Rolla, Mo. – The Missouri S&T Lady Miners overcame a 13-point first quarter deficit to keep its Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament hopes alive defeating McKendree 74-66 on Saturday afternoon at the Bullman Multi-Purpose Building. The Lady Miners (10-13, 5-10 GLVC) shot 44 percent from the floor over the final three quarters to secure the victory on Senior Day.

S&T took an early 5-2 lead after a three-pointer by Maddie Raley (Haubstadt, Ind./Gibson Southern) with 6:51 to go in the opening quarter but wouldn't score again for over five minutes as the Bearcats (10-14, 1-13 GLVC) went on a 15-0 run during that span. Jordan Kabetske (Republic, Mo./Republic) snapped the drought with a jumper but McKendree answered with three of four at the foul line to build its largest lead of the contest at 20-7 with less than a minute to play in the opening stanza. Kim Runge (Freedom, Wis./Freedom) and Sandra Douvier (Sedgwick, Kan./Sunrise Christian Academy) each scored buckets in the final minute of the frame to cut the Bearcat lead to 20-11 after 10 minutes.

The Lady Miners cut the lead to four points after a pair of free throws from Jamy Douvier (Sedgwick, Kan./Sunrise Christian Academy) with 4:22 left to go in the half but McKendree got back-to-back jumpers from Megan Jensen to extend the lead back to eight less than a minute later. S&T ran off seven straight points to cut the lead to 31-30 with 1:18 to go in the stanza but once again the Bearcats got back-to-back buckets increasing their lead to 35-30 with 0:45 left in the half. Raetchel Gray (Allen, Okla./Byng ) gave the Lady Miners a boost going into the locker room hitting a big three with 0:23 left to make it 35-33 at the break.

S&T tied the score a couple of times early in the third quarter but were unable to get over the hump as McKendree held them at arm's length and extended its halftime lead to 46-41 after four straight points from Jordan Heberg. The Lady Miners then went on a 9-0 over the next two minutes to take their first lead since early in the contest. Joe'l Bland (St. Charles, Mo./Homeschooled) started the run hitting three of four at the foul line and then Gray and Katey Brown (Craig, Neb./Guardian Angels Central Catholic) hit back-to-back three-pointers to put S&T ahead 50-46. The lead didn't last long though as the Bearcats ended the frame on a 6-1 run to take a 52-51 lead into the final quarter.

McKendree got the first bucket of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to three points and still had a three-point lead with 7:33 left in the game. The Lady Miners went on a 5-0 over the next 1:40 to reclaim the lead at 58-56 on a layup from Brown. The Bearcats regained the lead on the next possession as Shannon McGinnis converted an old fashioned three-point play for a 59-58 lead. Gray then put S&T in front for good with another three-pointer, only the second field goal of the quarter, to make it 61-59.

McKendree had a chance to tie the game but Amber Alexander made only 1-of-2 at the line and the Lady Miners would hit nine straight free throws and 13 of their last 14 at the foul line to seal the win. S&T was 18-for-20 at the foul line in the final quarter.

The Lady Miners finished the game shooting 41 percent (20-for-49) from the field, they went 7-of-16 (44 percent) from the three-point line and shot nearly 80 percent (27-for-34) at the foul line. The 27 free throws made and 34 free throws attempted were both season-highs for S&T.

Gray led four Lady Miners in double figures with 17 points, Katey Brown (Craig, Neb./Guardian Angels Central Catholic) added 13 points off the bench while Runge and Janie Arand (Washington, Mo./St. Francis Borgia) added 10 points apiece. Gray also led the team with six rebounds and four assists.

The Bearcats ended the game shooting 44 percent (25-for-57) from the floor, went 4-of-19 from downtown (21 percent) and were 12-for-18 at the charity stripe. They outrebounded S&T 34-31 but turned the ball over 20 times resulting in 23 points off of turnovers for S&T.

Heberg and Jensen led four McKendree players in double figures with 12 points apiece. Alexander and McGinnis had 11 points each. Jensen pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.

The Lady Miners are back in action on Thursday evening traveling to St. Louis to take on the Missouri-St. Louis Tritons in a 5:30 p.m. ball game from the Mark Twain Building on the Missouri-St. Louis campus.