Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 16)- The McKendree University women's basketball team dropped its first divisional Great Lakes Valley Conference game on Thursday in a 72-62 loss to No. 25 Lewis University.

The Bearcats fall to 6-7 overall and 1-4 in the GLVC with the loss and will host University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 1 p.m., in a divisional matchup.

Junior forward Danielle Amann-Stewart (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) led the Bearcats with a season-high 17 points in the loss. Senior guard Brittany Willis (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway South) and junior guard Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) also each had 11 points, and WIllis also matched her season-high with seven rebounds. Freshman guard forward Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) also tied her career-high of nine rebounds to lead McKendree on the glass.

Lewis came out strong and held a 19-9 edge halfway through the first half, before the Bearcats warmed up and cut the deficit to 19-16 following a 7-0 run.

The Flyers answered with a 12-0 run of their own to extend their lead to 31-16 with under four minutes remaining in the first half, but McKendree came back again with a 10-0 run to cut the score to 31-26 with 52-seconds left until the break. Lewis hit a three-pointer with 33-seconds remaining and McKendree trailed 34-26 at the half.

After being outscored 22-10 in the paint in the first half, the Bearcats matched Lewis' 18 points in the paint in the second half and outscored the Flyers' off the bench, 24-2, in the final 20 minutes of play. A layup by Ponce brought McKendree within six, 36-30, just under a minute into the second half, but Lewis extended its lead to 46-30 with 15 minutes to go.

The Bearcats went on another run to cut its deficit to 46-38 with 13 minutes to play, but was unable to get any closer to fall 72-62.

McKendree also shot a season-high 90-percent (18-20) from the free throw line in the loss.

Mariyah Henley led all players with 18 points and 11 rebounds for Lewis.