Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 18)- The McKendree University women's basketball team cut its deficit to one early in the fourth quarter, but was unable to take a lead in a 68-58 loss to No. 25 Bellarmine University on Thursday.

The Bearcats fall to 11-15 overall and 6-10 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, and will host University of Southern Indiana at 1 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 20. McKendree will honor its three senior guards Kelsee Ennis (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South), Kacey Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central), and Ashley Klass (Evansville, Ind./Evansville North) prior to the game during Senior Day festivities.

Junior forward Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) led the Bearcats with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Ennis and junior guard/forward Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) both added eight points.

McKendree kept the game close in the first quarter and trailed, 10-9, following a layup by Ennis at the 5:25 mark, but the Knights held a 19-12 lead at the end of the quarter. A three-pointer by Alexander punctuated a 7-0 run for the Bearcats to tie the game, 21-21, midway through the second quarter, but Bellarmine outscored McKendree, 14-3, through the remainder of the half to lead 35-25 at the break.

McKendree faced a double-digit deficit for the majority of the third quarter, but found its range and battled back to trail 46-43 entering the fourth quarter. A layup by Pusheck brought the Bearcats within one, 46-45, with nine minutes to play, but Bellarmine scored the next 12 points to take a 58-45 lead with 5:09 left to play, and held on to earn the 68-58 win.

Raven Merriweather led all players with 18 points for the Knights.