LEBANON, Ill. - McKendree University women's basketball held off a 10-4 Maryville University team in an 81-67 win on Saturday afternoon at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
With the win, the Bearcats snap a three-game losing streak and improve to 7-8 overall and 4-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, while the Saints drop to 10-5 on the season and 5-3 in conference play.
Shooting 53 percent from the field, McKendree led 23-17 after one quarter of play, only to pour on a tenacious defense in the second quarter and hold the Saints to just 11 points. The Bearcats held a 39-28 lead heading into the second half of play.
McKendree and Maryville tied in the third quarter with 23 points each, as 15 of Maryville's points came from junior guard Haidyn Pitsch, who ended with 29 points on the day. Though the Saints tried to climb back in the second half, the smallest lead that McKendree held was eight points in the final 20 minutes of play. Maryville shot 35 percent to McKendree's 50 percent in the fourth quarter, and the Bearcats were able to seal the win, 81-67.
"We came out aggressive and focused, and many ladies came in and had valuable minutes to contribute to the win," said McKendree head coach Kari Kerhoff about the win. "Our team made adjustments and executed the game plan. I am proud of our effort and ability to finish out the game."
McKendree showed off its depth from the bench as the Bearcat reserves tallied 25 points in the victory while Maryville's reserves netted only four points.
Four Bearcats scored in double figures as McKendree was led by junior guard
Maclayne Taylor with a season-high 19 points, shooting 58 percent from the field (7-12) and 66 percent from the three-point line (2-3).
Along with Taylor, junior forward
Naomi McDaniel tallied 11 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds while junior guard
Erin Golden added 11 points of her own, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the foul stripe, and snagged six rebounds for the Bearcats.
Freshman
Georgia Duncan marked her fourth double-digit scoring game of the year with 10 points. Shooting 100 percent from the field (3-for-3), freshman
Alyssa Powell tied her season-high of six points.
The remainder of the Bearcats' 81 points came from sophomore guard
Clare Breden with nine points, junior guard
Madyson Harper with eight points, and junior forward
Christy Fortune with seven points.
One key to success for the Bearcats was getting to the free throw line as McKendree shot 30 total free throws to the Saints' eight. McKendree sank 24-of-30 free throws for 80 percent while Maryville hit just 3-of-8 for 37 percent during the contest. McKendree also won the battle of the boards, grabbing 40 rebounds to Maryville's 34 rebounds in the win.
Up next, the Bearcats will be on their home court again, taking on Lewis at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center on Thursday night at 5:30 p.m.
