(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 25) – The McKendree University men's basketball team dropped a Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) contest to Truman State, 82-65. The Bearcats are now 10-8 overall and 5-5 in the GLVC.

The first half was a back-and-forth battle between the Bearcats and the Bulldogs with the lead changing or tied 19 times in the 20 minutes. The largest lead by either team was Truman State's seven point lead nine minutes into the game. McKendree answered back immediately scoring seven unanswered points to tie the game back up 17-17. Sophomore forward Luke Hensler (Okawville, IL/Okawville) banked a three-pointer with 1:15 remaining to pull the Bearcats within one of the Bulldogs, 35-34 heading into halftime.

Senior guard Logan Kohrmann (Bartelso, IL/Breese Central) recorded two back-to-back baskets for McKendree to get the Bearcats the lead to start the second half 38-35. Truman State responded with a three point basket less than a minute later to tie the game back up. The Bulldogs then scored off of a Bearcat turnover to regain the lead and then never lost it for the remainder of the second half. With 14 minutes left to play, McKendree pulled within two points of Truman but that was the final time as the Bulldogs went on to win 82-65.

Three Bearcats tallied double-digit points in the game for McKendree. Kohrmann led the way with 13 points, junior guard Carrington Bass (Floosmoor, IL/Crete-Monee) was next with 12 points, and senior forward Nate Bethel (Nassau, Bahamas/St. Louis Christian Academy) rounded out the efforts with 10 points. Junior guard Oliver Stephen (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) and freshman forward Jakobie Robinson (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central) were also important offensive players for the Bearcats, each collecting eight points.

Robinson and sophomore forward Aleksa Popovic (Belgrade, Serbia/BC Partizan Belgrade) led the defensive efforts for McKendree with five rebounds each. Offensive rebounds and second chance opportunities proved costly for the Bearcats as they allowed Truman to record 18 offensive rebounds and 18 of its 82 points on second chances.

The Bearcats' bench out-scored the Bulldogs' bench in dramatic fashion, 28-7 with Bass recorded 12 of the 28 bench points. As a team, McKendree recorded a better shooting percentage from the field goal range as well as at the free throw line than Truman State. The Bearcats went 25 for 51 from field goal range or 49 percent and nine for 12 from the free throw line or 75 percent.

McKendree will begin a four-game road stint next week starting with a game against Lindenwood University on Thursday, Jan. 30 in St. Charles, Mo. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.