Drury Lady Panthers Game Preview
Oasis Hotel & Convention Center Thanksgiving Classic
Tue.-Wed., Nov. 22-23, 2022 – O'Reilly Family Event Center      
 
Tickets
$12 (kids 12 and under FREE)
Order Online
417-873-7000
 
Live Coverage
Radio: KICK 92.3 FM / 1340 AM
Audio: www.923kick.com, TuneIn app
Live Video: GLVCSN.com/drury
Live Stats: drurypanthers.com
 
Drury hosts Oasis Hotel & Convention Center Thanksgiving Classic
The Drury Lady Panthers host the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center Thanksgiving Classic on Tuesday and Wednesday at the O'Reilly Family Event Center.
 
Drury takes on Cedarville at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, then renews their rivalry with Ashland on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Truman State opens play each day of the event as they face Ashland at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, then Cedarville on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
 
The Lady Panthers, who entered the week ranked 10th in NCAA-II, are off to a 3-0 start and are coming off a 91-58 win over Emporia State on Saturday at the O'.
 
Cedarville is 1-1 after a season-opening loss at home to Ferris State on Nov. 12, 76-66, then a win at home over Central State, 84-81, on Nov. 16. The Yellow Jackets went 17-12 last season and 12-10 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Tuesday's game will be their first game ever against Drury.
 
Ashland enters this week's event 4-0 and ranked fifth in NCAA-II. The Eagles started the year with an 87-61 win at Wayne State on Nov. 11, then won at Indianapolis, 87-49, on Nov. 13. Ashland defeated Saginaw Valley St. 87-75 on Nov. 16 in their home opener, then took down another GLVC opponent, Lewis, 83-65, on Saturday.
 
Truman State comes to Springfield with a 2-2 record. The Bulldogs won 97-90 overtime win over Upper Iowa on Saturday in their last game.  
 
Wednesday: Drury vs. Ashland - V 
It is a series that deserves a Roman numeral. The Lady Panthers and Ashland Eagles will meet for the fifth time on Wednesday and for the first time ever in the regular season. Each of the four previous games has been during the NCAA-II Tournament, with three of those contests deciding the Midwest Regional champion. 
 
The all-time series is split 2-2. The Lady Panthers won the last meeting in an 88-69 win over the Eagles on March 15, 2021 to the Midwest Regional title at the O'Reilly Family Event Center. Ashland won the previous two encounters, both at home, defeating the Lady Panthers 79-73 in 2018 and 74-62 in 2017. Drury won at Ashland in 2016, 86-60, in the Midwest Regional semifinals.
 
The two teams could have (or should have) met in the 2020 national tournament. Drury was 32-0, ranked number one in Division II, and the Midwest Regional host, while Ashland was 31-0, ranked 2nd in D-II, and seeded second in the regional. The NCAA-II Tournament was canceled, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
 
QUICK FACTS
Records
#10 Drury: 3-0
Cedarville: 1-1
#5 Ashland: 4-0
Truman St.: 2-2 
 
Head Coaches
Drury: Amy Eagan (3rd yr., 59-7/14th yr., 246-149)
Cedarville: Jason Smith (2nd yr., 18-13/12th yr. 237-98)
Ashland: Kari Pickens (5th year, 109-15)
Truman St.: Theo Dean (4th year, 57-26)   
 
All-Time Record vs Opponents
Drury 0-0 vs. Cedarville
Drury 2-2 vs. Ashland
 
Last Meeting
Drury vs. Cedarville - first meeting
Drury 88 Ashland 69 (Mar. 15, 2021 - NCAA-II Midwest Regional championship at Drury) 
 
Thanksgiving Classic Schedule
Tue.: Truman St. vs. Ashland, 1 pm
Tue.: DRURY vs. Cedarville, 5:30 pm
Wed.: Truman St. vs. Cedarville, 1 pm
Wed.: DRURY vs. Ashland, 5:30 pm 
 
Live Coverage
Radio: KICK 92.3 FM/1340 AM
Audio: 923kick.com, TuneIn
Video- GLVCSN.com/drury
Stats- drurypanthers.com
 
Next Game
Lady Panthers vs. Missouri S&T -- Nov. 28, 2022
5:45 pm -- O'Reilly Family Event Center 
 
#allweDUiswin