(Lebanon, Ill., Jan. 5) – The McKendree University women's basketball team returned to Great Lakes Valley Conference action Thursday evening inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center against Quincy University. The Bearcats fell by a score of 64-61.

McKendree moves to 9-4 overall and dips to 0-3 in the GLVC this season. The Bearcats return to the hardwood Saturday afternoon as they close out a 10-game home stand against Truman State.

The Bearcats sported a balanced offensive attack with nine of the ten players who say game action contributing points. McKendree was paced offensively by senior forward Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) who scored 15 points on 6-12 shooting to go with six rebounds and two assists. Senior guard Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) finished second in points scored with 11 after going 3-5 from three-point range, adding three boards and a pair of dimes. Senior guard Shannon McGinnis (Niles, Ill./Trinity) and senior forward Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) tied for a game high seven rebounds with McGinnis chipping in six points and eight assists, while Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) added eight points, two assists, three steals, and two blocks.

The Hawks opened the game on a 5-0 run before trading baskets with McKendree as the score moved to 9-5 with 6:25 remaining in the quarter. Freshman Madison Hart (Oak Creek, WI/Oak Creek) hit a jumper to spark a four point run that tied the game after fellow freshman Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) sank a jumper of her own at the 4:57 mark. Quincy responded with a put back jumper off an offensive rebound to regain the lead, but the Bearcats responded with a jumper from Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) to pull even with just under two minutes to go. A layup from the Hawks gave the lead back to Quincy, but McGinnis laid in a basket with just seven seconds to go off of a steal from Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) to tie things at 13 after the first 10 minutes.
 
Quincy opened the scoring in the second quarter with a pair of free throws, but the Bearcats battled back with a 9-2 run that included four points from Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) and a three pointer from Alexander. The teams hit a scoring drought before McKendree pushed the lead back to five after a jumper from Heberg at the 2:39 mark. The Hawks closed the gap at 24-21, but McGinnis connected on a pair of free throws to move the margin back to give with 1:20 remaining in the first half. The teams traded a pair of turnovers before a layup from Quincy with six seconds to go ended the scoring in the first half with the Bearcats leading 26-23.

McGinnis hit the first shot in the second half to extend the lead, but the Hawks countered with a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to take a 32-28 lead. The teams traded baskets before McKendree was able to reclaim the lead on a jumper from Hart with three minutes to go. Quincy replied with a three point shot and a jumper to go up by three, but the Bearcats followed suit with a trey from senior guard Abby Smith (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) with 35 seconds left in the quarter to square things heading into the final ten minutes.

The Hawks came out firing in the fourth, using a 11-0 run that spanned nearly four minutes to take a 48-39 lead. McKendree tried to fight back with baskets from Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) and Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) and a three from Alexander, but the Hawks were able to hold serve converting six free throw attempts as the Bearcats trailed 59-51 with just 1:13 to go. Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) hit a pair of free throws followed by another three from Alexander to cut the lead to four with 15 seconds to go, but McKendree couldn't overcome the deficit and fell by three points.