Lebanon, IL - Students from the Lebanon School District stepped away from their usual school-day routine Thursday and into the Harry M. Statham Sports Center, where McKendree University women's basketball welcomed them with a 98-41 exhibition win over Greenville.
The visit came with more than a seat in the stands. Coloring pages, fun Field Trip Day music, and games during quarter breaks gave students something to enjoy between stretches of basketball, letting them take part in the game-day experience.
On the court, the Bearcats gave their guests plenty of reasons to cheer. McKendree led throughout, getting an early lift from Baylie Parks before finding offense across the lineup as the game unfolded.
PARKS PROVIDES THE SPARK
Parks got the Bearcats moving by taking the ball away from Greenville and finishing at the rim. She followed by finding Kylie Moeller for a layup, helping McKendree get comfortable before the Panthers could settle in.
Taylor Fohey kept the opening push going, gathering a missed shot and finishing through contact before completing the trip at the free-throw line. Parks then stepped outside, knocking down perimeter shots off passes from Emma Slings as the Bearcats built their cushion.
Greenville answered with baskets from Amelia Shoemaker, Jayden Pilkington and Mya Mann, briefly interrupting McKendree's momentum. The Bearcats found their footing again through Morgan Feil, who scored inside off an Alana Francis assist.
Jayce Privia added a basket from beyond the arc, and Hannah Fenton slipped in a layup shortly before the horn to send McKendree into the quarter break with control of the game.
MAKING ROOM BEFORE HALFTIME
Moeller helped restart the offense at the free-throw line after Madison Johnson's offensive rebound kept a possession alive. Fohey later found Parks for another long-range basket, and Slings connected with Moeller outside to answer a Greenville score.
The Panthers slowed McKendree for a stretch, getting baskets from Sam Taylor and Baylie Joiner while the Bearcats worked through a quieter spell offensively. That changed when Maliah Sparks found Avery Tibbs beyond the arc following a Parks steal.
Francis added a finish inside, while Sparks supplied the extra effort that helped keep the offense moving. She came up with a steal and later chased down an offensive rebound, extending a possession that ended with Parks scoring around the basket.
McKendree closed the half with another Parks layup off a Francis feed. Francis then collected a defensive rebound, and Sparks provided the final basket before intermission.
FENTON AND TIBBS GET ROLLING
After the break, Moeller earned trips to the line and finished in the paint before Fenton began finding her touch with jumpers. Johnson added a basket through a foul and converted at the stripe, giving the Bearcats another boost inside.
Tibbs brought her own energy to the stretch, stealing the ball and taking it to the rim. Fenton followed with a long-range basket off a Johnson pass as McKendree's offense began opening up.
Francis helped hold things together at the other end, pulling down Greenville misses and turning away an attempt near the basket. She also contributed offensively, scoring off a Parks assist and later finding Tibbs outside.
Tibbs continued connecting from the perimeter as the quarter wore on. Parks and Sparks helped get the ball her way, while offensive rebounds gave the Bearcats opportunities to reset and find another shot. Parks closed the stretch by turning a steal into an assist on a Fenton layup.
WORKING THROUGH THE LINEUP
Emma Sampson made her presence felt in the closing quarter, scoring inside, blocking shots and collecting rebounds. Slings also emphatically rejected a Greenville attempt and stayed active defensively, helping McKendree keep possessions moving in its direction.
An offensive rebound by Sampson led to a Moeller basket from outside. Sampson later finished a feed from Fenton, while Tibbs continued her perimeter shooting and Sam Lindhorst knocked down a long-range attempt off a Sparks pass.
The bench supplied much of McKendree's scoring as head coach Kari Kerkhoff worked through the rotation. Fenton continued finding baskets late, Sparks added a finish in the paint, and Feil contributed at the line.
From Parks' opening steal to the work around the basket late, the Bearcats offered their Lebanon guests a look at the different ways a team can make a possession count, and a winning basketball game to go with their Field Trip Day visit.
NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
2026-2027 Regular Season Opener
vs. Delta State Statesmen (0-0)
Monday, November 9th - 6:00 PM
at Harry M. Statham Sports Center
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN)
Live Stats (Sidearm Sports)
Tickets (UniversityTickets)
