McKendree University Athletic Department issued the following announcement on Jan. 16
McKendree University men's basketball is set to return to action this coming Monday, Jan. 17 as the Bearcats travel to Evansville, Ind., for a 7:30 p.m. Great Lakes Valley Conference contest against the University of Southern Indiana at Screaming Eagles Arena.
Monday's game with Southern Indiana will be the second meeting this season between the two schools as the Screaming Eagles picked up a 68-55 win in Lebanon, Ill., over the Bearcats to open the 2022 calendar year.
McKendree, who had its home game on Thursday with the University of Indianapolis and its road game on Saturday at Lewis canceled due to health and safety protocols in both the UIndy and Lewis programs, comes into play sporting a 6-4 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the GLVC following its 74-73 upset win this past Saturday at home against then 16th-ranked Truman State. The win over Truman State snapped a two-game losing skid for the Bearcats and it also gave McKendree a second win this season over a nationally-ranked foe as they closed their pre-Christmas schedule with an 80—67 home win over then 21st-ranked Union (Tenn.) University.
In the win against Truman State, the Bearcats defense held the Bulldogs high scoring offense to 73 points, which was nine points under its season scoring average of 82.2 points per game and they also held Truman to 29 percent shooting from the 3-point line. Truman entered the game leading the GLVC in both 3-point field goal percentage (43 percent) and made treys per game (11.3).
Three Bearcats scored in double figures in the win as junior guard Bryson Bultman (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) led the way with 18 points, while redshirt senior guard Brendon Gooch (Belleville, Ill./SIU-Carbondale) tallied a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds and sophomore guard Carson Parker (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) added 14 points in the win.
Through 10 games this season, Bultman leads the Bearcats and is fourth in the league in scoring as he is averaging 17.3 points per game and has tallied double figures in nine of 10 games, including eight straight double-digit scoring games. In addition to his scoring, he is averaging 6.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and is leads the league in minutes played as he is averaging 36.1 minutes per game.
In addition to Bultman, Parker and junior guard Aleksandar Davitkov (Belgrade, Serbia/Partizan) are each averaging 8.6 points per game on the season. Along with his scoring, Parker leads the team in rebounding as he is averaging 6.3 boards per game and is shooting 47 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free throw line, while Davitkov is averaging 2.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 39 percent from the field and 38 percent from the 3-point line.
As a team, McKendree is averaging 65.7 points per game and has scored 74 or more points in five of its first 10 games but is averaging just 58.8 points per game in GLVC play, including scoring 74 points in its last outing against Truman State. Additionally, the Bearcats are outrebounding its foes by 1.4 boards per game and is shooting 45 percent from the field, 35 percent from the 3-point line and 71 percent from the free throw line.
Perhaps the biggest strength this season for the Bearcats is its defense as they enter Thursday's game second in the league in scoring defense as they are allowing 63 points per game and have held all but two opponents under 70 points as Lewis scored 78 in a 78-62 win on Dec. 4 and Truman scored 73 last Saturday. In addition, McKendree is fourth in the league in both three-point field goal percentage defense (30.9 percent) and field goal percentage defense (40.1 percent).
Meanwhile, Monday's opponent, Southern Indiana comes into the contest sporting a 7-3 overall record and a 2-2 mark in the GLVC. The Screaming Eagles haven't played since suffering a 65-61 loss at home on Jan. 8 to Southwest Baptist and USI has won three of its last four games but has had its last two games canceled to COVID-19 protocols.
USI comes into Monday's game with McKendree with an offense that is averaging 73.6 points per game and has scored 76 or more points in five games but hasn't scored over 68 points in its last three games. Along with averaging 73.6 points per game, USI is shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 33 percent from the 3-point line and 67 percent from the free throw line and has a +2.3 rebounding edge and is averaging 6.7 made treys per game.
While its offense has been strong this season, the Screaming Eagles' defense has been one of the best in the GLVC as they lead the league in field goal percentage defense (39.5 percent) and three-point field goal percentage defense (28.8 percent). In addition, USI is allowing 67.4 points per game and have held six of their 10 opponents to 65 or less points. The Eagles are forcing 14.8 turnovers per games and averaging 7.8 steals per game and are blocking 3.8 shots per game, which is third-best in the league.
Leading the way offensively for USI is junior guard Jelani Simmons, who is averaging 11.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and is shooting 42 percent from the field and has scored in double figures in eight games, including three consecutive double-digit scoring games.
In addition to Simmons, junior forward Jacob Polakovich is averaging 11.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game and is tied for the GLVC lead in double-doubles with four. Polakovich has scored in double-digits in five games and is averaging 14.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in league play.
The third double-digit scorer for UIS is sophomore guard Tyler Henry, who is averaging 10.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 34 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free throw line and leads the team in steals with 18 and has scored in double figures in five games.
USI is coached by Stan Gouard, who is in his second season at his alma mater and has compiled an 19-8 record with the Screaming Eagles and is 223-119 in his 14th season as a collegiate head coach as he spent 12 seasons at UIndy, before returning to USI. Additionally, he is 152-85 in his career in GLVC games and was named the 2020 NCAA Division II Midwest Region Coach of the Year.
Monday's game will mark the 17th all-time meeting in the series as USI holds a 14-2 record in the series. The Bearcats have lost three straight games in the series, including a 68-55 loss in the first meeting this season at McKendree. McKendree is 2-6 at home against USI and 0-8 against USI in Evansville.
Following Monday's game, McKendree will return home to for a two-game homestand on Jan. 20 and Jan. 22 against Quincy and Illinois-Springfield respectively at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon. McKendree opened GLVC play with a 51-47 win at UIS on Nov. 29, while the meeting with Quincy will be the first of two this season between the two schools.
Original source can be found here.
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