(TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Nov. 14)—The McKendree University men's basketball team gave NCAA Division I foe Indiana State University all it could handle Wednesday night before the host Sycamores pulled away down the stretch for an 80-63 win.
The Bearcats led in the early stages of play and were within a point with just over 13 minutes remaining in their second exhibition game in the last 12 days. McKendree will now have six days off before returning to action Tuesday night for its home opener against Union University. Tip-off for the non-conference game is set for 7 p.m. at the Statham Center.
Sophomore guard
Carrington Bass (Floosmoor, IL/Crete-Monee) came off the bench to lead McKendree with 14 points while handing out three assists. Junior guard
Logan Kohrmann (Bartelso, IL/Breese Central) chipped in with 13 points while senior guard
Giovanni Offard (Freeport, IL/Freeport) helped out with 11 points. Both Kohrmann and Offard matched Bass with three assists, as did senior guard
Nate Michael (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Ogden), who also grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.
In the first half, McKendree scored the first five points before Indiana State battled back and eventually forged an 11-9 lead with just under 12 minutes left in the period. The Sycamores stretched the margin to 25-16 at the 7:20 mark before the Bearcats began to chip away at the deficit. A three-pointer by Offard was followed by a jumper from Bass with 2:15 left until the intermission as McKendree slashed the deficit to 37-34. Indiana State then scored five of the final seven points of the period to take a 42-36 lead into the locker room.
McKendree continued to chip away in the opening moments of the second half, getting within 47-44 thanks to a jumper by Offard with 15:21 remaining. Following a Sycamore free throw, Bass drilled a three-pointer at the 13:57 mark to slash the margin to 48-47. The teams traded scores before Indiana State scored six straight points to extend its lead back to 56-49. The Sycamores slowly pulled away over the final 11 minutes to register the win.
Tyreke Key poured in a game-high 23 points to show the way for Indiana State, while Jordan Barnes added 19 points, four assists and five steals.
