Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 3)—The McKendree University men's basketball team tipped off its Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule Friday with a 105-78 loss at home against the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
 
The visiting Tritons shot 72.2 percent from three-point range – making 13-of-18 attempts from beyond the arc – to shoot past the Bearcats in the only meeting between the two schools this season. McKendree slips to 6-3 on the year and 0-1 in GLVC play. The Bearcats will wrap up a five-game home stand Sunday by playing host to Maryville University in a league contest. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
Senior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz) posted a team-high 21 points to lead the way for McKendree, including an 8-for-8 effort from the free throw line. Junior guard Mike DiGregorio (Morton Grove, IL/Niles Notre Dame) chipped in with 19 points, while junior forward Matt Holmes (Houston, TX/Marshall) pulled down a team-leading five rebounds for the Bearcats. Junior forward Jeremy Price (Chicago, IL/Curie) added nine points and a team-leading three steals for McKendree.
 
Six different players, including all five starters, scored in double figures for Missouri-St. Louis. Darian Cartharn paced UMSL with a game-high 24 points, sinking six three-pointers in the process. Michael Weber added 21 points and was a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range, while Femi John helped out with 16 points and a game-high four steals for the Tritons.
 
UMSL (8-2, 2-0 GLVC) hit 9-of-12 shots from beyond the arc in the first half as it built a 53-45 halftime lead. McKendree had pulled to within 21-17 before the Tritons used a 9-3 spurt to stretch margin to 30-20 midway through the period. Cartharn and Weber combined to hit five consecutive three-pointers as UMSL pushed its lead to 45-32 before the Bearcats battled back. McKendree put together an 8-2 run late in the period before a trifecta from Derek Shouse gave UMSL its eight-point lead at the intermission.
 
Both teams shot better than 50 percent from the field in the first half. UMSL connected on 61.8 percent of its tries from the floor (21-of-34) while McKendree made 53.8 percent of its field goal attempts (14-of-26).
 
In the first four minutes of the second half, the Tritons outscored the Bearcats 12-4 to extend its lead to 65-49. McKendree rallied one final time, pulling within 67-57 on a lay-up by junior guard Mike Springs (Waukegan, IL/Waukegan) with just under 13 minutes remaining. UMSL responded with an 11-2 run to pull out to a 78-59 advantage midway through the second half.