(WESTVILLE, Ind., Nov. 9)—The McKendree University women's basketball team began its 2018-19 season Friday night with a 75-69 overtime victory at Purdue University Northwest in day one action at the James. B. Dworkin Tip-Off Classic.
 
The Bearcats sprinted to a 15-0 lead and held a 20-point advantage midway through the second quarter before withstanding a comeback bid from the host Pride to earn the road win. McKendree will close out its stay in Indiana by taking on Tiffin University Saturday at 1 p.m. in the final day of the Dworkin Classic.
 
Sophomore guard Sydney Diekhoff (Pekin, IL/Pekin Community) registered career-high totals of 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way for McKendree. Diekhoff also dished out five assists in the non-conference win. Junior forward Megan Jensen (Union, MO/Saint Francis Borgia Regional) chipped in with 12 points, making 5-of-6 shots from the field, while senior forward Jordan Morton (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) posted 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals for the Bearcats. Junior guard Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) turned in a solid effort with nine points, five rebounds and a game-high five steals as sophomore guard Callie Pohlman (Appleton, WI/Appleton North) handed out a game-high seven assists.
 
McKendree came out firing on all cylinders, scoring the first 15 points of the night over the first seven minutes of action. Diekhoff had seven points during the opening burst, which ended on a Jensen jumper with 3:11 left in the first quarter. Defensively, the Bearcats held Purdue Northwest (0-1) to just 1-for-15 from the floor (6.7 percent) in building a 17-2 advantage after the first 10 minutes.
 
The Bearcats added to their advantage in the early stages of the second quarter, starting the period on a 9-4 run to grab their largest lead of the night, 26-6, with 6:45 left until halftime. The Pride managed to battle back and pull within 28-14 at the intermission before getting the deficit back within single digits, 45-36, heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Purdue Northwest caught fire from the field in the fourth quarter, hitting 10-of-15 shots from the field (66.7 percent) and even took a three-point lead at 56-53 with 3:32 left in regulation. McKendree missed two free throws on its next possession, but Morton grabbed the offensive rebound following the second miss before Diekhoff drilled a three-pointer with 3:08 remaining to knot the score at 56-56. The teams traded baskets before junior guard Madison Hart (Oak Creek, WI/Oak Creek) hit a short jumper to give the Bearcats a 62-60 lead with 10 seconds on the clock. Purdue Northwest's Bayley Goodman then forced overtime as she hit a shot just ahead of the buzzer to help the Pride pull even at 62-62.
 
In the overtime session, McKendree seized an early lead and held a three-point advantage on three different occasions before Purdue Northwest battled back to tie the score one more time at 69-69 with 52 seconds to play. Diekhoff hit a lay-up six seconds later to spark a game-ending 6-0 run for the Bearcats. Heberg hit two free throws with 23 seconds left before Diekhoff sealed the victory with another lay-up inside the final 10 seconds.
 
For the game, McKendree held the host Pride to just 32.5 percent shooting (25-of-77) and posted a 55-49 edge in rebounding. The Bearcats also outscored Purdue Northwest 40-20 in the paint.
 
Shae Rhonehouse came off the bench to lead Purdue Northwest with 22 points, while Brittany Barnard added 17 points.