(KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 9)—The McKendree University men's basketball team was defeated Saturday afternoon on the road by Rockhurst University, 75-55.
 
      The host Hawks shot 56.1 percent for the game (32-of-57) from the field and opened the second half on a 10-0 run to pull away and collect the Great Lakes Valley Conference win. McKendree moves to 9-13 on the year and is now 5-8 in conference play. The Bearcats will head east on Thursday to take on the University of Southern Indiana. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Evansville, Ind.
 
      A trio of juniors each scored 11 points in leading McKendree. Guards Logan Kohrmann (Bartelso, IL/Breese Central) and Alijah Thomas (Des Moines, IA/Hoover) joined center Nolan Gerling (Germantown, IL/Mater Dei) in sharing team-high scoring honors with 11 points each against the Hawks. Gerling, Kohrmann and senior guard Nate Michael (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Ogden) all pulled down a team-best four rebounds, while Thomas added a game-high three steals in the contest.
 
      Saturday's game was tied on three different occasions in the opening minutes before Rockhurst put together an 11-3 run to build a 21-13 lead midway through the first half. The Hawks slowly increased the margin to double figures, grabbing a 42-29 advantage with 1:33 remaining in the period. But the Bearcats came clawing back, first on a three-pointer from sophomore guard Carrington Bass (Floosmoor, IL/Crete-Monee) before a lay-up and free throw by Kohrmann in the final second of the half brought McKendree within 42-35 at the intermission.
 
      Rockhurst (13-10, 7-6 GLVC) got out to a fast start in the second half, scoring the first 10 points to increase its lead to 52-35 with 14:34 left to play. The Hawks maintained their advantage throughout the period, taking its largest lead of the day at 73-50 with just over two minutes remaining.
 
      Four Rockhurst players scored in double figures in the contest, led by a 22-point effort from Quinton Curry. Curry also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Curtis Lewis helped out with 16 points for the Hawks.