Box Score (FT. SMITH, Ark., Nov. 23)- The McKendree University women's basketball team had a seaosn-high four players score in double-figures on Friday night in a 79-70 win over Rogers State University at the University of Arkansas-Ft. Smith Thanksgiving Classic.

The Bearcats improved to 2-2 overall and will play Huston-Tillotson University (Texas) at 2 p.m., on Saturday afternoon. The win was also head coach Melissa Ringhausen's 299th as head coach at McKendree.

Sophomore guard Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) led al players with a career-high 29 points, while senior forward Shelby Woelfel (Jerseyville, Ill./Jerseyville) has a season-high 17 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks. Woelfel's two blocks moved into sole possession of 10th place in the school's all-time career record books with 57.

Junior guard Brittany Willis (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway South) and freshman guard Liz Gilman (St. Louis, Mo./Principia) alos scored in double-figures with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Willis surpassed the 500 career points mark in the game and now has 508 career points in her collegiate career.

McKendree used a 7-0 run early in the first half to jump out to a 12-5 lead and remained in front for the majority of the first half. The Bearcats held onto the lead for the majority of the first half, but the Hillcats battled back and tied the game 35-35 at the half with a layup by Adrianna Leatherbury.

Rogers State took a brief one-point lead, 40-39, shortly into the second half, but a layup by Woelfel on the following possession put McKendree back in front for good.

A three-pointer by Ponce gave the Bearcats their largest lead of the game, 54-40, with 13:35 left in the game. The Hillcats cut their deficit to three, 66-63, with 2:48 left in the game, but McKendree won the game at the free throw line, sinking 10-of-11 attempts down the stretch, as part of a 25-of-30 effort in the second half.

The loss was the first for Rogers State this season, dropping its record to 5-1 overall. Leah Smith led the Hillcats with 19 points.