(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 23)--The McKendree University women's basketball team saved its best for last in posting a 73-60 victory Saturday afternoon at home against the University of Illinois Springfield.
 
Trailing 51-49 heading into the fourth quarter, the Bearcats outscored the visiting Prairie Stars 24-9 to pull away and earn an important win in Great Lakes Valley Conference action. McKendree improves to 13-12 on the year and is now 7-9 in the conference. The Bearcats will play host to Bellarmine University Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m.
 
Sophomore guard Sydney Diekhoff (Pekin, IL/Pekin Community) scored 10 of her game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter to pace McKendree. Junior forward Megan Jensen (Union, MO/Saint Francis Borgia Regional) equaled a career-high as she dropped in 19 points to go along with seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Callie Pohlman (Appleton, WI/Appleton North) dished out a career-best 11 assists as senior forward Jordan Morton (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) chipped in with nine points as she matched Jensen on the boards with seven rebounds for the Bearcats.
 
Down by two entering the final period, McKendree scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to take the lead for good at 56-51 with 7:22 remaining. Illinois Springfield cut the margin back down to a single point before the Bearcats took control with an 11-0 run to extend the lead out to 67-55 with 2:07 to play. All five starters figured prominently as four scored during the run – led by Morton with four points – and Pohlman registered three assists in the span.
 
Illinois Springfield (7-17, 4-12 GLVC) shot 64.3 percent in the first quarter (9-of-14) to build a 20-17 lead after 10 minutes of action. McKendree then flipped the script on the Prairie Stars, connecting on 54.5 percent of their tries from the field (6-of-11) while grabbing the lead in the second quarter. The Bearcats netted the first six points of the period to seize a 23-20 advantage. McKendree eventually stretched the margin to as many as five points before taking a 34-31 lead into the locker room.
 
In the third quarter, McKendree maintained the lead for the majority of action when the Prairie Stars reeled off seven straight points to take the lead once again at 44-43 with 3:09 left in the period. Illinois Springfield's advantage grew to four points in the closing minute of the third quarter before junior forward Shayli Florine (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg) – who had nine points and five rebounds against UIS – hit a lay-up on the Bearcats' final possession of the period to bring McKendree within a basket heading into the final quarter.
 
Val Meissner led Illinois Springfield with 15 points, while Ellie Mitchell added 14 points and five rebounds as Katelyn Rosner posted 13 points.
 
McKendree's win on Saturday gave the Bearcats a split of the 2018-19 season series against the Prairie Stars. Illinois Springfield won the first meeting 84-73 at home back on Jan. 5.