LEBANON, Ill. - The women's basketball team blew the doors off against Eureka College, holding them to five points in a quarter, in an exhibition match on Friday, November 1st at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon, Illinois.
Score: McKendree University 89, Eureka College 56
Record: Bearcats 0-0, 0-0 GLVC | Red Devils 0-0, 0-0 SLIAC
HOW IT HAPPENED
As the visiting team in this matchup, Eureka opened up on a 5-2 run that saw freshman guard Allanah Jackson start with a fast-break layup as senior guard teammate Brin Hultz connected on a three-point shot. That lead would not last long as sophomore guard Emma Slings (Polk City, Iowa) answered with a trey of her own and was followed by a successful layup by sophomore forward Baylie Parks (Lake Zurich, Ill.) to give McKendree their first lead. The Red Devils would put in another five straight with Hultz getting her second three of the game. Then, the Bearcats exploded in a 17-2 run as Slings was responsible for six of those points. After a run-halting layup by Eureka's junior guard Miya Webb, McKendree closed out the first quarter with three straight buckets to lead 30-14.
Defense was the name of the game for the Bearcats in the second period of play as they allowed only five points in the whole quarter. Within that span, McKendree dropped 24 points as Slings and junior guard Chloe White (Brussles, Ill.) contributed on 11 of those points combined to give their team an increased 54-19 lead heading into halftime.
Coming out of halftime down big, Red Devil Webb drove in a layup but would then be responded by a five-point swing from junior guard Georgia Duncan (Washington, Ill.), who herself put in a layup, and a buried three from White. After a good couple of free throws from Hultz, the Bearcats went on a 14-2 spurt that was initiated by a shot behind the arc from senior guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill.). Eureka halted the bleeding as sophomore guard Lainey Moore connected on the three and then responded with a four-point charge from McKendree freshman guard Tessa Crawford (Jerseyville, Ill.) to end the third period of play, up 78-29.
The Red Devils would open up the final quarter on a 17-4 run, led by a few sunken three-pointers by freshman forward Keylee Scarbrough and two from Hultz. A shot from beyond the arc and one from the charity stripe by sophomore guard/forward Abby Drendel (Naperville, Ill.) would seal things up for the Bearcats as they routed the Red Devils handily 89-56.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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Slings and Parks were both co-leading scorers for McKendree, each notching 12 points on the afternoon as the former would come away with an abundant eight assists, four rebounds, and two steals while the latter grabbed five boards, three takeaways, and a dish.
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Hultz was the game-leading scorer and a big factor in the Eureka offense as she had 18 points in the setback, along with five rebounds, two assists, and a steal to support.
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McKendree shot 55.9% from the field, 37.5% from distance, and 58.6% from the stripe while the Red Devils ended with 33.3%, 24.1%, and 42.9% respectively.
UP NEXT
McKendree will be back in action in exactly one week when they host NAIA-member Mount Mercy University in their season opener at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center on November 8th at 6:00 PM CDT.
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