QUINCY, Ill. - It was a tie game with 4:37 to play, but McKendree scored four late points to hand the Lincoln men's basketball team a 55-51 loss on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 14) in the QU Subway Holiday Classic.

Cameron Potts led Lincoln with 19 points, pulled down seven rebounds, dished two assists and tallied a pair of steals. Marcel Burton was next on the scoring chart with eight points to go with four boards and two assists while L'Kielynn Taylor notched six points and a team-high eight rebounds.

McKendree (5-3) led 34-28 at halftime, and held a nine-point advantage early in the second half, but four-straight points by Potts followed by a fast break layup from Alafia Oluwasogo pulled the Blue Tigers within 40-38. Taylor later made back-to-back shots to put Lincoln (3-6) ahead, 45-42.

Lincoln would lead by as many as five with 8:28 to play, but a 7-0 Bearcat run allowed McKendree to take a 51-49 lead. The Blue Tigers answered with a jumper by Potts, and the game would remain tied for the next three minutes. McKendree eventually broke the tie with a layup off a steal, and a pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds allowed the Bearcats to seal the four-point win.

Jonell Burton had seven points, four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal, and Oluwasogo represented Lincoln with four points and two boards. Marcus Cohen provided four points and four boards, Lamont Ballard, Jr. supplied three points and three rebounds, and Jordan Notch dished an assist while Bansi King had a rebound.

The Blue Tigers will take on the host of the QU Subway Holiday Classic, Quincy, on Sunday (Dec. 15) at 3:15 p.m. CST.