Box Score (SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Jan. 2)- The McKendree University women's basketball team couldn't overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to lose 68-61 at Drury University on Monday night.

The Bearcats dropped to 6-10 overall and will host William Woods University at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 7th.

Freshman guard Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) led all players with 17 points, while redshirt senior guard Ashley Agee (Moberly, Mo./Moberly) recorded her first double-digit scoring effort of the season with 11 points. Agee increased her career point total to 1,260 to move her into eighth place on McKendree's all-time scoring list, trailing Gina Bloemer's seventh-place total of 1,281.

McKendree kept the game close and trailed 19-17 with 6:42 left in the first half before Drury went on an 8-0 run to take a 27-17 lead with 3:07 remaining. The Bearcats found themselves trailing 31-19 with 1:35 left, but cut the deficit to eight, 31-23, following a jumper by Ponce and a layup by freshman guard Danielle Amann-Stewart (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) with 45 ticks until the half. The Lady Panthers took a 10-point lead into the break after capitalizing off a turnover by Ponce and scoring a transition layup with one second left.

McKendree came out firing in the second half, shooting over 63 percent from the field (14-22), including 80 percent from beyond the arc (4-5), and came withing five, 47-42, with 9:13 left in the game. The Lady Panthers shot over 73 percent (19-26) from the free throw line in the second half to keep things out of reach and deal McKendree the loss.

Drury had four score in double figures, and were led by Kassie Walker's 14 points. Bethanie Funderburk scored 12 points, while Katie Pritchard and Emilie Gray each had 10 points.