Coach Steve Hesser's Drury Panthers will look to bounce back against two quality D-II opponents this weekend when they play host to Cameron and Missouri Western in the annual Doubletree Hotel/Houlihan's Thanksgiving Classic Friday and Saturday at the O'Reilly Family Event Center.

The Panthers (2-1), ranked No. 4 in this week's NABC/Division II Top 25 national basketball poll, will take on Cameron (3-1) at 3:15 p.m. on Friday in the third annual "Free Friday" promotion, with all fans admitted for free on a day that will feature again at halftime the "The 12 Days of Christmas," as Drury Athletics - in the holiday spirit of things - gives away 12 gifts ranging from restaurant gift certificates to youth basketball camps to autographed items to fans who register when they enter the building.

Drury will then face Missouri Western (2-1) at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, which represents the annual "Drury Athletics Hall of Fame Day." The university will induct Katie Imig (soccer), Janelle Slattery (swimming), Julie Wells (volleyball) and former basketball Panther Adam White that morning in ceremonies at the Findlay Student Center, then introduce the class to the crowd at halftime of Saturday's game. Regular season ticket prices apply, with all kids 12-and-under admitted for free.

The Panthers will take a 28-game home-court winning streak into the Cameron contest and be seeking a quick turnaround from Tuesday's 60-47 loss at MIAA power Northwest Missouri State. Drury trailed 38-37 with just over 12 minutes remaining, but went cold from there as the Bearcats (4-1), the defending MIAA champion and a regional finalist last season, avenged a 74-72 loss to Drury in last year's Thanksgiving tourney at The O'.

Cameron Adams and Kameron Bundy had 11 points each to lead the Panthers, but both spent the majority of the first half on the bench with two fouls, and Drury never could put together an offensive roll the entire evening in losing for just the ninth time in its last 70 games dating back through the start of the 2012-13, national championship season.

Cameron is 3-1 on the season after falling 66-64 on Tuesday night at Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Ark. The Aggies went 0-2 last season in the DU Thanksgiving Classic, including a 70-66 loss to Drury in overtime on the second day. Cameron led 35-30 at halftime and battled back from a seven-point deficit to force overtime at 57-all. Will Cook had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Aggies, while Bundy had 22 points and Adams added 14 points for the Panthers, who shot just 39 percent (22 of 56).

Deondre Ray, a 6-5 junior, leads Cameron with his 12.8 points per game, while Cameron Lee, a 6-3 junior, and 6-4 senior Desmond Henry add 12.5 points each. Henry pulls down a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per game for an Aggies team that's beating opponents by 15 (42 to 27) on average on the boards through four games and is shooting 55 percent from the floor, including 54 percent (36 of 67) from 3-point range. Lee has made 13 of 18 3-point tries for an incredible 72 percent for the season, while Ray has hit 9 of 15 (60 percent) for first-year head coach Nate Gamet's squad.

Bundy is averaging 18.7 points and Adams 16.0 points and a team-high 7.0 rebounds through three games to pace the Panthers. Mike Nwelue is adding 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds.

East Central University out of Ada, Okla., coached by former Drury assistant Ja Havens, will swap opponents with the Panthers both days and play the 1 p.m. game. The Tigers are 3-1 on the season, with three straight victories since a 76-70, season-opening loss to Southwest Minnesota.

Missouri Western will take a 2-1 record into Friday's 1 p.m. game with ECU. The Griffons fell 82-70 at Upper Iowa on Monday.  Aaron Emmanuel, a 6-1 sophomore and transfer from Missouri S&T, leads the Griffons with 11.7 points per game, while 6-7 freshman Currie Byrd and 6-8, 240-pound junior Kevin Thomas add 11.3 points each. Byrd averages 7.0 rebounds and Thomas adds 6.7 boards per game. Missouri Western, in its second year under head coach Brett Weiberg, opened the season with wins over GLVC members Rockhurst (66-60) and William Jewell (63-61) in St. Joseph.

Drury games both days can be heard on JOCK 98.7 FM (www.jock987.com) and will feature a free, live webcast at www.drurypanthers.com/watch.