Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 18)- The McKendree University women's basketball team came up short on Saturday in a 64-54 loss to University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

The Bearcats fall to 6-8 overall and 1-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and will host Saint Joseph's College on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 5:30 p.m.

Senior guard Brittany Willis (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway South) led McKendree with 18 points, while freshman forward Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) and junior guard Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) score 12 and 11 points, respectively. Freshman guard/forward Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) narrowly missed out on the double-double with eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds.

The opening five minutes of the contests had three lead changes before the Rangers scored on three-straight possessions to take a 16-11 lead with 10:27 left in the first half. The Bearcats battled back and regained the lead, 25-22, on a three by Ponce with 3:21 left in the half. UW-Parkside answered with a three on the next posession and regained the lead at the break 29-28.

McKendree kept it close at the start of the second half and took a 39-34 lead following a jumper by Willis at the 14:46 mark. The Bearcats held onto their lead until the Rangers took a 51-50 edge following two free throws with under four minutes to play. McKendree was unable to get its shots to fall down the stretch and UW-Parkside went 11-12 from the free throw line to close out the game, 64-54.

Gaby Bronson led all players with 20 points for the Rangers.