LEBANON, Ill. – The RV men's basketball team cruised their way to a 30-point victory over Quincy University on Saturday, February 21st, to clinch its seventh-ever appearance in the upcoming GLVC Championship Tournament after honoring a trio of graduating players for the program's Senior Day inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon, Illinois.
Score: McKendree University 86, Quincy University 56
Record: Bearcats 21-5, 14-4 GLVC | Hawks 10-16, 5-13 GLVC
HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior guard Cha'Vez Woods (Louisville, Ky.) started off McKendree with their first five points of the game, with fellow veteran Noah Franklin (Cobden, Ill.) being able to knock in their second three-pointer in the first four minutes of action to lead 8-2. A 7-1 response by the Hawks knotted the game at nine for a brief moment until the Bearcats got back up front behind a couple of made baskets by sophomore forward Wyatt Zellers (Scottsburg, Ind.), including one from beyond the arc, along with a corner bucket by sophomore forward Joshua Schönbäck (Kierling, Austria).
A 9-0 spurt by the Bearcats gave them the 11-point edge as time was winding down in the first half of play, as Zellers was able to slam it inside with both hands for a second consecutive game, while Woods swished in the step-back triple with five ticks remaining to go into halftime with a comfortable 38-22 lead.
For the opening minutes into the second half of play, it was the Hawks squad against Franklin, where the fifth-year player scored eight of McKendree's first 12 points to keep their distance against the opposition. The lead kept growing for the Bearcats as they put their foot down on an 8-0 run by showcasing their presence from the volume of the court, as a turnaround floater by Woods drew him the contact and the foul, where he would subsequently convert at the charity stripe.
The Bearcats would also tighten up defensively in the midst of the half, where they held Quincy scoreless from the field for five consecutive minutes of play to capitalize on the consistent protection McKendree has shown all season long. During the process, the Bearcats utilized a 12-2 run to go up by 31 with a hair over four minutes left in regulation.
Quincy dropped in a 6-point spurt to cut their deficit to 25, but redshirt sophomore guard Grant Fridley (Trenton, Ill.) buried his squad's 10th three-pointer of the contest, and his eighth of the season, while Schönbäck and redshirt sophomore forward Jakob Fredricksen (Elizabethtown, Ky.) muscled their ways inside the paint for a couple of lay-ins in the final minute and a half to seal the 86-56 win in their final home matchup.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• Woods finished with a game-high 22 points o 8-for-12 (66.7%) scoring from the floor and a perfect 3-for-3 (100%) from three, while also contributing five rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
• Frankin ended his final home game of his career with 15 points on 6-for-9 (66.7%) shooting plus two boards.
• Zellers notched a career-high 13 points on the day by going 5-for-7 (71.4%) from the field, along with six rebounds, an assist, and a takeaway.
• McKendree shot 55.0% from the field, 52.6% from deep, and 58.8% from the line.
• The Bearcats outrebounded the Hawks 38-33.
• McKendree had the clear advantage in points off turnovers (20-4), bench points (26-15), and points in the paint (46-18).
• The team's 52.6% clip from beyond the arc is the first time making half or more of their shots from long distance this season, and the first converting at least 50.0% since making 8-of-14 (57.1%) at Upper Iowa University on February 22nd of last year... almost one year ago to this date.
• It is the third time making at least 10 threes this season, as all of which came in their last six outings.
• The squad's current 21 wins are now the most-ever in the program's history in their NCAA Division II era (since 2012-13).
• With the win, the team has clinched their way towards its sixth consecutive GLVC Championship Tournament appearance, and seventh overall since joining the conference in 2012-13.
SENIOR DAY
Prior to the game, the program recognized three graduating athletes in guard Caleb Burton (O'Fallon, Ill.), guard Cha'Vez Woods (Louisville, Ky.), and forward Noah Franklin (Cobden, Ill.). While their time at McKendree will soon be coming to an end, they will forever be engraved as part of the Bearcat family.
UP NEXT
McKendree will be back in action on Thursday, February 26th, when they face No.23 Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri at the Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse with tip-time set to 7:30 PM CT.
Fans can tune in live or on-demand on the Hawks' GLVC Sports Network with a subscription/download purchase required, as live stats will also be provided. Tickets can be purchased on the Hawks' athletic website.
Keep up with McKendree University Men's Basketball on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram. #GLVCmbb | #D2mbb
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