Box Score LEBANON, Ill. (Dec. 13, 2017) – The Salem University Tigers men's basketball team's defense allowed the McKendree University Bearcats to shoot 58.5 percent from the field in a 99-79 loss on the road.
McKendree University's backcourt of Justin Blanks and Nate Michael scored 24 points each but in entirely different ways, with Blanks slashing through the lane, getting to the free-throw line 10 times, hitting nine, and Michael bombing away from deep, shooting 4-for-9 from behind the 3-point line.
Salem committed 20 turnovers, with 14 coming from its backcourt, including eight live ball turnovers leading to a 23-13 McKendree advantage in points off turnovers.
The Tigers got efficient nights from
Malik Toppin and
Reggie Oliver, scoring a combined 43 points. Toppin scored 22 points on 9-for-12 shooting, pulling down eight rebounds, while Oliver had 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including 4-for-6 from the 3-point line.
Ferlandis Penny had 10 points and four rebounds, with two steals and a block.
Ignacio Rodriguez had 14 points and three assists on 4-for-8 shooting, including 2-for-5 from deep.
Jordan Robinson had seven assists.
???????Two other McKendree players scored in double figures, with Malcolm Mabry scoring 18 points and nine rebounds, shooting 8-for-11 from the field, and Giovanni Offard scoring 12 points and five assists, shooting 6-for-8 for the game.
The Tigers will remain in Illinois, traveling to Danville to play the University of Indianapolis on Dec. 16 at 3 p.m., before returning home for a game against the California University of Pennsylvania on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m.
