#2 (3) Drury Lady Panthers (22-1) vs #8 (6) Charleston Golden Eagles (19-2)
NCAA-II ELITE EIGHT - QUARTERFINALS
March 23, 2021 – 11 am (Central)
Greater Columbus Convention Center
 
Drury Lady Panthers Elite Eight Page 

Watch Party Details at The O'
 
Live Coverage
Radio: Radio: JOCK 96.9 FM/99.9 FM/1060 AM
Audio: 969thejock.com, TuneIn
Live Video: NCAA.com
Live Stats: NCAA.com
 
Lady Panthers meet Charleston in NCAA-II Quarterfinals on Tuesday morning
The Drury Lady Panthers play Charleston (W. Va.) in the NCAA-II national tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday at 11 am at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
 
Drury is 22-1, ranked second in the latest NCAA-II coaches' poll, and is seeded third in on Elite Eight bracket. The Lady Panthers advanced to the quarterfinals winning the Midwest Region with an 88-69 win over Ashland on March 15 in Springfield, marking their fifth regional championship in program history.
 
Charleston is 19-2 and advanced out of the Atlantic Region with an 82-52 win over Tiffin in the regional finals on March 15. The Golden Eagles are champions of the Mountain East Conference and ranked eighth nationally in the WBCA poll.
 
Tuesday's match-up will feature two of the top scorer's in the nation. Charleston's Brooklyn Pannell is the second-leading scorer in Division II, averaging 23.8 points per game, while Paige Robinson of the Lady Panthers is 11th in the nation averaging 21.1 points. Both squads are around the top in turnover margin as Drury leads the country at +11.6 (and have been number one in the nation in that category for three years in a row), while Charleston ranks seventh in that category at +7.7.
 
The winner of Tuesday's game advances to the national semifinals to face the winner of second-seeded Lander and the number seven seed, Azusa Pacific at 5 pm on Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio.
 
Lady Panthers NCAA-II tournament history
The Drury Lady Panthers are in the NCAA-II tournament for the 18th time in their 21 seasons. Drury qualified for the event last year, but the event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
 
The Lady Panthers are 32-16 all-time in the national event with five regional championships, two national semifinal appearances, and one national Runner-Up finish (2004). This year, Drury reached the regional championship game for the fifth straight tournament and for the 11th time in program history.
 
The Lady Panthers are making their fifth Elite Eight appearance as they have won regional championships in 2021, 2019, 2014, 2007, and 2004. Drury is 2-2 in their history in the national quarterfinal round.
 
Azia Lynch joins 1,000 Point Club
Drury forward Azia Lynch became the 19th player in program history to top 1,000 career points when she surpassed the milestone on March 15 against Ashland in the Midwest Regional Championship.
 
Lynch scored 13 points in that contest giving her 1,010 in her career. She needs only 10 more points to pass Paige Wilson (2013-17) of 18th on Drury's all-time scoring list.
 
DU forward Emily Parker is 37 points away from the 1,000-point milestone.  
 
Paige Robinson cracks DU's top 10 on all-time scoring list
Junior Paige Robinson became the 18th player in program history to top 1,000 points in her career when she reached the milestone on Nov. 29 as part of a 37-point game at Lindenwood. The Bethany, Illinois native carries 1,449 points into her next game and is 9th on Drury's all-time scoring list. She passed Hope Hunt (2000-05) on Feb. 27 when she scored 20 points at Quincy.
 
Drury All-Time Scoring Leaders
1. Hailey Diestelkamp (2016-present) 2,321
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7. Jill Curry (2000-04) 1,523
8. Lindsay Ballweg (2007-10) 1,502
9. Paige Robinson (2018-pres.) 1,449
10. Hope Hunt (2000-05) 1,350
11. Heather Harman (2014-18) 1,229
12. Magen Brunson (2000-04) 1,184
13. Melanie Oliver (2007-10) 1,181
14. Annie Armstrong (2013-16) 1,179
 
Robinson now 5th in all-time three's; Payton Richards is 8th 
Paige Robinson ranks 5th in Drury history in three-pointers made. She has 209 career treys while senior Payton Richards is 9th in that category with 194.
 
Drury All-Time Leaders - 3's
1. Katie Pritchard (2008-13) 255
2. Hope Hunt (2000-05) 213
3. Bethanie Funderburke (2010-14) 212
4. Alice Heinzler (2014-18) 210
5. Paige Robinson (2018-pres.) 209
6. Lindsay Ballweg (2007-10) 198
7. Paige Wilson (2013-17) 196
8. Payton Richards (2017-pres.) 194
9. Carrie Colwell (2000-03) 181
 
Richards cracks top 10 in assists 
Payton Richards is tied for 7th on Drury's all-time list in career assists. She enters her next game eight away from Katie Pritchard for seventh on the career assist chart. 
 
Drury All-Time Leaders - Assists
1. Daejah Bernard (2016-20) 607
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7. Katie Pritchard (2008-13) 317
8. Payton Richards (2017-pres.) 309
9 Annie Armstrong (2013-16) 302
10. Jill Curry (2000-04) 269
 
QUICK FACTS
DRURY LADY PANTHERS
Record: 22-1 (17-1 GLVC), #2 NCAA-II
Elite Eight Seed: #3
NCAA-II Bid: Automatic (GLVC Champion)
Head Coach: Amy Eagan (1st year, 22-1/12th year, 209-143)
Road to the Elite Eight: (Midwest Regional) 1st round- bye, 2nd round- W, Truman St., 66-51, 3rd round- W, Ashland 88-69
 
CHARLESTON GOLDEN EAGLES
Record: 19-2 (14-2 MEC)
Elite Eight: #6
NCAA-II Bid: Automatic (Mountain East Conference champions)
Head Coach: Tianni Kelly (1^st year, 19-2)
Road to the Elite Eight: (Atlantic Regional) 1st round- bye, 2nd round- W, Walsh 79-73, 3rd round- W, Tiffin 82-52
 
All-Time Series
First Meeting
 
Next
NCAA-II Elite Eight – Semifinals – vs. winner of Lander vs. Azusa Pacific
Wed., March 24 – 5 pm
Greater Columbus Convention Center  -- Columbus, Ohio
 
#allweDUiswin