Kansas City, MO - The McKendree University Women's Basketball team got its final regular season weekend going on Thursday night, as they'd gone west to take on the Rockhurst Hawks. McKendree (17-8, 14-5 GLVC) used a dominant second quarter and efficient fourth to hold off Rockhurst (7-18, 3-16 GLVC) for an 83-69 win. The Bearcats shot 47.5% from the field, went 21-of-27 at the free throw line and owned a 45-28 rebounding edge. McKendree also converted 15 Rockhurst turnovers into 25 points and led for more than 30 minutes of game time. The Bearcats were able to secure a new career high in scoring from Chloe White and another double-double from Baylie Parks in the victory. 

Rockhurst opened with two early three-pointers to grab a 6-0 lead, but McKendree answered by their ability to clean up misses. Baylie Parks scored inside to get the Bearcats started, and Chloe White and Kyra Taylor followed with finishes in the lane to keep it within reach. After trailing 12-4 midway through the quarter, McKendree flipped momentum with their defense. Tessa Crawford scored twice off turnovers, White added a transition layup to tie the game at 14-14, and Taylor converted late at the free throw line. Taylor's tip-in as time expired capped a 9-3 run and sent McKendree into the second quarter ahead 23-19. 

The Bearcats took control in the second, outscoring Rockhurst 23-12 while holding the Hawks to 4-of-16 shooting. White sparked the surge with back-to-back three-pointers off takeaways, stretching the margin to seven. Parks added a driving layup, and Crawford delivered eight points in the quarter, including a pair of free throws and a fast break finish that extended the lead to double digits. McKendree continued to capitalize on mistakes, turning five second quarter turnovers into quick scoring. McKendree shot 57.1% in the quarter and carried a 46-31 lead into halftime. 

Out of the locker room, Parks connected from beyond the arc and Madison Johnson followed with a second chance bucket to spread the lead to 20. Rockhurst responded with a run fueled by free throws and extra chances, trimming the deficit all the way down to five midway through the quarter. The Bearcats returned to controlling the pace with stops and timely scores. Parks knocked down another three, Johnson added two free throws, and McKendree limited clean looks late in the frame. Despite being outscored 18-10 in the quarter, the Bearcats maintained a 56-49 lead heading to the fourth. 

McKendree answered quickly to open the final quarter. After a flagrant foul on the first possession, Taylor sank two free throws and scored on the ensuing play to stretch the lead back to 11. White added a pair of baskets in the paint, and Parks converted at the line after an offensive rebound to keep the margin in double figures. A second chance three from White with under three minutes remaining pushed the lead to 15, and the Bearcats sealed it at the charity stripe, finishing 10-of-10 on free throws in the fourth. McKendree shot 66.7% over the final 10 minutes to close out the 14-point winner. 

BEARCAT INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Chloe White | career-high 19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
Baylie Parks | 18 points, 15 rebounds (22nd career double-double), 2 blocks
Kyra Taylor | 15 points, 6 rebounds
Tessa Crawford | 14 points, 2 rebounds

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
2025-2026 Regular Season Finale
@ Southwest Baptist Bearcats (8-17, 5-14 GLVC) 
Saturday, February 28th - 1:00 PM
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN)
Live Stats (Sidearm Stats)
Tickets (Purchased at the Door ($10 General Admission, $5 Students, Free for kids 6-under))