MACOMB, Ill. — Dalan Ancrum scored 17 points with eight rebounds and six assists as five players reached double-digit scoring and Western Illinois cruised past NAIA member Lincoln Christian 91-57 on Sunday.
Kobe Webster hit a 3-pointer as Western Illinois (8-4) led from the opening tip. Lincoln Christian came as close as 9-7 before another Webster 3-pointer made it 20-9.
Webster added 13 points with six assists for the Leathernecks. Brandon Gilbeck scored 16 points with 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. C.J. Duff also scored 16 and Jalen Morgan added 12 points.
Garrett Aeilts scored 15 points and Brode Hopkins 12 for Lincoln Christian, which was held to 29 percent shooting (18 for 63) although the Red Lions were 10 for 27 from distance. Aeilts and Hopkins combined for eight of those 10.
Western Illinois blocked nine shots, forced 15 turnovers and outscored Lincoln Christian 38-8 in the paint.
Bradley 72, UNI 53
PEORIA, Ill. — Darrell Brown scored 24 points, Nate Kennell scored 14 and Donte Thomas grabbed 10 rebounds and Bradley used the second half to pull away from Northern Iowa.
The Panthers led 33-32 at halftime before Bradley (11-4, 1-1 Missouri Valley) exploded with 22-3 run to put the Braves ahead, 61-45 with 7:49 to play. Brown buried three 3s and a jumper during the run and Elijah Childs added a 3 and a jumper.
Northern Iowa (8-6, 0-2) made just six field goals in the second half and finished 18-of-49 shooting (37 percent). The Braves went up 8-2 before Northern Iowa tied it at 11 with Spencer Haldeman's 3 with 12:46 before halftime.
Ryan Stipanovich made a 3 and Kennell had a pair of free throws to put Bradley up 24-17 before Northern Iowa closed the half with a 16-8 run.
Isaiah Brown led Northern Iowa with 17 points and Haldeman scored 11.
Drake 70, Southern Illinois 67
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Reed Timmer scored 20 points and Drake held off a Southern Illinois rally.
Nick McGlynn added 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Drake, which led by as much as 16 points in the first half but had to scramble as Southern Illinois rallied late in the second period to pull within two points with under a minute left. Drake (8-6, 2-0 Missouri Valley Conference) hit 26 of 61 from the field.
The Salukis (9-6, 1-1) tightened the game with a four-minute, 10-2 burst to trail 67-62 with 1:28 remaining. Armon Fletcher and Marcus Bartley each had 3-pointers in the run, and later Aaron Cook got a 3 with 44 seconds left to trim the gap to 69-67.
Fletcher, who finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds for Southern Illinois, missed two 3-pointers down the stretch, including the game's final shot at the buzzer.
Sean Lloyd Jr. and Bartley added 13 points apiece for the Salukis and Cook had 10.