SOMERS, WI - Wisconsin-Parkside used a 28-1 run spanning the second and third quarters to charge ahead, then held off Drury down the stretch for a 54-48 victory over the Lady Panthers in their Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup here on Saturday evening at DeSimone Gymnasium.
Drury led 28-23 at the half after holding as much as an 11-point advantage (28-17) in the second quarter before the Rangers (9-4, 3-2) started their surge. The Lady Panthers (10-3, 3-2) started slowly in the third period and Parkside continued its torrid run.
The Rangers outscored DU 21-5 in the third period to take a 44-33 advantage into the final eight minutes.
Still, despite going nearly 12 minutes without a field goal over the end of the second period and most of the third, Drury had a chance to make it interesting in the end. The Lady Panthers had it down to a five-point deficit on a pair of occasions inside the final two minutes, but could get no closer.
The Lady Panthers shot 27 percent (7 of 26) in the second half and 31 percent from the field for the game (17 of 55), and went just 8 for 23 from behind the 3-point line and 6 of 13 at the free-throw line as no players finished in double-figures.
Alice Heinzler and
Brook Duncan led Drury with nine points each, while
Annie Armstrong and
Heather Harman added eight points each.
Parkside won the battle of the boards 40-33 as the Lady Panthers suffered their second straight loss and third in the last four games.
Adrienne Horn had seven rebounds to lead DU.
Kristin Conniff had 15 points to lead the Rangers.
The Lady Panthers will return home to take on Indianapolis on Thursday and Saint Joseph's on Saturday for GLVC play at the O'Reilly Family Event Center. Saturday's games are the annual "Educator Appreciation Day" games, with all teachers and administrators from area schools at all levels - and their families - admitted for free with ID. Kids 12-and-under always are admitted free to all regular season home DU events.
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