Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., December 8)—A driving lay-up by senior guard John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) with 37.2 seconds remaining lifted the McKendree University men's basketball to a 73-70 victory Saturday night at home against MacMurray College.
 
Steppe's game-winning basket capped a 21-point, 11-rebound performance that enabled the Bearcats to notch their fifth consecutive victory. Steppe netted 17 of his points in the second half as McKendree improved to 5-3 overall. McKendree will wrap up a six-game home stand on Tuesday by hosting Robert Morris University-Springfield. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
 
Junior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) added 18 points, including a pair of free throws with 8.8 seconds to play that sealed the win for McKendree. Sophomore guard Mike DiGregorio (Morton Grove, IL/Niles Notre Dame) chipped in with 16 points in the effort for the Bearcats.
 
MacMurray (4-4) led by as many as nine points in the second half, building a 47-38 advantage with 14:34 remaining. McKendree slowly chipped away at the deficit, and a basket and free throw by Steppe midway through the period brought the Bearcats within 52-50. Following a Highlanders' field goal, Steppe drilled a three-pointer to slash the margin to 54-53 at the 9:11 mark.
 
After MacMurray answered with a three-pointer of its own to regain the lead, Steppe and Happe combined to hit consecutive three-pointers to push the Bearcats in front for the first time in the half, 59-57, with 7:11 on the clock.
 
The Highlanders quickly forged another four-point lead before McKendree responded with one final run. A three-pointer from freshman forward Matt Murphy (Jerseyville, IL/Jersey Community) at the 2:17 mark brought the Bearcats within 68-67. After MacMurray could not convert on a pair of opportunities at their end of the floor, Steppe hit a shot in the lane with 1:02 remaining to give McKendree a 69-68 lead. MacMurray's Spencer Pratt gave the Highlanders their final lead of the night, 70-69, on a jumper with 46 seconds on the clock.
 
Steppe then took the basketball up the court, saw an opening down the right side of the lane and scored to regain the lead for McKendree at 71-70. The Highlanders' leading scorer, Clayton Whitlock, missed a lay-up that would have given MacMurray the lead once again. The Bearcats claimed the rebounds and, following two timeouts, were able to get the ball in the hands of Happe, who calmly sank both end of a bonus to stretch the lead to three points.
 
MacMurray had one final chance to tie the game, but Dylan Guthrie's off-balance three-point attempt was blocked by Murphy at the buzzer.
 
McKendree shot 58.6 percent in the second half to overcome a 30-27 halftime deficit. The Bearcats also forced 17 turnovers by MacMurray.
 
Pratt, Brady Slagle and Luke Bishop each had 13 points in a balanced attack for MacMurray. Guthrie finished with 11 points for the Highlanders.