MARYVILLE, Mo. – The McKendree University women's basketball will close out the non-conference portion of its 2021-22 schedule here Wednesday evening as they face Northwest Missouri State University in a 6 p.m. non-conference tilt at Bearcat Arena on the Northwest Missouri State campus.
Wednesday's game, which is being billed as a "Battle of the Bearcats," will be almost 48 hours after McKendree fell 92-55 on Monday at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo. Monday's game was the first for McKendree since a 69-50 home setback on Dec. 4 against Lewis University.
McKendree comes into Wednesday's second straight and sixth overall road game of the season sporting a 1-8 overall record and an 0-3 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, while NWMSU comes into the contest having won seven of its last eight games and is sporting a 7-2 overall record and is 3-1 in the MIAA after suffering a 60-57 loss on Monday at Central Missouri.
ABOUT McKENDREE
The Bearcats, who outscored Missouri Southern State 22-16 in Monday's game and the 22 fourth quarter points are the most this season, are led offensively by sophomore guard Christy Fortune (Appleton, Wis./Appleton West), who is averaging 13.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 49 percent from the field, 46 percent from the 3-point line and 73 percent from the free throw line. She has scored in double figures in five of eight games and has pulled down eight or more rebounds in five of six games, including a career high 10 boards against both Blackburn and UIS.
In addition to Fortune, one other Bearcat is scoring in double figures on the year as second-year freshman guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill./Jerseyville Community) is averaging 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game and is shooting 40 percent from the field and 33 percent from the 3-point line and has scored in double figures in two of her last three games and five times overall on the season.
A third Bearcat is averaging just under double figures on the season as sophomore guard Erin Golden (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) is averaging 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game and is shooting 40 percent from the field and 79 percent from the free throw line. Golden has made a team high 19 free throws and also leads the team in free throw attempts with 24 and has scored in double figures in three games, including a career high 17 points against Purdue Northwest.
As a team this season, the Bearcats are averaging 51.8 points per game and are allowing 74.8 points per game and are shooting 37 percent from the field, 32 percent from the 3-point line and 66 percent from the free throw line. McKendree, who scored a season high 90 points in its only win of the season against Blackburn on Nov. 23, is getting outrebounded by 9.6 boards per game and is averaging 7.1 steals per game and 10.3 assists per game.
ABOUT NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
Northwest Missouri State comes into Wednesday's home non-conference game with McKendree having won seven of its first nine games with its losses coming in its season opener against Southwest Minnesota State (64-48) and at Central Missouri (60-57) in its last action on Monday. The loss to Central Missouri snapped a seven game win streak for Northwest Missouri
The Bearcats are 4-1 in non-conference games this season with its wins coming against Minnesota Crookston, Missouri S&T, Rockhurst and Winona State and the loss was to Southwest Minnesota State.
Leading the way offensively for Northwest Missouri State is redshirt freshman guard Molly Hartnett, who is averaging 12.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game and is shooting 40 percent from the field, 38 percent from the 3-point line and 87 percent from the free throw line. Hartnett, who was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year last season, has scored in double figures in six games, including four consecutive double-digit scoring games, including a season high 17 points last time out against Central Missouri.
The other double-digit scorer for Northwest Missouri is senior guard Mallory McConkey, who is averaging 11.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and is shooting 57 percent from the field, 67 percent from the 3-point line and 90 percent at the free throw line. McConkey, who is a two-time Honorable Mention All-MIAA selection, has scored in double figures in seven games, including six straight games of scoring 10 or more points.
A third Northwest Missouri State player is averaging just under 10 points per game as freshman guard Peyton Kelderman is averaging 9.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and is shooting 37 percent from the field, 35 percent from the 3-point line and 75 percent at the free throw line. Kelderman has tallied double digits in scoring in five games, including a season high 16 points against Winona State.
On the season, NWMSU is averaging 62.4 points per game and are allowing 55.8 points per game, which is second in the MIAA and 47th nationally in Division II and have held five of its nine foes under 60 points, including allowing Lincoln (Mo.) to score just 43 points in a 56-43 win. While their defense has held four foes under 60 points, NWMSU has scored over 60 points in just five games, but has failed to reach 60 points in its last two games as they scored 56 against Lincoln and 57 last time out against Central Missouri.
Additionally. NWMSU is shooting 43 percent from the field, 35 percent from the 3-point line and 77 percent from the free throw line and is allowing its opponents to shoot 39 percent from the field, 31 percent from the 3-point line and 71 percent from the free throw line. They are outrebounding its foes by 0.3 boards per game and are forcing 11.8 turnovers per game and are blocking 4.0 shots per game.
Northwest Missouri State is coached by Austin Meyer, who is in his fourth season at his alma mater and has compiled a 34-55 overall record and a 20-44 mark in the MIAA. Prior to becoming the women's coach in 2018, Meyer spent the 2008-18 season as an assistant coach with Northwest Missouri's men's program. As a player at NWMSU, Meyer scored 1,294 points and made 215 career 3-pointers.
Wednesday's game will mark the fifth all-time meeting in the series between the two schools as McKendree holds a 3-1 lead in the series. Wednesday's game will be the fourth in the last five seasons as McKendree won the most recent meeting, 79-77 in overtime in Maryville, Mo., on Nov. 30, 2019. McKendree is 1-1 at home against NWMSU and 2-0 in Maryville.
UP NEXT
Following Wednesday's game, McKendree will take 18 days off for the Christmas holidays and return to the court on Sunday, Jan. 2 as they open the New Year with a 1 p.m. GLVC game against Southern Indiana at the Melvin Price Convocation Center.
