(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 26)- The No. 25 McKendree University women's basketball team had No. 4 Campbellsville University (Ky.) on the ropes on Friday night, but dropped a 79-76 decision on the first day of the McKendree University Thanksgiving Classic.

The Bearcats fell to 2-6 overall and will host No. 18 Lindsey Wilson College on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

McKendree held a 41-33 at the half behind an 45-percent shooting effort from the field and led for the majority of the second half, until a jumper by Courtney Clifton with just over nine minutes to play gave the Tigers the lead for good.

Senior guard Katie Fullerton (Coulterville, Ill., Coulterville) led all players with 21 points, while sophomore forward Shelby Woelfel (Jerseyville, Ill., Jerseyville) had 14 points in the loss for the Bearcats. Sophomore forward Courtney Harris (St. Louis, Mo., St. Joseph Academy) and sophomore guard Leann Voss (Breese, Ill., Breese Central) also had 13 and 11 points, respectively.

The Tigers had five players score in double-figures in the contest, led by 2009-10 NAIA National Co-Player of the Year Whitney Ballinger's 20 points and nine rebounds. Melly Heaton and Clifton had 17 and 15 points, respectively, while Lee and Courtney Danis had 12 and 10 points to round out the Tigers double-digit scoring.

Campbellsville shot out quickly and led 14-9, before McKendree bounced back and tied the game 14-14 with 12 minutes left to play in the first half. The Bearcats took an 18-17 lead two minutes later on a layup by sophomore forward Jessica Steinmetz (Wildwood, Mo., Lafayette) and McKendree's balanced inside-outside attack wore down the Tigers and gave the host a 12 point lead after a three-pointer by Voss with just over two minutes remaining.  A jumper by junior forward Ashley Dressler (Columbia, Mo., Rock Bridge) gave McKendree a 41-27 lead with just over a minute in the half, but Campbellsville's Melly Heaton hit back-to-back three-pointer's down the stretch to make the score 41-33 at the break.

The Bearcats held a double-digit lead until a layup by MacKenzie Lee to the deficit to 56-47 with 13 minutes left. The Tigers tied the game 60-60 with just over nine minutes to play and after a free throw by Voss put McKendree in the lead, a jumper by Clifton gave Campbellsville a 64-63 lead that they did not relinquish.