SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Drury Panthers returned to the court for the first time in two weeks and led wire-to-wire in a 101-83 win over Saint Mary (Kan.) on Saturday at the O'Reilly Family Event Center.
 
Drury improved to 9-2 and dropped the Spires to 7-8.
 
The Panthers opened a double-digit lead five minutes into the game to go up 15-5 on a lay-up by John Williams.
 
Drury owned a 54-34 lead at halftime after going 22 for 35 from the field during the game's first 20 minutes.
 
Conley Garrison led the Panthers with 14 points as five Drury players scored in double-figures. Andrew Ballock had 13 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Tyler Clanton added 12 points while Isaac Johnson and Julius Walker both had 10.
 
Edvonte Copeland had a game-high 20 points for Saint Mary.
 
"We've got some things to clean up," said Drury head coach Steve Hesser. "We had 15 turnovers, and I thought some of them were careless. In our last game, we only had eight turnovers, but that's some of what you lose when you have a lay-off like we've had."
 
The Panthers owned a 43-26 advantage on the boards and had 12 offensive rebounds.
 
Drury topped 100 points for the fifth time this season in the win, as they ended the game going 37 for 66 from the floor for 56 percent. Saint Mary shot 45 percent in the game hitting 29 of their 65 shots.
 
The game was Drury's final non-conference contest of the season. They return to action on Saturday, Jan. 6 when they host Southern Indiana. Game time is 3 p.m. at the O'Reilly Family Event Center. 
 

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