Box Score
BOX SCORE

(SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 19)—The McKendree University men's basketball team outscored Robert Morris University-Springfield 23-9 in the first eight minutes of play and never looked back in posting an 83-67 victory Thursday evening in Springfield, Ill.
 
The visiting Bearcats shots 56.4 percent from the field in opening a 50-23 halftime lead on its way to its second consecutive victory. McKendree improves to 13-9 overall and will play its first home game in more than a month on Wednesday against Lindenwood University. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
Senior forward Sean Rakers (New Baden, IL/Wesclin) (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) dropped in a season-high 25 points, while junior guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) (Effingham, Ill./St. Anthony) registered 13 of his 22 points in the second half for McKendree. Senior forward Ian Ridge (Flora, IL/Flora) (Flora, Ill./Flora) narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and a career-high 15 rebounds for the Bearcats, who also placed two other players in double digits on the boards. Rakers added 11 rebounds and junior forward David Ruckman (Freeburg, IL/Freeburg) (Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg) pulled down 10 caroms for McKendree, which outrebounded the Eagles 54-28.
 
Senior guard Karrington Pettiford (Florissant, MO/Christian Brothers) (Florissant, Mo./Christian Brothers) matched a career-high with five assists in leading McKendree, as sophomore guard Drew Dudek (Pinckneyville, IL/Pinckneyville) (Pinckneyville, Ill./Pinckneyville) handed out four assists in the victory.
 
McKendree scored seven of the first eight points before Robert Morris-Springfield (7-9) chipped away and pulled within 9-6 at the 15:44 mark of the first half. A jumper from senior guard Kyle Heckert (Venedy, IL/Okawville) (Venedy, Ill./Okawville) sparked a 14-3 run that pushed the Bearcats out to a 23-9 lead with 12:13 to go in the opening period. Steppe drilled back-to-back three-pointers, followed by a basket from Ruckman account for the final eight points in the spurt.
 
Later in the half, McKendree turned up the defensive pressure, holding Robert Morris-Springfield without a point for more than four minutes while stretching its lead to 30 points. The Bearcats scored 13 points in a row to take its largest lead of the night, 48-18, with 1:36 remaining until intermission.
 
McKendree maintained its large lead until Robert Morris-Springfield made a late run in the closing minutes. Trailing 75-49, the Eagles outscored the Bearcats 18-5 over a five-minute stretch to pull within 80-67 with just 1:40 remaining. But a free throw from sophomore guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) (Evansville, Ind./F.J. Reitz) and one final basket from Rakers sealed the victory for McKendree.
 
Reid David scored a team-high 24 points and grabbed four rebounds to pace Robert Morris-Springfield, while Jordan Softley added 19 points for the Eagles. Thursday's game marked the first meeting on the basketball court between the Bearcats and Eagles.