Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 7)—The McKendree University men's basketball was defeated in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at home Thursday by Saint Joseph's College, 89-81.
 
Sophomore guard Mike DiGregorio (Morton Grove, IL/Niles Notre Dame) posted team-high totals of 23 points, six rebounds and seven assists as the Bearcats slipped to 7-15 overall and 1-11 in the GLVC East Division. McKendree will look to rebound on Saturday when its plays host to the University of Indianapolis, the No. 21-ranked team in the latest NABC/NCAA Division II poll. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
Junior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) added 22 points in the contest for McKendree, which included a career-best 12-of-12 effort from the free throw line. Freshman forward Brandon Drum (Peoria, IL/Dunlap) netted a career-best 16 points, while senior forward John Steppe (Effingham, IL/St. Anthony) connected for 15 points.
 
Saint Joseph's shot 55.4 percent from the field in the victory, including a 61.3 percent clip (19-of-31) in the second half. The Pumas had to hold off a late rally from the Bearcats to hang on for the win.
 
With the score tied at 58-58, Saint Joseph's went on a 12-3 run to build a 70-61 advantage with 8:28 remaining. McKendree clawed its way back over the next several minutes, and used an 8-2 spurt to pull within 79-77 at the 4:02 mark. Consecutive three-pointers from Happe and freshman guard A.J. Schmidt (New Albany, IN/New Albany) helped close the run for the Bearcats.
 
Following a lay-up from the Pumas' Dayvon Sloan, Happe hit two free throws to keep McKendree within two points at 81-79. Sloan hit a three-pointer to stretch the Pumas' lead back to five points before Drum answered with a driving lay-up with 1:57 left to pull McKendree back within 84-81. Saint Joseph's was able to put the clamps down defensively, holding the Bearcats scoreless the remainder of the contest to pull away late.
 
In the first half, the Pumas built an early lead before a 9-2 run gave McKendree its first lead of the night at 16-14 with 13:12 remaining in the first half. Saint Joseph's regained the lead and stretched its advantage to as many as five points in the later stages of the period. A pair of free throws by Happe and a lay-up from Steppe brought the Bearcats even at 36-36 before Saint Joseph's closed the half by scoring the final six points to take a 42-36 lead at the intermission.
 
DiGregorio set a new career high with his seven assists in Thursday's contest. He matched a career-best with 26 points in the first meeting with Saint Joseph's on Jan. 26 in Rensselaer, Ind., which resulted in a 99-80 Pumas' victory.
 
Maiscei Grier led Saint Joseph's (6-13, 4-8 GLVC) with 22 points and nine rebounds. Sloan added 14 points in just 17 minutes of action against McKendree.