PEORIA, Ill. - The McKendree University women's basketball team opened its 2021-22 slate here Thursday evening with a hard-fought 101-75 setback to NCAA Division I Bradley University at Carver Arena. 

In its lone tune-up for the 2021-22 regular season, the Bearcats held a six point lead just eight minutes into the game and pulled within 54-49 just three minutes into the third quarter, before the Braves, who advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time in school history last season, used a 13-4 run to push in front 67-53 with three minutes left in the third quarter. 

"I was super excited about how we came out and played in the first and third quarters, especially in the third quarter when we were able to make it a two possession game. I was also pleased with our team's grit and toughness as we never backed down and did a good job executing our game plan," McKendree head women's basketball coach Kari Kerkhoff said following Thursday's game. "I think we play well off each other and I was also pleased that we were able to make some adjustments and run some things we haven't ever practiced, so the fact they can adjust during a game was good to see."

Thursday's game was a homecoming for Kerkhoff as she spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Bradley from 2006-12 and made her McKendree coaching debut against the Braves in an exhibition game in 2015. 

"Great memories being back here tonight. Bradley was always a special place for me and it was great to bring our team here," added Kerkhoff, who is entering her seventh season with the Bearcats this season. 

Five Bearcats scored in double figures in the game as redshirt junior guard Kaelyn Froebe (Lincoln, Ill./Lincoln) led the way with 17 points and added six rebounds and a game-high five assists. She had 11 of her 17 points in the second half, including tallying seven of McKendree's 15 fourth quarter points. 

"I thought Kaelyn did an excellent job, especially late just being more aggressive," added the McKendree coach. 

In addition to Froebe, sophomore guard Christy Fortune (Appleton, Wis./Appleton West) added a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, while second-year freshman guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill./Jerseyville Community) had 11 points. Sophomore guard Erin Golden (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) and redshirt sophomore guard Ashley Schloer (O'Fallon, Ill./St. Cloud State) each had 10 points for the game. 

Bradley would outscore the Bearcats, 49-36 in the second half after holding a 52-39 lead at the half. 

The Bearcats got off to a hot start in the first quarter as they made six of their first eight shots and ended the first quarter shooting 60 percent (9-for-15) from the field as they trailed 23-22 after the opening 10 minutes. 

Bradley scored the first points of the game on a 3-pointer by Tatum Koening just 24 seconds into the game, but the Bearcats would respond with a 5-0 run to take a 5-3 lead just 95 seconds into the contest. After a trey from Caroline Waite gave BU a 6-5 lead, the Bearcats used a 7-4 run capped by a 3-pointer from freshman guard Maci Meyer (Hubertus, Wis./Hartford) to take a 12-10 lead with 6:13 left in the opening quarter. 

After the Braves scored four straight points to take a 14-12 lead, McKendree would respond with an 8-0 run capped by a basket from Froebe to push out to a 20-14 lead with 2:07 left in the first quarter. The lead, though, was shortlived a BU closed the first quarter on a 9-2 run to take its 23-22 lead after the first 10 minutes of action. 

Both teams were hot from the field in the first quarter as they combined to make 18 of their 31 field goals, inclduing going a combined 5-for-9 from the 3-point line. While McKendree shot 60 percent from the field and 67 percent from the 3-point line in the quarter, Bradley shot 56 percent from the floor and 50 percent from long distance. 

Bradley would break the game open in the second quarter as they scored the first 10 points to jump out to a 33-22 lead and would eventually lead by as much as 19 points at 48-29 following a trey from Waite, who finished the night with 24 points as she shot 6-for-8 from the 3-point line in her first collegiate game. McKendree, though, wouldn't go away as they closed the first half on 10-4 run to drop Bradley's lead to 52-39 at the half. 

McKendree would open the third quarter strong as Golden's lay-up opened the scoring in the period and that sparked an 8-2 run by the Bearcats to pull within 54-49 with 7:10 left in the third quarter following two free throws by Breden. 

That run by McKendree seemed to ignite the Braves as they responded with a 13-4 run to push its lead back to 14 points at 67-53 with three minutes left in the quarter. The Bearcats would answer by scoring seven of the next nine points to pull within 69-60, before BU closed the quarter by scoring the final seven points to hold a 76-60 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. 

Bradley would open the final quarter on a 19-9 run to push it lead to 26 points at 95-69 with 3:54 left in the game. That 26 point lead was the largest lead of the game for the Braves. McKendree would score six of the next eight points to cut BU's lead to 97-75, but the Braves would score the game's final four points, including reaching the century mark on a basket by Diamond Cannon with 1:15 left in the game. 

The biggest difference in the game came at the three-point line as Bradley finished the night making 13 of their 28 3-point attempts. The Braves outscored the Bearcats, 39-15 from the 3-point line. 

For the game, McKendree shot 41 percent from the field and 39 percent from the 3-point line, while Bradley shot 54 percent from the floor and 46 percent from the 3-point line. 

Along with 24 points from Waite, Gabi Haack, who is the Braves' top returning player from last season, led the way with a game-high 26 points as she hit four 3-pointers and was 8-for-14 from the field in the win. 

Bradley held a 37-34 edge on the boards against the undersized Bearcats as Sierra Morrow pulled down 11 rebounds for the Braves and also collected 21 assists on their 37 made field goals. McKendree had 13 assists for the game. 

The Bearcats also committed 21 turnovers that led to 31 points for the Braves. Bradley had 14 turnovers that led to 12 points for McKendree. 

"We caused some turnovers with our press, which was great, but we just need to continue to take advantage of those turnovers moving forward," Kerkhoff said. 

Both teams were strong at the free throw line as McKendree was 20-for-24 (83.3 percent) at the line, including Fortune going 5-for-5, while Froebe and Breden each went 5-for-6 at the line. Bradley finished 14-for-17 (82.4 percent) from the line. 

McKendree will now turn its focus to the regular season as they open their 2021-22 regular season next weekend (Nov. 12-13) by hosting both Tiffin and Purdue University Northwest in a GLVC/GMAC Crossover event hosted by McKendree at the Melvin Price Convocation Center in Lebanon, Ill. The Bearcats open the season on Nov. 12 with a 1 p.m. game against Tiffin, before facing Purdue University Northwest on Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. Illinois-Springfield will be the other team from the GLVC participating in the four-team event.