(ROMEOVILLE, Ill., Feb. 3)—The McKendree University women's basketball team dropped a 73-61 decision Saturday afternoon at Lewis University.
 
The Bearcats committed 27 turnovers in the contest, which the host Flyers converted into 31 points on the offensive end of the floor. Lewis held a 31-11 edge in points off turnovers in claiming the 12-point home victory. McKendree moves to 9-10 on the year and is now 5-7 in Great Lakes Valley Conference action. The Bearcats will return home to kick off its final three-game home stand of the year Thursday evening against Bellarmine University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
Freshman guard Sydney Diekhoff scored a team-leading 16 points in a reserve role for McKendree. Sophomore guard Jordan Heberg also reached double figures with 10 points. Freshman guard Callie Pohlman added nine points while posting team-high totals of six rebounds and five assists for the Bearcats.
 
Pohlman drilled a three-pointer on the Bearcats' first possession of the contest before Lewis (18-5, 11-2 GLVC) scored the next 10 points to surge in front for good at 10-3. Sophomore guard Madison Hart scored on a lay-up before Heberg hit a three-pointer to trim the Flyers' lead to 10-8 midway through the first quarter. Lewis held a 16-12 lead after 10 minutes of play before shooting 60 percent from the floor in the second period to take a 38-30 lead at the break.
 
McKendree scored the first six points of the second half to pull within 38-36 with 8:34 remaining in the third quarter. Senior forward Shauniera Wilson (Springfield, Ill./Southeast) connected on back-to-back jumpers before Heberg capped the burst with another basket. Lewis answered with a 13-2 run to regain a double-digit advantage at 51-38 with just over three minutes left in the period. The Flyers held a 57-44 lead at the end of the quarter and held off the Bearcats down the stretch to notch the victory.
 
For the game, McKendree held a 37-28 edge in rebounding and shot 47.1 percent from three-point range (8-of-17). The Bearcats' bench outscored the Lewis reserves by a 31-9 margin. In addition, McKendree held the leading scorer in NCAA Division II – the Flyers' Jessica Kelliher – 10 points below her season average of 25 PPG. Kelliher finished with 15 points, but managed to post a game-high five steals.
 
Rachel Hinders showed the way for Lewis with 21 points, while Gabby Green helped out with 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Flyers.