Box Score (ST. LOUIS, Mo., January 10)—The McKendree University men's basketball coach overcame a pair of double-digit deficits Thursday at Maryville University, but the Bearcats came up just short in a 72-69 loss to the host Saints.
 
McKendree had a shot to tie the game at the end, but senior forward John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony)'s 35-foot shot fell short after being partially blocked at the buzzer. The loss sends the Bearcats to 7-6 overall and 1-2 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. McKendree will look to rebound Saturday afternoon with another GLVC contest at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Tip-off is set for 3:15 p.m. in St. Louis.
 
Freshman forward Matt Murphy (Jerseyville, IL/Jersey Community) led the way for McKendree with 20 points, while Steppe chipped in with 19 points and a team-high six rebounds. Junior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) connected for 14 points in the contest, and sophomore guard Mike DiGregorio (Morton Grove, IL/Niles Notre Dame) netted 13 points.
 
After Maryville (12-4, 2-2 GLVC) took a 48-38 advantage in the opening minutes of the second half, McKendree ripped off 11 consecutive points to grab its first lead of the night at 49-48. Happe started the run with a three-pointer, and Murphy followed with another trifecta on the Bearcats' next possession to trim the deficit to four points. Steppe followed with a lay-up before a jumper by DiGregorio at the 13:56 mark knotted the score at 48-48.
 
Happe drove the lane and was fouled less than a minute later. He hit the front end of a two-shot foul to push McKendree in front. The Bearcats' largest lead of the night came moments later at 52-49 after a three-pointer from DiGregorio.
 
The lead changed hands five more times down the stretch, with the Saints building a 68-64 cushion with just under two minutes remaining. DiGregorio drilled another three-pointer with 49 seconds left to bring the Bearcats within 68-67. McKendree was able to play solid man-to-man defense on Maryville's next possession, but Armon Provo sank a desperation, off-balance three-pointer as the shot clock expired to help the Saint to stretch the lead back to 71-67 with 12 seconds on the clock.
 
Murphy scored on a driving lay-up with 4.5 seconds to play to bring McKendree within 71-69. After the Bearcats fouled four times to send the Saints to the free throw line, Provo made one of two shots from the stripe to help Maryville regain a three-point lead. The Bearcats had one last shot with a second on the clock, but Steppe's last-ditch leave was off the mark.
 
Maryville took a 28-16 lead midway through the first half before McKendree battled back. Happe capped a 12-2 run with a three-pointer at the 2:50 mark to bring the Bearcats within 30-28. The teams traded three-pointers before the Saints scored the final six points of the period to take a 39-31 lead at the intermission.
 
Asa Toney paced Maryville with a game-high 21 points, while Provo finished with 16 points and a game-high six rebounds.