Box Score (Lebanon, Ill.) – With four minutes left in the first half the Missouri S&T Lady Miners trailed the McKendree Bearcats 42-21. S&T outscored the Bearcats 38-22 in the second half and were able to overcome the largest deficit ever in a season opener and win 68-64 on Tuesday evening in Lebanon, Ill.

S&T (1-0) struggled to hang onto the ball in the opening half as it turned it over 14 times resulting in 18 points for the Bearcats (1-1). The Lady Miners shot 43.3 percent (13-for-30) from the field, but McKendree was even better as it was 16-of-29 (55.2 percent) from the floor and 6-for-11 from three. S&T struggled to contain Caty Ponce as she led all scorers with 12 points while Liz Gilman added eight more. The Bearcats led by as many as 21 points, but the Lady Miners ended the half scoring the last nine points to cut the lead to 42-30 and had a couple of opportunities in the final minute to get even closer.

Kyesha Hall (Dodson, La./) led the way with seven points while Hailee Parks (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan) and Kylie Cooper (Andover, Kan./Andover) had six apiece. The S&T held a 19-15 edge on the glass.

The Lady Miners opened the second half on a 12-3 run in the first five minutes to cut the halftime deficit to 45-42. McKendree continued to hold the lead and led by as many as six points with 8:34 to play. S&T would close to within 56-55 on a jumper by Hall, but the Bearcats answered back with a jumper by Ponce. Hall answered back with another jumper but again Ponce had the answer to push it back to 60-57 with 5:22 left to play.

Kylie Cooper (Andover, Kan./Andover) hit 1-of-2 at the foul line to pull S&T within two at 60-58 and then Parks tied the game with two free throws with 2:15 left. After a turnover by McKendree, Toni Knar (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) put the Lady Miners ahead 63-60 with 1:47 to go. It was S&T's first lead since they scored the opening basket.  Ponce answered back with a jumper on the ensuing possession. A layup by Cooper put the Lady Miners back up by three with just over a minute to play.

Kara Johnson cut the lead to one with 0:49 left. Parks had a chance to put S&T back up by three, but she missed the layup with 0:28 left. The Lady Miners played good defense on the next possession and forced Brittany Willis to take a tough layup under the basket. Taylor Jensen (Farmington, Mo./Farmington) got the rebound and passed it ahead to Knar. Knar was fouled with 6.9 left and made 1-of-2 at the line to make it 66-64. Johnson rebounded the miss on the second shot and tried to dribble up court, but she lost control of it and was called for a double-dribble with 0:06 to play. S&T got the ball in and to Parks who was fouled. She went to the foul line and made both free throws to ice the game.

S&T shot 54.2 percent from the floor in the second half and finished the game shooting 48.1 percent (26-for-54). Hall led the way with 17 points. Parks added 16 while Cooper dropped in 11. Parks and Cooper had seven rebounds each. The Lady Miners outrebounded the Bearcats 42-31 for the contest.

After shooting 55 percent in the first half, McKendree cooled off to 28.1 percent in the second half and finished the game shooting 41 percent. Ponce led all scorers with 20 points. Gilman chipped in with 12.

S&T opens its home season on Friday night when it hosts St. Mary's (Texas) at 7 p.m.