Box Score (SOMERS, Wis., Feb. 14)—The McKendree University men's basketball suffered a 76-63 setback Thursday in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
 
The Bearcats led for most of the first half, but the host Rangers – ranked No. 21 in the latest NABC/NCAA Division II poll – grabbed the lead late in the first half then used a 12-3 run midway through the second half to pull away for the victory. McKendree drops to 7-17 overall and is now 1-12 in GLVC play. The Bearcats will be in Romeoville, Ill., on Saturday for another GLVC contest against Lewis University. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
Junior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) led all scorers with 25 points to pace McKendree. Happe was just one point shy of his career-high of 26 points, which was set back on Nov. 21 against Lincoln University and matched six days later versus Lincoln Christian University. Happe hit five three-point field goals and added five rebounds in the contest. Senior forward John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) registered his sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Bearcats.
 
Freshman forward Matt Murphy (Jerseyville, IL/Jersey Community) also scored in double figures for McKendree with 11 points, including a run of eight straight points in a span of 46 seconds early in the second half.
 
Wisconsin-Parkside (17-5, 12-2 GLVC) scored the first six points before Happe drilled three consecutive three-pointers to push McKendree out to a 9-6 lead with 14:28 remaining in the first half. The Bearcats stretched their advantage to 17-10 following a driving lay-up by freshman forward Brandon Drum (Peoria, IL/Dunlap) midway through the period. McKendree was able to maintain its lead until the final minute of the opening half, when Kevin Senechelle scored to push the Rangers in front at 25-24.
 
After Murphy missed a three-pointer from the corner with three seconds left, UWP reserve guard Colt Grandstaff grabbed the rebound, dribbled twice and launched a 50-foot shot just ahead of the buzzer. Grandstaff hit the shot to give the Rangers a 28-24 lead at the intermission.
 
Wisconsin-Parkside scored nine of the first 11 points of the second half to extend its lead to 37-26 with 16:29 on the clock. Murphy then began his quick scoring outburst, beginning with a three-pointer with 15:54 remaining. Following a UWP turnover, Murphy drained a long jumper to bring McKendree within six points. Murphy then capped his run of eight consecutive points thanks to another three-pointer at the 15:08 mark to trim the deficit to 37-34.
 
That was as close as the Bearcats would come the rest of the contest. Holding a four-point lead, Wisconsin-Parkside went on its decisive second-half burst, outscoring McKendree 12-3 over a three-minute span to stretch its lead out to 53-39. The Rangers eventually pushed the margin to as many as 20 points in cruising down the stretch to the win.
 
Jeremy Saffold led five Wisconsin-Parkside players scoring in double figures with 16 points, 14 of which came in the second half. Saffold finished with a double-double as he grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds. Conrad Krutwig chipped in with 13 points and seven rebounds for the Rangers, who completed the season sweep of McKendree. UWP defeated the Bearcats back on Jan. 19 in Lebanon, 76-59.