LEBANON, Ill. – The Bearcats are gearing up to welcome the Quincy University Hawks and the University of Illinois – Springfield Prairie Stars this weekend at the Melvin Price Convocation Center.
Series History
The series against the Hawks has been evenly contested. The Bearcats do hold a 6-2 advantage over Quincy in the MPCC. Back on December 9th, QU defeated McKendree in Quincy by the score of 80-63.
This also the 2nd time the two teams have met in the series against Illinois – Springfield. On December 7th in Springfield, UIS pulled away with the 97-70 victory to take the one game lead in the series history at 16 to 15.
Point-Rating System
After the conclusion of the games last weekend, the GLVC released the second edition of their Point-Rating System (PRS). Entering year seven of the system, it is used to qualify and seed the top-eight teams for the 2024 GLVC Men's Basketball Championship.
The Bearcats currently sit in 9th in the PRS standings at 3.00, just four hundredths of a point behind Rockhurst who sits in the 8th and final spot for the GLVC tournament.
Scouting the Bearcats
McKendree enters the weekend with an overall record of 11-9 (5-8 GLVC) after splitting their latest road trip at Truman State (L, 74-87) and Upper Iowa (W, 81-80).
Averaging 22.1 points per game, junior Milos Vicentic leads the Bearcats in scoring. That is good for 2nd in the GLVC and 10th in Division II. He only trails Upper Iowa's Jake Hilmer in the conference. Caleb Zurliene is averaging double figures as well at 13.9 points per game. Both Zurliene and Vicentic are shooting over 54% from the field. Not only is Zurliene a threat on the offensive end of the court, he is a menace for teams on the defensive end as he is leading the GLVC in blocks with 59 and fifth in the nation. The third Bearcat in double figures is Carson Parker at 11.9 points per game.
Leading the conference in field goal percentage at 51.8%, the Bearcats are averaging 76.4 points per game. On the defensive end of the floor, they are second in the GLVC in field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 42% from the field. McKendree is also leading the league in defensive rebounds per game at 28.2.
Scouting the Hawks
The Hawks begin the weekend with an overall record to the Bearcats at 10-11 (5-8 GLVC). They have dropped their last three games at Southwest Baptist (L, 62-65), home against Rockhurst (L, 79-100), and home against William Jewell (L, 72-74 2OT).
QU is led by Zion Richardson who is averaging 17 points per game. He added a career high 33 points in the loss to Rockhurst. Isaiah Foster is the other Hawk averaging double figures at 11.6 per game.
They are the top overall rebounding team in the GLVC at 38.9 per game. The Hawks are also averaging the most free throws per game at 22.
Scouting the Prairie Stars
Before coming to Lebanon, the Prairie Stars have a road date with the UMSL Tritons on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Entering the weekend, they own an overall record of 16-7 (9-4 GLVC). They have won their last two games home against William Jewell (86-82) and Rockhurst (92-69).
Four guys are averaging double figures for UIS in Jordan Rice (14.9), Jacob Hanna (14.1), Max Kunnert (12.2) and Jack Weber (12.2). Kunnert leads the league in three-pointers made with 66 on the season.
The Prairie Stars have the second best scoring offense in the GLVC at 81 points per game.
