SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Drury men's basketball will tip off its 118th year Friday (Nov. 14) evening when the Panthers open play at the GLVC/G-MAC Conference Challenge with a 6 p.m. contest against Ohio Dominican at Hay Field House on the campus of Principia College in Elsah, Ill.
The Panthers conclude their stay at the GLVC/G-MAC Challenge with a 3 p.m. game Saturday against Thomas More.
DU is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2019-21 after going 14-13 a year ago. The Panthers have gone 12-3 against non-conference foes over the last two seasons, including back-to-back season-opening wins over one of their opponents this weekend, Thomas More.
Fans may follow the action through the host institution's YouTube channel, which will provide a live video stream for each of Drury's contests this weekend. All Drury men's basketball games in 2025-26 will be broadcast online through the DU All-Access button via DruryPanthers.com. Fans may access the audio streams by visiting the 2025-26 schedule page for the Panthers and selecting the "Listen" link, or via the DU All Access button located on the home page.
SERIES HISTORIES
- Drury and Ohio Dominican will meet for just the second time in men's basketball on Friday, with DU claiming the only previous matchup, an 84-69 decision in Big Rapids, Mich., on Nov. 13, 2021, in Chris Foster's first game as the Panthers' head coach.
- The Panthers are 2-0 all-time vs. TMU after claiming season-opening wins over the Saints in each of the last two years.
- DU won a 63-54 road decision last November in Crestview Hills, Ky., after taking a 73-70 victory two years ago in Bolivar, Mo.
- The Panthers have won their last four contests against members of the G-MAC dating back to the 2021-22 season.
OPENING STORYLINES
- In season-opening contests since 2003, Drury has gone 20-2, including four-straight wins under Foster.
- The Panthers won four of their last six games in 2024-25, including an 89-77 victory over GLVC regular-season champion Missouri S&T in their final regular-season contest.
- Drury welcomes back six total letterwinners from last season, including leading returning scorer Zach Howell, who averaged 13.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per outing in his first year as a Panther.
- The Panthers' lineup will also be bolstered by the return of sophomore guard Colin Hardrick, who earned GLVC All-Freshman and All-Defensive team honors last winter after posting 10.2 points per game, as well as team-leading averages of 6.7 boards and 2.0 steals, the latter of which led the conference.
- Drury also benefits from the return of junior guard Luke Stubbs, who missed all but three games a year ago due to injury, as well as senior forward Sekou Gassama and senior guard Ethan Whatley; redshirt junior guard Kanon Gipson returns as well, but sustained what is believed to be a season-ending injury during the preseason.
FOLLOW THE PANTHERS
- All Drury men's and women's basketball games in 2025-26 will be broadcast online through the DU All-Access button via DruryPanthers.com.
- Fans may access the audio streams by visiting the schedule pages for the Panthers and Lady Panthers and selecting the "Listen" link, or via the DU All Access button located on the home page.
GLVC GAINS
- Drury has produced positive gains in the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular season over the past two seasons, including a nine-win league season a year ago that gave the Panthers their top GLVC total in four years.
- The Panthers have increased their conference win total in each of the last two seasons, improving from a 5-15 slate and a 12th place finish in 2022-23 to a 10th-place showing and an 8-12 record in 2023-24 to last year's 9-11 mark and ninth-place effort.
- Overall, the Panthers have won a total of 29 games with their back-to-back winning seasons, marking their best two-year stretch since 2019-20 and 2020-21, when they went a combined 31-19.
PANTHERS TABBED FIFTH IN GLVC PRESEASON POLL
- Drury was tabbed fifth in the GLVC 2025-26 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll in late October.
- The Panthers received 121 points in the poll, finishing behind preseason favorite Missouri S&T (196) -- which received 14 first-place votes -- as well as Lincoln (174), UMSL (161) and Rockhurst (141).
- Rounding out the poll was Indianapolis (115), Lewis (114), McKendree (109), Illinois Springfield (97), William Jewell (96), Upper Iowa (78), Truman State (69), Quincy (51), Maryville (33) and Southwest Baptist (20).
ROOKIE NO MORE
- Hardrick will look to make an even bigger splash in his second year on the court for the Panthers, despite a standout rookie campaign that netted the Milwaukee native GLVC All-Freshman and All-Defensive Team honors.
- Hardrick led the GLVC in steals (2.0 spg), while pacing the Panthers in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and assists (2.7 apg), in addition to scoring at a 10.2 ppg clip.
- He was at his best late in the season during conference play, posting season-best totals for points (26), rebounds (12), assists (6), steals (5) and blocks (2) in GLVC play in the months of January and February.
A FINE HOW-ELL DO YOU DO
- Howell, the other multi-faceted half of Drury's potent 1-2 punch, also turned in a memorable debut season in Scarlet and Gray last winter.
- The Springfield native, averaged 13.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per outing following his return home after competing for two seasons at Division-I Milwaukee.
- Howell was not only the Panthers' top long-distance threat with his team-best 72 3-point field goal makes, but also DU's No. 2 rebounder to go along with the fourth-best steal (23) total on the club.
DU ADDS TALENTED CROP OF NEWCOMERS
- Drury men's basketball will welcome eight new student-athletes as part of the Panthers' 2025 signing class, which includes three transfers and five prep standouts.
- Joining the Panthers for the 2025-26 season will be 6-9 junior forward/center Gezim Bajrami (Tampere, Finland), 6-3 junior guard Avante Nichols (Atlanta, Ga.), 6-7 redshirt freshman Isaiah Otyaluk (Cary, N.C.), 6-5 freshman guard Wyatt Carr (Lebanon, Mo.), 6-0 freshman guard Keion Epps (Springfield, Mo.), 6-0 freshman guard Brenley Hagewood (Republic, Mo.), 6-5 freshman forward Kevin Sargeant (Missouri City, Texas) and 6-6 freshman forward KeShaun Thomas (Quincy, Ill.).
LOOKING AHEAD
The Panthers will return to Springfield Tuesday (Nov. 19) to open the home portion of their 2025-26 schedule with a 6 p.m. non-conference contest against Ecclesia College.
For all the latest information on Drury men's basketball, visit DruryPanthers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Panthers on X and Instagram.
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