Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 17)—The McKendree University men's basketball team was edged in its final home game of the 2013-14 season Monday night by Maryville University, 75-72.
 
The Bearcats led by seven points at the half, but the visiting Saints shot 56 percent from the floor in the final 20 minutes and withstood a potential game-tying three-point attempt at the buzzer to escape with the win. McKendree slips to 9-14 overall and 3-12 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Bearcats will be on the road for their final three regular season games of the year, beginning with a 7:30 p.m. contest on Thursday at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
 
Senior guard Clinton Happe (Evansville, IN/F.J. Reitz), playing in his final game at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center, led the way for McKendree with 18 points, including a 10-of-13 effort from the free throw line. Junior forward Logan Carson (DuQuoin, IL/DuQuoin) netted 11 of his 15 points in the first half, while senior forward Will Kirksey (St. Louis, MO/Lafayette) and junior guard Mike DiGregorio (Morton Grove, IL/Niles Notre Dame) each finished with 12 points. Junior forwards Matt Holmes (Houston, TX/Marshall) and Arthur Williams (Cairo, IL/Cairo) each hauled in a team-best eight rebounds, while Happe and junior guard Mike Springs (Waukegan, IL/Waukegan) dished out three assists in the effort.
 
McKendree led for the majority of the second half when Maryville (12-11, 6-9 GLVC) scored six straight points to grab a 69-66 advantage with 3:26 to play. A lay-up by Holmes and two free throws from Happe on consecutive possessions helped the Bearcats regain the lead one final time at 70-69 with 2:22 remaining. Asa Toney, Maryville's leading scorer on the season, then put the Saints in front to stay by hitting a pair of free throws with 2:01 on the clock.
 
The lead grew to three points for Maryville before DiGregorio scored on a lay-up with 48.6 seconds to play, bringing the Bearcats within 73-72. Armon Provo missed a three-point attempt on Maryville's next possession, but Toney grabbed the rebound with 15 seconds left. The Saints got the ball to Provo, who was fouled with 7.6 remaining, and his two free throws extended the lead back to three points for Maryville.
 
The Bearcats inbounded the ball and raced to midcourt before calling their final timeout with 3.4 seconds left. The inbounds pass went to Happe in the left corner in front of the McKendree bench, where he was just off the mark with a 21-footer just ahead of the final buzzer.
 
Maryville sprinted to a 7-2 lead in the contest as it scored on three consecutive possessions during the run. The Saints were able to maintain the lead until the later stages of the first half, when a 14-4 burst broke a 23-23 tie and pushed McKendree out to a 37-27 lead with 1:57 left until the intermission. The Bearcats shot 56 percent from the floor (14-of-25) in the opening period on its way to a 41-34 lead at the half.
 
Toney led all scorers with 20 points to pace Maryville. He also contributed team-high totals of seven rebounds and six assists. Trae Pemberton added 13 points and five boards, while Provo and Myles Jerrett each connected for 12 points for the Saints.
 
Monday's game was the make-up of a contest originally scheduled to be played Jan. 5 at the Statham Center. The original date was postponed due to a winter storm that affected the St. Louis metro area.