Hawks prep for home games against McKendree and Illinois Springfield

Credit: Rockhurst Athletics

Credit: Rockhurst Athletics

Ryan Crawford, Staff Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Rockhurst men’s and women’s basketball teams welcome two GLVC foes to Kansas City this weekend with games Thursday and Saturday night. McKendree University visits Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse Thursday night, while the University of Illinois Springfield comes to town Saturday afternoon. Thursday’s game is “Old School Jersey Night,” sponsored by the Rockhurst University Student Senate.

Men’s Basketball

The Hawks men’s basketball team returns to action this weekend after suffering through two losses last weekend to Bellarmine and Southern Indiana. The Hawks (7-6) face a McKendree squad with a similar record of 6-6. The Bearcats come into Thursday night with a 0-4 record in GLVC conference play.

Rockhurst held tough with Bellarmine last Thursday and ended up losing by nine. McKendree faced the same Bellarmine squad in early December and lost by 29 points to the Knights. McKendree and Rockhurst have yet to meet this season. 

UIS has had less success than both Rockhurst and McKendree this year. The Prairie Stars (5-8) are coming off two home losses last weekend to Truman St. and Quincy. forward Alex Hagan, who has only played five games this season due to injury, has led the way for the Hawks on the offensive side of the ball. Hagan has averaged 16.2 points per game so far this season and will be in action this weekend.

Junior forward Alex Hagan, who has only played five games this season due to injury, has led the way for the Hawks on the offensive side of the ball. Hagan has averaged 16.2 points per game so far this season and will be in action this weekend.

Thursday’s game tips off at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday will begin at 3 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

Rockhurst women’s squad is off to an impressive 8-4 start in the 2016-2017 and has three conference victories in five games. Last weekend was a tough one for the women’s team, as well. The Hawks lost both games against Bellarmine and Southern Indiana by a combined 11 points.

Entering this weekend, the Hawks will look to build on in-conference wins against Truman St., Quincy and William Jewell and an impressive 7-0 record at home.

The McKendree Bearcats (9-5) are coming off two losses at home last weekend against Quincy and Truman St. Ellie Pusheck, No. 32, leads the way for the Bearcats and averages just under 10 points per game.

The Prairie Stars of Illinois Springfield comes into Kansas City with an overall record of 8-5 and 1-3 in GLVC play. UIS boasts four plays that average scoring in double figures: Caroline Kelty, Shelbi Patterson, Destiny Ramsey and Syerra Cunningham. Cunningham is first in scoring for the team, averaging 12.9 points per game.

The game Thursday night will tip at 5:30 p.m., and Saturday afternoon will start at 1 p.m.