(LEBANON, Ill., February 12)- The McKendree University women's basketball team held a slim lead with under five minutes to play, but couldn't hold on in the end and dropped a 82-79 decision to Missouri Baptist University.

The Bearcats fell to 9-16 overall and 5-7 in the American Midwest Conference with the loss, and will host Stephens College on Tuesday, February 15 at 7 p.m.

Senior guard Katie Fullerton (Coulterville, Ill., Coulterville) led the Bearcats with 17 points and passed Stephanie Sparks for 10th place on McKendree's all-time scoring list with 1,154 points. Sophomore forward Courtney Harris (St. Louis, Mo., St. Joseph Academy) recorded a double-double with 15 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Freshman guard Brittany Willis (St. Louis, Mo., Parkway South) and senior guard Kasie Frazier (Lebanon, Ill., Lebanon) also scored in double figures with 14 points and 10 points, respectively.

The Spartans started the game in control and held a 23-14 lead with 9:29 remaining in the first half, before McKendree went on a 10-0 run that gave them a one-point lead with 5:26 left in the first half. The Bearcats led by as many as five, 34-29, in the half, but Missouri Baptist battled back and cut the McKendree lead to 36-35 at the half.

The second half saw nine lead changes and McKendree held its last lead, 68-67, with 4:39 remaining in the contest. The Bearcats tied the game twice in the final minutes, 70-70 with 3:34 remaining, and 72-72 with just under three minutes to play, but couldn't gain the upper hand down the stretch.

Kylee Grant led all players with 18 points for the Spartans, while Andrea Seabaugh also had 16 points. Janelle Hensold had 15 points, Ashley Johnson had 14 points, and Jerika Carpenter had 10 points.