Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., January 21)—The McKendree University men's basketball team closed out a three-game home stand Monday with a 71-56 loss to Bellarmine University at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
The Bearcats overcame a slow start and trailed by five points in the later stages of the first half. But the visiting Knights, ranked No. 12 in the latest NABC/NCAA Division II poll, was able to pull away in the final 20 minutes to earn the Great Lakes Valley Conference victory. McKendree drops to 7-10 overall and 1-6 in GLVC play.
 
Senior forward John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) and junior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) each had a big offensive night for McKendree. The pair each posted 21 points to share game-high scoring honors. The duo each had a big second half, with Steppe scoring 14 points and Happe close behind with 13 points. Steppe also pulled down a team-leading seven rebounds and dished out four assists. Freshman guard A.J. Schmidt (New Albany, IN/New Albany) matched Steppe with four assists and contributed a game-high three steals for the Bearcats.
 
Bellarmine (13-2, 5-2 GLVC) scored the first 14 points of the game and held McKendree without a point in the first seven minutes of action. Happe broke the Bearcats' dry spell on a three-pointer with exactly 13 minutes left in the first half. The trifecta sparked a 12-3 run for McKendree to trim the deficit to 17-12 with 7:07 remaining in the period. Steppe, Happe and freshman forward Matt DeLuka (Hillsboro, IL/Hillsboro) combined to score all 12 points during the burst for the Bearcats.
 
McKendree trailed 20-15 when Bellarmine ripped off six consecutive points to regain a double-digit advantage at 26-15 with just over three minutes left until halftime. The Bearcats were able to claw back within eight points before the Knights took a 30-20 lead into the intermission.
 
Bellarmine scored nine of the first 12 points of the second half to take a 39-23 lead with 17:37 on the clock. McKendree was able to battle back within 39-28 before the Knights used a 13-1 run to put the contest out of reach at 52:29 with just under 13 minutes on the clock.
 
In the second half, Bellarmine shot 58.1 percent from the field, hitting 18-of-31 attempts from the floor. The Knights made 54.5 percent of their field goal tries against McKendree. Vance Hall and Keisten Jones led a balanced attack for Bellarmine with 14 points each. Jake Thelen added 13 points and a team-best seven rebounds, while Chris Dowe posted a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 assists for the Knights.

Monday's contest marked the first meeting on the basketball court between McKendree and Bellarmine. The teams will meet again in the Bearcats' 2012-13 season finale on Feb. 28 in Louisville, Ky.