LEBANON, Ill. - The women's basketball team scorched in their first game of the season against Mount Mercy University on Friday, November 8th, at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon, Illinois. 

Score: McKendree University 88, Mount Mercy University 55 

Record: Bearcats 1-0, 0-0 GLVC | Mustangs 2-2, 0-0 Heart 

HOW IT HAPPENED

McKendree came out of the gates trying to get everyone involved as sophomore forward Baylie Parks (Lake Zurich, Ill.) put in a nice turnaround jump shot for the first points of the game. She then connected on a three-pointer a couple of minutes later. Coming out of the first media timeout, Parks and senior guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill.) both were drivers in the paint, giving the Bearcats three straight buckets with Breden getting back-to-back fastbreak layups. Mount Mercy made a let push with senior forward Claudia Vanzant notching two straight baskets but would trail 19-12 after period number one. 

The Bearcats opened the second quarter up on a 10-4 run after converting a substantial number of free throws as physicality started to pick up. Parks once again was a factor in contributing to the run, where she netted seven points, which included a couple of inside layups. A good shot from beyond the arc from Breden opened up the lead to 14 with a little under four minutes remaining in the half. Freshman forward Taylor Fohey (Quincy, Ill.) helped sink a jumper in 30 seconds after to pad a comfortable 38-21 lead for McKendree heading into halftime. 

It was a two-player show to start the third period of play with Parks and Vanzant, who both traded buckets in the opening three minutes, but still would be in the same point-differential. Within a 30-second span, the Bearcats would heat up with a 5-0 spurt initiated by Fohey and followed by a three-point shot from the wing by senior guard Maci Meyer (Hubertus, Wisc.) that erupted the home crowd at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. Meyer would connect on another shot from beyond the arc a little over two minutes later, enhancing her team's lead to 21. The long-range shooting would still favor McKendree as freshman guard Tessa Crawford would sink in her first three points of the game at the 3:10 mark and would make another three with 35 seconds remaining in the quarter and keep the Bearcats in the lead, up 64-37. 

The Mustangs were no match for McKendree heading into the final period of play, as Crawford went off for nine more points which included another three-pointer, and three breakaway layups to help seal the deal for the home squad 88-55. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Four players for McKendree finished with double-digits as Parks was the game's leading scorer with 19 points while going 7-11 from the field and pulling down seven rebounds. 

• Meyer and Crawford each had 17 and were a combined 6-8 from deep with the latter going a perfect 3-3. Breden also made a solid impact with 15 points as well as dishing out four assists. 

• Vanzant was the leader for Mount Mercy, as she had ended with 17 points on 7-10 shooting while getting four rebounds. 

• McKendree shot 52.6% from the field, 50.0% from distance, and 71.4% from the stripe while the Mustangs ended with 41.7%, 15.4%, and 65.0% respectively. 

• Over half of the Bearcats' points came from their bench with 48 compared to their starters with 40. 

• McKendree out-toughed Mount Mercy inside with a 42-28 advantage of points in the paint. 

UP NEXT

McKendree will be back in action in exactly one week when they travel to Quincy University (host) to take part in the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic, with their first matchup coming against the Ichabods of Washburn University on Friday, November 15th at 5:00 PM CT. 

For more updates and information on Bearcat Athletics, please continue to visit McKBearcats.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 
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