Box Score
BOX SCORE

(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 3)—Despite rallying from an 18-point halftime deficit, the McKendree University men's basketball team dropped an 84-79 decision Tuesday to Voorhees College in the first game of the Bahama House/Best Western Aku Tiki Classic in Daytona Beach, Fla.
 
The Bearcats used a 24-4 run over the first nine minutes of the second half to grab its first lead of the contest, but Voorhees countered with nine consecutive points in a crucial three-minute stretch later in the period to grab the lead for good. McKendree slips to 9-7 on the season and will look to rebound Wednesday afternoon in the classic at 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT) against Central Christian College (Kan.). The game will be played at the ICI Center on the campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
 
Three different players scored 16 points in a balanced attack for McKendree. Senior guard Karrington Pettiford (Florissant, MO/Christian Brothers), senior forward Sean Rakers (New Baden, IL/Wesclin) and junior forward David Ruckman (Freeburg, IL/Freeburg) all netted 16 points in the effort for the Bearcats. Senior guard Kyle Heckert (Venedy, IL/Okawville) scored all 15 of his points during the second half for McKendree. Sophomore guard Mike Springs (Waukegan, IL/Waukegan) chipped in with a career-high 10 points along with a game-high five steals for the Bearcats.
 
Voorhees (9-4) set the tone in the first 5:30 of play, racing to a 20-2 lead. Rakers had the only basket for McKendree during the Tigers' opening spurt, a short jumper in the lane at the 15:18 mark. Voorhees maintained its double-digit lead for the remainder of the half, although consecutive three-pointers from Pettiford and junior guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) capped an 8-2 spurt that brought McKendree within 37-26 with 3:54 left in the half. The Tigers closed the first half by scoring the final five points to stretch its margin back to 48-30 at the intermission.
 
McKendree broke from the gates quickly to start the second half, scoring the first nine points to pull within 48-39 at the 16:51 mark. The Bearcats continued to chip away at the deficit and erased its large deficit thanks to a 12-0 run. Rakers started the spurt with a lay-up, followed by a basket from Heckert. A three-pointer from Pettiford slashed the Bearcats' deficit to 52-49 before a three-pointer and two free throws from Heckert capped the run to push McKendree in front 54-52 with 11:09 remaining.
 
With just over nine minutes to play, Springs scored on a driving lay-up to extend the Bearcats' lead to 59-56. At that point, Voorhees regained control. The Tigers held McKendree without a point over the next three minutes, scoring nine straight points to capture the lead once again at 65-59 with 6:14 on the clock. The Bearcats fought back one more time, coming as close at three points on two different occasions. The last came at 72-69 on a lay-up by Rakers with 2:23 to play. Voorhees was able to hold off McKendree at the free throw line, hitting four key foul shots in the final 19.9 seconds of play.
 
Garland McArthur and Brandon Coleman each posted a double-double to lead Voorhees. McArthur finished with 21 points and a game-high 16 rebounds, while Coleman also had 21 points along with 12 rebounds. The Tigers held a 47-29 edge on the boards against McKendree.