(DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 29)—The McKendree University men's basketball team wrapped up its non-conference schedule Saturday afternoon with a 98-70 loss at NCAA Division I Drake University in an exhibition contest at the Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
 
Junior guard Alijah Thomas (Des Moines, IA/Hoover) – returning to his hometown as a member of the McKendree program – led the Bearcats with 15 points while adding a pair of assists. Sophomore forward Jacob Donaldson (Effingham, IL/Effingham) came off the bench to add 13 points in 14 minutes of action while junior guard Logan Kohrmann (Bartelso, IL/Breese Central) also reached double figures in the scoring column with 11 points. Senior guard Giovanni Offard (Freeport, IL/Freeport) collected five rebounds, three assists and three steals in the effort, while junior center Nolan Gerling (Germantown, IL/Mater Dei) matched Offard with five rebounds to lead McKendree.
 
The Bearcats will take a 5-6 overall record into its next game when they jump back into Great Lakes Valley Conference play next Saturday – Jan. 5 – with a contest at the University of Illinois Springfield. Tipoff will be at 3 p.m. inside The Recreation and Athletic Complex on the UIS campus.
 
Saturday's contest was close in the opening minutes before Drake (11-2) ripped off a 19-2 run to build a 29-10 lead with 8:22 remaining in the first half. Thomas scored nine of his points in the first half, while Gerling added eight points as McKendree trailed the host Bulldogs 51-27 at the intermission. Drake was able to maintain its advantage throughout the second half, shooting 51.4 percent from the field (18-of-35) over the final 20 minutes of play.
 
After making just 1-of-5 shots from three-point range in the first half, McKendree caught fire from beyond the arc in the second half. The Bearcats were 7-of-11 from long distance (63.6 percent) and closed the contest hitting an even 50 percent from downtown (8-of-16).
 
Six different players scored in double figures for Drake, led by Garrett Sturtz, who had 16 points in a reserve role. Nick McGlynn finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Tremell Murphy and Liam Robbins each posted 11 points and a team-best eight rebounds for the Bulldogs, who held a 41-33 edge on the boards.
 
Saturday's contest was the Bearcats' second game against Drake in the last four seasons. McKendree dropped a 95-78 decision to the Bulldogs back on Nov. 7, 2014 in a game also played at the Knapp Center.