NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Trevecca Nazarene University men's basketball team (1-5) dropped a non-conference battle with visiting McKendree University (4-0) by the score of 86-80 this afternoon at the Trojan Fieldhouse.

Trevecca will host the No. 19 University of Alabama in Huntsville Chargers (3-1) on Monday, Nov. 30th at 7 PM. (Watch Live Video | Stats)

The game is dubbed "Holiday Hoops" night, Have Yourself a Moorey Little Christmas, sponsored by Trevecca's CLCS (Center for Leadership Calling and Service).

UAH, who were ranked No. 12 in the preseason poll, defeated Trevecca 85-78 on Nov. 21 in Huntsville.

The series with the Chargers is tied 7-7 all-time. The UAH game will feature a "Silent Night" opening and Holly Jolly themed games, sing-a-long time, Christmas Costume Contest, Yummy Christmas Cookies.  The Star Spangled Banner will be sung by a ladies quartet from the staff of the CLCS. The first 50 students will receive a festive prize.

So, come for the "Lighting of the Greens" on the Trevecca campus at 5:00 PM and continue the Christmas Spirit with Holiday Hoops in the Trojan Fieldhouse at 7 PM as the Trojans take on the nationally ranked Chargers of Alabama Huntsville.

Trevecca is 3-6 all-time versus McKendree University and coach Harry Statham (Stay-them). Statham, in his 50th year as the men's basketball coach with the Bearcats, is the all-time winningest men's collegiate basketball coach. Statham, has 1092 career wins now, only former University of Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt has more wins (1098) than Statham as a collegiate basketball coach has more college basketball wins.

Trevecca and McKendree have played seven times since both programs moved to the NCAA Division II classification and the Bearcats own a 4-3 edge during the D2 era. The teams have played twice in each of the last three years, splitting the season series each year. Interestingly enough, the last five meetings have witnessed the visitor winning each of those games.  

Trevecca returns the trip visiting the Harry M. Statham Sports Center on the Dec. 12th for a 7 PM game. (Live Video | Stats) The McKendree University campus is just outside of St. Louis, Mo. in Lebanon, Ill.

Trevecca opened the game on fire from long range, hitting three consecutive three-pointers on the first three possessions. Each of the baskets were from the right wing and were hit by Jacob Williams (SO/Lebanon, TN) (19:48), Jalen Palm (SR/Louisville, KY) (19:12), and Byron Sanford (SR/Louisville, KY) (18:41). Trevecca led 9-2 and later by 12 (21-9) with 12:35 left in the first half.

Darin Winkleman started the Bearcat rally with a three-pointer at the 12:19 mark. Michael Lang (SR/Chicago, IL) hit a three-pointer with 7:22 remaining in the half to put the Trojans up by seven (29-22) with 7:22 left.

The Bearcats took their first lead (32-31) on a pair of free throws with 3:41 left in the first half. A Matt Gamberoni (SR/Mulhouse, France) field goal on the next possession gave the Trojans the lead gain, but the Bearcats answered another run and led by 13 (48-35) with :21 left in the first half.

The Bearcats turned a 12-point deficit into a 13-point lead by outscoring the Trojans 39-14 over a 12-minute time frame. The Trojans cut the lead to 11 at the break and trailed 48-37.

With 15:52 left in the game the Bearcats led by 14 (60-46), the largest margin for either team in the game.

With 9:37 left the MU lead was 13 (71-58) and the Trojans began to rally. Over the next six minutes the Trojans held the Bearcats to just four points while putting up 17 and tied the game at 75-75 with 4:27 to go. Donovan Donaldson (FR/Nashville, TN), who scored 11 points all in the second half and scored nine of the 17 points in the run.

The Trojans would not hit another field goal, scoring all five of their points on free throws, but missed three free throws. Meanwhile McKendree went 8-for-8 from the line down the stretch to secure the win with a 11-5 run to close out the game.

Trevecca was led by two players producing a double-double in Byron Sanford and Matt Gamberoni. Both scored 20 points with Sanford topping the rebound category with 11 while Gamberoni collected 10. Sanford was 6-9 from the field and from the line and hit 2-3 from three-point range. Gamberoni hit 7-9 from the field and 6-8 from the foul line. The rest of the Trojans combined to hit just 15-45 from the field and 5-24 from three-point range.

Donovan Donaldson added 11 points with 5-7 shooting.

Trevecca had a 36-34 edge in scoring in the post and 25-13 in points scored off of turnovers. Second chance scoring (24-19) and bench scoring (37-24) went to the way of the Bearcats.

Trevecca hit just 1-11 from three-point range in the second half after connecting on 6-of-16 in the first half.

McKendree topped the rebounding category 44-31. Trevecca outscored the Bearcats 43-38 in the second half.

McKendree hit 20-of-22 from the line and 10-of-31 from three-point range.