(EVANSVILLE, Ind., Dec. 3)- The McKendree University women's basketball team lost its Great Lakes Valley Conference opener at University of Southern Indiana on Thursday 58-45.

The Bearcats fall to 1-5 overall and 0-1 in the GLVC and will travel to Louisville, Ky., on Saturday, Dec. 5 to face Bellarmine University at 1 p.m. ET.

Junior forward Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) and senior guard Ashley Klass (Evansville, Ind./Evansville North) led McKendree with nine points each, while senior guard Kelsee Ennis (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South) scored eight points and had a career-high eight rebounds in the loss.

The Bearcats fell behind early, 10-3, following a 7-0 run in the first half, and trailed 16-11 at the end of the first quarter. McKendree battled back in the second quarter and trailed 24-18 at the half. The Eagles used a big third quarter to extend their lead back out to double-digits, and the Bearcats were unable to battleback in the final quarter to fall in the conference opener.

Tanner Marcum led all players with 19 points for the Eagles.