Lebanon, IL - McKendree University Women's Basketball officially tips off the 2025-2026 season on Friday at 12:00 PM, welcoming the Hornets of Harris-Stowe (0-3) to the Statham Sports Center for the Bearcats' Education Day, with hundreds of elementary and junior high-aged students expected to flock to Lebanon for the matchup. After two different exhibition tests, the Bearcats look to launch the new campaign with pace, depth, and the same defensive edge that carried them through last year's 15-win season.
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RECAPPING CULVER-STOCKTON
Exhibition or not, McKendree's 69-63 win over Culver-Stockton showed both maturity and late-game toughness. The Bearcats shot a blistering 60% in the third quarter and 63.6% in the fourth, turning a tight halftime score into a composed finish.
Kyra Taylor dropped 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting and hitting 7-of-9 at the line, controlling the interior while drawing five fouls.
Emma Slings keyed the perimiter with 10 points, four assists, and four steals, while
Tessa Crawford and
Madison Johnson added steadying plays in the half court. McKendree's 44 points in the paint and 19-of-27 performance at the stripe underscored the Bearcats' physicality, while an 11-5 edge in fast break points highlighted a group that is learning to run with confidence.
CHECKING IN ON THE BEARCATS
The Bearcats enter this new regular season with a roster heavy on depth, length, and guard play - 12 guards and four forwards make up a unit designed to keep the pace and switch defensively. Last season's identity still applies: McKendree averaged 73.6 points per game, shot 44.5% from the field, and held a positive rebounding margin while committing fewer turnovers per game than their opponents. That formula powered a 15-11 record, and several pieces from that core are now stepping into bigger roles.
Kyra Taylor returns as a focal point after averaging 11.9 points per game on better than 54% shooting last year, while
Emma Slings brings a steady hand in the backcourt as a three-level scorer and primary facilitator.
Chloe White and
Tessa Crawford give McKendree additional perimeter punch, and
Taylor Fohey offers efficient frontcourt minutes after shooting better than 54 percent from the field a season ago. Add in the energy of
Madison Johnson, the shooting touch of
Olivia Corson, and the length and rebounding of
Morgan Feil, and the Bearcats have started to form a rotation built to come at opponents in waves.
The numbers back it up: McKendree was 10-3 at home last year, went 11-2 when leading at halftime, and finished 13-1 when leading after three quarters. With that track record in the Statham Sports Center and a bench that has already logged meaningful exhibition minutes, the Bearcats aim to re-establish home court as a place where runs stack quickly and leads rarely slip.
SCOUTING HARRIS-STOWE
The Hornets arrive at 0-3, but the record undersells their disruptive potential. Harris-Stowe has shown flashes of hard-nosed defense and rim protection, highlighted by eight blocks in Monday's matchup with Brescia. Cailynn Dilosa has been important on the perimeter, scoring 22 points with four made threes, and Harris-Stowe has generated 19 points off turnovers in that contest. Their challenge has been efficiency: the Hornets are shooting 26.5% from the field, 20.7% from deep, and broke single-digit scoring in the paint (10 points) against Brescia.
Even so, their 37 rebounds per game and disruptive activity in the paint - especially from J'Lessa Jordan and Marchi Hunter - demand a strong physical response from a Bearcat frontcourt that excelled against Culver-Stockton. The Hornets will look to speed the game, turn live-ball mistakes into points, and force McKendree into perimeter-heavy sets.
BEARCAT KEYS TO THE GAME
Win the Paint Again
McKendree dominated inside against Culver-Stockton with 44 paint points and efficient post touches. Harris-Stowe struggled to defend without fouling and managed only 10 paint points vs. Brescia. If the Bearcats can control the interior early, they can dictate tempo and force the Hornets to settle.
Limit Live-Ball Turnovers
Harris-Stowe scored 19 points off turnovers in their most recent outing. McKendree's depth at guard allows them to play fast, but valuing possessions will neutralize the Hornets' best offensive weapons.
Lean on Depth and Pace
12 Bearcat players saw meaningful minutes in exhibition play. Against a Hornet rotation still searching for scoring balance, McKendree's ability to extend possessions, run in lanes, and stay fresh into the fourth quarter could be decisive.
Use the Crowd
With Friday's noon tip doubling as Education Day, the game serves as a chance to turn that energy into an advantage - running on misses, stringing together defensive stops, and giving the kids something to roar about. If McKendree can ride that noise through the first wave of nerves and into the middle quarters, the environment can become a real factor.
