Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 23)—Senior forward Will Kirksey (St. Louis, MO/Lafayette) posted game-high totals of 22 points and 10 rebounds to help lead the McKendree University men's basketball team to an 84-71 victory Saturday at home against Lincoln University.
 
Four different players scored in double figures as the Bearcats bounced back from a 20-point defeat at the hands of the Blue Tigers just three days earlier. McKendree improves to 3-1 on the season and will have a week off to prepare for a non-conference road game next Saturday (Nov. 30) at Trevecca Nazarene University. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.
 
Junior forward Matt Holmes (Houston, TX/Marshall) came off the bench to add 17 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) netted 16 points, 11 of which came in the first half. Junior forward Arthur Williams (Cairo, IL/Cairo) narrowly missed a double-double for the Bearcats with 11 points and nine rebounds for the Bearcats.
 
After allowing Lincoln to connect on 65.4 percent (39-of-72) of its shots in a 105-85 victory over McKendree on Wednesday, the Bearcats turned the tables defensively against the Blue Tigers. Lincoln shot just 33.3 percent (26-of-78) on Saturday at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center, including a 29 percent clip (11-of-38) in the first period.
 
McKendree raced to a 17-3 lead over the first six-plus minutes of play, hitting six of its first eight field goal attempts. Seven different players scored for the Bearcats during the decisive run, which was capped by a lay-up from junior guard Logan Carson (DuQuoin, IL/DuQuoin) at the 13:39 mark. Lincoln was able to claw back to within eight points at 36-28 before the Bearcats closed the first half on a 9-2 spurt to take a 45-30 lead at the intermission.
 
After Lincoln scored on its first possession of the second half, McKendree took control by scoring the next 10 points to extend its margin to 55-32 with 17:14 remaining. Kirksey had seven of the 10 points for the Bearcats, including a lay-up that closed out the run. The 23-point margin proved to be the Bearcats' largest lead of the night. McKendree was able to maintain its double-digit advantage the rest of the way. The Bearcats shot 51.9 percent (14-of-27) in the final 20 minutes to pull away for the victory.
 
Charles Cole scored a team-high 18 points and added three steals to lead the way for Lincoln. James Edmond added 11 points, while Joshau Buie pulled down a team-leading eight rebounds for the Blue Tigers, who slipped to 1-5 on the year.
 
This is the second straight year that McKendree and Lincoln split a two-game series, with each team winning on its home floor.
 
Prior to Saturday's contest, McKendree honored former All-Conference forward John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) with the Nate Clay Memorial Award. Steppe, who wrapped up a stellar four-year career last spring for the Bearcats, was the 35^th recipient of the award. The Nate Clay Memorial Award is presented to a senior from the previous year's squad who exhibited the qualities of leadership and determination both on and off the court for the McKendree program.