Box Score (LOUISVILLE, Ky., Jan. 30)- The McKendree University women's basketball team trailed by two with 22-seconds left on Thursday at Bellarmine, but couldn't gain the lead to fall 85-79.

The Bearcats fall to 7-10 overall and 2-7 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and will travel to Evansville, Ind., on Saturday, Jan. 30 to face University of Southern Indiana at 1 p.m.

Senior guard Brittany Willis (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway South) led all players with 23 points, and is now only 26 points shy of joining the 1,000-point club at McKendree. Junior guard Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) had 21 points and brought her career point total to 1,104 to pass former Bearcat Heather Elders for 12th place on the all-time scoring list. Junior forward Danielle Amann-Stewart (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) rounded out the double-digit scoring with 14 points in the loss.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with 10 lead changes and both teams shooting over 45-percent from the field. The Knights held the largest lead of the first half, 15-9, at the 14:08 mark, but McKendree went on a 9-0 run to take a 16-15 lead. BOth teams traded leads through the remainder of the half and the Bearcat trailed at the half 39-35.

The game stayed close, but Bellarmine built its largest lead, 63-54, with 8:02 remaining in the game. McKendree came within two twice in the final 33-seconds of the game, but couldn't take the lead to fall 85-79.

Therese Montano led the Knights with 20 points.