(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 16)--The McKendree University women's basketball team dropped a 59-53 contest to the University of Illinois-Springfield in a Great Lakes Valley Conference showdown Monday evening inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.

The loss dips the Bearcats to 9-7 overall and 0-6 in the GLVC this season. McKendree returns to action Thursday at 5:30 pm at home with another GLVC showdown against the University of Indianapolis.

Senior guard Shannon McGinnis (Niles, Ill./Trinity) paced the Bearcats finishing one point shy of matching her career high as she totaled 13 points to go with six rebounds and four steals. Senior forward Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) was the only other Bearcats to reach double figures posting 11 points and seven boards. Senior forward Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) tallied eight points to go with three rebounds, two steals, and one block.  

Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) opened the scoring in the first quarter scoring the first two baskets for McKendree to give the Bearcats a 4-0 lead. Illinois-Springfield fired back with a 6-2 run to pull within one point at 9-8 with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter., but McKendree countered with a 5-0 run to close out the first 10 minutes of action taking a 13-8 lead. McKendree pounded the ball inside outscoring the Prairie Stars 10-4 in the point including four second-chance points.  

The Bearcats continued to roll in the second quarter using a 9-0 run to push ahead 25-14 as senior guard Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North), Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee), freshman Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) and McGinnis all sank baskets. Illinois-Springfield bounced back with a 6-0 run of its own to trim the lead to 25-20, but McKendree shot back with baskets from freshman guard Andranae Wash (St. Louis, MO/Cardinal Ritter College Prep) and freshman forward Shayli Florine (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg) to bump the lead back to nine and staved off the Prairie Stars to end the half with a 29-22 advantage.

Six different Bearcats scored points in the third quarter led by McGinnis who tallied four of her 13 points as McKendree stretched its lead to 10 points with 6:19 remaining in the quarter. The Prairie Stars hung tough and closed the quarter out with a 9-4 run remaining in striking distance entering the final frame.

Illinois-Springfield picked up where they left off as they opened the fourth quarter with a 13-0 run that spanned nearly five minutes before the Bearcats could stop the bleeding with a jumper from freshman forward Megan Jensen (Union, MO/Saint Francis Borgia Regional ) to cut the lead to 50-44. McKendree cut the lead to four with 45 seconds remaining after Alexander converted a basket and a free throw, but the Bearcats could not overcome the deficit, falling to the Prairie Stars by six.