Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 25)- The McKendree University women's basketball team cut the deficit to two midway through the second half, but came up short down the stretch in an 80-75 loss to Lindenwood on Tuesday night.

The Bearcats fall to 0-4 overall and will travel to Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., on Saturday, Nov. 29 for a non-conference game at 7 p.m.

McKendree had season-high scoring efforts from senior guard Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville), and sophomore forward Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) and sophomore guard Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North). Ponce had 20 points, while Pusheck added a career-high 15 points and Alexander had 12 points. Ponce's scoring effort also pushed her career total to 1,293 points, moving her past Gina Bloemer into eighth place on the career all-time scoring list.

The Bearcats faced a 52-38 deficit shortly into the second half, but used a 9-0 run to cut the Lindenwood lead to 52-47 with 15:26 left in the half. McKendree kept battling back and a three-pointer by Alexander cut the score to 59-57 with 8:44 left in the game.

The Lions extended their lead back to 71-60 with just over three minutes remaining, and a layup by Ponce with 26-seconds left brought McKendree within three, but Lindenwood converted all four of its free throw attempts down the stretch to keep the game out of reach.

Kassidy Gengenbacher led all players with 30 points for Lindenwood.