Box Score (ROMEOVILLE, Ill., Feb. 16)—A big second half on both ends of the floor lifted Lewis University past McKendree University in a Great Lakes Valley Conference contest Saturday in Romeoville, Ill., 76-56.
 
The host Flyers shot 58.6 percent in the final 20 minutes of play (17-of-29) to rally from a four-point halftime deficit in completing the season sweep of the Bearcats. McKendree slips to 7-18 overall and 1-14 in GLVC play. The Bearcats will face Kentucky Wesleyan College in their final home game of the 2012-13 season Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
 
Senior forward John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) notched his second straight double-double with game-high totals of 22 points and 10 rebounds in leading the way for McKendree. Steppe also dished out a team-leading four assists in the effort. Junior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) netted 13 points while freshman forward Brandon Drum (Peoria, IL/Dunlap) came off the bench to post 10 points.
 
McKendree led for most of the first half, building as much as a six-point lead at 17-11 following a three-pointer by Happe with 9:01 left in the period. Lewis battled back and grabbed its first lead of the night at 26-24 before Drum answered with a three-pointer from the corner at the 2:01 mark to push the Bearcats back out in front at 27-26.
 
The teams traded leads before Steppe scored on a driving lay-up and was fouled with 1:05 remaining in the half. Steppe hit the free throw to give McKendree a 30-28 advantage. The Flyers quickly tied the score again before another Steppe lay-up with 19 seconds left in the period gave the Bearcats a 32-30 lead. McKendree forced a turnover that led to a fast-break opportunity in the closing seconds. Drum was fouled with 2.3 seconds on the clock, and his two free throws gave the Bearcats a 34-30 cushion at the intermission.
 
Lewis stormed from the gates at the outset of the second half. The Flyers used a 20-3 run to take the lead for good, 50-37, with 13:27 remaining. McKendree trimmed its deficit to 11 points twice over the next minute, but that was as close as the Bearcats would come the remainder of the contest. In addition to shooting nearly 59 percent from the floor in the second half, Lewis limited the Bearcats to just 24.1 percent from the floor in the period (7-of-29).
     
Ryan Jackson scored 17 of his team-high 19 points in the second half to pace Lewis (15-8, 9-6 GLVC). Kyle Nelson finished with 18 points on 9-of-11 shooting for the Flyers, who completed the season sweep of McKendree with Saturday's win. Lewis grabbed an 82-61 victory over the Bearcats in the first meeting back on Jan. 17 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
Prior to Thursday's contest, McKendree will honor its two seniors in a special pre-game ceremony: forwards Steppe and David Ruckman (Freeburg, IL/Freeburg).