(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 9)—The McKendree University men's basketball team dropped a 78-73 decision at home Saturday night against Michigan Technological University in the Bearcats' 2019-20 season opener. McKendree is hosting the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge at the Statham Center.
The Bearcats led by as many as 11 points in the second half, but the visiting Huskies chipped away at the deficit and regained the lead with just over five minutes to play. McKendree, now 0-1 on the season, will wrap up the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. against Northern Michigan University.
Four McKendree players scored in double figures, led by junior guard
Oliver Stephen (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) with 19 points. Sophomore forward
Aleksa Popovic (Belgrade, Serbia/BC Partizan Belgrade) hit 6-of-7 shots from the field and finished with 15 points. Both Stephen and Popovic shared team-high honors with six rebounds.
Senior guard
Logan Kohrmann (Bartelso, IL/Breese Central) added 11 points while freshman guard
Bryson Bultman (Nashville, IL/Nashville) contributed 10 points, five rebounds and a team-best three assists for the Bearcats.
After Michigan Tech surged out to a six-point lead in the first seven minutes of action, McKendree regrouped and whittled away at the deficit. A jumper by Kohrmann with 8:54 left in the half capped a 9-2 run that pushed the Bearcats in front at 17-16. Moments later, a three-pointer from Stephen ignited an 11-0 burst that gave McKendree its first double-digit lead of the contest at 30-20 with 3:49 left in the half. In the first half, McKendree shot 60 percent from the floor (15-of-25) and took a 35-27 lead into the intermission.
Stephen nailed another trifecta with 16:40 to play that gave the Bearcats their biggest lead over Michigan Tech at 40-29. The Huskies edged closer over the next several minutes, and a lay-up and free throw from Kyle Monroe pushed Michigan Tech in front to stay at 65-63 with 4:53 on the clock. One final three-pointer from Stephen with 12 seconds on the clock brought the Bearcats within 77-73, but McKendree could get no closer.
Monroe had 21 of his game-high 29 points in the second half to lead the way for Michigan Tech (1-0). Monroe also pulled down nine rebounds. Tommy Lucca added 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals while Dawson Bilski helped out with 14 points for the Huskies.
