(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 10)—The McKendree College women’s basketball team scored the final six points of the contest to rally for a 68-63 victory Saturday at home against Harris-Stowe State University.

 

The visiting Hornets took a 62-61 lead with 2:26 to play on two free throws by Stephanie Roberts. But the Bearcats regained the lead on their next possession when junior forward Heather Elders (Energy, Ill./Herrin) (Energy, Ill./Herrin) scored on a layup with 2:06 left. Elders then hit a jumper 30 seconds later to extend the margin to 66-63, and sophomore guard Kelsey Park (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) hit a driving layup with 48 seconds on the clock to seal the win for McKendree.

 

The victory was the fourth in a row for McKendree, which improves to 16-9 overall and 7-3 in American Midwest Conference play. Harris-Stowe drops to 7-17 on the year and 5-5 in the conference.

 

Senior forward Emily Hart (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) led the Bearcats with 19 points, while Elders finished with 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Sophomore forward Emily Best (Wood River, Ill./East Alton-Wood River) (Worden, Ill./East Alton-Wood River) came off the bench to post 16 points for McKendree. Park handed out a season-high nine assists for McKendree, while shot 55.6 percent from the field (30-of-54).

 

McKendree built a 25-14 lead midway through the first half before Harris-Stowe used a 9-1 run to pull within 26-23 with 6:47 left in the period. The Bearcats responded by scoring the next 13 points to regain a 39-23 advantage late in the half. McKendree led 41-28 at the start of the second half when Harris-Stowe started its comeback. The Hornets chipped away at its deficit, and tied the game at 54-54 on a jumper by Marvis Jackson with 10:32 remaining. Roberts gave Harris-Stowe its first lead of the night, 56-54, with a layup at the 9:40 mark.

 

The Bearcats used a 6-0 run to battle back in front, 60-56, before Harris-Stowe countered with five consecutive points to surge back in front, 61-60, with 3:13 to play. Hart sank a pair of free throws just ahead of the two shots at the stripe by Roberts that gave Harris-Stowe its last lead of the contest.

 

Laniya Stevens led Harris-Stowe with 19 points, while Roberts collected 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Chanel Ross dished out a game-high 11 assists for the Hornets.

 

McKendree will return to action Thursday at Williams Baptist College. Tip-off for the AMC contest in Walnut Ridge, Ark., is set for 6 p.m.