Box Score
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

Box Score

SOMERS, Wis. (Feb. 20, 2014)-- A five minute scoring drought to end the game ultimately derailed the homestanding University of Wisconsin-Parkside women's basketball team on Thursday afternoon, suffering a 59-54 setback to Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division nemesis McKendree University inside DeSimone Gymnasium. Three Rangers ended the night in double figures in a defensive struggle with eight lead changes and 13 ties.

Sarah Mlachnik converted a layup with 5:08 left in the game to tie the game at 54-54 but UW-Parkside (7-17, 3-13 GLVC) was ice cold the rest of the way, finishing the contest zero-for-nine from the floor. The Bearcats (8-16, 3-13 GLVC) scored the go-ahead points on an Amber Alexander layup with 2:50 remaining and made three free throws in the final 20 seconds to hold on for the road win.

Neither squad led by more than six points in the opening half, heading into the locker room at the break tied 29-29. McKendree owned an early 8-5 advantage with 16:17 left before the host Rangers rattled off a 10-1 run to secure a 15-9 edge with 12:55 remaining. The Ranger advantage was negated over the next three minutes with McKendree tying the game at 17 before securing a 21-19 buffer with 8:15 left. The Bearcat edge increased to four before layups from Gaby Bronson and Maddie Johnston netted the score heading into the halftime break.

McKendree opened the second stanza on a 9-2 spurt, securing a seven-point buffer with 15:14 remaining. UW-Parkside fought back, eventually tying the game on a Tara Knapstein three with 9:09 left before reclaiming the lead on a Jennifer Blunt free throw with 8:15 remaining. Neither team led by more than a possession until Brittany Willis banged home a pair of free throws with five seconds left.

Bronson led Parkside with 17 points, sinking all seven of her free throws while grabbing five rebounds and distributing four assists. Johnston collected 12 points while Danielle Slivka and Knapstein added 10 and eight points, respectively.

Danielle Amann-Stewa led McKendree off the bench with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Emily Pusheck tallied 11 points and 11 boards. Willis added 13 points with Caty Ponce notching nine.

The Rangers close out their home slate on Saturday at 1 p.m., welcoming the University of Illinois Springfield to DeSimone Gymnasium on Senior Day.