(LEBANON, Ill., Dec. 11)—A 9-2 run over the final four minutes of play helped propel the McKendree University women's basketball team to a 72-65 victory Monday night at home over Northwest Missouri State University.
 
Freshman guard Sydney Diekhoff drilled a three-pointer at the 3:53 mark to break a 63-63 tie and give the host Bearcats the lead for good. McKendree won its second straight game to take a 3-5 overall record into the holiday break. The Bearcats will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 30 with its final non-conference game of the 2017-18 season at Davenport University in Michigan. Tip-off is set for noon ET.
 
Sophomore guard Jordan Heberg led McKendree in the scoring column with 15 points. Sophomore forward Shayli Florine came off the bench to post 11 points and five rebounds, while Diekhoff finished with 10 points in a reserve role. Freshman guard Callie Pohlman filled up her stat line with nine points and five rebounds to go along with game-high totals of seven assists and four steals for the Bearcats.
 
In a game that featured six ties and 16 lead changes. McKendree held a six-point lead in the early stages of the fourth quarter. Northwest Missouri State battled back to tie the score twice, the last coming at 63-63 on a lay-up by Mallory McConkey with 4:13 on the clock. On McKendree's next possession, Pohlman worked the ball to Diekhoff, who hit a 22-footer to give the Bearcats a 66-63 advantage. Florine followed with a mid-range jumper 38 seconds later to extend the McKendree advantage to 68-63 with 3:15 remaining.
 
After Northwest Missouri State (1-11) pulled within three points, junior forward Jordan Morton scored on a driving lay-up to stretch the McKendree lead back to 70-65 at the 1:39 mark. Diekhoff then hit two free throws over the final 46 seconds to cement the victory for the host Bearcats. Over the final four minutes of play, McKendree held Northwest Missouri State to just one made field goal in its final six attempts.
 
In the second half, McKendree turned up the pressure defensively, limiting Northwest Missouri State to just 31.4 percent shooting (11-of-35), including a 5-of-18 effort (27.8 percent) in the final 10 minutes of play.
 
McKendree sprinted to a 10-4 lead in the first three minutes of play. Northwest Missouri State chipped away at the deficit and eventually used a 9-1 run to end the quarter to take a 23-19 lead after 10 minutes. The visiting Bearcats shot 69.2 percent from the field (9-of-13) in the opening period. Northwest Missouri State extended its lead to as many as nine points before McKendree regained a 33-32 advantage with just under four minutes left until halftime. However, Northwest Missouri State edged back in front 36-35 at the break.
 
Tanya Meyer was the lone Northwest Missouri State player to score in double figures with 12 points. Kaylani Maiava added seven points and a team-best eight rebounds for the visiting Bearcats.