Southern Illinois News

Men’s Basketball Hosts Baptist Bible College in Non-Conference Contest on Monday

 McKendree men's basketball returns to action following the Christmas break as they host Baptist Bible College in a non-conference contest on Monday, Jan. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
The Bearcats enter Monday's game with a 5-5 overall record and a 2-2 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference following a 1-1 outing to close out the 2022 portion of their schedule. McKendree suffered a 72-69 setback to Grand Valley State before bouncing back with a 99-89 victory over Davenport.
 
Monday's game will mark the first-ever meeting between McKendree and Baptist Bible.
 
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
As a team, the Bearcats average 75.8 points per game and currently sit at 16th nationally and second in the GLVC in three pointers made per game at 10.5. Through its 10 games, McKendree has shot 48 percent from the field, 37 percent from the three-point line, and 74 percent from the three-point line.
 
McKendree is paced offensively with three Bearcats averaging double figures including senior guard Eric Powell II with 15.5 points per game. Powell leads McKendree in three-point percentage at 46 percent, which is the second-highest percentage in the GLVC, while also sitting at first in the GLVC in three-pointers made per game at 3.4. Powell has recorded eight games with three or more three-pointers made.
 
In addition to Powell, junior forward Miloš Vicentic led the Bearcats in scoring for their last two games with 18 points against Grand Valley State and a 21-point performance at Davenport. Vicentic also leads in field goal percentage at 56 percent with 14.6 points per game. Through the Bearcats' ten games, Vicentic has recorded eight double-digit scoring games.
 
The third Bearcat averaging double-digits is senior guard Bryson Bultman at 14.5 points per game and leading the team in assists at 5.7 per game, which places Bultman at 17th in assists per game in Division II. Bultman has recorded two double-doubles on the season and leads McKendree with 6.7 rebounds per game. With his 21 combined points against Grand Valley State and Davenport, Bultman became the 37th player in program history to score over 1,200 points.
 
Defensively, McKendree has held opponents to 74.7 points per game while snagging 5.1 steals per game and collecting 3.8 blocks per game. Bultman leads the Bearcats with 1.3 steals per game while sophomore forward Caleb Zurliene has blocked a team-high 22 shots on the season.  
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOTS
Baptist Bible College comes into Monday's game with a 7-5 record after winning three of its last four games. Patriots collected three straight wins against University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy-St. Louis (93-82), Ecclesia College (83-65), and Bacone College (Okla.) (97-93), before falling to William Woods (58-55) to end the three-game win streak.
 
The Patriots finished their 2021-22 season with a 21-3 record and a National Christian College Athletic Association Division 1 title.
 
This season, as a team, Baptist Bible averages 88.5 points per game, shooting 44 percent from the field, 35 percent from the three-point line, and 69 percent from the foul stripe. In all seven of their wins, the Patriots have scored 90 or more points.
 
Offensively, the Patriots have three players averaging double figures in scoring, led by 2022 NCCAA Division I tournament MVP and senior forward Trent McBride with 22.0 points per game. McBride hit a season-high 32 points in the Patriots' 119-112 loss to Missouri Valley College in late November. McBride also leads the team in field goal percentage at 57 percent and in rebounds per game at 8.8 while tallying five double-doubles on the season.
 
Along with McBride, senior guards Nick Coble and Tre Minton average 14.4 points and 13.5 points per game, respectively. Coble shoots a team-high 85 percent from the free throw line while Minton has collected a team-high 23 steals for the season. Rounding out the offensive leaders is sophomore guard Isaiah Smith with 4.1 assists per game.
 
Defensively, the Patriots have held opponents to an average of 85.1 points per game while snagging 6.6 steals and blocking 2.5 shots per game. 

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