SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Drury Panthers debuted their 2016-17 team with a 103-61 exhibition win over Kansas Christian on Thursday at the O'Reilly Family Event Center in Springfield.
 
Drury shot 57 percent from the field going 41 for 72 and owned a 55-29 rebounding advantage of the Falcons.
 
"Rebounding was a thing we emphasized tonight because we knew we had a size advantage," said Panthers head coach Steve Hesser. "It created some offensive opportunities. We'd miss a perimeter shot but get a hustle play on the glass to get a second opportunity."
 
Drury turned those second opportunities into 28 points off offensive rebounds. The Panthers also created 28 points off of 16 turnovers by Kansas Christian. 
 
Sophomore Grant Boswell led five Panthers in double-figures with 18 points. The Strafford product was 4 for 6 from three-point range. Joshua Palmer had 15 points and 7 rebounds while Douglas Moore had 12 points.
 
Freshman Isaac Johnson, out of Springfield-Kickapoo, had 11 points while John Williams chipped in 10.
 
Joshua Plain had 24 points to lead Kansas Christian. The Falcons are playing their first season in more than a decade after the program had been dropped by the school in 2005 but revived the season. Their 11-player roster was made up entirely of freshmen.
 
Thursday's game is Drury's only exhibition game of the preseason.
 
The Panthers open the regular season on Nov. 12 against Webster for a 5 p.m. game at the O'Reilly Family Event Center.
 

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