(Lebanon, Ill., Dec. 3) – The McKendree University women's basketball team dropped a 50-37 decision to No. 5 Bellarmine University Saturday afternoon in a Great Lakes Valley Conference match up inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.

The loss moves the Bearcats to 4-3 overall and 0-2 in the GLVC this season. McKendree returns to action Wednesday Dec. 7 in a non-conference showdown with Central Christian College at 5 p.m.

Freshman Guard Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) led McKendree in scoring, netting 12 points. Senior guard Shannon McGinnis (Niles, Ill./Trinity) and freshman forward Megan Jensen (Union, MO/Saint Francis Borgia Regional ) each tabbed six points with McGinnis adding five rebounds and one steal.

McKendree shot 50% from the field in the opening quarter with Heberg tallying five of her 12 points in the first quarter. Bellarmine converted six second chance points as the teams battled to a 12-12 tie after 10 minutes.

McGinnis and Jensen dropped four points each for the Bearcats in the second quarter and sophomore forward Jordan Morton (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) put down a pair of blocks and hauled in two boards, but the Knights capitalized on five Bearcat turnovers to pull ahead 24-22 heading into the half.

Five different Bearcats scored in the third quarter for McKendree and the Bearcats held Bellarmine in check defensively as the Knights went 0-4 from beyond the arc, but Bellarmine was able to extend its lead by one point after working the ball inside and converting six points in the paint.

The Knights pulled away in the final frame outscoring McKendree 15-5 with help from the charity stripe that saw them hit six of their ten tries. Bellarmine also scored seven fast break points after forcing five Bearcat turnovers to earn the win.