QUINCY, Ill. – McKendree University used a season high 25 fourth quarter points to turn a 43-41 deficit into a 66-57 victory here Sunday over Rogers (Okla.) State in both teams' final game of the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic hosted by Quincy University and held at Pepsi Arena on the Quincy campus.
 
The win snapped a 13-game losing skid for the Bearcats that dated to last season as they improved to 1-3 on the season, while Rogers State fell to 0-4 on the year. Prior to Sunday's win, McKendree's previous win came on Jan. 27, 2022, at William Jewell College.
 
Sunday's 25 point fourth quarter were the most points scored by Bearcats in a quarter since tallying 29 points in the third quarter of last season's home opener against Blackburn College. In addition, the 66 points were the most scored in a game by the Bearcats since tallying 74 points in an 85-74 loss last season at Lewis University.
 
In the fourth quarter, sophomore guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill./Jerseyville) and freshman guard Georgia Duncan (Washington, Ill./Washington) combined for 14 of those season-high 25 points to help lead the way to just the third victory for McKendree in the 2022 calendar year. In the final period, McKendree was 9-for-12 (75 percent) from the field and made six of its seven free throws, while holding RSU to 27 percent (6-for-22) field goal shooting.
 
The Hillcats, who are members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), scored the first two points of the fourth quarter on free throws by Kaya Goldsby, before the Bearcats responded with an 11-0 run capped by two Breden free throws to push out to a 52-45 lead with 5:58 left in the quarter.
 
Following a basket by Kamryn Estell that cut McK's to 52-47, the Bearcats scored six of the next eight points with four of those points coming from Breden to give the Bearcats a 58-49 lead with 2:46 left in the quarter. RSU, though, would score four straight points to cut the deficit to 58-53, but baskets from junior guard Christy Fortune (Appleton, Wis./Appleton West) and junior forward Naomi McDaniel (Attica, Ill./Parkland CC) helped push McKendree's lead to 10 at 63-53 with 1:33 remaining.
 
The Bearcats would close the game by making three of four free throws over the final 1:14 to hold off the Hillcats and secure the victory.
 
McDaniel, who was named to the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic All-Tournament Team, led the way offensively with a game-high 18 points and added 12 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. McDaniel is now averaging 11.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game on the season for the Bearcats.
 
In addition to McDaniel, Breden finished with a season high 14 points, while Duncan scored a career high 12 points. Fortune just missed being the fourth Bearcat in double figures as she tallied eight points in the win.
 
For the game, McKendree shot a season-best 49 percent from the field and a season-best 38.5 percent from the 3-point line. Meanwhile, McKendree held RSU to 34 percent shooting from the field and 28 percent shooting from long distance.
 
RSU jumped out to 10-6 lead just five-plus minutes into the opening quarter, before McKendree closed the quarter on a 6-2 run to tie the game at 12-all after the opening 10 minutes of play.
 
In the second quarter, McKendree scored the first five points to push in front 17-14 following a trey by Duncan, but RSU used a 5-2 run to retie the game at 19 with 6:18 left in the quarter. From the point, the Bearcats responded with a 9-4 run capped by a lay-up from McDaniel to give the Bearcats a 28-23 lead with 2:27 remaining in the half.
 
RSU would cap the quarter by scoring the final seven points to take a 30-28 lead at the half.
 
In the third quarter, RSU pushed its halftime lead to as much as eight points following two free throws by Bailey Kliewer with 5:58 left in the quarter to give the Hillcats a 39-31 lead. The Bearcats would answer right back as they used an 8-2 run to drop RSU's lead to 41-39. McDaniel scored four of those eight points during the run for the Bearcats.
 
The two teams would trade baskets to end the quarter to give RSU its 43-41 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
 
Jordan Lewis led three Hillcats in double figures with 15 points, while Kliewer added 14 points and Estell finished with 10 points and nine rebounds in the loss.
 
Rogers State held a 35-33 edge on the boards as Trinity Jackson had 10 boards to pace the Hillcats. In addition to McDaniel's 12 rebounds, junior guard/forward Maclayne Taylor (Ogden, Ill./Lincoln Land CC) pulled eight boards for the Bearcats.
 
McKendree also lost the turnover battle, 23-14, but the Bearcats blocked a season-high four shots, including two by McDaniel.
 
The Bearcats were also strong at the free throw line as they were 13-for-16 (81.3 percent) from the line, while Rogers State was just 6-for-12 (50 percent) from the line.
 
McKendree will look to make its two wins in a row as they open the home portion of its 2022-23 schedule on Tuesday, Nov. 22 with a 3 p.m. contest at the Melvin Price Convocation Center against Blackburn College. Last season, McKendree opened its home schedule with a 90-71 win over the Beavers, who are members of the NCAA Division III's St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC).