KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The women's basketball team keeps their win streak going, now standing at 6-0 with a gritty win against Rockhurst University on Monday, December 2nd, at the Mason-Halpin Field House in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Score: McKendree University 66, Rockhurst University 61 

Record: Bearcats 6-0, 2-0 GLVC | Hawks 1-6, 0-2 GLVC 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Both teams started out evenly in the first seven and a half minutes of action. Rockhurst opened up with a couple of easy layups to get themselves warmed up. McKendree would immediately answer with a couple of back-to-back layups of their own, keeping things tight. The two sides would trade layups for the next three-plus minutes, which would be capped off by an inside jumper from Hawks' freshman forward Lauren Sandstrom and followed by the Bearcats' first three-pointer made by senior guard Maci Meyer (Hubertus, Wis.) to tie it at 13 a-piece. McKendree's junior guard Chloe White (Brussels, Ill.) would take over the final two minutes of the first period, driving in a layup and knocking down a three-pointer in back-to-back possessions with teammate freshman forward Taylor Fohey (Quincy, Ill.) ending on a 7-1 run to lead at the end of the first quarter, 20-14. 

Momentum would look sustainable for the Bearcats in the second quarter of play as junior guard Georgia Duncan (Washington, Ill.) sunk in a shot from beyond the arc, and sophomore guard Emma Slings (Polk City, Iowa) converted on a couple of earned free throws to start the second period of play on a 5-0 run to lead by eight. However, Rockhurst would spark momentum on their own, going on an abundant 12-0 run led by senior center Rebeca Garcia's four points and a long ball from sophomore guard Aubrey Treadwell to regain a one-point lead with two and a half minutes left of quarter number two. Each team would tally five more points each in the remaining time as Sandstrom would hit a three-pointer with 21 seconds remaining, but Duncan would respond with fashion, knocking down a three on her end with only three seconds before the halftime buzzer sounded. The Hawks would lead 31-30 going into halftime. 

Giving a little taste of their own medicine, McKendree would begin the second half of play by scoring the first 14 points and holding Rockhurst scoreless up until the 2:58 mark of the quarter. The 17-0 run that technically began with Duncan's three at the end of the first half was an efficient one, with the Bearcats going 7-11 on field goals in that span as White and sophomore forward Baylie Parks (Lake Zurich, Ill.) each tabbed in six points in that span. Down but not out, The Hawks would respond on a 10-1 run in less than two minutes to trail by only four behind junior guard Macie Conway's five points. After a made driving layup with contact by Slings, the Bearcats would lead 47-41 heading into the fourth quarter. 

While both sides showed their spurts of energy, they went on to trade buckets in the first 6:30 of the final period, with Rockhurst dropping 17 to McKendree's 10 as the Hawks would lead by just one. From that point on, the Bearcats connected on nine free throws to put the game away, with senior guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill.) contributing on six of them. McKendree would prevail on the road, 66-61. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• McKendree had seven players score 6+ points in the win with three notching double-figures. Parks and White each co-tabbed in a team-high 12 points with the former going 5-8 from the field while stuffing the stat sheet with nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. The latter was also 5-8 from the field which included a three-pointer as White grabbed six boards and a pair of steals. 

• After an efficient last outing against Maryville, Slings continued her momentum Monday night with a perfect 4-4 from the field while also taking away a game-high three steals. 

• Rockhurst ended with two double-digit scorers in Macie Conway with a team-high 17 points on 7-12 shooting and 2-4 from three, and Garcia not too far off with 15 points on a solid 7-8 from the floor while corralling a game-high 10 boards and blocking two shots. 

• McKendree shot 41.4% from the field, 29.4% from distance, and 68.4% from the stripe while the Hawks ended with 36.5%, 23.1%, and 81.8% respectively. 

• Both teams scored evenly in the paint with each pushing in 32 points in the colored area. 

• The Bearcats edged the Hawks both points off turnovers and bench points on with 17-13 and 16-14 advantages respectively. 

• With her nine points, that in majority, came within the clutch free throws at the end, Breden has broken the program scoring record in the NCAA Division II era with 1272 points, surpassing Sydney Diekhoff, who had 1269 in five seasons. 

• McKendree's 6-0 season start is a program record in the NCAA Division II era. 

UP NEXT

McKendree will be back in action on Saturday, December 7th, when they host the University of Illinois Springfield at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon, Illinois with tip-off set for 1:00 PM CT. 

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