Red Devils Blow Past Lincoln Christian, 111-82

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka College men's basketball team won its ninth straight game at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena Tuesday night, cruising to a 111-82 non-conference victory over Lincoln Christian. Eureka junior guard Kendall Davis (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S./Illinois Central) went 15-for-16 from the floor to put up his second double-double of the season with 32 points and 10 rebounds.

The victory allowed the Red Devils to close the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 6-1 mark, Chip Wilde's best record against non-league opponents in 10 seasons as head coach. The .857 non-conference win percentage in 2016-17 is Eureka's best in 21 seasons as a member of an NCAA Division III conference.

The Red Devils led Tuesday's contest for all but 33 seconds, taking the lead for good when freshman forward Jordan Dehm (Metamora, Ill./Metamora H.S.) connected from 3 for a 5-2 lead. EC quickly doubled up the visitors when sophomore guard Shea Feehan (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame H.S.) gave the Red Devils a 20-10 lead with 14:42 left before halftime.

Eureka slowly built its lead, closing the half with three baskets from Davis in the final 39 seconds before intermission to lead 56-32 at halftime.

All 22 players made an appearance in the second half for the Red Devils, 14 of which scored. Blake Phillips (Catlin, Ill./Salt Fork H.S.), Brady Junk (Woodhull, Ill./Alwood H.S.) and Ethan Zulz (Washburn, Ill./Lowpoint-Washburn H.S.) each made their collegiate debuts.

Feehan scored 23 points and distributed five assists. Sophomore Hank Thomas (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods H.S.) went 5-for-9 from 3-point range for 17 points. The Red Devils shot 57 percent from the field and went 14-for-32 from 3-point range.

Eureka's point total of 111 was the fourth-highest of the Chip Wilde coaching era and the Red Devils' largest output in a non-conference game since beating Messenger 117-57 on Nov. 23, 2002.

Eureka will have less than 48 hours to prepare for the final game of its brief three-game homestand. St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Spalding visits Thursday for an 8 p.m. tip-off.