Drury Lady Panthers Game Preview
#24 Drury Lady Panthers (21-5, 16-4) vs. Upper Iowa Peacocks (13-11, 10-10)
Thur., Feb. 29, 2024 -- 5:45 pm -- 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: 923kick.com, TuneIn app
Live Video: GLVCSN.com/drury
Live Stats: drurypanthers.com
 
Promotion
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Night
 
Drury hosts Upper Iowa in next to last game of regular season
The Lady Panthers start the final week of the regular season with a home game on Thursday against Upper Iowa. Tipoff is at 5:45 pm in the O'Reilly Family Event Center.
 
Drury is 21-5, 16-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, and ranked 24th in this week's NCAA-II coaches' poll. The Lady Panthers are coming off their first loss in 13 games, having fallen 77-75 last Saturday at Maryville. Drury has the second-best won-loss record in the GLVC and is tied for second with McKendree in the league's Point Rating System.  
 
Upper Iowa is 13-11, 10-10 in the GLVC and in seventh place in the conference. The Peacocks have won three straight and are coming off a 72-70 at home over Illinois Springfield.
 
Thursday's game is the second meeting of the season between the two teams this season. Drury won the earlier meeting with an 88-69 over the Peacocks at Upper Iowa on Jan. 18.
 
Drury forward Reese Schaaf enters the game with double-doubles in her last four straight games. The sophomore from El Dorado Springs, Missouri, ranks fifth in the GLVC in scoring, averaging 17.2 points, is third in rebounding (9.2 per game), and she leads the league in field goal percentage (.599).
 
Following Thursday's game, Drury plays their final regular season home game with a Saturday afternoon contest against Truman State. Saturday is Senior Day, and the team will honor their graduating players before the 1 pm tipoff.
 
About Upper Iowa
Upper Iowa ranks second in the GLVC in defense, as opponents are shooting only .390 against them.
 
Katie Tornstrom leads the Peacocks in scoring and ranks 8th in the league with a 16.6 point scoring average, and 8th in field goal percentage (.460). She is also 3rd in the league in three-pointers made (63) and is fifth in three-point percentage (.380). Brooke Evenson is 10th in the conference rebounding, averaging 7.6 and is 7th in blocks, averaging 1.1.
 
Previous Meeting
Drury 88 Upper Iowa 69 (Jan. 18, 2024 at UIU)
-- Reese Schaaf had 26 points, 12 rebounds and shot 13 for 17 from the field
-- Beth Matas Martin added 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists for the Lady Panthers
 -- Mia Huberty led Upper Iowa with 18 points
 -- Drury shot 51 percent, going 36 for 70 from the field
-- The Peacocks went 3 for 19 from three-point range
 
All-Time series vs Upper Iowa
Drury and Upper Iowa have only played once in their histories and that meeting was earlier this year in Fayette, Iowa. The Lady Panthers won the encounter, 88-69, on Jan. 18.
 
Lady Panthers last game
Maryville 77 Drury 75 (Sat., at MU)
--  The Saints snapped Drury's 13-game winning streak
-- Carsyn Fearday set Maryville's single-game record with 40 points and the total was the most ever scored against the Lady Panthers in program history
 -- Reese Schaaf scored 24 points and added 10 rebounds
-- Drury trailed 44-33 and trailed by as much as 13 in the third quarter before rallying within two
 
Martin passes 1,000 career points
Drury guard Beth Matas Martin surpassed 1,000 career points on Jan. 11 in a win at home over Maryville. Matas Martin has 1,188 points in her four-year college career. The graduate student from Spain scored 786 points in two seasons at Quincy, then transferred to Drury and has 404 this season with the Lady Panthers.
 
Lady Panthers on single season charts
 
Daniels on single-season assist charts
1. Daejah Bernard (2018-19), 211
2. Daejah Bernard (2019-20), 174
3. Ja'Nell Jones (2009-10), 167
4. Heather Harman (2016-17), 151
5. Caitlynn Daniels (2023-24), 149
6. Payton Richards (2018-19), 137
 
Reese Schaaf nearing top season rebounding marks
1. Hailey Diestelkamp (2018-19), 316
...
8. Amanda Newton (2003-04), 247
9. Melanie Oliver (2008-09), 246
10. Reese Schaaf (2023-24), 239
11. Hailey Diestelkamp (2019-20), 237
 
Martin among Drury's single-season three-point leaders
1. Lindsay Ballweg (2009-10), 112
...
7. Bethanie Funderburk (2010-11) 75
8. Beth Matas Martin (2023-24), 72
8. Annie Armstrong (2015-16), 72
10. Heather Harman (2017-18), 71
    Paige Robinson (2019-20), 71
 
QUICK FACTS
Records
Drury: 21-5, 16-4, #24 NCAA-II
UIU: 13-11, 10-10
 
Head Coaches
Drury: Kaci Bailey (1^st yr., 21-5 / 3^rd yr., 43-41)  
UIU: Justin Maas (2^nd year, 23-29)  
 
Streak
Drury: Lost 1
UIU: Won 3
 
Last Game
Drury lost at Upper Iowa 77-75 (Thur.)
UIU won vs. Illinois Springfield 72-70 (Thur.)
 
Last Five Games
Drury: 4-1
UIU: 3-2
 
All-Time Series
Drury 1-0
 
Previous Meeting
Drury 88 Upper Iowa 69
(Jan. 18, 2024, at UIU)
 
Next Week
Lady Panthers vs. Truman St.
Sat., March 2 – 1 pm
 
#allweDUiswin