(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 28)--The McKendree University men's basketball team dropped a 75-48 decision Thursday night at home against No. 13-ranked Bellarmine University.
 
A balanced offensive attack saw three Bearcats score in double figures against the visiting Knights. McKendree is now 9-17 on the year and 5-12 in Great Lakes Valley Conference action. The Bearcats will close out their regular-season slate Saturday afternoon inside the Statham Center against the University of Southern Indiana. Game time is set for 3 p.m.
 
Prior to Saturday's contest, McKendree will honor four student-athletes in Senior Day activities – Nate Michael (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Ogden), Giovanni Offard (Freeport, IL/Freeport), Nolan Gerling (Germantown, IL/Mater Dei) and Lens-Harly Louis (Montreal, Quebec, Canada/Florida Air Academy).
 
Junior guard Logan Kohrmann (Bartelso, IL/Breese Central) paced McKendree against Bellarmine with 12 points. Sophomore guard Carrington Bass (Floosmoor, IL/Crete-Monee) added 11 points while Gerling finished with 10 points. Gerling, Kohrmann and Offard shared team-high rebounding honors with four apiece as Michael handed out a team-leading four assists for the Bearcats.
 
Bellarmine (22-4, 13-4 GLVC) led from start to finish, scoring eight of the first 10 points of play and building a double-digit lead six minutes into the first half. McKendree pulled within 21-13 on a lay-up by Gerling with 9:35 remaining until halftime before the Knights reeled off 19 consecutive points to grab a 40-13 advantage. Bass drained a three-pointer to end the run before Bellarmine took a 42-16 lead at the intermission. The Knights shot 63 percent in the opening period (17-of-27).
 
Although Bellarmine continued to add to its lead over the final 20 minutes of play, Bass and Gerling stood out offensively for McKendree. The duo netted eight points each in the period, with Bass going 5-of-6 from the free throw line in the second half.
 
Adam Eberhard and Parker Chitty shared team-high scoring honors for Bellarmine with 10 points each. Eberhard and Chivasky Corbett each pulled down six rebounds, while Corbett added a game-high four steals for the Knights.