(SPRINGFIELD, Ill., March 5)—The McKendree College men’s basketball team was defeated by the University of Illinois at Springfield Monday in the championship game of the American Midwest Conference in Springfield, Ill., 86-82.

 

The Bearcats used a 17-4 run midway through the second half to grab the lead against the top-seeded Prairie Stars, but Illinois-Springfield rallied to win its second consecutive AMC Tournament title. The victory was the 10^th straight for the Prairie Stars, who move to 22-8 on the year and earn the AMC’s automatic berth to the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship.

 

The loss sends McKendree to 22-11 overall and the Bearcats will have to wait until Tuesday evening to see if they receive one of 15 at-large bids to the national tournament. Pairings will be announced Wednesday with play to begin March 14 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.

 

Senior guard Mark Stovall (St. Louis, Mo./Jennings) (St. Louis, Mo./Jennings) scored 14 of his game-high 24 points in the second half for McKendree, while sophomore forward Nick Livas (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge) (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge) posted 18 points and nine rebounds for the Bearcats. Senior forward Mike Strobbe (Ferguson, Mo./McCluer) (Ferguson, Mo./McCluer) chipped in a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for McKendree.

 

Illinois-Springfield closed the first half on an 18-6 run to take a 48-36 lead at the half. The Prairie Stars maintained a 54-43 advantage when the Bearcats began to rally. Livas had six points during the spurt, and a three-pointer by junior guard T.J. Stone (Hendersonville, Tenn./People's Academy) (Hendersonville, Tenn./People’s Academy) with 12:22 remaining pushed McKendree in front, 60-58.

 

The teams battled back and forth before the Prairie Stars finally took the lead for good, 75-73, on a lay-up by Eddie Smith with 3:06 on the clock. Illinois-Springfield eventually took a seven-point lead when the Bearcats rallied one final time. Consecutive three-pointers by Stone sandwiched around a UIS free throw cut the deficit to 84-82 with 18 seconds on the clock.

 

Cory Farmer was fouled on the inbounds play, and he made both free throws to extend the margin to four points. Stone missed a three-pointer on McKendree’s final possession, and the Prairie Stars were able to run out the clock for the AMC title.

 

Farmer led a balanced attack for Illinois-Springfield with 19 points and eight assists, while Smith added 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists.