GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Despite scoring 89 points, their second-highest total this season, and turning the ball over just 11 times, tied for second fewest, Davenport fell to McKendree, 99-89, on Monday in the two teams' first-ever meeting. Next up for the Panthers is a home date with Cornerstone on Dec. 30 at 3 p.m.

Marcedus Leech Jr. tied the game high in points with 21 while Luke Bara (19) and Chaz Birchfield (17) each notched a career high and Jakub Dombek (16) also reached double-figures. Birchfield paced the team in rebounds with six and Dombek dished out a career-high four assists. Defensively, three different Panthers notched a block while Bara and Jaylen Hodges each tallied a pair of steals.

The first half saw a total of six ties and two lead changes as McKendree led by as many as 12 (48-36, 51-39) and Davenport had a two-point advantage early on (7-5). The Bearcats set the tone from the jump, though, shooting 60 percent (18-of-30) in the first 20 minutes, including 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from deep, as well as 85.7 percent (6-of-7) at the free throw line. Davenport shot nearly 50 percent (15-of-31) in its own right with six triples, but the Bearcats controlled a 12-point margin at the break.

Out of the intermission, the visitors pushed their lead to as large as 17, 58-41, but the home team didn't go away quietly. Davenport used a 22-8 run to pull within three, 66-63, and again at 68-65, but McKendree proved to be too tough down the stretch. The Bearcats went back up double-digits at 86-76 with just under three minutes to play and again at 99-89 right before the final buzzer.