Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 8)- Senior guard Brittany Willis (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway South) became the 14th member of the 1,000-point club at McKendree University on Saturday in a 77-74 women's basketball loss to Missouri S&T.

The Bearcats fall to 7-13 overall and 2-10 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with the loss and will travel to Liberty, Mo., on Thursday, Feb. 13 for a conference matchup at 5:30 p.m.

Junior guard Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) scored a season-high 25 points and moved into 11th place on McKendree's all-time scoring list with 1,160 career points. Willis recorded her first double-double of the season with 19 points and a season-high 10 rebounds.

The Bearcats came out of the gate quickly and took a 12-4 lead following a layup by freshman forward Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee). The Lady Miners cut the deficit to 12-11 just over five minutes into the game. McKendree held onto its lead for the next five minutes until Missouri S&T took a 19-18 lead at the 10:37 mark. The Lady Miners took its largest lead of the half, 31-23, with 4:22 left in the half and led 39-33 at the break.

The Bearcats battled back in the second half and took a 58-57 lead following two free throws by Willis with 9:28 left in the game. McKendree extended its lead to six, 63-57, but Missouri S&T went on a 10-0 run to regain the lead with 5:17 left to play. The Bearcats kept the game close and trailed by three with 15-seconds remaining, but McKendree's three-point attempt to tie at the buzzer rimmed out to end the game. 

Karli Sample led all players with 31 points for Missouri S&T.