Lebanon, IL - The McKendree University Women's Basketball team makes its unofficial home debut on Friday night, hosting the NAIA Culver-Stockton Wildcats inside of the Statham Sports Center for a 6:00 PM tipoff.
BEFORE WE BREAK THIS ONE DOWN...
There will be no live video/audio broadcast for this contest, nor will there be live stats. Also, fans can expect free admission to Friday's game.
RECAPPING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
McKendree traded punches with Division-I Southern Illinois for three quarters Wednesday at the Banterra Center before a late Saluki run settled a 76-56 exhibition.
Tessa Crawford opened at the rim,
Olivia Corson buried a transition three, and
Emma Slings steadied the offense at the line to close the first even at 17-17. Early in the second,
Kylie Moeller hit two free throws and sprinted out for a layup to push McKendree ahead;
Chloe White's chase-down block sparked another break, while
Morgan Feil extended possessions on the glass.
Madison Johnson cashed a second-chance jumper, and
Kyra Taylor added late free throws before SIU edged in front 34-31 at halftime. The third stayed even: Taylor finished through contact, White scored in transition, and Crawford knifed in to tie it 40-40, with Slings again calm at the stripe as Southern Illinois led 51-45 after three. McKendree forced turnovers, attacked downhill, and trailed by only seven points near the five-minute mark of the fourth before the Salukis managed the clock to the horn. Slings and Taylor would both draw one charge apiece in the game. Scoring included Taylor (18), Crawford (11), Corson (5), Johnson (5), White (4), Moeller (4), Slings (3),
Maliah Sparks (2), Feil (2), and
Taylor Fohey (2).
FAMILIAR FACES IN DIFFERENT PLACES
Friday's game also serves as a reunion of sorts. McKendree assistant Coach
Terra Helm played for Culver-Stockton from 2014-2017, and returned to be on the Wildcats' staff as an assistant from 2019-2022. The 2025-2026 meeting between the Bearcats and Wildcats will be the first time the two programs have squared off, exhibition or otherwise, since Helm has been on staff in Lebanon.
SCOUTING CULVER-STOCKTON
The Wildcats have already played four regular season games, going (3-1) thus far. Their lone loss is to Bethel (TN) back on October 26th, and Bethel is the preseason #2-ranked team in the NAIA National Poll. Their wins so far include IU-Columbus (74-59), Hannibal LaGrange (110-59), and University of Health Science and Pharmacy (89-31).
Avery Oetting leads the way so far, pacing the Wildcats in scoring at 19.8 points per game. Expect Oetting to be a threat from beyond the arc as well, as her shot selection averages out to 3.5 two-pointers versus 7 attempts from distance. Elly Bentley (10.5 ppg) and Nevaiah Bell-Tenner (10.3 ppg) have both been averaging north of 10 points per game as well. Oetting also leads in rebounds per game (4.8), is second in assists per game (2.8), and is second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8).
Leaders in their win over UHSP on Wednesday include Oetting (26 pts, 7-10 3's, 6 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl), Misora Nambara (13 pts, 4 reb, 3 stl, 2 ast) and Haley Webb (12 pts, 2 reb). The Wildcats played clean basketball as well, only coughing up 10 turnovers while forcing UHSP into 33. It was clean basketball in the foul department on top of that, with no Wildcat having committed more than two fouls. Defense would also be a factor, with the Wildcats holding UHSP to 19% from the field and 16.7% from three. The 58-point final score was the largest lead of the game.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bearcats hosted the Wildcats back on December 19th, 2022, with McKendree coming away with the 70-59 victory. McKendree had three in double figures: Naomi McDaniel (15),
Clare Breden (14), and
Georgia Duncan. McDaniel and Breden both nearly had double-doubles, as the duo both had 8 rebounds in the win.
For Culver-Stockton, Oetting (8 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast) and Bell-Tenner (6 pts, 2 reb) were among those still on the roster in 25-26 that accumulated stats.
