St. Ambrose struggled to get anything to fall in a 56-52 CCAC loss at Roosevelt Saturday afternoon in Chicago.

The Bees shot just 28.2 percent from the floor for the game in dropping to 5-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

Things started well. Lee Hardrick hit two quick threes after Blake Buls opened the scoring with a layup to help SAU to an 8-3 lead three minutes in. The Lakers (6-0, 1-0 CCAC) followed with nine straight points to take a 12-8 lead, a lead they would never surrender.

Down 30-23 at halftime, SAU never trailed by more than nine and hung around the entire second half.

Hardrick capped an eight-point run with a 3-pointer to get the Bees to within a single point at 34-33 five minutes into the second half. Then inside the final four minutes, St. Ambrose made another push. Jake Meeske made four free throws around a Dylan Kaczmarek triple as part of a 7-0 run to cut the margin to 48-47 with 2:35 left.

SAU got a stop but committed a turnover leading to a Roosevelt three-point play and a 51-47 score.

At that point, the Bees missed seven straight shots, including three 3-pointers, two layups and a tip-in chance to allow the Lakers to build a 54-47 lead with 14 seconds left. Warren Allen hit a 3-pointer and John Kerr scored at the buzzer to account for the final score.

Hardrick was the lone Bee to score in double figures, hitting four threes on his way to 14 points. Meeske and Allen each scored nine points, with Allen adding nine rebounds. Buls chipped in with eight points and 10 boards.

St. Ambrose was able to stay close despite the poor shooting, a mark that was brought down by a dismal 10-of-39 performance in the second half, by out-rebounding Roosevelt 53-37.

Tuesday, the Bees will visit CCAC rival Calumet St. Joseph.