(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 19)--The McKendree University women's basketball team was topped by the University of Indianapolis Thursday evening inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in a Great Lakes Valley Conference match up. The Bearcats fell by a score of 62-51.

The loss moves McKendree to 9-8 overall and 0-7 in the GLVC. The Bearcats return to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when they play host to Saint Joseph's College.

McKendree was led offensively by freshman guard Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) who shot 4-10 from the field including a 3-8 mark from beyond the arc to tally 12 points. Senior forward Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) also reached double figures for the Bearcats with 11 points to go with three rebounds and one block. Senior guard Shannon McGinnis (Niles, Ill./Trinity) added four points and a team high eight rebounds, while senior guard Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) netted five points and a team high four assists.

Sophomore forward Jordan Morton (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) sank a three in the opening minutes to give the Bearcats an early 5-2 lead before McKendree extended that lead to eight points with a 9-2 to go in front 14-6 with 5:25 remaining in the first quarter. The Greyhound bounced back with a 13-4 capture a 19-18 lead, but the Bearcats countered with an and-one conversion from senior forward Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) to go back in front 21-19. Indianapolis would not be out done as the Greyhound converted a three point try with 36 seconds to go to take a 22-21 lead at the end of the first.

Indianapolis capitalized on eight points off nine Bearcat turnovers in the second quarter outscoring McKendree 11-2 to take a 33-23 lead into halftime. The Greyhounds pushed the lead to 15 points in the third quarter with an 11-6 spree, but the Bearcats were able to stay within striking distance heading into the final ten minutes as McKendree cut the lead to 11 points after Alexander converted a three-point play in the closing seconds of the third.

Heberg got things going for the Bearcats to start the fourth, cutting the Greyhound lead to single digits with a jumper less than a minute into the frame. Indianapolis prodded the lead back to 11 with six 6:00 to play, but once again, Heberg kept McKendree in the fight after sinking a trey to move the margin to eight. The Greyhounds held on tight to the lead moving it back to double digits with 3:37 to play, but McKendree struck back after Morton hit from deep to cut the deficit to seven with just under a minute remaining. The comeback effort came up short however as Indianapolis sank its final four attempts from the charity stripe to earn the win.