Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 16)—The McKendree University men's basketball team battled No. 23-ranked Lewis University down to the wire Thursday evening at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center before falling 85-78 to the visiting Flyers.
 
The Bearcats led by as many as 11 points late in the first half as they opened a five-game home stand against Great Lakes Valley Conference foes. But Lewis fought back to grab the lead midway through the second half and then held off a late charge from McKendree to collect the win.
 
McKendree slips to 6-6 on the year and is 0-4 in GLVC play. The Bearcats will host the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
 
Junior forward Arthur Williams (Cairo, IL/Cairo) posted a season-high 21 points to lead the scoring punch for McKendree. Junior guard Mike DiGregorio (Morton Grove, IL/Niles Notre Dame) added 16 points, while junior forward Matt Holmes (Houston, TX/Marshall) and senior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) each connected for 12 points for the Bearcats. Holmes registered a double-double against Lewis by pulling down a season-best 14 rebounds in the effort.
 
Lewis (12-1, 4-1 GLVC) led in the early stages of play and stretched its lead to 19-10 following a free throw by Brad Foster with 12:50 left in the opening half. McKendree chipped away at the deficit and pulled within four before ripping off 12 consecutive points to grab a 29-23 advantage with 6:19 remaining in the period. Holmes keyed the run with five points, including an offensive rebound and dunk following a missed lay-up at the 7:45 mark.
 
After the Flyers trimmed the margin to 32-29, a three-pointer from Happe sparked a run of eight straight points to build a 40-29 lead for McKendree with 2:54 to play until halftime. Lewis answered with a 13-4 run of its own to rally within 44-42 before junior guard Mike Springs (Waukegan, IL/Waukegan) buried a three-pointer from the wing just before the buzzer sounded to give the Bearcats a 47-42 lead at the intermission. McKendree shot 60 percent (18-of-30) in the first half, including a 5-of-8 clip from three-point range.
 
McKendree maintained its lead early in the second half and took its largest lead of the period at 58-50 following a jumper in the lane by Williams with 14:40 to play. Lewis continued to chip away at the deficit and took its first lead of the period, 64-63, on a lay-up by Gabe Williams with 9:39 on the clock. That was part of a 7-0 run for the Flyers that extended their margin to 69-63.
 
Williams helped the Bearcats pull within 73-71 with another jumper in the lane with just over six minutes remaining. Lewis then appeared to take control, using a 9-2 run to regain a nine-point lead at 82-73. McKendree fought back one more time, and a lay-up by DiGregorio with 21 seconds left slashed the Flyers' lead to 82-78. Lewis' Nick Valla was fouled on the inbounds, and his two free throws with 18.6 seconds on the clock helped seal the victory for the Flyers.
 
Both teams eclipsed the 50 percent mark from the field, as McKendree hit 51.9 percent of its shots (27-of-52), while Lewis made 50.8 percent of its attempts from the floor (33-of-65).
 
Jeff Jarosz scored a game-high 24 points, including 19 in the first half, to lead Lewis. Kyle Nelson added 18 points, while Julian Lewis registered a double-double with 18 points and a game-high 16 rebounds for the Flyers.