(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 11) -- The McKendree University women's basketball team opened the 2016-17 regular season in non-conference action at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Great Lakes Valley Conference Crossover Tournament. The Bearcats fell 76-47 against the hosting school Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI.
McKendree moves to 0-1 on the season and will return to action tomorrow at 4 p.m. EST against Lake Superior State University.
The Bearcats were paced by freshman forward
Shayli Florine (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg) who dropped a team high 12 points along with four rebounds. Senior forward
Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) finished with eight points along with two rebounds and two steals, while freshman guard
Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) rounded out the top scorers for McKendree with six points and a pair of steals. Senior guard
Shannon McGinnis (Niles, Ill./Trinity) pulled down a team high five rebounds.
The Bearcats scored 10 of their 12 first quarter points in the paint with six points coming from the bench, but allowed six turnovers as Hillsdale led 17-12 after the first quarter.
The second quarter was all Chargers as Hillsdale outscored McKendree 23-4 to take a 40-16 lead heading into intermission.
The Bearcats benched continued to play well in the third quarter accounting for 11 of the teams 13 third quarter points with Heberg chipping in all six of her points in the frame.
Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) capped off a strong finish for McKendree with six points in the fourth quarter, while Florine added five of her 12 points in the final 10 minutes.
