagbarachoa is averaging 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while sophomore guard Quenton Shelton is averaging 10.6 points per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field and 38 percent from the 3-point line and is averaging 2.2 made treys per game. The fourth double-digit scorer is senior forward Obi Okafor, who is averaging 10.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

Drury is coached by former McKendree head coach Chris Foster, who is in his first season with the Panthers after spending the previous three seasons with the Bearcats. Current Bearcat head coach George Suggs was an assistant for Foster at McKendree. Foster has compiled a 7-11 record at Drury and is 124-91 in his eighth season as a collegiate head coach.

Saturday's game will mark the 10th all-time meeting between the two schools as Drury holds a 7-2 lead in the series. The Bearcats have dropped two straight in the series to the Panthers, including an 82-77 home loss in Lebanon last season. Drury leads 4-1 in Lebanon and 3-1 on its home court.

Following this week's action, the Bearcats will have its final homestand of the 2021-22 regular season next week as they host Indianapolis for a make-up game on Monday, Feb. 14 at 5:30 p.m., before facing Lindenwood for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m. and then hosting Maryville for Senior Day and Alumni Day on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m.