Box Score
BOX SCORE

(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 25)—Playing its first home game in more than five weeks, the McKendree University men's basketball team was defeated Wednesday evening by Lindenwood University at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center, 78-71.
 
The Bearcats could not overcome a 51.9 percent shooting performance by the visiting Lions in the second half, as McKendree lost for the first time in three outings. With the loss, McKendree drops to 13-10 on the year. The Bearcats will make the short trip to St. Louis on Saturday afternoon to face Concordia Seminary. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
 
Senior forward Sean Rakers (New Baden, IL/Wesclin) (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) netted 14 of his team-high 18 points in the first half to lead McKendree. Junior guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) (Effingham, Ill./St. Anthony) added 16 points and a game-high six assists, while senior guard Karrington Pettiford (Florissant, MO/Christian Brothers) (Florissant, Mo./Christian Brothers) helped out with 15 points and four assists. Senior forward Ian Ridge (Flora, IL/Flora) (Flora, Ill./Flora) pulled down a team-best nine rebounds against Lindenwood.
 
There were 10 lead changes in the second half. After trailing 35-34 at the half, McKendree used a three-pointer by Steppe on the first possession of the second half to take a 37-35 advantage. A 10-4 run later in the period, capped by a driving lay-up from Ridge, gave the Bearcats their largest lead of the night, 47-43, with exactly 12 minutes on the clock.
 
Lindenwood (20-2) scored the next six points to regain a 49-47 lead just 46 seconds later. Junior forward David Ruckman (Freeburg, IL/Freeburg) (Freeburg, Ill./Freeburg) answered with a basket and free throw on McKendree's next trip down the floor to help the Bearcats surge back in front, 50-49. The teams continued to trade baskets and leads, with McKendree taking its final lead of the contest at 55-54 on a pair of foul shots by Steppe with 8:31 remaining.
 
An 8-0 run put the Lions in front for good as they eventually stretched the margin to eight points at 73-65. Sophomore guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) (Evansville, Ind./F.J. Reitz) drilled a three-pointer to bring McKendree within five points, and a three from Pettiford with 2:23 on the clock brought the Bearcats within 73-71.
 
However, McKendree was held without a point for the final 2:23 as Lindenwood sealed the victory from the free throw line. Alex Bazzell made four free throws down the stretch, including the final two with 18 seconds to play that put the contest out of reach.
 
McKendree trailed the entire first half until the 1:27 mark, when Rakers hit two free throws to cap a 6-0 run that allowed the Bearcats to pull even at 32-32. Cody Sorenson sank a three-pointer on Lindenwood's next possession to push the Lions back out in front by three, and Ruckman answered for McKendree to bring the Bearcats within one at the intermission.
 
Bazzell paced Lindenwood with 17 points, while Sorenson and Garrett Reeg each notched a double-double for the Lions. Sorenson had 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Reeg added 14 points and 10 rebounds. The win by Lindenwood was just the fourth in 40 meetings against McKendree.