SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— The Drury Panthers pulled away in the second half for a 76-65 win over Maryville on Saturday at the O'Reilly Family Event Center in Springfield.
 
Drury improved to 12-6 and 6-6 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference while dropping the Saints to 4-15 and 0-12 in the league.
 
The Panthers led 36-33 at halftime but methodically added to their lead in the second half, and Asa Hutchinson's lay-up with 5:57 remaining gave Drury an 11-point advantage, 63-52. The Panthers led by as much as 15 down the stretch.
 
Hutchinson's basket was part of a team-high 17-point effort as the sophomore went 6 for 8 from the field and led Drury in scoring for the second-straight game. Hutchinson had 19 points on Thursday against Missouri S&T.
 
"We did some good things attacking their defense," said Drury head coach Steve Hesser. "We were a lot better attacking it than we were two weeks ago in St. Louis when we made 18 three's but only won by five. There are stretches in the game when we're a lot better in some areas, but we've got to extend it."
 
In addition to Hutchinson's 17, Conley Garrison added 14 points and nine rebounds while Cal Hartley put in 13 points.
 
Isaac Johnson had five assists and became the 45th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points after hitting a three-pointer in the first half.
 
Owen Long led Maryville with a game-high 20 points while Jalen Gant added 17.
 
Drury shot 54 percent from the field, hitting 29 of their 54 shots while Maryville was 22 for 46 from the floor for 48 percent. After hitting five three-pointers in the first half, the Panthers held the Saints to just 1 for 6 from behind the arc in the second half. 
 
Drury returns to the court on Thursday to host Lewis for a 7:45 pm at the O'Reilly Family Event Center.
 
 
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