(COLUMBIA, Mo. – FEB. 19) –The McKendree University women’s basketball team used a big second half to defeat Columbia College Tuesday night, 67-61.

 

McKendree improved to 20-8 overall and 12-1 in the AMC, while Columbia fell to 14-14 overall and 9-4 in the AMC. The win is the Bearcats ninth-straight and also marks the seventh-straight season of 20 or more wins under coach Melissa Ringhausen. The Bearcats host Hannibal-LaGrange College Saturday for senior day at 2 p.m.

 

Senior forward Heather Elders (Energy, Ill./Herrin) (Energy, Ill./Herrin) led all players with 17 points, while also pulling down nine rebounds. Junior forward Emily Best (Wood River, Ill./East Alton-Wood River) (Wood River, Ill./East Alton-Wood River) and senior forward Suzy Gerler (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) both recorded double-doubles in the win with Best having 14 points and 12 rebounds and Gerler contributing 12 points and 10 rebounds.

 

The Bearcats and Cougars battled back and forth in the first half, but Bearcats missed all four of their three-point attempts, while the Cougars made six to give themselves an 11-point lead at the half. McKendree came out in the second half and held Columbia to 27-percent shooting from the field to regain and keep the lead. The Bearcats converted 18 of 25 free throw attempts in the second half to get the win.

 

The Bearcats outrebounded the Cougars 57-40 on the game and also outscored the Cougars off the bench 17-12.