Bearcats fall to 0-2 start in GLVC action
The McKendree University men’s basketball squad closed out a two-game road trip Saturday afternoon with a 78-53 loss at Bellarmine University.
The host Knights reeled off 19 consecutive points to close the first half to erase a two-point McKendree lead and take a 17-point advantage at the intermission. With the loss, the Bearcats slip to 4-2 overall and 0-2 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. McKendree will return to non-conference action Wednesday by playing host to Central Christian College. Tip-off at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center is set for 7 p.m.
Junior forward Darin Winkelman (Steeleville) led a balanced attack for McKendree with 12 points, while junior guard David Franklin (Althoff) chipped in with 11 points. Both Winkelman and Franklin pulled down a team-leading eight rebounds in the contest. Senior forward Brandon Book (Breese Central) also scored in double figures for the Bearcats with 10 points. Franklin paced McKendree with five assists at Bellarmine.
McKendree held the lead for most of the first half at Bellarmine. The Bearcats built a four-point advantage on three different occasions, the last coming at 20-16 on a three-pointer by Franklin with 7:59 left in the period. The Knights fought back and knotted the contest at 20-20 before Franklin scored on a driving lay-up at the 5:40 mark to push McKendree back in front at 22-20.
At that point, Bellarmine (6-2, 2-0 GLVC) began its decisive run. A pair of free throws tied the contest before a lay-up by Al Davis pushed the Knights out to a 24-22 advantage. McKendree missed on its final eight shots of the half, and a basket by Adam Eberhard just before the buzzer capped the spurt to send Bellarmine into the locker room with a 39-22 halftime lead.
Early in the second half, McKendree pulled with 41-28 following a three-pointer from senior guard A.J. Schmidt with just over 18 minutes to play. The Knights then scored the next seven points and slowly pull away for the league win.
Davis showed the way for Bellarmine with 14 points and nine rebounds. Yasin Kolo posted 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds, while Rusty Troutman added 12 points and led all players with six assists.
Missouri Baptist 93, LU-Belleville 90
The Missouri Baptist Spartans scored an American Midwest Conference victory over the Lindenwood University-Belleville Lynx on Saturday in St. Louis.
Andrew Douby led the Lynx with 19 points. Collin Mingo added 18 while T.J. Jackson scored 15. ShunQuez Stephens also was in double figures with 13 and Sean McGee contributed 10 points.
The teams were tied 46-46 at halftime.
Chris Buzzell led the Spartans with 23 points.
Stephens hit a basket with 30 seconds left to pull the Lynx within a point at 88-87 but LU-Belleville would come no closer. The Spartans hit 5 of 6 free throws to seal the victory.
LU-Belleville fell to 4-6 overall and 1-3 in AMC action.
The Spartans improved to 5-4 and 2-1 in league play.
Bellarmine 64, McKendree 49
The McKendree University women’s basketball team lost a Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Bellarmine University on Saturday in Louisville, Ky.
The Bearcats fall to 1-6 overall and 0-2 in the GLVC, and will host Central Christian College on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 5 p.m.
Senior guard Kacey Johnson led McKendree with 12 points in the loss, while junior forward Emily Pusheck and senior guard Kelsee Ennis scored eight and seven points, respectively. Sophomore forward Shauniera Wilson added a career-high six points.
The Bearcats kept pace with the Knights in the first half and only trailed 36-25 at the break. Bellarmine used a big third quarter, outscoring McKendree, 15-4, out of the half to extend its lead out to 51-29 heading into the final quarter. The Bearcats scored 20 points in the final 10 minutes of play, but it wouldn't be enough in the loss.
McKendree had its best offensive day of the season from the field, shooting a season-high 43.1-percent from the field in the contest, and outscored Bellarmine 24-22 in the paint.
Sarah Galvin led all players with 18 points for Bellarmine.
LU-Belleville 77, Missouri Baptist 76 OT
Torre Kohrmann hit a basket to tie the game and then knocked down the free throw with 9 seconds left in overtime to lift the Lindenwood University-Belleville Lynx to a win over the Missouri Baptist Lady Spartans on Saturday in St. Louis.
Kohrmann scored 13 points. Kindra Brown led the Lynx with 26 points and Rilea Huff added 23 points.
LU-Belleville led led 34-30 at halftime but the teams ended regulation play tied at 69.
The Lady Lynx improved to 2-8 overall and improved to 2-2 in conference action.
Missouri Baptist fell to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in AMC play.
This story was originally published December 5, 2015 at 8:24 PM with the headline "Bearcats fall to 0-2 start in GLVC action."