(SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Nov. 8)—Sophomore guard Jenna Krause (Seymour, WI/Seymour) dropped in a career-high 17 points to lead the McKendree University women's basketball team to a 60-46 victory Friday afternoon against Purdue University Northwest at the Prairie Stars Tip-Off Classic in Springfield, Ill.
 
Krause also added four rebounds and three assists in guiding the Bearcats to their third consecutive victory in a season opener. McKendree will close out its stay at the Prairie Stars Tip-Off Classic Saturday afternoon at noon with a meeting against Tiffin University.
 
Senior guard Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) contributed nine points and six rebounds in the win for McKendree while senior forward Brianna Johnson (Lodi, WI/Beaver Dam) helped out with eight points, seven rebounds and a team-leading four assists. Senior guard Madison Hart (Oak Creek, WI/Oak Creek) chipped in with seven points and a game-high eight rebounds as well for the Bearcats.
 
McKendree used a solid defensive effort in its victory over the Pride. The Bearcats limited Purdue Northwest to just 31 percent shooting in the game (18-of-58) while holding a 48-37 edge in rebounding.
 
Purdue Northwest (0-1) held the lead in the opening moments before McKendree took control over the final three minutes of the period. The Bearcats scored the nine points of the quarter, including a three-pointer by junior guard Madison Jones (Abingdon, IL/Abiingdon-Avon) on the final possession to take a 15-11 lead. McKendree stretched its run to 12 consecutive points at the outset of the second quarter to build an 18-11 margin before the Pride chipped away at the deficit. Purdue Northwest got within a basket on two different occasions down the stretch before a jumper from Heberg sent the Bearcats into the locker room with a 27-21 lead.
 
McKendree came out firing to begin the second half, hitting its first seven shots of the third quarter to extend its advantage to 42-30. Freshman guard Kaelyn Froebe (Lincoln, IL/Lincoln), who had seven points in her collegiate debut, buried a three-pointer with 5:59 left in the period to cap the burst for the Bearcats. McKendree shot 66.7 percent from the field (10-of-15) in the third quarter to take a 50-38 lead into the final 10 minutes of action. Heberg was fouled on a three-point attempt with 5:05 to play and made all three foul shots to give the Bearcats their largest lead of the contest at 55-39.
 
Molly Devalkendere came off the bench to lead Purdue Northwest with eight points, while Danielle Nenning added seven points and a team-best seven rebounds in a reserve role for the Pride.
 
This is the second straight year that McKendree has defeated Purdue Northwest to open a season. The Bearcats outlasted the Pride 75-69 in overtime to tip off the 2018-19 campaign.