LEBANON, Ill. - The women's basketball team will host one opponent this week, as they will face Blackburn College on Saturday, November 23rd at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon, Illinois.
This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the two programs as McKendree won all the previous five. The 2022-23 matchup was the largest margin won by the Bearcats in the history between the two teams, beating the Beavers 106-34 (+72). The closest game in the series was in the year prior in 2021-22, with McKendree pulling off the 90-71 (+19) win.
BEARCATS CURRENTLY
McKendree is coming off a very successful weekend at the annual Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic, which was hosted by Quincy University last Friday and Saturday where the team went 2-0. They had a close one on the first day against Washburn University where it came down to several clutch free throws to seal off an 88-83 win. On the following day, against NCAA Division II-newcomer Roosevelt University, the Bearcats won with ease and defeated the Lakers 79-52.
Against the Ichabods, senior guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill.) set a program record in the Division II era for McKendree for made and attempted free throws as she connected on 16 for 20 in the win as she ended with a game-high 25 points. Sophomore forward Baylie Parks (Lake Zurich, Ill.) dropped in 22 points on 10-18 shooting including a pair from beyond the arc as she also pulled down 10 rebounds to give her first career double-double. In the Blowout win over the Lakers, Parks went an efficient 7-8 from the field, finishing with 14 points and seven rebounds. Breden and freshman forward Kyra Taylor (Davenport, Iowa) also notched 14 points in the victory for the Bearcats.
As a result of outstanding performances, Breden and Parks were named to the classic's All-Tournament team. By virtue of high-efficiency numbers, Parks was selected on Monday for this week's GLVC Player of the Week as she totaled 36 points on 17-26 (65.4%) shooting and pulling down 17 rebounds, dishing out five assists, and taking away two steals.
Parks' field goal percentage ranked 19th in the nation as she is also placed 110th for total field goals with 24. The Lake Zurich native is top 125 in rebounds per game (8.0) and offensive rebounds per game (3.3). Breden is top 10 in free throw attempts (34) and free throws made (27). Sophomore guard Emma Slings (Polk City, Iowa) is one of the better ball-handlers in Division II as she ranks in the top 30 in assist/turnover ratio (3.00) and assists per game (5.0).
As a team, the Bearcats are 10th in the nation and first in the GLVC in assist/turnover ratio (1.37), as they are also fifth in Division II in free throws made per game (20.0). McKendree Leads the conference scoring offense, putting up 85.0 points per contest.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Blackburn College | Saturday, November 23rd, 1:00 PM CT
Last Matchup: W, 106-34 on 11/22/2022 | RECAP | BOX SCORE
After the McKendree men's basketball program took control over Blackburn last week on Wednesday, the women's basketball team will look for a similar result this weekend. The Beavers are coming off their first win of the season, ending a 17-game losing streak dating back to last year. They beat Maranatha Baptist University on Tuesday, 59-53 where Blackburn finished with three double-digit scorers.
Sophomore guard Kailynn Kruep leads the team in scoring with 17.0 points a contest. Two other Beavers average double-figures in senior guard Miley Kwiatkowski with 15.3 points per game and junior guard Caidy Tuetken with 14.5 points a game. Junior forward Zoe Mitchell pulls down an abundant 14 boards a contest.
Allen Dehority is at the helm for Blackburn as he is also their highly esteemed sports information director. He is leading a team that is second-best in the SLIAC and 74th in the nation in total points allowed (271) and is also second in the conference while 107th in Division III in three-pointers per game (6.8). Kwiatkowski is first in the nation in total three-pointers made thus far into the season with 18 (4.5 per game). Tuetken is first in SLIAC in getting to the line, as she has attempted a total of 35 free throws up to this point.
TUNE IN-FO
vs Blackburn College
WATCH: Click HERE ($ – GLVC Sports Network)
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
HISTORY: Click HERE
TEAM ROSTERS: [McKendree] [Blackburn]
TEAM SCHEDULES: [McKendree] [Blackburn]
TEAM STATISTICS: [McKendree] [Blackburn]
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