(Springfield, IL. Feb. 23) – The McKendree University women's basketball closed out its 2016-17 campaign in Springfield, IL Thursday evening against the University of Illinois Springfield. The Bearcats fell by a score of 62-45.
The loss finalizes McKendree's season with a record of 10-18 overall and a 1-17 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Freshman guard
Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) led the Bearcats with 11 points, including three of eight shooting from long range. Senior forward
Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) also reach double figures with 10 points, adding four rebounds. Freshman forward
Megan Jensen (Union, MO/Saint Francis Borgia Regional ) hit three of her four attempts to total six points Junior guard
Abby Smith (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) tallied three points to pair with a team high three assists.
Jensen recorded two of the first three baskets for McKendree as the teams battled to an even 6-6 start. Illinois Springfield took a 9-8 lead before a pair of free throws from senior forward
Ellie Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) gave the Bearcats its first lead of the evening at 10-9. A basic from the Prairie Stars put Illinois Springfield back on top, before two more strikes from the charity stripe by freshman guard
Madison Hart (Oak Creek, WI/Oak Creek) moved the score to 12-11 in favor of McKendree with 1:49 to play in the first quarter. Freshman forward
Shayli Florine (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg) added the final basket of the opening ten minutes to give the Bearcats a 14-11 edge as McKendree outscored Illinois Springfield 8-0 in bench scoring in the opening frame.
A layup from Jensen extended the lead to 16-11 to kick things off in quarter two before another basket from Florine moved the margin to seven at 20-13. The Prairie Stars shot back with an 8-0 run to take a 21-20 lead with 2:44 to play in the half. A trey from senior guard
Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) put McKendree back in front at 23-21, but Illinois Springfield notched the final six points of the quarter to take a 27-23 lead into intermission.
The Prairie Stars stretched the lead to eight with a pair of baskets to open the second half before a jumper from
Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) moved the deficit to 31-25. Illinois Springfield continued to push the envelope with a 7-0 run to move ahead 38-25. Heberg countered with a pair of threes to cut the lead to ten on a pair of possessions, but the Prairie Stars were able to extend their advantage back to 12 heading into the fourth quarter.
Heberg hit her third three of the night to open the final ten minutes of action and pull McKendree within striking distance at 45-36. Illinois Springfield wouldn't be outdone as the Prairie Stars went on an 8-0 run to push ahead by 18 at 56-38 and put the game out of reach down the stretch.
