Box Score (NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 15)—The McKendree University men's basketball team saw its six-game win streak come to an end Saturday with a 73-63 loss at Trevecca Nazarene University.
     
The Bearcats led 30-26 at the half, but the host Trojans used a hot shooting performance and a pair of decisive runs in the second half to pull away for the victory. McKendree wraps up the non-conference portion of its 2012-13 schedule with an overall record of 6-4. The Bearcats will have nearly three weeks off before making their Great Lakes Valley Conference debut at home on Jan. 3 against the University of Illinois Springfield. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at the Harry M .Statham Sports Center in Lebanon.
 
Junior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) netted 14 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to lead the way for McKendree. Freshman forward Matt Murphy (Jerseyville, IL/Jersey Community) finished with 15 points, while junior guard Mike DiGregorio (Morton Grove, IL/Niles Notre Dame) chipped in with 10 points and a game-high six assists. Senior guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) pulled down a team-best nine rebounds in the contest for the Bearcats.
 
After building its four-point lead at the half, McKendree stretched its margin to 38-32 following a three-pointer by Murphy with 16:32 remaining. Trevecca Nazarene responded by holding the Bearcats without a point for more than four minutes while reeling off 14 consecutive points to grab a 46-38 advantage with just under 13 minutes on the clock.
 
McKendree then scored six of the next eight points to battle back within 48-44, the Trojans ripped off 11 points in a row to push the margin up to 59-44 at the 7:08 mark. Trevecca Nazarene eventually built its lead to 16 points before the Bearcats rallied one final time. A lay-up by DiGregorio with 1:34 to play capped a 12-4 burst for McKendree to trim the deficit to 69-61. But the Trojans were able to fend off the late rally and seal the win.
 
Trevecca Nazarene, which made its first eight shots from the field in the second half, connected on 61.3 percent of its field goal attempts in the final 20 minutes of play (19-of-31) to register the come-from-behind win.
 
In the first half, McKendree trailed by as many as six points before controlling the final 10 minutes of the period to take its halftime advantage. A three-pointer from Murphy sparked an 8-2 run that helped tie the contest at 14-14 with 8:49 left in the half. Trevecca Nazarene regained the lead moments later, but the Bearcats closed the period on an 8-3 run to take a 30-26 advantage into the locker room. Happe had the key points for McKendree when he hit a three-pointer from the left corner, was fouled and made the free throw for a four-point play at the 2:40 mark.
 
J.P. Nyadaro flirted with a triple-double for Trevecca Nazarene as he posted a team-high 17 points and seven blocked shots to go with nine rebounds. Marquise Rudolph notched a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Nick Drake scored 14 points for the Trojans. Maliek Daniels also contributed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds for Trevecca Nazarene, which was able to avenge an 80-70 loss at McKendree on Dec. 1.