CHESTERFIELD, Mo. - McKendree University men's basektball (14-12, 10-9 GLVC) swept the Maryville Saints in the season series on Thursday night, up-ending the Saints, 72-56, on the road. The Bearcats were led by a trio of double-digit scorers with senior guard
Bryson Bultman, junior forward
Milos Vicentic, and sophomore guard
Caleb Zurliene. McKendree takes on UMSL on Saturday afternoon as they pushto clinch a Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament spot, where they currently sit eighth overall.
Vicentic led all scorers in the game with 23 points on 6-10 shooting, 4-5 from beyond the arc, and 7-10 from the charity stripe, while grabbing 11 rebounds in 29 minutes on the court. Bultman tallied 20 points on 9-13 shooting from the field, which helped him eclipse 1,500 points all-time at McKendree (1,504) while dishing out three assists and adding six rebounds. Bultman now also sits atop the McKendree Division II scoring charts (since 2013), passing Nate Michael (1,503 | 2014-2019). Zurliene amassed 14 points during his night, going 8-8 from the free throw line while collecting seven boards.
The first half was a tight contest with the Bearcats taking a lead at the 17:55 mark and not looking back during the first 20 minutes. McKendree's lead built to six at most until four-minutes remaining when Zurliene knocked down a pair of free throws to go up eight. With 11 seconds remaining, Vicentic managed to bang home a three-pointer to make the lead 11 points off an assist by Bultman. Maryville missed a three to end the half, keeping the double-figure lead for the visiting-Bearcats.
The junior Vicentic started off the second half the same way he ended the first half for McKendree with another three-pointer, as Zurliene sent the assist. Maryville fought back to cut the Bearcats' lead down to just three points with just under 10 minutes to go but McKendree quickly rebuilt its lead. Vicentic hit another three while senior guard
Aleksandar Davitkov got down the court for a fast-break lay-in, making the lead eight points. Entering the under-four media timeout, McKendree led by 15 points after Bultman dropped in a lay up.
The Bearcats held-out for a 16-point win with seven scorers on the night, hitting seven threes while shooting 53.3-percent from the field overall. McKendree out-rebounded the Saints, 37-32, while blocking seven shots by Maryville. McKendree held the Saints to just 20.8-percent from the arc and 32.8-percent overall. The game also marked Bultmans eighth 20-point outing of the season and Vicentic's seventh of the year.
LEADERS
#31
Milos Vicentic | 23 points / 6-10 FGs / 4-5 3PTs / 7-10 FTs / 11 rebounds
#13
Bryson Bultman | 20 points / 9-13 FGs / 6 rebounds / 3 assists /
#3
Caleb Zurliene | 14 points / 3-6 FGs / 8-8 FTs / 7 rebounds / 5 blocks
UP NEXT
McKendree men's basketball will seek to clinch a GLVC tournament spot on Saturday, barring a handfuls of separate dominoes falling, with a win over UMSL on the road. Earlier this season, McKendree fell to UMSL, 83-73, at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
