(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 11) – The McKendree University men's basketball team defeated No. 16 Indianapolis 78-74 after intense second half surge on Saturday. The Bearcats improve to 8-5 overall on the season and 3-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).

This win marks the third time the Bearcats have defeated a nationally ranked opponent this season. The first was against Southern Indiana, who at the time sat ninth in the national poll, on Dec. 3, 68-64. The second was just one week ago on Saturday, Jan. 4, McKendree took down No. 25 Drury, 80-70. The Panthers are no longer ranked.

Sophomore forward Aleksa Popovic (Belgrade, Serbia/BC Partizan Belgrade) put the Bearcats on the board first with a two point jumper just thirteen seconds into the game. McKendree maintained the lead for five minutes until Indianapolis managed a seven point unanswered run. The Bearcats were never able to recover the lead in the first half, falling as far behind as 19 points. McKendree went on a nine-point run of their own ending it with a half court three as time expired, made by senior guard Logan Kohrmann (Bartelso, IL/Breese Central), to cut the Greyhounds lead to 37-32 heading into halftime.

The Bearcats improved in the second half, shooting 15 for 26 at the field goal level and 12 for 29 from behind the three point arch. With the improved shooting, McKendree was able to take the lead with just five minutes left to play in the game and then never lost it as the Bearcats went on to win the game 78-74.

Despite having more turnovers than the Greyhounds, McKendree held Indianapolis to just nine turnover points while it was able to score 17 points of its own off UIndy turnovers. The Bearcats also capitalized more on second chance opportunities, scoring 13 points on second chance shots compared to Indianapolis' six.

Kohrmann made a big impact in the game for McKendree scoring 26 points, just five shy of his career best. Logan also recorded seven rebounds, five assists, one block, and two steals for the Bearcats. Junior guard Oliver Stephen (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) also tallied double-digit points for McKendree with 12 on the day.

Defensively, freshman forward Byson Bultman led the team with nine rebounds. McKendree also had four Bearcats record one block in the game; Kohrmann, Popovic, freshman forward Jakobie Robinson (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central), and junior guard Carrington Bass (Floosmoor, IL/Crete-Monee).

McKendree will travel to Liberty, Mo., for its next GLVC contest against William Jewell College on Thursday, Jan. 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.