(SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 15)—The McKendree women's basketball team battled its way to a 69-65 victory Monday evening at the University of Illinois Springfield.
 
Sophomore guard Jordan Heberg scored five points in a key stretch late in the contest, including two free throws with 58 seconds to play, to lift the Bearcats to their sixth win in eight outings. McKendree improves to 7-7 overall and 3-4 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The Bearcats will back at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center Thursday to begin a three-game home stand against Quincy University. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.
 
Heberg led the way for McKendree with 18 points, including 11 in the first quarter. Freshman guard Callie Pohlman 11 points while sophomore forward Shayli Florine registered 10 points and eight rebounds in a reserve role. Junior guard Jordan Morton pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds, marking the third time in the last four games that she has registered at least 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Madison Hart handed out four assists to lead the Bearcats.
 
Trailing 56-51 heading into the fourth quarter, McKendree scored the first five points of the period thanks to a three-pointer from Pohlman and a pair of free throws from Hart at the 8:54 mark to knot the contest at 56-56. The host Prairie Stars were able to stretch the lead back to four points before Morton scored on an offensive rebound and lay-up with 3:26 remaining to trim the Bearcats' deficit back to 62-60.
 
Heberg helped McKendree regain the lead at 63-62 when she drilled a three-pointer with 1:53 left. Jasmine Sangster scored on the ensuing possession to give UIS its final lead of the night at 64-63. The Bearcats had a shot blocked on their next trip down the floor, but Heberg claimed the offensive rebound and was fouled at the 58-second mark. She sank both free throw attempts to push McKendree back in front at 65-64.
 
Senior Abby Smith (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) was fouled on the Bearcats' next possession, and she hit both foul shots to push the McKendree lead to 67-64. After the Prairie Stars hit one of two free throws to pull within a basket, Hart put the game out of reach as she connected on two free throws with 13 seconds left to give the Bearcats a four-point advantage.
 
UIS (10-5, 4-3 GLVC) held a slight lead midway through the first quarter before McKendree took control over the final five minutes. The Bearcats outscored the Prairie Stars 17-2 to close the period with a 27-14 lead. Heberg scored nine points during the burst for McKendree, including a three-pointer just before the buzzer. The Bearcats shot 64.7 percent in the first 10 minutes of play (11-of-17).
 
In the middle stages of the second quarter, UIS chipped away at the deficit and used a 14-2 spurt to regain the lead at 33-31 with 4:46 remaining until halftime. The teams went toe-to-toe over the final four minutes of the period and a pair of free throws from Morton hit two free throws with 2:36 on the clock to tie the contest at 37-37. Both teams clamped down defensively and the 37-37 score stood heading into the intermission.
 
Shelbi Patterson led UIS with 18 points while adding seven rebounds. Sangster and Reje Pitchford each added 11 points, while Brianna Mefford grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for the Prairie Stars.
 
Monday's win enabled McKendree to complete the season sweep of UIS. The teams first met just nine days ago, with the Bearcats posting a 79-72 victory in Lebanon.