This Week In Drury Athletics (February 8-14) ...
BASKETBALL
The final three regular season games in the six-decade history of Weiser Gym are on tap for this week, starting with the Drury squads playing host to Southern Indiana on Tuesday in a game rescheduled from last month, when the Screaming Eagles tragically lost player Jeron Lewis to a heart ailment during the men's game with Kentucky Wesleyan. The women's game with USI will tip off at 5:45 p.m., with the men's contest - featuring a Screaming Eagles team that's unbeaten and ranked No. 2 nationally - to begin around 8 p.m.
Drury will then play host to Maryville on Thursday night (women at 6, men at 8:15) before entertaining Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday afternoon in what represents Homecoming festivities as well as Senior Day for the Lady Panthers. The Panthers will play at 1 p.m. on Saturday, the Lady Panthers at 3:15 in games that will also be televised by Mediacom-22. In addition, a special ceremony to "Capture The Spirit of Weiser" and release it into the new O'Reilly Family Event Center next fall will be held after the women's game.
One other special basketball event on tap this week: The fifth annual Drury Alumni Basketball Game, set for Friday night at 7 p.m. at Weiser. The contest features several former Panthers and Lady Panthers in the coed format, and this year will benefit the American Heart Association in honor of the late former DU star Jerry Alexander, who passed away from a heart ailment last October. Donations will be accepted at the game, but for those who can't make it, online donations are being accepted
at this link. For those wanting more information on the alumni game, or to sign up to play if you haven't already, please contact Marc Mayer at (417) 860-6717 or
mmayer@greatsouthernbank.com.
The Panthers (18-4, 11-2 in the GLVC), ranked 14th in last week's poll, split games last week, falling 65-61 at Northern Kentucky on Thursday before bouncing back to beat Indianapolis 84-73. The Lady Panthers (18-6, 10-3) lost twice, falling 66-62 at Northern Kentucky and then, in one of their best efforts of the season, coming up just short in a 69-65 loss at nationally second-ranked and unbeaten (23-0) Indianapolis on Saturday.
Saturday's Lady Panthers game was highlighted by a 22-rebound effort from senior Melanie Oliver, which established a new Drury single-game record (breaking the old mark of 21 set by Amanda Newton in 2004). Oliver outrebounded Indy's entire team 15-12 by herself in the first half.
SWIMMING AND DIVING
The Drury men's and women's swimming and diving teams will send a partial squad to the New South Conference meet starting Wednesday and continuing through Saturday in Cleveland, MS.
As has become the norm with coach Brian Reynolds, those making the trip will be swimmers still trying to make qualifying times for the NCAA-II Championships, to be held next month in Canton, Ohio.
SOFTBALL
Coach Annie Medico's Panthers had their scheduled Spring Classic at Thompson Field over the weekend cancelled by the wet conditions.
Drury will now open its softball season this Friday through Sunday in Arkadelphia, Ark., at the Ouachita Baptist Tournament. The Panthers will play Southern Arkansas (1 p.m.) and Henderson State (3 p.m.) on Friday, Arkansas-Monticello (10 a.m.) and Ouachita Baptist (2 p.m.) on Saturday and Henderson State (noon) and Arkansas-Monticello (2 p.m.) on Sunday.
Drury's home opener now does not come until a March 13 GLVC double-header with Northern Kentucky.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
The men's and women's squads competed last weekend in the Central Missouri Mule Relays in Warrensburg, highlighted by a victory by the men's Distance Medley Relay squad of Matt Duncan, Nick Gray, Case Van Arkel and Jaime Villa Zapatero.
The DU teams are in competition on Friday at the Pittsburg State Invitational in Pittsburg, Kan.
BASEBALL
Coach Mark Stratton's Panthers were scheduled to open their season this weekend at home against nationally top-ranked Emporia State, but those three games already have been postponed; the teams are working on a potential makeup date down the road.
The Panthers are next scheduled to play Harding at Meador Park on Tuesday, February 16 in a pair of seven-inning games starting at noon. There's a possibility those games could move to Harding's field in Searcy, Ark., so stay tuned.
MEN'S TENNIS
The Panthers of first-year coach Luc Godin made their spring debut a success on Saturday, defeating Washington University 6-3 in Belleville, Ill.
Godin's Panthers will open their home season with an exhibition this Friday, playing host to Seminole State Community College in a noon start at the Cooper Tennis Complex.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Coach Jarrod Smith's Panthers will take to the courts for the first time this spring when they travel to Arkadelphia, Ark., for three matches this weekend.
Drury will play Southern Arkansas at 11 a.m. and host Ouachita Baptist at 5 p.m. on Friday before finishing the trip with a match against Tarleton State at 9 a.m. Saturday, all indoors.
ALSO ...
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 17 and the next "Panther Party" of the season at the Doubletree Hotel (N. Glenstone and E. Kearney). Come out from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and listen to our spring sports coaches give their season previews and meet some of their athletes as well. Free appetizer buffet and a cash bar is available ...
The next Drury Athletics Radio Show this Saturday (9 to 10 a.m., JOCK 98.7 FM) will feature an appearance by the four Lady Panthers basketball seniors (Lindsay Ballweg, Caitlin Shouse, Melanie Oliver and Sarah Tipton) on the morning of their Senior Day festivities, in addition to our weekly "Catching Up With ..." segment with a very special guest tied in with the history of Weiser Gym, game previews and reviews and more. That's 9 to 10 a.m. on JOCK 98.7 FM ...
The Coach Steve Harold/Drury Lady Panthers Radio Show is on tonight from 8 to 9 p.m. on JOCK 98.7 FM, airing live from Rivals Casual Grille on S. Glenstone in the Press Box area upstairs ...
The next Coach Steve Hesser/Drury Panthers Basketball Luncheon is on tap for Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Doe's Eat Place, at the corner of E. Trafficway and S. National. ...